Certified anesthesiologist assistants (CAAs) are master’s degree level non-physician anesthesia care providers in North America.
All CAAs possess a baccalaureate degree, and complete an intensive didactic and clinical program at a postgraduate level.
CAAs are trained in the delivery and maintenance of most types of anesthesia care as well as advanced patient monitoring techniques.
[1] Prior to acceptance into their respective graduate programs all anesthesiologist assistant students must possess an undergraduate degree.
[3] As of 2017[update] there are twelve anesthesiologist assistant training programs in the United States[4] all of which offer degrees at the Master's level.
This new professional - the Anesthesiologist Assistant or AA - was an answer to help alleviate this shortage[citation needed] The chairmen's vision became reality in 1969 when the first AA training programs began accepting students at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
To enroll in an AA program, candidates require a bachelor's degree in any field,have to obtain a minimum of eight hours of documented anesthesia exposure by observation in the operating room.
"[6] Studies by the AMA found entry-level salaries for 2006 Anesthesiologist Assistant graduates to be between $120,000 and $150,000 for the 40-hour work week plus benefits and consideration of on-call activity.
Anesthesiologist assistants are currently able to work in twenty one states plus the District of Columbia and the territory of Guam either by licensure or through physician delegation.
AAs are recognized by the federal government and are authorized to work at all Veteran Affairs hospitals using the TRICARE insurance program.
[22] AA's are currently classified as GS-0601, General Health Science Series employees, as defined by The Handbook of Occupational Groups and Families from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.