* Medical School: First, you must complete a four-year medical degree (MD or DO).
* Anesthesiology Residency: After medical school, you must complete a four-year residency program in anesthesiology. This is a highly specialized training program involving extensive clinical experience and supervised practice.
In some cases, further sub-specialization may be pursued through fellowships (e.g., pediatric anesthesiology, cardiac anesthesiology, pain management). These fellowships typically last one to two years.
So in short, the answer is a resounding yes. The path to becoming an anesthesiologist is a long and demanding one, requiring many years of post-secondary education and training.