Certified anesthesiologist assistants are a growing role in anesthesia, as leaders work to aid the ongoing shortage of physician anesthesiologists, certified registered nurse anesthetists and other members of the anesthesia care team.
Here are six updates on the CAA workforce so far in 2025:
1. On Sept. 2, Kansas City University officially opened admissions for its new Master of Health Science in Anesthesiologist Assistant program. The program is set to launch in January 2026 at the Farber-McIntire Campus in Joplin, Mo., according to the report.
2. In May, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill authorizing the licensure of CAAs. The legislation allows CAAs to practice in physician-led anesthesia care teams.
3. With the passage of this legislation, Tennessee became the 23rd state, in addition to the District of Columbia, to give practice authority to CAAs. The following states have authorized CAAs’ practice, according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists:
- Alabama
- Colorado
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kansas (delegatory authority)
- Kentucky
- Indiana
- Michigan (delegatory authority)
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania (delegatory authority)
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas (delegatory authority)
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Wisconsin
4. In April, Lipscomb University in Nashville announced plans to launch the state’s first CAA master’s program ahead of the state’s authorization of CAA practice. The university will require incoming students to complete the MCAT or GRE exam and will give preference to students who have a pre-professional undergraduate degree and work experience in healthcare.
5. California legislators introduced a bill to give practice authority to CAAs in April. The proposal requires a supervising anesthesiologist to be physically present and immediately available to the CAA when medical services are being performed, as well as accept responsibility for the services rendered by the CAA.
6. CAAs were granted authority to practice alongside physician-led anesthesia teams in Virginia March 25. The legislation went into effect July 1.
