Provides medical care to patients requiring general or local anaesthesia for surgical, diagnostic and other procedures.

• Performs pre-operative examinations of patients to determine appropriate anaesthetic and sedation in concurrence with internal medicine specialists and surgeons; discusses the anaesthetic process with patients and obtains their informed consent prior to surgery; administers local, regional and general anaesthetics using a variety of methods such as inhalational and intravenous administration; supervises the transfer of patients to operating theatres, positioning on operating tables, keeps patients warm, and responds quickly and accurately if any problems arise; monitors patients throughout surgical procedures and in immediate post-operative procedures; records details of anaesthetic and sedation administered, and the condition of patients before, during and after anaesthesia; liaises with other health care workers to provide diagnosis and treatment for patients with chronic pain, and to diagnose and treat patients requiring intensive care or resuscitation; may instruct medical, nursing, student and ancillary staff on the signs, symptoms and diagnosis of allergic and anaphylactic reactions to anaesthetic agents, and supervision and treatment of life threatening emergencies.

• Work indoors in operating theatres, dental surgeries, intensive care units and obstetric units within public or private hospitals and specialist clinics. Works in adequately sterile, lit, heated, ventilated and clean, well maintained workspaces with special lighting and equipment.
• Likely to be required to work around blood and contaminated items.

• Sedentary to light physical demand. Involves frequent sitting and/or standing for long periods of time to administer and monitor anaesthetics and maintain records. Walks frequently to check and prepare and monitor equipment. Stretching, bending and reaching maybe required for some procedures.
• Repetitive hand and finger movements are not a significant requirement.
• There is frequent use of anaesthetic equipment and materials including equipment to administer and monitor anaesthetics, breathing, circulation, gas quality, pain relief and also uses sterilizing materials, surgical clothing, gowns, masks and gloves and other specialist equipment.
• Mental skills necessary include a high level of cognitive functioning with medical, surgical, technical, assessment, observation, interpretation, diagnostic, communication, problem solving and decision-making capabilities.

• Complete the Health Sciences First Year programme at Otago University, or the first year of either the Bachelor of Health Sciences or Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science at Auckland University. Then it is necessary to complete a five-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree at Otago or Auckland and work for two years as a house officer (supervised junior doctor) in a hospital. To become a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists completion of another five years of specialist training and examinations is necessary (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).

• There are opportunities for flexibility of movement.