Career Growth in Anesthesia

CCI Anesthesia
Close up of doctor using oxygen mask patient under anesthesia during surgical procedure.

As an anesthesia professional, you pride yourself on providing your patients with research-based, compassionate, high-level care. Growing in your career allows you to affect more patients while enjoying personal and professional fulfillment. Many anesthesia professionals find that flexibility and a passion for lifelong learning are crucial to moving toward long-term career goals.

Understanding Career Pathways in Anesthesia

Myriad career paths exist for both anesthesiologists and CRNAs. While there’s nothing wrong with changing your career goals over time, having an idea of where you’d like to end up can help you move strategically up the career ladder.

Anesthesiologists can choose from several career path options, including:

  • Clinical practice. Those who wish to provide hands-on patient care can determine whether a hospital-based or private practice is a better fit.
  • Academic medicine. Anesthesiologists who pursue an academic career teach medical students, residents and fellows while conducting clinical research.
  • Specialization. Some anesthesiologists prefer to specialize in anesthesiology for specific procedures (such as cardiothoracic procedures) or patient groups (such as pediatrics).
  • Administration. Department leadership, hospital administration and leading the development of quality and safety initiatives in the OR all allow anesthesiologists to thrive.

CRNAs also have a variety of career paths to choose from, including:

  • Clinical practice. Like anesthesiologists, CRNAs can work in various settings, including hospitals, surgical centers and offices (such as dental offices), or establish an independent practice.
  • Academic medicine. CRNAs can educate future anesthesia professionals, drawing on their experience and education to help CRNAs in training to succeed.
  • Administration. Some CRNAs choose to move forward in organizational leadership roles, such as hospital administration or serving as a nurse shift manager.

As the field of anesthesia continues to evolve, new career opportunities are constantly emerging. Staying open to change can help you make the most of your OR career.

The Role of Continuing Education

Staying current with the latest research in anesthesia is essential to career advancement and excellent patient care. Some anesthesiologists choose to earn a certificate in a subspecialty, such as critical care medicine, sleep medicine, or neurocritical care.

Check out these resources to learn how to keep up with anesthesia research to enhance your career prospects:

Flexibility and Adaptability in Career Planning

It is important to keep an open mind about pathways to career advancement. While change can initially be stressful, being open to new opportunities can lead to unexpected career developments.

Are you struggling to develop a flexible career mindset? Try these tips:

  • Set short- and long-term goals. Reflect regularly on whether your long-term goals are still what you’re looking for and whether your short-term goals are getting you closer to where you want to be.
  • Vary your work experience. Working in various settings with different patient populations can help open your eyes to new career possibilities.
  • Hone your soft skills. Empathy, compassion, diligence, leadership and problem-solving are excellent skills for any anesthesiology career path. Developing these skills can help you keep your options open.

Mentoring and Coaching

No matter where you are in your career path, mentorship and coaching from experienced professionals who have been successful in your current role can help you move forward.

At CCI Anesthesia, we believe that support from peers and mentors is essential to each anesthesia professional’s success. “Local leadership is key to our (and your) success,” says CCI Anesthesia Executive Vice President Nathan Yoder. “The CCI Leadership Institute is key to ensuring success because we mentor and support those we place in charge.”

At CCI Anesthesia, your growth is our growth, and we’ll be with you every step of the way as you work to meet your career goals. Flexibility, networking and continuous learning are the primary factors in moving your career forward. We encourage you to pursue opportunities to further your career development through resources within and outside your current organization and professional communities.

Contact us today to discuss how CCI Anesthesia can help you take your career to the next level. Click here to learn more about our open jobs, and don’t hesitate to reach out with questions.

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