What Does it Take to Be an Anesthesiologist Assistant?
Job Description: Assist anesthesiologists in the administration of anesthesia for surgical and non-surgical procedures. Monitor patient status and provide patient care during surgical treatment.
Daily Life Of an Anesthesiologist Assistant
- Provide clinical instruction, supervision or training to staff in areas such as anesthesia practices.
- Collect samples or specimens for diagnostic testing.
- Pretest and calibrate anesthesia delivery systems and monitors.
- Assist in the provision of advanced life support techniques including those procedures using high frequency ventilation or intra-arterial cardiovascular assistance devices.
- Participate in seminars, workshops, or other professional activities to keep abreast of developments in anesthesiology.
- Assist in the application of monitoring techniques, such as pulmonary artery catheterization, electroencephalographic spectral analysis, echocardiography, or evoked potentials.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as an Anesthesiologist Assistant?
Anesthesiologist Assistants state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Related Job Titles
- Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant
- Oral Surgery Assistant
- Oral Surgery Assistant-Clinical Coordinator
- Anesthesia Tech
- Anesthesiologists’ Assistant
Are There Job Opportunities for Anesthesiologist Assistants?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 106,200 jobs in the United States for Anesthesiologist Assistant. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 37.4% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 39,700 new jobs for Anesthesiologist Assistant by 2026. The BLS estimates 10,600 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Anesthesiologist Assistant are Arizona, Utah, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Mississippi, or Alaska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Anesthesiologist Assistant Salary
Anesthesiologist Assistants make between $69,120 and $151,850 a year.

Anesthesiologist Assistants who work in Connecticut, Washington, or Alaska, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Anesthesiologist Assistants in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $92,880 |
Alaska | $122,260 |
Arizona | $101,590 |
Arkansas | $99,280 |
California | $117,230 |
Colorado | $102,770 |
Connecticut | $125,610 |
Delaware | $105,300 |
District of Columbia | $114,740 |
Florida | $105,930 |
Georgia | $103,190 |
Hawaii | $121,120 |
Idaho | $109,090 |
Illinois | $108,260 |
Indiana | $96,090 |
Iowa | $110,550 |
Kansas | $104,720 |
Kentucky | $91,010 |
Louisiana | $85,990 |
Maine | $110,030 |
Maryland | $108,180 |
Massachusetts | $108,700 |
Michigan | $110,240 |
Minnesota | $116,200 |
Mississippi | $81,130 |
Missouri | $94,480 |
Montana | $106,130 |
Nebraska | $106,700 |
Nevada | $116,850 |
New Hampshire | $111,080 |
New Jersey | $116,270 |
New Mexico | $108,610 |
New York | $117,000 |
North Carolina | $104,680 |
North Dakota | $107,340 |
Ohio | $105,410 |
Oklahoma | $104,200 |
Oregon | $113,570 |
Pennsylvania | $98,510 |
Rhode Island | $103,710 |
South Carolina | $103,710 |
South Dakota | $102,830 |
Tennessee | $87,700 |
Texas | $109,590 |
Utah | $102,710 |
Vermont | $106,520 |
Virginia | $99,340 |
Washington | $123,980 |
West Virginia | $104,180 |
Wisconsin | $107,920 |
Wyoming | $116,890 |
What Tools & Technology do Anesthesiologist Assistants Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Anesthesiologist Assistants:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR
- Greenway Medical Technologies PrimeSUITE
- GalacTek ECLIPSE
- IOS Health Systems Medios EHR
- Cerner PowerWorks Practice Management
- Epic Practice Management
- GE Healthcare Centricity Practice Solution
- CareCloud Central
- Benchmark Systems Benchmark Clinical EHR
- HealthFusion MediTouch
- Automatic Data Processing AdvancedMD EHR
- Kareo Practice Management
- McKesson Practice Plus
- Modernizing Medicine Practice Management
- NextGen Healthcare NextGen Practice Management
Becoming an Anesthesiologist Assistant
What education or degrees do I need to become an Anesthesiologist Assistant?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where do Anesthesiologist Assistants Work?

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

References:
Image Credit: Ryan Conroy via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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