There are many pieces to becoming an Anesthesiologist Assistant. Use the navigation below to explore each aspect of preparing to become an Anesthesiologist Assistant.
Please note that UC Davis does not offer an Anesthesiologist Assistant program. This webpage offers general information for pre-applicants and those exploring the profession. Our office is available to advise UC Davis students and alumni on pursuing this pre-health track, but we do not work with folks who are not affiliated with the university. The Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis does offer a Doctor of Nurse Practice (DNP) — Nurse Anesthesia Degree Program. To learn more about their program, contact their admissions office directly.
Additionally, Anesthesiologist Assistants (AAs) are not able to practice in the State of California. AAs are only licensed to practice in 22 states in the U.S. For a list of jurisdictions where AAs can practice, visit the American Society of Anesthesiologists' (ASA) Anesthesiologist Assistant webpage.
There are only 11 states where Anesthesiologist Assistant programs are offered and only 20 programs total across the country. For a list of accredited programs, visit the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs' (CAAHEP) program search tool. If you are interested in attending nurse anesthesia school, use the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs' (COA) program search tool.
- What is an Anesthesiologist Assistant?
- Anesthesiologist assistants (AAs)–sometimes referred to as certified anesthesiologist assistants (CAAs)–are highly trained, master's-degree-level, non-physician anesthesia care providers.
AAs work as a key member of the Anesthesia Care Team to safely and effectively deliver anesthesia care and implement the anesthesia care plan under the guidance and leadership of the physician anesthesiologist. As highly-skilled health professionals, AAs are trained extensively in the delivery of safe and high-quality anesthesia care, as well as advanced patient monitoring techniques.
An anesthesiologist assistant's professional responsibilities include:
1) Conducting health histories and performing a physical examinations
2) Establishing patient monitoring devices and intravenous access
3) Applying and interpreting advanced monitoring techniques
4) Participating in all aspects of a patient's anesthetic, including induction, maintenance, and emergence
5) Securing the patient's airway through a mask, endotracheal tube, or laryngeal mask airway
6) Interpreting and recording the patients physiological and pharmacological status
7) Providing continuity of care into and during the post-operative period
To learn more about the history of the profession and how it differs from nurse anesthesiologist, visit the American Society of Anesthesiologists' Anesthesia as a Career and Anesthesiologist Assistant webpages, as well as the FAQs webpage from the American Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants.
- Becoming an Anesthesiologist Assistant
- Obtain a Bachelor's degree (four+ years) from an accredited four-year institution and take necessary pre-health prerequisite coursework.
Attend a Master’s program (two+ years) in anesthesia that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.
Pass the Certifying Examination for Anesthesiologist Assistants administered by the National Commission for the Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants (NCCAA) to become a licensed anesthesiologist assistant.
Maintain certification through ongoing education and examinations through the NCCAA by submitting documentation every two years of completion of 40 hours of continuing medical education and, in addition, passing the Examination for Continued Demonstration of Qualifications every six years. - Anesthesiologist Assistant Course Prerequisites
Program Prerequisites Courses to Take at UC Davis Most schools require: One year of General Biology w/ lab BIS 2ABC One year of General Chemistry w/ lab CHE 2BAC or CHE 4ABC Two quarters of Organic Chemistry w/ lab CHE 8AB
Note below that some schools do require one full yearTwo quarters of Biochemistry w/ lab BIS 102 + BIS 103 One year of General Physics w/ lab PHY 7ABC or PHY 9ABC One quarter of Human Physiology NPB 101 + NPA 101L or NPB 110C + NPB 101L One quarter of Human Anatomy EXB 106 + EXP 106L or CHA 101 + CHA 101L Two quarters of Calculus MAT 16AB or MAT 17AB or MAT 21AB Two quarters of Statistics STA 15AB or STA 100 + STA 101 Two quarters of English Any combination of ENL and/or UWP courses
Note that some schools require composition/writing-intensive courseworkSome schools require: One year of Organic Chemistry w/ lab CHE 118ABC One course in Medical Terminology Not offered at UC Davis
Can be taken at community college or online through an accredited institution, for example University of San DiegoSome schools recommend: Cell Biology BIS 104 or NPB 110A Microbiology w/ lab MIC 102 + MIC 103L Psychology PSC 1 Note that specific entrance requirements will vary by program–it is important to check individual schools' websites to familiarize yourself with their exact prerequisite expectations. To find information on U.S. programs, use the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs' (CAAHEP) program search tool.
Be aware that some schools will use different notation for quantifying entrance requirements–some schools will say "one year of", "one semester of", or "[#] credits/credit hours/semester hours of". Because UC Davis is on the quarter system, you are responsible for ensuring you have completed the required number of classes/units to be equivalent to a school's stated expectations. For example, one semester equals two quarters and four semester credit hours equals six quarter units.
