South University, Savannah and the Mercer University School of Medicine based in Macon and Savannah, Georgia, have developed a relationship to bring together the unique resources of each institution to establish an Anesthesiologist Assistant program of the highest quality. The program consists of 160 quarter hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical work taking place over the course of nine quarters or 28 months. The first year of the program is in the classroom and laboratory with escalating clinical responsibilities, while the second year of the program consists of multiple fulltime, month long clinical rotations in practice settings incorporating a full range of surgical procedures involving neonate through geriatric at all levels and depth of illness. An Anesthesiologist Assistant works as a member of the anesthesia care team under the direction of a qualified Physician Anesthesiologist, administering anesthesia care to all ages, degrees of illness and for the entire spectrum of surgical procedures.
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. Mercer’s participation in South University’s program extends beyond Anesthesiologist faculty members for the program into membership in program committees.
The Mercer University School of Medicine administration is represented in all governing committees to provide their medical education expertise to the program. South University, through its College of Health Professions, will provide basic science, instrumentation and monitoring and anesthesia equipment components of the program.