Training Requirements for Anesthesiologist Assistants

Certified anesthesiologist assistants (CAAs) are anesthesia care providers who support and work under the supervision of anesthesiologists. Their duties include collecting patient information through lab tests, obtaining histories and physical examinations, setting up anesthesia equipment, assisting with medication administration and monitoring, and more. In case of an emergency, CAAs can perform CPR and other life-saving strategies. Though they share some similarities with nurse anesthetists, CAAs are a separate field with a unique set of skills and responsibilities. The training requirements for anesthesiologist assistants are necessarily thorough, given their vital role in patient care and safety.

There are several requirements that must be met in order to begin training to become an anesthesiologist assistant. Aspiring anesthesiologist assistants should hold a bachelor’s degree and have completed specific pre-medical science courses like biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, anatomy, physiology, physics, and statistics. While all CAA programs require a GPA of at least 3.0, completion of the MCAT and/or GRE and clinical experience is program dependent. Exposure to the clinical setting and patient care can be acquired by participating in pre-physician assistant internships, pre-med shadowing programs, volunteering, or working in healthcare. 1,2,3

The training and certification requirements for anesthesiologist assistants are comprehensive and rigorous, ensuring graduates’ competence and readiness to provide anesthesia care. Currently, the CAA training program lasts 24-28 months, and graduates receive a Master of Science in Anesthesia or a Master of Medical Science degree. All 15 current CAA programs are accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and affiliated with a medical school’s anesthesiology department, which has met the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requirements for sponsoring an anesthesiology residency program. To earn a Master’s degree from a CAA program, students must complete 56-132 didactic hours in subject areas such as advanced anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, anesthesia principles and techniques, patient monitoring, and emergency medicine. They must also manage a minimum of 600 anesthesia cases. During clinical rotations, CAA students typically complete about 2000 to 2500 clinical hours, with a minimum requirement of 40 neuraxial anesthetics, 40 peripheral nerve blocks, and 5 central venous line insertions on live patients. Completing certification in ultrasound, fluoroscopy, and other diagnostic technologies is not required. In their last semester, anesthesiologist assistants must pass a 6-hour exam given by the National Board of Medical Examiners. CAAs can obtain licensure in 18 jurisdictions but can practice in 22 states.

Training requirements for anesthesiologist assistants continue beyond this initial period of study. To maintain their license, CAAs should complete 40 hours of continued medical education over a two-year period. Finally, certified anesthesiologist assistants must pass the Continued Demonstration of Qualifications (CDQ) certification exam after 6 years of graduating and then every decade over the lifetime of their career.3,4,5

References

  1. Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. Standards for accreditation of nurse anesthesia educational programs. Approved 2004, revised June 2016.
  2. Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. Standards for accreditation of nurse anesthesia educational programs – Practice Doctorate. Approved 2015, revised June 2016.
  3. Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. Standards and guidelines for the accreditation of educational programs for the anesthesiologist assistant. Approved 1987, revised 2009.
  4. Sun E, Miller T, Moshfegh J, Baker L. Anesthesia Care Team Composition and Surgical Outcomes. Anesthesiology 2018; 129:700-9.
  5. Miller T, Abouleish A, Halzack N. Anesthesiologists are affiliated with many hospitals only reporting anesthesia claims using modifier QZ for Medicare claims in 2013. A&A Case Reports: April 1, 2016, Vol 6 No 7, 217-219.