in this specialty, the doctor is trained to provide anaesthesia and sedation. this is important for surgeries and certain medical procedures. anaesthesiologists also provide pre-operative assessments, ensuring the patient is safe during the operation and successfully awakens from anaesthesia after the operation. they assess for medical conditions and suitability for anaesthesia. they screen for risk factors prior to surgery and try to optimize the operative environment for the patient and the surgeon. they are the doctors who give epidurals during labor and delivery, provide spinal blocks, local nerve blocks, and general anaesthesia for procedures. they are the doctors who are especially trained in intubation (putting a tube into the lungs to help a person artificially breathe when the person is paralyzed and asleep during surgery). hence, due to their skill in intubation, they are often the first line responders for emergencies. they help people who are in distress with their breathing, who have lost their airway or when their airway has become obstructed.