From the Rehabilitation Room to the Operating Room.
A cognitive-communication speech-language pathologist and Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) documenting the full pre-AA journey. Honest prerequisite reviews, real talk on the application process, evidence-based advocacy resources, and tools built for the CAA profession.
01 — What is a CAA?
Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants (CAAs) are master's-level healthcare professionals who work within the Anesthesia Care Team (ACT) model. CAAs are currently licensed in 24 jurisdictions across the US, and that number is actively growing through AAAA advocacy. Learn more from the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and the American Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants (AAAA).
A&P, Biology, Chemistry, Orgo, Biochemistry, Physics, Calculus, Microbiology, Statistics
A baccalaureate degree is required for admission. Many programs accept either the GRE or MCAT — verify each program's specific requirements before applying.
The Centralized Application Service for Anesthesiologist Assistants opens annually in spring. Competitive clinical hours required, plus a minimum of 8 anesthesia shadowing hours. Verify current requirements directly with CASAA.
24–28 months, then pass the National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants (NCCAA) certification exam to practice.
Practicing since 1969 — five decades of established clinical history
24 jurisdictions licensed — and actively expanding through AAAA advocacy nationwide
15+ CAAHEP-accredited programs — and growing. Verify current accreditation status before applying
All VA facilities nationwide — federal authorization regardless of state-level licensure
02 — Course & University Reviews
Real reviews of online science prerequisites and the universities that offer them — difficulty, workload, cost, and what AA programs think of each institution. All completed while working full-time. Lab included where noted.
More in progress.
University Reviews
Reviewed from personal experience — cost, accreditation, rigor, and schedule flexibility. Full reviews included on the course reviews page.
5 courses taken. Low cost, accredited, flexible sessions. The go-to for working pre-AAs on a budget. Great student support and a wide range of prerequisite offerings.
Read full review →1 course taken. UC San Diego's continuing education division. Affordable 12-week courses with university-level name recognition. Note: quarter credits — check conversion requirements.
Read full review →3 courses taken. High cost but exceptional quality. Self-paced within 16 weeks, rigorous material, outstanding student support. Worth it if you want to truly learn the content.
Read full review →03 — Pre-AA Pathways Podcast
Co-founder and co-host of Pre-AA Pathways — a step-by-step guide through the entire pre-AA application cycle, from prerequisites and CASAA to interviews and beyond. New episodes regularly.
04 — Advocacy Framework
05 — Resources
06 — About
The clinical expertise behind this work — how the brain processes information, resists change, and builds new understanding — shapes everything here.
This is the work I'm doing at the intersection of communication science and the CAA profession. In real time.
Learn more →06 — Get in Touch
Whether you're a fellow pre-AA with questions about the journey, a podcast listener, or found this site from a Discord rabbit hole — I'd love to hear from you.