Master of Science in Anesthesia
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2024-05-01 | - |
| 2025-01-01 | - |
Program Overview
This Master's program in Anesthesiologist Assistant Practice prepares students to work under the supervision of anesthesiologists, assisting in various aspects of anesthesia care, including patient assessment, monitoring, and administering anesthesia. The program includes coursework in medical terminology, physiology, anatomy, pharmacology, and anesthesia principles and practices, as well as clinical rotations and an internship. Graduates are eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination for Anesthesiologist Assistants.
Program Outline
Outline:
Semester I
- ANES 5048: Medical Terminology
- ANES 5081: Introduction to Clinical Anesthesia
- ANES 5301: Anesthesia Laboratory I
- ANES 5621: Principle of Airway Management I
Semester II
- ANES 5302: Anesthesia Laboratory II
- ANES 5462: Pharmacology for Anesthesia I
- ANES 5601: Applied Physiology for Anesthesia Practice I
- ANES 5622: Principle of Airway Management II
- ANES 5801: Instrumentation and Monitoring
- ANES 5901: Anesthesia Principle and Practices I
- ANES 5104: Principles of Life Support*
- MHS 5205: Writing for Medical Publication
Semester III
- ANES 5001: Clinical Anesthesia I
- ANES 5303: Anesthesia Laboratory III
- ANES 5463: Pharmacology for Anesthesia II
- ANES 5602: Applied Physiology for Anesthesia Practice II
- ANES 5802: Instrumentation and Monitoring II
- ANES 5902: Anesthesia Principle and Practices II
- ANES 5101: Student Lecture Series I
Semester IV
- ANES 5000: Professional Issues in Anesthesiologist Assistant Practice
- ANES 5002: Clinical Anesthesia II
- ANES 5304: Anesthesia Laboratory IV
- ANES 5903: Anesthesia Principle and Practices III
- ANES 5102: Student Lecture Series II
- ANES 5107: Internship
- ANES 5603: Applied Physiology for Anesthesia Practice III
Semester V
- ANES 6001: Clinical Anesthesia III
Semester VI
- ANES 6002: Clinical Anesthesia IV
- ANES 6110: Anesthesia Review
Careers:
- AAs practice under the direction of a qualified anesthesiologist.
- AAs' functions include:
- Making the initial approach to a patient of any age in any setting to obtain a preliminary preanesthetic health history, perform an appropriate preanesthetic physical examination and record pertinent data in an organized and legible manner for review by an anesthesiologist.
- Performing or assisting in the conduct of diagnostic laboratory and related studies as appropriate, such as drawing arterial and venous blood samples.
- Establishing noninvasive and invasive routine monitoring modalities as delegated by the responsible anesthesiologist.
- AAs are permitted to perform regional anesthesia techniques.
- Assisting in the application and interpretation of advanced monitoring techniques such as pulmonary artery catheterization, electroencephalographic spectral analysis, echocardiography and evoked potentials.
- Assisting in inducing, maintaining and altering anesthesia levels, administering adjunctive treatment and providing continuity of anesthetic care into and during the postoperative recovery period.
- Assisting in the use of advanced life support techniques such as high frequency ventilation and intra-arterial cardiovascular assist devices.
- Assisting in making postanesthesia patient rounds by recording patient progress notes, compiling and recording case summaries and by transcribing standing and specific orders.
- Performing evaluation and treatment procedures essential to responding to life-threatening situations, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, on the basis of established protocols (basic life support, advance cardiac life support, and pediatric advanced life support).
- Assisting in the performance of duties in intensive care units, pain clinics and other settings, as appropriate.
- Training and supervising personnel in the calibration, trouble shooting and use of patient monitors.
- Performing delegated administrative duties in an anesthesiology practice or anesthesiology department in such areas as the management of personnel, supplies and devices.
- Assisting in the clinical instruction of others.
Entry Requirements:
Prospective Master of Science in Anesthesia students are selected by the Committee on Admissions (COA), which considers the overall qualities of the applicant. Areas of consideration include interpersonal skills, personal motivation, knowledge and understanding of the AA profession and the Anesthesia Care Team, academic performance and level of achievement, life experiences, and recommendations. Personal interviews are offered to the most qualified applicants to assess interpersonal and communication skills, altruistic attitude, maturity, and commitment to the AA profession and anesthesia care team model.
Baccalaureate degree from a nationally recognized and regionally accredited college or university
Note:
a "C" or better is required in all prerequisite classes (there is no expiration date for prerequisite courses). In order to meet pre-requisite requirements, math and science courses must include sufficient rigor and detail in the discipline (Introductory, survey, or business courses will not satisfy the requirements). Effective January 2024, all incoming students for winter 2025 and summer 2025, must take a general Anatomy and Physiology I and II course with labs. The 8 semester hours of Biology I and II with lab nor an advanced course in Microbiology or Cellular and Molecular biology will no longer meet the General Biology requirement. Required and cannot be survey courses English - 3 semester hours General Biology with Lab or Anatomy and Physiology with Lab - 8 semester hours General Chemistry with Lab - 8 semester hours Organic Chemistry with Lab - 4 semester hours Biochemistry - 3 semester hours General Physics with Lab - 8 semester hours (Trigonometry or Calculus based) Calculus - 3 semester hours Preferred but not required Cell & Molecular Biology - 3 semester hours Organic Chemistry II - 3 semester hours Microbiology - 3 semester hours Physiology - 3 semester hours Anatomy with lab - 4 semester hours Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 grading scale. A minimum GPA of 3.2 is preferred.
- Previous applicants wishing to strengthen their application and science background may consider our Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Pre-Anesthesiologist Assistant Studies. This two-semester certificate program is a limited application program, applicants must have submitted a CASAA application to NSU from the prior year admission cycle to apply. This program is designed to offer the opportunity to demonstrate the academic qualities and gain skills necessary to be admitted to the Anesthesiologist Assistant program. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) scores must have been taken with the past five years and must be taken early enough for official scores to be received by admissions office by the application deadline of January 15 (October 15 for Denver AA program). Information can be obtained from the GRE website and the MCAT website. Three letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant's prior academic performance, potential, character, work habits, and suitability for graduate study leading into a career in clinical practice. At least eight hours of documented anesthesia exposure by observation in the operating room. Summary of an article published in a current anesthesia journal. All applicants must show evidence of computer skills through coursework or self-study prior to the end of the first semester. Students may obtain instruction through the NSU Student Microcomputer Laboratory or other training facilities.
