What Is a CAA?
Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants are highly trained healthcare professionals who work as part of the anesthesia care team under the direction of licensed anesthesiologists. CAAs help patients receive safe and effective anesthesia before, during, and after surgery. Their responsibilities include performing assessments before procedures, monitoring patients during surgery, managing airway and ventilation needs, and assisting with post-anesthesia care.
CAAs work in hospitals, surgical centers, academic medical centers, and other healthcare settings. They often enjoy high levels of responsibility, collaboration, and professional satisfaction.
How Do You Become a CAA?
Anesthesiologist assistant training is rigorous and specialized, so the education you receive will be critical in preparing for your future career. Becoming a CAA requires completing:
- A bachelor’s degree, typically with a focus on the sciences.
- Prerequisite coursework, usually including biology, chemistry, physiology, and related subjects.
- A master’s degree Anesthesiologist Assistant program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
- Certification by passing the National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants (NCCAA) exam.
For CAA programs, the degree you earn is usually a Master of Science (MS) or Master of Medical Science (MMS) in Anesthesia Science. After becoming a CAA, you also need to do ongoing professional development, including continuing education, to keep your certification active.
What Makes a CAA Program Right for you?
While every program is different, the one you choose should have several core strengths. Here’s what to look for as you explore your options.1. Strong Blend of Classroom Learning and Hands-On Training
Choose a CAA program that teaches the theory and science behind the profession. Perhaps more importantly, it ensures you know how to apply what you’re studying. Your foundational coursework in anesthesia science, physiology, pharmacology, and patient care should help you integrate this knowledge with real-world clinical skills and use cases. Ideally, you should have a chance to apply what you learn in a lab or simulation shortly after you first learn it. This experience prepares you to think critically and act appropriately in high-pressure operating environments and deliver safe and effective anesthesia care.2. Fully Equipped Labs and Simulation Spaces
Look for Anesthesiologist Assistant programs that invest in mock operating rooms and advanced clinical training equipment. Quality simulation experiences allow you to practice procedures, respond to emergencies, and build confidence in a controlled environment before caring for actual patients. These facilities indicate a school’s commitment to immersive, hands-on learning.3. Robust Clinical Rotations with Diverse Patients
Clinical training is where you put your skills to work with real patients in surgical settings. The best CAA programs partner with a variety of hospitals and surgical centers, so you gain experience with patients of all ages, a broad range of surgical specialties, and varying levels of illnesses and medical complexity. These rotations should also include experienced preceptors who love teaching and mentoring the next generation of anesthesia professionals.4. Focus on Current Best Practices and on Professionalism
The CAA program keeps its curriculum aligned with today’s best practices in anesthesiology. That includes studying evidence-based approaches to anesthesia delivery, patient safety protocols, and advances in technology, monitoring, and pharmacology. However, technical skills alone aren’t enough. Programs that also teach professionalism, ethics, communication, and a commitment to service, because compassionate care is just as essential as clinical expertise.5. Personalized Attention and Support
Personal mentorship helps set programs apart. Smaller class sizes, accessible faculty, and supportive staff can make a big difference. Look for programs where instructors know their students and can tailor guidance to your goals. You want your faculty and staff to have the time and desire to support your academic, professional, and emotional success. Overly competitive environments can also be stressful. Many students prefer schools where faculty, staff, and students are friendly and collaborative.6. Accreditation and Experience
Accredited programs meet established standards for curriculum, faculty qualifications, resources, and outcomes. Beyond that, choose a CAA program, where you have the opportunity to learn from experienced anesthesiologists and anesthesia professionals who bring real-world insights into the classroom. When it comes to understanding whether a school has the experience you want, you can also look at the age of the program. Depending on how long the CAA program has existed, you may find data on job employment and test pass rates for its graduates.7. Engaged Alumni Network and Career Resources
An active, supportive alumni community is a sign of a healthy, respected program. Alumni may help current students with professional connections, career guidance, insight into job opportunities, and support during the transition from student to practicing CAA. Joining an engaged alumni network can help graduates succeed long after they finish their degree. Career resources should also be available as you create your resume and prepare for your job search as an Anesthesiologist Assistant graduate.Choosing the Right Program for You
Choosing the right CAA program requires more than checking admissions requirements. Your program will shape your skills, confidence, and professional identity, so you want a place that feels like a good fit for your personality and educational needs. The CAA program you choose should combine:
- Rigorous academic preparation
- Industry-standard facilities
- Diverse clinical experiences
- Supportive faculty and mentors
- A commitment to patient-centered, evidence-based care
- Strong connections with alumni and the local healthcare community
With the right education, you’ll graduate ready to pursue licensure and ultimately join anesthesiologists in delivering safe, high-quality anesthesia care to patients in need.
Discover South University’s Anesthesiologist Assistant Program
South University has been preparing students to work in anesthesia care since 2004, when our Savannah campus first launched an Anesthesiologist Assistant program. Today, we offer a Master of Medical Science in Anesthesia Science at our Savannah, West Palm Beach, and Orlando campuses. This program is distinguished among Anesthesiologist Assistant programs by a tight temporal coupling between theoretical knowledge taught in the classroom and practical applications of that knowledge in our mock operating rooms and anesthesia learning labs. Almost immediately after our students learn a new concept, they apply it in practice.
Across our classes, labs, and clinical rotations, our program is committed to teaching current practices in anesthesiology and the highest standards of professionalism and service to patients. Our alumni have gone on to build healthcare careers, and we’re especially proud that, for its entire 20 years of existence, our Savannah Anesthesia Science program graduates have a 100% overall pass rate on the NCCAA exam!
To learn more about South University and our programs, request information today.
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Graduates are required to pass the national certification exam and obtain a state license in order to work in the field. (Exam names vary by program.) Please refer to the State Professional Licensure Determination and National Certification/Licensure section of the University catalog for additional information. South University cannot guarantee each graduate will pass the required licensure examinations. South University does not promise or guarantee licensure, employment, or salary amounts.
Programs, including all Clinical/Medical programs have a required ground clinical, practicum, or externship requirement. We cannot guarantee flexibility in these components of the program.
Faculty credentials and experience may vary.
