If one of your ambitions is to join ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists), then you definitely need to check out these top 12 anesthesiology residency programs in 2018 before doing anything else.
Anesthesiology is a branch of medicine that is usually slightly neglected by the general public. Only when an incident happens does the spotlight turn to an anesthesiologist. It all comes from ignorance. If you asked a random passer-by to explain what an anesthesiologist is and what anesthesiologists do, we seriously doubt if he/she would have any other idea except mumbling something like: “He puts the people to sleep.” Surgeons get all the glory, but it is actually the anesthesiologist that’s keeping you alive during the whole process. Even if it’s a minor one, such as removing an appendix, you are at the mercy of an anesthesiologist and his management of your oxygen level and anesthetics or sedatives. His job is to monitor you closely and watches out for any changes in your state. Therefore, next time you have to undergo an operation, you should be shaking hands with the anesthesiologist, too.
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How long does it take to become an anesthesiologist? Similarly to other medical specialties, first you must complete a four-year bachelor’s degree, and then continue another four years to get a degree in medicine (M.D.) or osteopathy (D.O.). After that, there are four more years of an anesthesiologist residency waiting for you. You may go for one more year of study or fellowship if you’re very much interested in critical care medicine, pain medicine, research or education. The question arises: is all that worth it? Indeed it is. In February 2018 the average anesthesiologist (annual) salary is over $400,000. The lowest you could be earning is $286,000. We wish we could tell you an anesthesiologist resident salary is somewhere near that figure, but it’s much lower. Usually, it’s big enough to cover your anesthesiologist schooling cost.
We’ll go back to that later. Now let’s see how this branch of medicine compares to other top residency programs in the USA. For those looking for orthopedic residency program rankings, it seems Hospital for Special Surgery at Cornell Medical Center is the best option. We have already written about best emergency medicine residency programs in our article about top 10 emergency medicine residency programs in America. As for surgery and best neurosurgery residency programs, you’ll find them at two of the universities offering top anesthesiology residency programs in 2018.
We have already done the top 10 anesthesiology residency programs in America for the previous year, and now it’s time for new challenges in 2018. Our primary source was Start Class with their list of schools that could be compared to several criteria: in-state tuition, median MCAT score, median incoming GPA and the overall (Smart) criteria. However, we believe the best indicator of an excellent program is the highest average MCAT score, which basically shows students’ effort to enroll the program. Surely no one would bother that much for a mediocre residency program, would they? Therefore, it is undeniable you’ll get the best possible knowledge there. Still, the difference in the score was only a point or two for the very best. To find the top anesthesiology residency programs in 2018, we decided to compare the tuition fee and a resident’s salary for the first year of study. We deem the best option is the one which gives you great knowledge while your salary could help with paying off the tuition fee. To sum up, the schools were eventually ranked from the lowest to the biggest surplus once we subtracted the fee from the salary. The information on the salary for the first year students was taken from medical school websites.
There’s a long way ahead of you until you’ll be earning one of the highest salaries in the country but remember. Everybody started from one of top 12 anesthesiology residency programs in 2018.
12. Perelman School of Medicine
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Tuition: $52,478
PGY 1 salary: $56,451
With 653 students, this is one of the largest medical schools. Its student body is 19% bigger than the average. You’ll be trained at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.
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And now, let’s see what else we have on our list of anesthesiology residency programs in 2018.
11. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Tuition:$47,284
PGY 1 salary: $53,600
Most of the students here (87%) have some kind of a loan, but Johns Hopkins School helps them as well with the scholarships. Around 60% of students receive scholarships, and that’s a bit lower than the average. There are sixteen divisions to choose from. Some of them are Adult Anesthesia, Ophthalmological Anesthesia, Regional Anesthesia & Acute Pain Management, Integration and Information Management, Perianesthesia Nursing Services, Obstetric, Gynecologic and Fetal Anesthesia and many others.
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10. Virginia School of Medicine
Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
Tuition: $48,386
PGY 1 salary: $54,107
If you’re also looking for top surgery residency programs, you’ll find them in Virginia School of Medicine. It also has loan programs for you to study. The department currently has 58 anesthesiology interns and residents which guarantees a lot of personal attention and help during your studies.
