Doctorate of Medicine (MD) Anaesthesia Top Colleges, Syllabus, Scope and Salary

MD Anaesthesia is a 3-year postgraduate degree in medicine. The eligibility for which is MBBS degree from MCI recognized institute with minimum qualified marks as required.

Top Institutes offering MD Anaesthesia course are:

• Christian Medical College, Vellore
• Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Ajmer
• Government Medical College, Kozikhode
• GSVM Medical College, Kanpur

Selection of eligible candidates is based on the rank obtained in the national level entrance National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Post Graduate (NEET-PG). AIIMS conducts its own entrance examination and selection is based on the obtained merit. The average tuition fee in India for MD Anaesthesia course ranges around INR 25 lakhs for private institutes, however, it is as low as INR 5K for AIIMS

MD Anaesthesia refers to the practice of administering medications either by injection or by inhalation that will induce a temporary state of loss of sensation or awareness, thus blocking operative pain and suffering. Anaesthesia includes analgesia (relief or prevention from pain), paralysis (muscle relaxation), amnesia (memory loss), or unconsciousness. Generally, a patient is anesthetized to perform painless medical procedures (surgery or dentistry) that would otherwise cause severe or intolerable pain.

Anaesthetists are qualified doctors who hold an MBBS and MD degree in medicine and have at least 2 years of work experience in medical practice.

MD Anaesthesia: Course Highlights

Listed here are the major highlights of the course.

MD Anaesthesia: What is it About? 

The course essentially aims to train eligible candidates in:

• administering drugs that reduce or eliminate chronic pain that a patient might undergo during surgical procedures.
• managing administration of Anaesthesia to patients of all ages keeping the risk factor in mind and all types of surgical subspecialties, both for elective and emergency procedures.
• demonstrating skills in ethical, medical, and legal aspects related to the practice of anesthesiology, besides critical care.
• developing diagnostic skills and becoming efficient in laboratory procedures relevant to the diagnosis and evaluation of patients.
• developing competency in managing critically ill patients in emergency and Intensive Care Units (ICU) requiring routine to advanced monitoring, mechanical ventilation and other procedures.

The three broad categories of Anaesthesia are:

• General Anaesthesia– This is a state of controlled and complete unconsciousness, where the patient has no memory of the procedure and feels nothing. It includes all major operations related to brain or lungs or heart or abdomen or major arteries.
• Sedation– It involves using less amounts of Anaesthesia to create a ‘sleep-like’ state, thus leaving the patient physically and mentally awake, but not unconscious.
• Regional Anaesthesia– When local Anaesthesia is injected near to the nerves and the particular area of the body becomes numb.
• Local Anaesthesia– It numbs a small part of the body. Common examples include removal of teeth or mild eye operation.

The procedure of administering Anaesthesia is applicable to all surgical specialties including General Surgery, Orthopedics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Otolaryngology, Maxillofacial Surgery, Pediatric, Plastic, Neuro and Cardiac Surgery.

Top Institutes offering MD Anaesthesia

Listed below are some of the top institutes in India offering MD Anaesthesia.

MD Anaesthesia: Course Duration

The duration of MD Anaesthesia is three years, spread over six academic terms. The three years of study include both theoretical and practical elements.

The duration of the course is 2 years for those who have completed a recognized postgraduate diploma in the same specialty.

Eligibility for MD Anaesthesia

To pursue the course, candidates need to have obtained MBBS degree from an institution recognized by the Medical Council of India (MCI) and completed one year of compulsory internship after passing the final professional examination which is MBBS before the month of April of the relevant academic year.

MD Anaesthesia: Admission Process

Admission to MD Anaesthesia is based on the candidate’s performance in the national level entrance examination National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) PG which is a single window entrance examination to MD/MS/PG diploma courses in Medicine.

Some institutes such as AIIMS and CMC Vellore conduct their own entrance examinations and select students based on performance in such exams. However, some institutes also provide admission on the basis of marks obtained in MBBS and work/internship experience of the candidates.

NATIONAL ELIGIBILITY CUM ENTRANCE TEST (NEET) PG – NEET PG is an eligibility-cum-ranking examination, conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), for admission to MS/MD and PG Diploma courses in India at medical/dental colleges approved by the Medical Council of India/ Dental Council of India. NEET-PG is a single window entrance examination for entry to MD/MS/Post Diploma courses.

MD Anaesthesia: Syllabus and Course Structure

Listed here are the major components of the course’s curriculum.

Students pursuing the course are needed to carry out an assigned research project under the guidance of a recognized postgraduate teacher, the result of which is submitted in the form of a thesis submitted at least six months before the theoretical and clinical/ practical examination.

MD Anaesthesia: Career Prospects

Qualified postgraduates of the course often work as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA), as advanced practice nurses working in hospitals and clinics.

Upon successful completion of the course, postgraduates are offered an average monthly salary ranging between INR 40,000 and 1,00,000.

Such professionals are hired in government and private hospitals and clinics, academic institutions, private clinics and nursing homes etc.

Listed below are some of the career opportunities that such postgraduates can explore.