I want to be an Anesthesiologist.

Ahhh I'm so confused. CRNA vs. Anesthesiologist? I don't know what I want to do.?

• Right now I'm in college and about to take my last 3 basic classes and then start nursing school for my bachelor's degree in the spring semester. Just recently though, I've decided that I don't want to just get my bachelor's degree in nursing and be done. I am really interested in anesthesia and I'm pretty sure that is what I would want to specialize in. My only problem is that if I specialize in anesthesia I've heard anesthesiologists get more training and stuff (I know it's more schooling, but that isn't a problem to me, my only concern is that I want to figure out exactly what I want to do).. I also know that an anesthesiologist is a physician and a CRNA is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I just don't know which one to go for.. I'm sure I want to go for one of the two.. But I don't know which one. In highschool I interned in all different areas of the hospital (including the OR) and while I was in the OR I always watched the anesthesiologists and what all they did and researched a lot about it, and I really thought that's what I wanted to do.. It was really interesting to me and I really like how they get to do all that they do and they kinda do their own thing and it seems like it's a lot about balancing everything out and idk I just really liked it. But once again, recently lol.. I started getting interested in oral surgery. (I don't want to be an oral surgeon though) Soo.. I was thinking I could specialize in anesthesia and work with like an oral surgeon? ..But do oral surgeons even hire anesthesiologists? Don't they just have nurses or they themselves give the anesthesia? Ahhh.. Sorry this probably doesn't make any sense, but I am stuck here. haha.. It really is stressing me out a lot.. I couldn't even sleep last night bc I was thinking about it so much. I mean I am starting my third year of college, I feel like I need to figure out what I'm doing.. For right now I'm just finishing up these basics, then starting nursing school for now I guess.. Idk any advice? Sorry if I rambled a lot. If there are any CRNA's or Anesthesiologists maybe that I could talk to or that could give me advice about schooling and stuff I would REALLY appreciate it.

• Answer:

  Decide whether you want to be a doctor or a nurse. If you want to be a doctor, then do not get a nursing degree; it is inadequate for med school. You will have to take more difficult science courses and prepare for the MCAT. If you want to be a nurse, get the BSN, then a job in critical care nursing, and then look into nurse anesthesia schools. If you are going to be a junior and want to go to med school, you are already behind if you haven't taken most of the prerequisite courses. Talk to an advisor about what your options are, and if you have what it takes academically to even consider med school. (Your fascination with oral surgery will probably pass; don't base your career choice on that. One of the great things about anesthesia is that we get an amazing variety of cases.) Good luck with whatever path you choose.