Anesthesiologist Assistant Program History

In 2003, South University hired Dr. Bill Paulsen, program director for Emory University’s AA program, to develop a new program at South University. In 2004, South University became the third institution in the United States to offer a Master of Medical Science in Anesthesiologist Assistant.

Today, South University’s AA program is recognized as having the most advanced facilities & equipment to prepare students for a career as an AA. In addition, the University is the only program that features a fully-equipped mock operating room.

Mercer University Collaboration

One of the more interesting aspects of the program is its relationship with the Mercer University School of Medicine. South University and Mercer University School of Medicine based in Macon, Georgia, have developed a relationship to bring together the unique resources of each institution to establish an Anesthesiologist Assistant Program of the highest quality. Mercer University currently provides instruction in anesthesia for medical students and surgical residents at the Macon campus and at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, Georgia. Mercer's participation extends beyond anesthesiologist faculty for the program into the governance through a 50/50 membership through the Program Governance Committees. The Mercer School of Medicine administration, through the office of the Dean, is represented in all governing committees to provide their medical education expertise to the program. South University, through its schools of Pharmacy and Health Professions, will provide basic science, instrumentation and monitoring, and anesthesia equipment components of the program. South University provides a mock operating room with mannequin based educational opportunities, along with a state of the art anesthesia learning laboratory, a wireless information network and library facilities that provide students with the resources to optimize the learning experience . Clinical training will be based in the Memorial Health University Medical Center and the St. Josephs/Candler Medical Center in Savannah, both in close proximity to the Savannah campus of South University.