An Anesthesiologist Assistant (AA) is a skilled person qualified by advanced academic and clinical education to provide anesthetic care under the direction of a qualified anesthesiologist. The anesthesiologist who is responsible for the AA is available to prescribe and direct particular therapeutic interventions in the operating room and the intensive care setting.

By virtue of the basic science education and clinical practice experience, the AA is skilled in the use of contemporary state-of-the-art patient monitoring techniques in anesthesia care environments. The AA performs complementary and supplementary anesthetic care and monitoring tasks that allow the directing anesthesiologist to use his or her own skills more efficiently and effectively.

The Anesthesiologist Assistant is prepared to gather patient data, to assist in the evaluation of patients’ physical and mental status, to record the surgical procedures planned, and to help the directing anesthesiologist administer the therapeutic plan that has been formulated for the anesthetic care of the patient. The tasks performed by AAs reflect regional variations in anesthesia practice and state regulatory factors.

The University of Houston does not offer an Anesthesiologist Assistant degree program.

Anesthesiology Assistant Program Directory

Quick Facts:

• 1.5-3 year program
• GRE required (MCAT may also be accepted)
• GPA: 3.0 minimum, 3.5+ to be competitive
• Need significant observation/shadowing hours in medical field (especially in anesthesia)
  • Typical minimum is 8-10 hours of shadowing an anesthesiologist, but more hours are strongly recommended if possible.
• AA Programs in Texas:
  • Case Western Reserve - Houston (in affiliation with Memorial Hermann)
  • McGovern Medical School 

Pre-Requisite Courses 

Programs have differing grade minimums and policies for acceptance of AP credit, and may have additional recommended courses. Please visit program websites for specifics. 

• Advanced Statistics: MATH 3339 or PSYC 2317 (required for Case Western only)
• Anatomy & Physiology: BIOL 2301/2101 & BIOL 2302/2102
  
• Biochemistry: BCHS 3304
• Biology: BIOL 1306/1106 & BIOL 1307/1107
  
• Calculus: MATH 2413
• English: ENGL 1303 
• General Chemistry: CHEM 1311/1111 & CHEM 1312/1112
• Organic Chemistry: CHEM 2323/2123 
• Physics: PHYS 1301/1101 & PHYS 1302/1102