The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) was incorporated in February 1992. For the forty years prior to that, the functions of the College had been carried out by the Faculty of Anaesthetists, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) which was formed in 1952.

The Mission Statement of the College is "To Serve the Community by Fostering Safety and Quality Patient Care in Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine".

From the Mission Statement flows three major objectives of the Mission Statement :

1. To promote professional standards and patient safety in anaesthesia, intensive care and pain management. 
2. To promote education in anaesthesia, intensive care and pain management.
3. To advance the science and practice of anaesthesia, intensive care and pain management.

The College's function is thus to cultivate and maintain the highest principles and standards in the training, practice and ethics of anaesthesia, intensive care and pain medicine.  To assist Council in achieving its objectives, the College engages professional and administrative staff located at ANZCA House, in the New Zealand National Office, and in state and territory Regional Offices.

The Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine (JFICM) and the Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM), through their independent Boards, assist Council in achieving these objectives in the areas of intensive care medicine and pain medicine respectively.

 At the end of 2006, there were 4,091 active and retired fellows of the College.  Thirty three per cent (33%) of these Fellows were female, 67 per cent were male.  There were 1,345 Trainees spread across the five training years, together with 371 Trainees who had registered with the College but were not currently actively engaged in training.

Further Information

• ANZCA Constitution. Mission
• ANZCA Strategy
  
• ANZCA Structure & Governance
  
• Anaesthesia as a career
• Anaesthesia-related links
  
• ANZCA Photo Album