Anesthesiology Assistant: Job Description and Info for Students Considering a Career As an Anesthesiologist Assistant

Anesthesiology Assistants are an important part of patient care, providing necessary pain relief in a safe and reliable manner. These jobs require a master's degree from an accredited Anesthesiology Assistant program. An Anesthesiology Assistant has job responsibilities most similar to that of nurse anesthetist. Related careers include anesthesiologist and nurse.

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Career Definition for Anesthesiology Assistant

Anesthesiology Assistants perform pain management for patients during medical procedures. Anesthesiology Assistants work under the supervision of a licensed anesthesiologist. The job responsibilities of an Anesthesiology Assistant include meeting with patients and recording their health history as well as developing, implementing and monitoring safe and effective pain management strategies before, during and after procedures. Most Anesthesiology Assistants work in larger medical centers. According to the American Academy of Anesthesiology Assistants, licensing or similar regulations are in place in 18 states, with another six allowing Anesthesiology Assistants to perform some work as directed by an anesthesiologist, www.anesthetist.org.

Becoming an Anesthesiology Assistant

Education Required for an Anesthesiology Assisting Career

Anesthesiology Assistants need must begin by earning bachelor's degree, usually with a pre-med major like Biology, Chemistry or Microbiology. Anesthesiology Assistants then earn a master's degree from an accredited program. These programs can range from two years to 27 months in length. Anesthesiology Assistants then pursue certification and state licensing in order to practice. Students of Anesthesiology Assistant programs study physiology, anesthetic science, pharmacology, anatomy and how to monitor and evaluate patients, as well as perform clinical work.

Skills Required for an Anesthesiology Assisting Career

Anesthesiology Assistants should have a strong attention to detail and the wish to help others. Anesthesiology Assistants also be organized, level-headed, active listeners, good record-keepers and able to take direction well from supervising anesthesiologists. The ability to work well in pressure-packed situations is a must.

Career and Economic Outlook for Anesthesiology Assisting

The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs reports in its career profile of Anesthesiology Assistants a starting annual salary of $85,000, www.caahep.org. Anesthesiology Assistants are most likely to find job opportunities within larger hospitals, and success may vary based on hospital funding. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that most medical careers will have excellent growth opportunities in the next decade and Anesthesiology Assistants are no exception, www.bls.gov.

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