CAA frequently asked questions

A CAA is a master's-prepared anesthesia provider who delivers anesthesia care as part of the anesthesia care team, working under the medical direction of a licensed anesthesiologist. CAAs and CRNAs have similar clinical roles; the main differences are the educational path and where each is authorized to practice.

Both administer anesthesia within the care-team model. The difference is the route in: CAAs enter from a pre-professional background (a bachelor's degree plus science prerequisites and an entrance exam), while CRNAs are registered nurses with ICU experience. CAAs always practice under anesthesiologist medical direction; practice authority also varies by state.

After your bachelor's degree, accredited CAA programs run roughly 24 to 28 months of continuous, full-time study. Most of that time is intensive didactic and clinical training, with no summers off.

Programs typically require a bachelor's degree plus a science core: general and organic chemistry, biology, physics, biochemistry, human anatomy and physiology, calculus, and statistics — most with labs. Requirements vary by program, and many programs require that science prerequisites were completed within the last 5–10 years. Track yours in the prerequisite tracker.

Most CAA programs require either the MCAT or the GRE, and a few also accept the DAT. Competitive scores are roughly an MCAT around 500+ or a GRE near the 50th percentile or higher. Always confirm which exam each program accepts and any minimums on its official page.

Some programs state a minimum (often around 8 hours of documented anesthesia observation) and others only recommend it — but shadowing a CAA or anesthesia provider is the clearest signal of informed motivation, so more is better. Log your hours so you can report accurate totals on CASAA.

Class sizes are small and seats are limited, so admission is competitive. Programs weight science/prerequisite GPA, your entrance exam, documented shadowing, healthcare experience, letters of recommendation, and a clear, informed motivation for the profession. Run a Candidacy Score to see where you stand.

CAAs are licensed or otherwise authorized to practice in a growing number of U.S. states and jurisdictions, always within the anesthesia care team. Because the list changes as legislation passes, check the American Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants (AAAA) practice map for the current states.

Most accredited programs use CASAA, the centralized application service for anesthesiologist assistant programs. You build one application — transcripts, coursework, scores, experiences, letters, and a personal statement — and submit to your chosen programs. Some programs add supplemental questions or their own application. Plan the steps with the CASAA timeline.

The profession has expanded as more states authorize CAA practice and new programs open. For the current count of accredited programs and authorized states, see the program directory here and the AAAA's resources.