Anesthesia, MSA
Degree: Master of Science in Anesthesia (MSA)
Academic Requirements for Admission
The mission of the Master of Science in Anesthesia program is to graduate skilled and compassionate anesthesiologist assistants. The admission policy reflects this goal. Applicants are considered on a variety of parameters that measure academic ability, communication skills, clinical aptitude, and personality traits.
Admission to the MSA program requires that the following criteria are met:
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
Applicants for admission must complete a course of study leading to a baccalaureate degree at an accredited United States, U.S. territory, or Canadian college or university, or its equivalent, prior to matriculation.
Prerequisite courses
Documentation of each of the prerequisites having been completed at an accredited United States, U.S. territory, or Canadian institution of higher learning is required. For those courses that have been repeated, the highest grade will be used in the calculation. Prerequisites include:
- one semester of biochemistry
- one year of biology with lab
- one semester of human anatomy with lab
- one semester of human physiology
- one year of chemistry with lab
- one semester of organic chemistry with lab (a second semester with lab is preferred)
- one year of physics with lab
- one semester of calculus
- one semester of advanced statistics (preferably for the life sciences)
- one semester of English with expository writing
All academic requirements must be completed satisfactorily before matriculation.
Our three key prerequisites – biochemistry, human anatomy with lab, and human physiology – must be taken within 5 years of the application deadline. All other prerequisites must be taken within 7 years of the deadline. These time limits will be waived with a current MCAT score of 500 or higher. A high MCAT score indicates your knowledge of the coursework is still current, and we do not ask that you retake your older coursework.
Admissions test
The MSA program requires either the MCAT or the GRE, which must be taken within three years of the application deadline. When an applicant has taken the MCAT or GRE more than once, component scores will not be combined. If an applicant has taken both admissions tests, they should submit both official scores for review.
Admissions assessment of non-cognitive skills
All applicants are required to complete the Acuity Insights admissions assessment, Casper, as part of their application. Casper is an online, open-response situational judgment test that evaluates aspects of your social intelligence and professionalism such as ethics, empathy, problem-solving and collaboration. The program recommends taking Casper before or concurrently with the submission of your application materials.
International Admissions
Applicants with international undergraduate, graduate, or advanced degrees must meet the standard admission requirements listed above. In addition, an Education Credential Evaluation and Authentication Report for foreign transcripts is required. The MSA program does not require the IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL for admission; however, we require one year of coursework from a United States, U.S. territory, or Canadian institution of higher learning where English is the main language of instruction. Since all MSA program prerequisites must be taken in the United States, a U.S. territory, or Canada, international students should be able to meet this one-year English language requirement.
The Application Process
All admissions materials must be received by the application deadline. Invited candidates participate in interviews with members of the Admissions Committee, which is comprised of faculty and staff of the MSA program. Prospective candidates are encouraged to shadow an anesthetist in the operating room. Applicants may request a shadowing experience by contacting their preferred site location directly. While requests can be made at any program location office, the procedures may differ according to affiliate hospital regulations.
Program Requirements
The 24-month program includes 70 credit hours (six consecutive semesters) of classroom and clinical instruction. The first three semesters integrate basic science and clinical instruction. During the remaining three semesters, students complete month-long rotations in all subspecialties of anesthesiology: ambulatory surgery, trauma, cardiothoracic surgery, general surgery, neurosurgery, obstetrics, and pediatrics. Clinical training focuses on all types of anesthesia including general, epidural, spinal and peripheral nerve blockade. Physiological model-based simulation is integrated throughout the curriculum to support clinical reasoning, teamwork, and procedural skill acquisition.
Instruction is also provided in advanced patient care monitoring techniques and pre-testing, and in calibration and operation of anesthesia delivery systems and monitors. At CWRU, our personal approach and rigorous educational standards produce compassionate and highly skilled anesthesiologist assistants.
The MSA program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and is based on the Standards for Anesthesiologist Assistant Programs. Graduates sit for the Certification Examination administered by the National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants (NCCAA) and co-sponsored by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME).
Additional information may be found on the Master of Science in Anesthesia program website.
Course Repeat Policy
MSA students may petition their program director to repeat a maximum of two courses during their degree program in order to improve their performance. Refer to the MSA student handbook for details and conditions of the course repeat policy.
Credit and Patient Care Hour Requirements
Credit Hours for First Year: Basic Science and Clinical = 42
Credit Hours for Second Year: Clinical = 28
Total Minimum Direct Patient Care Hours = 2000
Direct Patient Care Hours for First Year: Basic Science and Clinical = 500
Direct Patient Care Hours for Second Year: Clinical = 1500
Sample Plan of Study
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summer | Credit Hours | |
| ANES 403 | Cardiac Electrophysiology I | 1 |
| ANES 440 | Patient Monitoring and Instrumentation I | 2 |
| ANES 460 | Introduction to Anesthesia | 2 |
| ANES 461 | Introduction to Clinical Experience | 3 |
| ANES 485 | Introduction to Physiological Model-Based Simulation | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Fall | ||
| ANES 404 | Cardiac Electrophysiology II | 1 |
| ANES 456 | Applied Physiology for Anesthesiologist Assistants I | 3 |
| ANES 462 | Anesthesia Clinical Correlation I | 1 |
| ANES 463 | Anesthesia Clinical Experience I | 3 |
| ANES 475 | Pharmacology for Anesthesiologist Assistants I | 3 |
| ANES 477 | Clinical Decision Making in Anesthesia | 3 |
| ANES 486 | Physiological Model-Based Simulation I | 1 |
| ANES 488 | Anesthesia Non-Technical Skills Lab | 1 |
| ANES 590 | Advanced Personal and Professional Development | 0 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ANES 441 | Patient Monitoring and Instrumentation II | 2 |
| ANES 458 | Applied Physiology for Anesthesiologist Assistants II | 3 |
| ANES 464 | Anesthesia Clinical Correlation II | 1 |
| ANES 465 | Anesthesia Clinical Experience II | 4 |
| ANES 476 | Pharmacology for Anesthesiologist Assistants II | 3 |
| ANES 478 | Clinical Decision Making in Anesthesia II | 3 |
| ANES 487 | Physiological Model-Based Simulation II | 1 |
| ANES 590 | Advanced Personal and Professional Development | 0 |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Summer | ||
| ANES 467 | Anesthesia Clinical Experience III | 4 |
| ANES 490 | Ethics, Law and Diversity for Anesthesiologist Assistants | 2 |
| ANES 590 | Advanced Personal and Professional Development | 0 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Fall | ||
| ANES 468 | Anesthesia Clinical Correlation III | 1 |
| ANES 469 | Anesthesia Clinical Experience IV | 8 |
| ANES 580 | Principles of Anesthesia Safety and Science Review I | 1 |
| ANES 584 | Physiological Model-Based Simulation III | 1 |
| ANES 590 | Advanced Personal and Professional Development | 0 |
| Credit Hours | 11 | |
| Spring | ||
| ANES 470 | Anesthesia Clinical Correlation IV | 1 |
| ANES 471 | Anesthesia Clinical Experience V | 8 |
| ANES 581 | Principles of Anesthesia Safety and Science Review II | 1 |
| ANES 585 | Physiological Model-Based Simulation IV | 1 |
| ANES 590 | Advanced Personal and Professional Development | 0 |
| Credit Hours | 11 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 70 | |