Take advanced science classes in high school, particularly in biology and chemistry. Extend your knowledge by volunteering or working at a hospital or other healthcare facility, which will give you valuable experience working with patients and staff.
Obtain your bachelor's degree. No matter what major you select, there should be a strong emphasis on biology, chemistry, math and physics. These will help when you take the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) and lay a foundation for the information you'll learn in medical school. Maintain a high grade point average to maximize your chances of being selected.
Obtain a residency in anesthesiology. A residency is professional training that is supervised by senior physicians in the field. A year of internal medicine residency must be completed before this specialized training can begin, which some anesthesiology training programs arrange for students to complete at the same site while others expect students to arrange themselves. The anesthesiology residency can be three or four years long, depending on how the program is structured.
Complete a subspecialty fellowship, if desired. Additional opportunities are available to specialize even further in pain management; cardiac, pediatric, obstetric or neuro-anesthesiology; or critical care medicine. This will require one to three years of training beyond the residency.
Obtain your license to practice. Requirements for training, education and examinations vary from state to state, depending on where you intend to practice. Each state's medical licensing board requires the correct documentation, test scores and fees for the license to be granted.
Become board certified. Although this is optional and voluntary, almost 90 percent of anesthesiologists choose to become certified by the American Board of Anesthesiologists. Certification means that an anesthesiologist's skills, education and training has been tested and demonstrates his ability to provide superior care to patients. Both written and oral examinations must be passed for this certification to be granted.