Medicine
Graduate Programs
Anesthesia MSA
The Indiana University School of Medicine Anesthesiologist Assistant Program welcomes you to learn more about our program and our profession!
A Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant (CAA) is a highly skilled professional healthcare provider who works under the direction of an anesthesiologist. A CAA carries out a wide range of clinical duties, among them:
- Performing pre-anesthesia history and physical exam
- Forming an anesthesia plan within the Anesthesia Care Team (ACT) model
- Administering anesthetic, adjuvant, and accessory drugs used in anesthetic practice
- Managing airways
- Implementing regional and neuraxial anesthesia blocks
- Administering fluid and blood product
- Inserting peripheral and central venous catheters and arterial lines
- Monitoring of patients and interpretation of data via noninvasive and invasive techniques
Our program offers a Master of Science in Anesthesia degree. This 28-month degree is divided into two phases, the didactic phase, which consists primarily of classroom-based learning, and the clinical phase, which consists primarily of clinical rotations. Even in the didactic phase, our students gain early exposure to the operating room with a limited rotation schedule beginning in the first semester.
If you’re interested in applying to our program, take a look at our program requirements here. For an overview of what makes a successful applicant, please review our program averages for accepted students below. (Please note that prospective applicants can take either the MCAT or GRE.)
The CAA career path is a rewarding choice for motivated, critically thinking individuals with a passion for patient care. And with an ever-growing demand for anesthesia providers nationwide, there’s never been a better time to join our profession.
The IU Anesthesiologist Assistant Program will prepare students to:
- Conduct pre-anesthesia history and physical exam
- Carry out anesthesia plans within the anesthesia care team
- Administer anesthetic, adjuvant, and accessory drugs used in anesthetic practice
- Manage airways
- Perform regional and neuraxial anesthesia blocks
- Administer fluid and blood product
- Insert of peripheral and central venous catheters, and arterial lines
- Monitor patients and interpret patient data via noninvasive and invasive techniques
To learn more about becoming a Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant, please see our attached flyers or reach out to our Program Coordinator Chris Guagliardo at iusmaa@iu.edu. Also, check out our website here.
