Anesthesiologist Assistants
Overview
Assist anesthesiologists in the administration of anesthesia for surgical and non-surgical procedures. Monitor patient status and provide patient care during surgical treatment.
What do they do?
Anesthesiologist Assistants are physician assistants (PAs) that administer and monitor anesthesia under the supervision of a licensed anesthesiologist. They typically work as part of the anesthesia care team, helping ensure patient safety and comfort before, during, and after surgical procedures. With their advanced training, AAs ensure that patients receive optimal monitoring and care before, during, and after medical procedures. Anesthesiologist assistants work in various healthcare environments including hospitals, outpatient surgery, and specialty clinics.
How to become one
Physician assistants typically need a master’s degree from an accredited educational program. Applicants to these programs typically have a Bachelors and experience caring directly for patients. All states require physician assistants to be licensed.
Although programs vary, most require applicants to have taken undergraduate coursework with a focus in science. Bachelorss are often in healthcare or a related field, such as biology. Programs also may require that applicants have experience as a medical assistant, EMT or paramedic, or another occupation that involves patient care.
Physician assistant education includes classroom and laboratory instruction in subjects such as human anatomy, clinical medicine, and pharmacology. The programs also include supervised clinical training in several specialties, such as family medicine, internal medicine, and emergency medicine.
Some physician assistants pursue additional education in a specialty. Postgraduate programs are available in specialties such as emergency medicine and psychiatry. To enter one of these programs, a physician assistant must be a graduate of an accredited program and have their PA-C.
