Anesthesia Assistant

Anesthesia assistant degree and certificate programs focus on combining classroom teachings with clinical rotations. Students are taught procedures involving specialties ranging from pediatrics to neurosurgery.

Essential Information
Prospective anesthesia assistants must complete a Master of Science in Anesthesia program at a university with a health science center. There are no undergraduate or graduate certificate programs in the field. According to the American Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants, there are only five schools in the United States that offer master's degree programs for aspiring anesthesia assistants.

The programs take at least two years to complete; three semesters of classroom lectures are combined with three semesters of clinical rotations. The rotations are divided among different surgical specialties, including general surgery, pediatrics, and neurosurgery.

Students interested in enrolling in a master's degree program for anesthesiologist assistants must have a baccalaureate degree and a GPA of at least 2.75. They must also have completed undergraduate courses in chemistry, biology, laboratory science, biochemistry, and calculus. Additionally, students should complete either a Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or a Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) before applying.

Program Levels for Anesthesia Assistant: Master's degree
Anesthesia Assistant Program Fields: General surgery, pediatrics, and neurosurgery
Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree; at least 2.75 GPA; GRE or MCAT test; undergraduate coursework in related fields
Program Length: Two years