The MSA program will educate and train students to manage complex clinical cases as part of the Anesthesia Care Team (ACT). Students will learn standard anesthesia technical skills, how to use an anesthesia machine, how to communicate effectively with patients, and how to manage anesthetic cases. After rigorous academic and clinical training, graduates will be qualified to provide anesthetic care under the direction of a physician anesthesiologist. The goal of the MSA program is to prepare competent entry-level Anesthesiologist Assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.

Students will receive didactic instruction encompassing all relevant topics appropriate to the clinical anesthetist.  Students will benefit from learning from various teaching platforms, such as problem-based learning discussions, flipped classroom sessions, and traditional lectures.  Procedural skills and anesthesia case management will be trained in a simulation lab focusing on both technical and non-technical skills to prepare students for the rigors of the perioperative environment.  Students will complete a minimum of 650 anesthetic cases and 2,500 hours of clinical training, gaining exposure to unique and complex surgical procedures by leading medical and procedural experts.

Overall, Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants receive training in basic medical science and clinical practice to utilize modern technology to monitor and interpret data in all anesthesia care environments.  Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to: 

Upon program completion, students will meet the requirements to take the National Certification Examination, administered by the National Commission for the Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants (NCCAA).  After passing, graduates become Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants.

Accreditation

The Master of Science in Anesthesia (MSA) Program at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston has completed a site visit for pursuing initial accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org). This step in the process is neither a status of accreditation nor a guarantee that accreditation will be granted.

CAAHEP is located at 9355 113st N. #7709, Seminole Florida, 33775, and can be reached at 727.210.2350 or at mail@caahep.org. The CAAHEP website is www.caahep.org. ARC-AA can be reached at 612.836.3311 or at arc-aa@arc-aa.org.

Applications should be submitted online through the Centralized Application Service for Anesthesiologist Assistants (CASAA). CASAA is a service of the Association of Anesthesiologist Assistant Education Programs (AAAEP), the national organization of educational leaders collaborating to advance and support Anesthesiologist Assistant (AA) education. 

The following are required: 

1. A completed CASAA application with documents that include a Curriculum Vitae, shadowing/healthcare hours, and verification that the MCAT or GRE has been taken. Each applicant will be required to submit a personal statement that explains their interest in becoming an Anesthesiologist Assistant.    

2. Letters of reference (3) on official letterhead from individuals who are qualified to evaluate the applicant’s academic or professional performance, as well as ability and motivation to complete the program.  

3. Official transcripts covering all periods of post-secondary enrollment in accredited institutions of higher education. Applicants should request the institution to send official (original) electronic transcripts directly through the CASAA portal. Copies of official transcripts sent by the applicant are not considered. Transcripts must include both grades and credit hours. 

4. Applicants who are nationals of countries where English is not the parent language are required to submit scores from the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL). 

Applicants can contact the Program Manager, Kimesha Webb (kimesha.webb@uth.tmc.edu) for further questions regarding the application process.  The MSA program utilizes a rolling admission system where early offers can be made.

Beginning Fall 2024, the MSA resident tuition will be $1,080 per semester credit hour. The non-resident tuition will be $1,910 per semester credit hour.  

Tuition and fees are subject to change and become effective on the date enacted. The Texas Legislature does not set the specific amount for any particular student fee. Student fees are authorized by state statute; the specific fee amounts and the determination to increase fees are made by the university administration and The University of Texas System Board of Regents.  

Please refer to the Office of Bursar Student Resources website for the current Tuition and Fee Schedules. Additional student Information regarding tuition and fee exceptions and/or waivers, Veterans education benefits, and the Policy for Texas Resident Tuition can be found on the Registrar's website here.  

The MSA program is a contiguous seven-semester model (including summer sessions) encompassing a combination of didactic and simulation-based learning as well as significant clinical experience in anesthesia and perioperative medicine. The prescribed course of study features an early introduction into the clinical setting to apply basic science and anesthesia-specific didactic knowledge. The primary clinical training sites will be at clinical affiliate anesthesiology groups within the Texas Medical Center located in Houston. Senior and advanced clinical experiences will also be gained at affiliated facilities through strategic partnerships with community anesthesiology groups throughout the Houston region and the State of Texas. 

The curriculum is divided into three areas: (1) didactic coursework, (2) simulation labs, and (3) clinical work.  Didactic courses are designed to build base knowledge of organ systems and their functions, pathophysiology, medical terminology, and the utility and function of anesthesia-related equipment.  Simulation experience is utilized to apply didactic knowledge in a safe environment where students can practice both technical and clinical practice skills.  Lastly, students further strengthen their clinical knowledge by working with physician anesthesiologists and certified anesthesiologist assistants to manage patients in a clinical setting, focusing on airway management, hemodynamic support, anesthesia induction, maintenance and extubation, lab interpretation, crisis management and other core skills.  

*There will not be an option to transfer credit, receive credit for professional experience or to place out of courses. 

The MSA Program requires that all the following criteria are met:

1. Students must achieve and maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or above

2. Students must finish the program of study in 4 years or less.  This is inclusive of leaves of absence. 

3. Students must be found suitable for clinical practice. Suitability for clinical practice is assessed through overall performance, including didactic course GPA (numerically graded with minimum passing score for each course determined by each course instructor) and clinical course performance (graded by evaluations from faculty, comprehensive exams and professionalism scoring).  For more information, please refer to the MSA Student Handbook.  

4. Student must have completed degree requirements of 100 semester credit hours, a minimum of 650 anesthetic cases, and a minimum of 2,500 clinical hours. 

Concerns that cannot be resolved through informal grievance procedures may be addressed through the filing of a formal grievance. Following the unsatisfactory resolution of an informal grievance, the student may file a formal written grievance to the MSA Program Director within seven (7) calendar days of the failed resolution. The Program Director will meet with appropriate parties (students, Assistant Program Director(s), Didactic Director, Medical Director(s)) to seek a resolution that is in the best interest of the individual student, student body, and the MSA Program as a whole. The Program Director may resolve the issue or invoke a MSA P&P Committee hearing to assist in finding an appropriate resolution. The Program Director will respond, in writing, within ten (10) working days of receiving the written complaint. The student will be notified in writing of the resolution, as will any other pertinent parties. The student has the right to formally appeal the decision of the MSA P&P Committee or the Program Director, in writing, to the Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine within seven (7) calendar days of receiving the appealed decision. The Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology will make a final decision. If the student feels this resolution does not follow university policy or was made with bias, the student has seven (7) calendar days from the date of receiving the decision from the Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology to formally write to the Dean of the McGovern Medical School. In this case, the Dean will review the written grievance and previous recommended resolutions and decide on the final resolution of the matter. The Dean will respond, in writing, within ten (10) working days of receiving the appeal request. The student will be notified, in writing, of the resolution, as will any other pertinent parties. The decision of the Dean is final.

For more information, please refer to HOOP Policy 220 Student Complaints.