Anesthesia training in West Germany

The specialty of anesthesia was established in German medicine in 1953 with the founding of the Germany Society of Anaesthesia and the inclusion of a "specialist in anesthesia" as part of the German medical training requirements. Anesthesia training is offered to students and residents and as a part of continuing education. A residency training program lasts at least 4 years, including 6 months of intensive care unit (ICU) training, and ends with an oral examination. About 900 anesthesia departments in West Germany are accredited for residency training programs. Of those, about 320 are fully accredited. Continuing education in West German anesthesia is very similar to that offered in the United States.