How to Become An Anesthesiologist Assistant
Should you become an anesthesiologist assistant? Anesthesiologist assistants are highly skilled professionals in the allied health field who care for patients under the supervision of an anesthesiologist. They are members of the anesthesia team in a hospital. An anesthesiologist assistant gathers patient data, performs physical exams, and helps the anesthesiologist carry out their duties. They may draw blood for analysis, administer anesthesia, perform intubations,monitor the anesthetized patient, and use advanced life support technology, among other duties. Anesthesiologist assistants may be called upon to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation. They may train others in their profession.
Anesthesiologist assistants are not medical doctors. Their job duties parallel those of nurse anesthetists, but they are not nurses.
Anesthesiologist assistants work mainly in large institutions that perform advanced surgical procedures; however, they may be found in all types and sizes of hospitals.
According to the American Medical Association, salaries start at nearly $100,000 per year. Other websites show slightly lower starting salary estimates. Potentially, anesthesiologist assistants can earn $150,000 to $180,000 per year.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Since this career demands a considerable commitment in terms of time and education, you should explore it further before making a decision. Visit the American Medical Association website on allied health careers as a start, then head on over to the website Anesthesia Assistant, where you can see if your state currently recognizes anesthesiologist assistants (not all states do, but the number is growing.) See "Resources" at the bottom of this article for links.
-
2
Get the right educational foundation. To be an anesthesiologist assistant, you must first have a bachelor's degree with pre-med coursework -- chemistry, biology, etc. However, many different bachelor's degrees will suffice. Although many anesthesiologist assistants have undergraduate degrees in science, this is not required.
-
-
3
Next, find a post-baccalaureate program that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). These programs are listed on the CAAHEP website. These post-baccalaureate programs take about two years to complete.
-
4
Obtain certification. Anesthesiologist assistants are certified by the National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants (NCCAA). Certification involves an on-going examination cycle and proof of continuing education.
-
1
Resources
- Photo Credit Dreamstime.com (used under royalty-free license)
