Program Overview

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Master of Science in Anesthesia Program

The Master of Science in Anesthesia Program at Case Western Reserve University underwent a major curricular restructuring in 2009, with a focus on improving and advancing the didactic and simulation curriculum.

Curriculum Overview

The program's curriculum is designed to train students to become certified anesthesiologist assistants. The curriculum includes didactic and clinical courses, as well as simulation laboratory training. The simulation training is innovative in its integration of clinical and didactic skills, and offers opportunities for physicians and faculty to give individualized attention to students during hi-fidelity simulations.

First Year: Basic Science and Clinical

The first year provides students with a broad education in basic science disciplines with a focus on the practice of anesthesiology. Students begin with the fundamental aspects of anesthesia, including basic physiology and pharmacology, and the skills involved in the administration of anesthesia and associated invasive and non-invasive monitoring.

• Didactic coursework is paired with simulation laboratory courses and gradually increasing clinical experience in the general operating rooms of adult hospitals.
• By the fall semester, students are in the clinical setting up to three days a week, and up to four days a week by spring semester.
• In these settings, students hone the procedural skills learned in simulation labs and apply didactic theory while providing anesthesia for various surgical procedures.

First Year Learning Objectives and Outcomes

The intention of the first year is to indoctrinate students into the patient care environment. While clinical exposure increases gradually over time, it is important to note that students are in the operating room almost immediately.

• Clinical exposure begins after a three-week "Boot Camp" in which students are immersed in didactic instruction, lectures, and simulation labs.
• Throughout the clinical experience, students learn to collaborate with and perform anesthetic management under the supervision of anesthesiologists, certified anesthesiologist assistants, senior anesthesia residents, and fellows.

Second Year: Clinical

The second year is also comprised of clinical, didactic, and simulation coursework, with increasing emphasis on self-directed learning.

• Didactic lectures are presented in a seminar format, directed toward critical review of literature on selected topics, current trends, and specialization.
• Students participate in journal club, weekly conferences, an Ethics and Law of Practice course, and simulation labs that emphasize crisis across specialties.

Second Year Clinical Rotations

Clinically, the second year is spent almost exclusively in specialty rotations. Mandatory specialty rotations include:

• Ambulatory anesthesia
• Cardiothoracic and cardiovascular anesthesia
• Intensive care and preoperative clinic
• Nerve block
• Neurosurgical anesthesia
• Obstetrical anesthesia
• Pediatric anesthesia
• Trauma
• Second-year students also have the opportunity to complete elective rotations across the country.
• Students can complete up to five months of elective specialty training, setting them apart from other MSA program graduates nationwide when applying to specialty hospitals.

Second Year Learning Objectives and Outcomes

Throughout the second year, students are in the operating room up to six days per week and are expected to take overnight calls.

• Their schedule in these final semesters is comparable to that of a full-time certified anesthesiologist assistant.
• At the completion of the program of study, graduates are prepared to manage and monitor patients of all ages and acuity for anesthesia care in various surgical settings.

Series Courses

Several courses in the Master of Science in Anesthesia Program are structured as long-term series courses, meaning students are progressively challenged by core components that build on one another and on the clinical experience over the course of multiple semesters.

• Applied Physiology: Students are taught basic and applied human systems physiology with an emphasis on topics and areas of special concern to anesthetists.
• Anesthesia Clinical Correlation: A series of conferences presented by students that address both anesthetic theory as it relates to the clinical experience, and basic and major problems in anesthesia management.
• Anesthesia Clinical Experience: Students are introduced to the operating room with an emphasis on the fundamental procedures and techniques used in administering anesthetic.
• Anesthetic Science: Students cover a series of topics in basic medical science with a special emphasis on the effect of anesthetics on normal physiology.
• Patient Monitoring and Instrumentation: Students are taught the proper balance between circuits and engineering concepts and the clinical application of anesthesia instrumentation.
• Pharmacology: Students are introduced to pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, uptake, distribution, and action of the volatile and intravenous anesthetics, muscle relaxants, narcotics, hypnotics, and other pharmaceuticals used in the administration of anesthesia.
• Physiological Model-based Simulation: Students are introduced to physiological model-based simulation using on-screen computer simulation and mannequins.

Program Details

A complete overview of the courses for graduate students in the Master of Science in Anesthesia Program can be reviewed. The curriculum is specifically designed for training the certified anesthesiologist assistant professional.

• All MSA students must follow the entire course curriculum.
• No exceptions will be made, regardless of degrees or certifications received, prior experience, work background, or education.
• Courses are reserved for MSA students and cannot be taken by other undergraduate or graduate students at the university.