To become an assistant anesthesiologist, one must complete a master’s program at an accredited university. Currently, there are only four states with anesthesia assistant programs, but more are expected to be implemented soon. AAs assist an anesthetist in healthcare settings and are trained to treat and monitor patients before, during, and after medical procedures involving anesthesiology. Accredited programs generally require completion of the program, at least 60 college-level credits beyond the program, and passing a certification exam in three attempts or less.
To become an assistant anesthesiologist (AA), one must complete a master’s program at an accredited university, as directed by the Committee on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP). Currently, anesthesia assistant programs exist in four states. Recent trends suggest, however, that more established programs will be rapidly implemented in the coming years.
This career, which parallels the more commonly recognized nurse anesthetist, serves to assist an anesthetist in a variety of healthcare settings. Anesthesiology assistant programs prepare a graduate for numerous job responsibilities, including treating and monitoring patients before, during, and immediately after a medical procedure involving anesthesiology. Anesthesiology differs from analgesia in that pain relief in the former is usually the result of loss of consciousness rather than decreased activity of the nervous system, as is the case in the latter. Due to the invasive and life-threatening nature of this medical specialty, physicians trained specifically in anesthesiology oversee all tasks performed by a nurse anesthesiologist or anesthesiology assistant.
Anesthesia assistant programs are available at Nova South Eastern University in Florida, the University of Missouri, Emory and South University in Georgia, and Case Western University in Ohio. These programs exist in states that allow the employment of AAs in healthcare. The District of Columbia is also among the ever-growing list of states that have AA licensing capability.
While the specifics of anesthesiology assistant programs may vary depending on the program, they generally follow the same educational guidelines and requirements for completion of this master’s degree. A definite factor of AAs is that they may have little or no patient experience before school, whereas nurse anesthetists generally have earned nursing degrees and have worked as registered nurses in medical settings. Experience is valuable in increasing chances of admission to an anesthesiology assistant program, however, as programs are highly selective in favor of applicants with medical knowledge.
The way in which these programs differ is generally nominal. Accredited programs generally require completion of the program, at least 60 college-level credits beyond the program that can be satisfied with a bachelor’s degree, and passing a certification exam in three attempts or less. In addition, most programs require the candidate to have completed a satisfactory level of advanced cardiac life support training. Anesthesia assistant programs strive to adequately prepare their students to exceed job-described responsibilities. For those interested in pursuing this career path, it is important to frequently check program status due to the expansive nature of this medical specialty.
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