The term anaesthesia is coined from two Greek words 'an' meaning 'without' and 'aesthesis' meaning sensation and refers to the practice of administering various medications or gases that block the feeling of pain and other sensations.  This permits a range of medical and surgical procedures to be undertaken without causing undue distress or discomfort to the person being operated upon.

While numerous herbs, drugs, gases and vapours have been used throughout the ages to deaden the pain associated with the trauma associated with many operations (e.g., the pulling of a tooth, or amputation of a leg), the science of modern anaesthesia is generally held as originating from the work of William Thomas Green Morton who ushered in a new era of painless surgery when he held a public demonstration of ether anaesthesia in Boston, Massachusetts on 16 October 1846.  The story of the history of anaesthesia in Australia and New Zealand stems from these early days.

Most people will have been anaesthetised in the course of their lives, whether at the dentist, obtaining an epidural during delivery, or undergoing major surgery.  There can either be a total lack of awareness of the surroundings (a general anaesthetic) or a lack of awareness in a specific part of the body such as an epidural.

Most patients undergoing surgery will contact anaesthetists at least three times in the course of their hospital stay. 

• First, they will usually undergo preoperative evaluation which may include a physical examination by the anaesthetist, a history of previous anesthetic usage and other medical problems,  required blood work and consultation prior to surgery.
• Second, the anaesthetist will form an integral part of the team performing the surgical operation, checking the vital signs of the patient, and administering the appropriate medication to ensure that the patient does not feel any discomfort in the course of the operation.
• Finally, the anaesthetist will generally conduct a postoperative evaluation to ensure that the patient has recuperated from the operation and that there have been no adverse reactions to the anaesthesia procedures undertaken in the course of the operation.
  
  

In Australia and New Zealand, a career in Anaesthesia is generally obtained by qualifying as a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists.   To become a specialist anaesthetists, one must first be a medical specialist and complete two years of general hospital experience, before registering with the College and undergoing a 5-year program of supervised training together with a structured Training curriculum of Primary and Final Examinations, and training modules which include a formal project paper.  On successfully completing the course requirements, the trainee becomes a fellow of the College and can practice as an anaesthetists in Australia and New Zealand.