As you are planning your coursework at UC Davis, always communicate with your academic advisor regarding major requirements, General Education requirements, and other elective courses. Our office is happy to help you discuss your pre-health course planning through our different advising options.- Experiences
- The vast majority of anesthesiologist assistant (AA) programs will require that you have experience shadowing an anesthesia professional (MD, AA/CAA, or CRNA), direct patient care, and community service/volunteering.
Almost all AA programs require that you have gained a minimum of eight hours of shadowing experience in an operating room with an anesthesia provider. This can be an anesthesiologist assistant, or certified registered nurse anesthetist and/or physician anesthesiologist if you do not have access to AAs in your area.
You will be required to submit formal documentation of your shadowing experience(s) by filling out a form from each specific program that will accompany your application. Most forms will ask for the provider's signature. They may also ask for things like the name and role of the provider; the name and address of the facility; the date and number of hours of the experience; and a brief description of your time.
Here are some good places to start looking for clinical and community service experiences at UC Davis:
1) Center for Student Involvement (CSI): if you are interested in joining a pre-health club, community service-oriented club, or another student organization, CSI is the place to look! They also host information about Greek Life and other engagement opportunities on campus
2) Internship and Career Center (ICC): to find volunteering opportunities through the ICC, use the Community Service Resource Center's (CSRC) volunteer opportunities search engine; to participate in entry-level and clinical internship positions through the ICC, sign up for a Health Related Experience
3) Student Run Clinics: volunteer through UC Davis Health's Student Run Clinics, which provide health care services to underserved communities in the Greater Sacramento Area (CSI also hosts information about student run clinics on their AggieLife platform)
4) Undergraduate Research Center (URC): find opportunities both on and off campus to participate in, publish, and present research; the URC has various programs and funding opportunities for students, as well as dedicated advising services
4) Pre-Health Conference at UC Davis (PHC): to gain leadership and volunteer experience, volunteer as a student coordinator or assistant coordinator for PHC
- Applying to Anesthesiologist Assistant Programs
- How to apply
To apply to anesthesiologist assistant (AA) programs, you will use CASAA, the Centralized Application Service for Anesthesiologist Assistants. To learn more about the CASAA application and how to navigate it, visit the CASAA Applicant Help Center.
CASAA is overseen by the Association of Anesthesiologist Assistant Education Programs (AAAEP).
Be aware that CASAA has a Fee Waiver Program that will offset the cost of the initial application fee for those applicants that meet the financial eligibility requirements based on demonstrated need. You must apply for fee assistance before you submit your CASAA application–waivers become available at the start of each application cycle, have a limited number available, and are provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Make sure to apply early if you believe you could qualify! For instructions on how to apply for fee assistance through CASAA, click here.
When to apply
CASAA officially opens in mid-March of each year and will close in late February of the following year. Specific application deadlines are determined by participating programs, not by CASAA. To see the list of CASAA-participating programs, click here.
Where to apply
There are 20 accredited AA programs across 11 different states in the U.S. To find a program, use CAAHEP's program search tool.
Note that there are no AA programs in the State of California, and licensed AAs are not eligible to practice in California. For more information, see the top of this page.
Be aware that CASAA charges $165 for you to submit one application to one school, and they charge $55 for each additional program you apply to. Make sure to choose programs wisely based on mission fit, teaching style, program resources, and future opportunities.
What to apply with
In addition to the course prerequisites and shadowing, direct patient care, and experiences needed to apply to AA programs, there are some other eligibility requirements to be aware of.
Overall GPA
Most AA programs require that applicants have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA. Some schools go as high as requiring a 3.2 GPA, while others state a minimum of a 2.75 cumGPA.
Official transcripts
You will need to submit official transcripts from every institituion at which you've taken collegiate coursework. This will include UC Davis, as well as any community college or other four-year institution at which you've taken college classes.
Standardized test scores
The majority of AA programs will require either MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) or GRE (Graduate Record Examination) scores. Most schools that require standardized test scores will specify that the scores need to have been received within five years of their application deadline. Some schools require that scores be no older than three years at the point of application.
Casper test
In addition to requiring the MCAT or GRE, some schools also require Casper, which is a situational judgement test. To learn more about Casper, click here.
Letters of recommendation (LORs)
The vast majority of AA programs require three letters of recommendation to accompany your other application components. One letter should be from an anesthesia provider; one should be from academic faculty, preferably a science professor with whom you've taken a class; and one should be from an employer/manager, advisor, or research director/PI.
Note that if you are an international student, you are not eligible to apply to certain AA programs. Some schools do require that you are a U.S. citizen or have established permanent residence.