If you’re in the middle of NEET PG counselling and staring at “MD/DNB Anesthesia” on your screen, it’s very normal to hesitate.
- Is it a good branch?
- Is MD better than DNB? What about DA?
- What can I do after anesthesia—critical care, abroad, freelancing?
This blog takes you through anesthesia as a career—from the day you join residency to the day you retire, including critical care as a subspecialty. Think of it as the honest senior you wish you had on call right now.
1. MD vs DNB vs DA – Does the Degree Really Matter?
Once you get your NEET PG rank and decide on anesthesia, these are your main academic options:
- MD Anesthesia
- DNB Anesthesia
- DA (Diploma in Anesthesia) – now gradually being phased out in many places
The first doubt everyone has:
“If I don’t do MD, will it ruin my career?”
In anesthesia, your skill depends far more on exposure than on the letters after your name.
What actually matters?
Wherever you train—MD or DNB—check:
- Patient inflow:
Busy hospital, full OT lists, emergency load. - Variety of surgeries:
- General surgery
- Ortho
- Obs-Gyn
- Uro, Onco, etc.
- Super-speciality OTs:
- Neurosurgery
- Cardiac
- Pediatric
- Robotic surgery, etc.
If you’re regularly doing spinals, epidurals, blocks (landmark & ultrasound-guided), intubations, managing sick patients and complex OT lists, you’ll come out confident—whether it was MD or DNB.
Many DNB residents from high-volume corporate or big city hospitals are often more hands-on than MD residents from smaller places with low caseload. So don’t worship the degree; evaluate the institute and workload.
Where does DA fit in?
DA is a diploma, and in most branches, diplomas are being phased out. If you’re forced to choose DA because you’re not getting MD/DNB:
- Prefer DA + Secondary DNB
→ This combination is considered equivalent to MD in the job market. - DA alone will restrict you in the long run, especially for corporate jobs or teaching posts.
Bond vs No Bond
This changes state-wise and institute-wise, but broadly:
- MD (Government colleges): Usually has a PG bond (often 1–2 years, varies by state).
- DNB (Private/Corporate hospitals): Often no bond, which is a big plus—you can move on to SRship or private jobs earlier.
- DA: Usually comes with a state-defined bond. Secondary DNB typically does not have a bond.
After Residency: What Are Your Career Options?
Once you finish MD/DNB (and bond, if any), you stand at a huge crossroads. Some options:
1. Complete Your Bond
If you have a bond in a government hospital:
- You now work with more responsibility, more independence, and more complex cases.
- It’s a good phase to mature as an independent anesthetist.
2. SRship (Senior Residency)
If you don’t have a bond (often with DNB), a Senior Resident (SR) job is highly recommended.
Strategic tip:
Choose an SRship in a hospital that fills the gaps of your residency.
Example:
- If your residency was heavy on GA and onco cases, but weak in regional anesthesia and ortho →
Choose an SRship where you’ll get:- Spinals, epidurals, nerve blocks
- Peripheral blocks, regional techniques
You can genuinely “patch” your weaknesses in SRship.
3. Freelancing
You can also jump straight into freelancing:
- Buy basic equipment (laryngoscopes, tubes, drugs, etc.)
- Network with surgeons and smaller centres
- Start getting calls for elective and emergency cases
Your degree (MD/DNB) is enough to start; your skills and reliability determine how much work you get.
Is Anesthesia the Right Branch for You?
Choose anesthesia if:
- You love physiology, pharmacology, and acute care
- You’re okay being the quiet backbone rather than the poster face
- You stay reasonably calm in crises
- You value flexibility, a decent income, and the ability to adjust work around your life
- You’re okay with some nights, emergencies, and high-pressure moments
- You like the idea of multiple future pathways:
- OT practice
- Freelancing
- Critical care
- Pain
- Onco, neuro, cardiac, pediatric, and obstetric anesthesia
- India or abroad
I you are thinking of choosing anestheisa for superspeciality, don’t let myths scare you away. It’s a powerful, versatile branch with solid career security, flexible lifestyles, and deeply satisfying clinical work—even if you’re not always the one getting selfies and flowers from patients.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
