Anesthesiology Assistant
Anesthesia assistants provide anesthesia care but are not physicians. To become a Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant (CAA), students must first complete a bachelor’s degree then be admitted to a master’s level anesthesiologist assistant program. Most programs in this discipline last two years. After receiving their certification, CAAs serve under the supervision of a physician anesthesiologist. A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) performs a similar role to that of a CAA; however CRNAs are required to have a nursing degree and one year of clinical experience.