noun
Medical specialty dealing with anesthesia and perioperative care.
彼は麻酔学を専攻して医師になった。
He became a doctor specializing in anesthesiology.
麻酔科 refers to the department of anesthesiology in a hospital, whereas 麻酔学 is the broader medical science.
Compound of 麻酔 (masui, 'anesthesia') and 学 (gaku, 'study, -ology'). The term follows the standard pattern for academic disciplines in Japanese.