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9. Harvard Medical School
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Tuition: $53,581
PGY 1 salary: $61,384
How could any list of medical residency programs be imagined without Harvard? Hardly. Even though your annual salary is only $7,803 higher than your tuition fee, Harvard offers a lot of benefits, such as free meals and computer discounts. Perhaps the greatest is their list of Harvard-affiliated institutions: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital Boston, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System and so on. As you can see, the list is extensive and extremely versatile. Harvard will definitely open a lot of doors for you.
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8. Feinberg School of Medicine
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Tuition: $50,668
PGY 1 salary: $59,766
Feinberg School of Medicine ranks 8th on our list of anesthesiology residency programs in 2018. It offers a variety of benefits when it comes to earning some extra money during your studies. You’re given a fund for purchasing a tablet and Wi-Fi, as well as books. Residents are given support to do research and present their work at national conferences held by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, International Anesthesia Research Society, Midwest Anesthesia Residents Conference and many others.
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7. Vanderbilt School of Medicine
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Tuition: $45,224
PGY 1 salary: $54,809
If you’re a foreigner reading this, perhaps Vanderbilt School of Medicine is the place for you! They put a special accent on diversity and having students from all walks of life. It doesn’t matter much how old you are as long as you pass your exam.
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6. Yale School of Medicine
Location: New Haven, Connecticut
Tuition: $52,085
PGY 1 salary: $62,124
For such a reputable college, let’s just say it offers some fun events along with studying. There are Girls’ Night Out, Paintball battles, picnics with the chairman, and the annual department party – Anesthesia Jeopardy. As for more serious events, there are specialty workshops like The AirMan™ Simulator, the “Anatomic Basis of Regional Anesthesia” workshop and the “Pacemaker” to help students do their best.
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5. Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Tuition: $46,962
PGY 1 salary: $57,400
Continuing with our list of top 12 anesthesiology residency programs in 2018 with Pittsburgh anesthesiology program. It offers you some great international opportunities. You could be practicing medicine at the Mediterranean Institute for Transplantation and Specialized Therapies in Palermo, Italy. Those of you who are interested in pediatrics may hope for a trip to Bhutan, Colombia, Guatemala, Haiti, and Vietnam.
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4. Pritzker School of Medicine
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Tuition: $45,835
PGY 1 salary: $56,600
The University of Chicago could be an interesting option because it offers in-training examination incentive, i.e., you could be earning some money as well as your points for passing an exam. As well as that, you can apply for extra inpatient or sub-specialty consultation rotations, have intensive experience in outpatient medicine, or decide to take rotations in community settings for the real hands-on experience.
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3. NYU School of Medicine
Location: New York, New York
Tuition: $51,060
PGY 1 salary: $63,609
At the moment clinical research projects are happening in the areas of neuroanesthesia, pain management, cardiac, and obstetrical anesthesia. Over 500 papers and eight textbooks are there to help you on your journey. The major sub-specialties are Cardiothoracic Anesthesia, Critical Care Anesthesia, Neurosurgical Anesthesia, Obstetric Anesthesia, Orthopedic Anesthesia, Pain Medicine and Pediatric Anesthesia.
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2. Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons
Location: New York, New York
Tuition: $53,378
PGY 1 salary: $69,271
The Department of Anesthesiology at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) is also well-renowned for participating in humanitarian missions across the globe. Read more about their lifesaving procedures on their official website where you’ll find inspiring stories from doctors who took the chance and traveled to those in need.
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1. UCSF School of Medicine
Location: San Francisco, California
Tuition: $32,365
PGY 1 salary: $55,566
What’s really great about UCSF School of Medicine, which comes first among top 12 anesthesiology residency programs in 2018, is the fact that together with the scholarship your salary will be astounding $67,666! That’s so far the best deal you when it comes to the money matters. USCF takes pride in diversity, too, and you can read about residents’ experiences and why they chose this school among so many others. The diversity of patients is one of them (as they say, “from the veterans at the VA, to the trauma and underserved at SFGH, to the complex ‘zebras’ at Moffitt”), but the diversity of residents was also a deciding factor. Plenty of learning opportunities, and a beautiful city to live in.
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