Anesthesiologist Assistants

People in this career work closely with anesthesiologists to care for patients undergoing medical procedures. Their daily tasks involve gathering patient information, monitoring vital signs, and inspecting anesthesia equipment to ensure everything functions correctly. They must carefully analyze data, make quick decisions, and solve complex problems to keep patients safe.

To perform this work successfully, individuals need strong skills in active listening, critical thinking, and operations monitoring. They must have a deep understanding of medicine, biology, chemistry, and physics. Because they work in high-pressure medical environments, these professionals must demonstrate high stress tolerance, self-control, and extreme attention to detail. They must also be cautious, dependable, and cooperative as they collaborate with supervisors and peers to deliver high-quality customer and personal service. Their work is highly conventional, requiring structured tasks and clear documentation of patient records.

Entering this career requires extensive preparation and advanced academic training. Most individuals in this field need a graduate degree, and a master's degree is the typical education level required to enter the profession. Students interested in this path often major in allied health diagnostic, intervention, and treatment professions, or complete physician assistant residency and fellowship programs.

In addition to completing their academic degrees, professionals in this field can earn the Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants credential from the National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants. Depending on where they plan to practice, candidates should also check local regulations, as some states list a license for this work. This combination of graduate-level education, clinical training, and professional certification prepares individuals to safely assist with anesthesia administration in medical settings.

The median annual pay for this career is $135,880, though earnings vary by experience and location. The lowest 10 percent of workers earn less than $99,380, while the highest 10 percent earn more than $190,280. These wage figures are for the broader physician assistants group. The field is growing rapidly, with employment projected to increase by 21.1 percent from 2025 to 2035, which is much faster than average. There are 162,150 people employed in this category, and about 11,500 job openings are projected each year.