Kathy Huang - Anesthesiology

 Caption: Photo taken from NPR, “Anesthesiologist at work”, Caiaimage/Sam Edwards/Getty Images (2009)


In the moments before surgery, as a patient slips into unconsciousness, there is a trust that is placed in the hands of an anesthesiologist. For billions, that trust is a privilege they’ve never known.


Anesthesiology is essential for safe surgery and patient comfort, yet it is one of the most overlooked fields in global health. While public health campaigns often focus on vaccines, clean water, and infectious disease, access to safe anesthesia remains severely limited in low- and middle-income countries (LMICS). 


“Of the 315 million surgical procedures performed each year, only 6.5% are performed in low- and middle-income countries” — a fact recognized both by the NIH and the 68th World Health Assembly.


Caption: Graph from Medicus Healthcare Solutions, “There are approximately 52,400 active anesthesiologists within the United States; however, workforce projections indicate a growing gap in supply. According to the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), the U.S. could see a shortage of 8,450 anesthesiologists by 2037” (2025).


This lack of anesthesiologists, especially in LMICS, results in unnecessary suffering and emotional trauma. Without anesthesia, wounds can reopen, survival is jeopardized, and treatment can become even more complex. We mustn’t underestimate the importance of anesthesia, not only for surgeons but for patients as well.


While efforts are underway to close the gap, progress is still slow, and awareness remains inadequate. Maximizing available resources and locum tenens offer relief to an extent, but there is no sustainable solution until there are more anesthesiologists. This also highlights the amount of time—nearly a decade!---of education and training required to go into anesthesia, which continues to emphasize the gaps in the field.


The disparities in anesthesiology often go unheard of, but in the global context, their absence is deafening. Promoting anesthesia equity allows everyone the right to safe surgery.

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