What is a Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant (CAA)?

• CAAs are highly skilled healthcare professionals, qualified by advanced academic and clinical education, who provide anesthesia care to patients under the direction of a physician Anesthesiologist within the Anesthesia Care Team model.

What is the Anesthesia Care Team (ACT) model?

• The Anesthesia Care Team model, as defined by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, is the supervision of resident physicians and/or directing qualified non-physician anesthesia practitioners by an Anesthesiologist in the provision of anesthesia care. In the state of North Carolina, the board of medicine dictates the ratio of supervision as one Anesthesiologist to four non-physician anesthesia providers. This ratio varies by state.

How long have CAAs been in practice?

• In the 1960s, physician Anesthesiologists, to meet growing demands and to accommodate the increasing complexity of surgeries and anesthesia delivery, proposed the concept of developing an educational program affiliated with a medical school, that trains qualified students to become part of the anesthesia care team. Emory University School of Medicine became the first of such programs and accepted their first class in 1969. There are now 12 schools around the country educating future CAAs - please find the link to each school under the "CAA Programs" tab in FAQ.

How long have CAAs practiced in North Carolina?

• The North Carolina Medical Board authorized the licensure of CAAs within the state in 2007, with the first CAA practicing in western North Carolina in 2008. There are currently 30+ CAAs practicing in North Carolina from the coast to the mountains within 5+ medical centers.

What are the requirements to apply to a CAA program?

• While each school maintains their own specific prerequisites for admission, the general requirements include:
  • A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college within the USA or Canada.
  • Completion of pre-medical requirements (including biology, general and organic chemistry, physics, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, calculus, and statistics).
  • At least eight hours of shadowing experience in the operating room.
  • Completion of either the GRE or MCAT.

What is the curriculum of a CAA program?

• The curriculum of each CAA program is unique, but each school is based on an advanced graduate degree model and programs are 26- 28 months in duration. Education takes place in the classroom, simulation laboratory, and clinical settings. Students will spend an average of 2,500 clinical hours in the operating room providing anesthesia and will complete an average of 169 credit hours in the classroom and lab setting.

What is a day in the life of a CAA student like?

• During the first year, students will spend time in the classroom, simulation lab, and operating room. The first year is dedicated to intense coursework with classes such as the introduction of anesthesia, anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology, amongst many others. Students will get their first hands-on experiences within the simulation lab, but will quickly transition to the clinical setting within the first semester. During the second year, more emphasis and time is placed on clinical experience, while classes become more advanced and laboratory time simulates more complex intraoperative scenarios.

What is a day in the life of a CAA like?

• Depending on the workplace, a full-time CAA will typically work a 40 hour week, broken down into either 8, 10, or 12 hour shifts. These shifts can vary from day shifts, night shifts, and weekend shifts. There is no typical day for a CAA and our assignments can include providing care to patients undergoing cardiovascular, thoracic, neuro, obstetric, orthopedic, or general surgery, as well as minor procedures such as ophthalmic, endoscopic, radiologic, and urologic procedures. Anesthetic techniques can include regional anesthesia, such as spinals and epidurals, monitored anesthesia care, or general anesthesia. Skills utilized include airway interventions, advanced monitoring, diagnostic laboratory studies, obtaining a physical exam and complete health history, advanced life support techniques, administration of anesthetic agents, and adjunctive treatments for prevention of pain and nausea.

Who certifies CAAs to practice?

• The National Commission for the Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants (NCCAA) administers the certification process (http://www.aa-nccaa.org). Graduates of a CAA program or current senior students may apply for certification. The initial certification exam is offered three times a year (February, June, and October). The exam is offered in collaboration with the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) and is offered at Prometric Testing Centers around the country. The initial exam consists of 200 multiple choice questions. Recertification requires completion of 40 hours of Continuing Medical Education (CME) every two years. In addition, every six years, the CAA must pass a Continued Demonstration of Qualifications (CDQ) exam.

Where do CAAs practice?

• Currently, CAAs can practice in 17 states. CAAs practice in a variety of settings, including academic medical centers, community hospitals, outpatient specialty clinics, and veterans hospitals.