Career Overview
Assist anesthesiologists in the administration of anesthesia for surgical and non-surgical procedures. Monitor patient status and provide patient care during surgical treatment.
Also Known As
- Anesthesia Assistant
- Anesthesia Technician
- Anesthesiologist Assistant
- Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant
Alternate Job Titles
- Anesthesia Assistant
- Anesthesia Specialist
- Anesthesia Technician
- Anesthesia Technologist
- Anesthesiologist Assistant
- Anesthesiologists' Assistant
- Cardiothoracic Anesthesia Technician
- Certified Anesthesia Technician
- Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant
- Operating Room Technician
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Provide airway management interventions including tracheal intubation, fiber optics, or ventilary support.
- Respond to emergency situations by providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic cardiac life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), or pediatric advanced life support (PALS).
- Verify availability of operating room supplies, medications, and gases.
- Pretest and calibrate anesthesia delivery systems and monitors.
- Participate in seminars, workshops, or other professional activities to keep abreast of developments in anesthesiology.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Medicine and Dentistry
- English Language
- Chemistry
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mathematics
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Written Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Perceptual Speed
- Oral Expression
- Near Vision
- Selective Attention
- Written Expression
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Stress Tolerance
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Self-Control
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Support
- Relationships
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
- Recognition
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Master's Degree
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- eClinicalWorks EHR software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Anesthesia breathing bags
- Anesthesia vaporizers
- Arterial line catheters
- Assist-control ventilation equipment
- Automated external defibrillators AED
- Automatic blood pressure cuffs
- Bilevel positive airway pressure BPAP equipment
- Capnographs
- Cardiac output monitors
- Central venous pressure monitoring catheters
- Coagulation monitors
- Continuous positive airway pressure CPAP equipment
- Digital spirometers
- Double lumen tubes
- Echocardiography equipment
Work Environment
- Exposed to Disease or Infections
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Salary & Job Market
Wages reported for the broader Physician Assistants occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Anesthesiologist Assistants.
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $95,240 |
| Median | $133,260 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $182,200 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 155,540
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Anesthesiologists
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: >$239,200
Pediatric Surgeons
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: >$239,200
Nurse Anesthetists
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $223,210
Cardiologists
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: >$239,200
Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: >$239,200
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.