Why is Anesthesiology so lucrative?

[AK_MD2BE]

Forgive the ignorance, I am merely a lowly medical student at this point in my career...but why do anesthesiologists make so much money? I am not saying that it is easy...but I have heard it described as 95% boredom and 5% terror/excitement. I realize that it can be stressful b/c if you make a mistake someone could literally die, but I just can't figure out why anesthesiologists are paid so well.
As an adendum, does anyone see the salaries of anesthesiologists decreasing (I realize that all physician salaries will probably decrease across the board once we get socialized medicine) relative to other physicians? I just can't figure out why everyone doesn't want to do Anesthesiology? Maybe I am just one of those strange people who is fascinated by pharmacology and physiology and the pharmacodynamics of drugs, so it is the perfect fit for me...and as a bonus, you get paid extremely well.
Thanks for the information.

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[fakin' the funk]

Forgive the ignorance, I am merely a lowly medical student at this point in my career...but why do anesthesiologists make so much money? I am not saying that it is easy...but I have heard it described as 95% boredom and 5% terror/excitement. I realize that it can be stressful b/c if you make a mistake someone could literally die, but I just can't figure out why anesthesiologists are paid so well.
As an adendum, does anyone see the salaries of anesthesiologists decreasing (I realize that all physician salaries will probably decrease across the board once we get socialized medicine) relative to other physicians? I just can't figure out why everyone doesn't want to do Anesthesiology? Maybe I am just one of those strange people who is fascinated by pharmacology and physiology and the pharmacodynamics of drugs, so it is the perfect fit for me...and as a bonus, you get paid extremely well.
Thanks for the information.

Craploads of threads about this, try searching for 'em.

 

[Broken Ankles]

Forgive the ignorance, I am merely a lowly medical student at this point in my career...but why do anesthesiologists make so much money? I am not saying that it is easy...but I have heard it described as 95% boredom and 5% terror/excitement. I realize that it can be stressful b/c if you make a mistake someone could literally die, but I just can't figure out why anesthesiologists are paid so well.
As an adendum, does anyone see the salaries of anesthesiologists decreasing (I realize that all physician salaries will probably decrease across the board once we get socialized medicine) relative to other physicians? I just can't figure out why everyone doesn't want to do Anesthesiology? Maybe I am just one of those strange people who is fascinated by pharmacology and physiology and the pharmacodynamics of drugs, so it is the perfect fit for me...and as a bonus, you get paid extremely well.
Thanks for the information.

better question is why does primary care pay so little.

 

[Bertelman]

I'll start by stating the obvious. Anesthesiology allows a surgeon to assault a person in a truly medieval fashion, whilst the patient feels nothing. I'd say that's worth something.

 

[CremeSickle]

Bwhahha

Never ceases to amaze me how brutal surgery is... sometimes i have to lift the drape higher so i dont get splattered....

 

[jetproppilot]

Forgive the ignorance, I am merely a lowly medical student at this point in my career...but why do anesthesiologists make so much money? )

Don't really know.

But I, like Troy Aikman (quarterback who once called the automated bank service where he had his checking account just to hear the balance, then cracked up laughing)...

aint arguing.

 

[BlackSails]

Anaesthesiology pays well because people are willing to pay well to not feel or remember what goes on during surgery.

 

[SleepIsGood]

Well anesthesiologists play a pivotal role in sustaining a pts life under surgery that's why. You know how complicated the human body is. All of that is essentially in the anesthesiologist's hand while you're not conscious. That's a tremendous responsibility.

 

[NewGuyBob]

Being in the OR is what is lucrative. The time a surgeon spends at the office or rounding is not reimbursed as well (if at all) as being in the OR doing cases. Now, anesthesiologist are in the OR ALL the time, and while a surgeon does 300 - 400 cases a year, an anesthesiologist is doing 700- 800 in private practice. Thus the high income.