"Anesthesiology is dedicated to the complete medical and anesthetic care of the surgical patient. It is a precise, technical, and intellectual specialty that requires high standards. Anesthesiologists care for the whole patient before, during, and after the operation. They administer powerful anesthetics, render patients insensible to pain and stress, provide respiratory support, and manage every medical need of the patient throughout the surgical experience. To do so, anesthesiologists closely monitor and treat the acute pathophysiology of multiple organ systems: cardiac, pulmonary, renal, and neurologic. It is a specialty that ties together the cerebral nature of internal medicine with applied procedural skills and critical care."

-- Freeman, B. (2004). The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Medical Specialty. Lange Medical Books/McGraw-Hill: New York.