Who We Are

Ontario’s Anesthesiologists represents and advocates for the province’s anesthesiologists, the medical doctors who are the experts in providing anesthesia care.  

We are a section of the Ontario Medical Association and represent over 2,000 members. Our primary membership consists of over 1,500 active practicing anesthesiologists, more than 220 retired physicians, and over 30 resident trainees. Our secondary members, who have a primary affiliation with another medical specialty and also provide anesthesia care, include approximately 125 family physicians as well as members from chronic pain, critical care, and other specialties.

Anesthesiologists are best known for administering anesthesia, which is when sensation—pain, feeling, and/or awareness—is temporarily blocked by the careful administration of pharmaceuticals.  In Canada, all anesthesiologists follow medical school with an additional five-to-seven years of specialized education in anesthesiology. They are certified as a specialist physician by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and have the designation Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada (FRCPC). 

As an essential part of the surgical team, the primary duty of an anesthesiologist is to keep the patient alive and healthy while the surgeon performs their procedure. They participate in nearly every field of acute healthcare, from providing care from before birth to assisting with intensive and palliative care. Anesthesiologists can also often be found in administrative and leadership roles in healthcare facilities.

Anesthesiologists make up a notable percentage of physicians in Ontario. Of the province’s roughly 31,500 practicing doctors, nearly 1,500 are anesthesiologists.

 Learn more about our profession, which provides specialized medical services to hundreds of thousands of Ontarians every year.

Values

• Innovative

• Collaborative

• Trustworthy

• Inclusive

• Accountable

Ontario's Anesthesiologists is committed to the equity, diversity and inclusion principles of humility, accountability, collaboration, courage, and integrity. We hold high the values of being respectful, bold, responsive, and transparent.