Do Anesthesia Assistants have trouble finding work compared to CRNAs?

[psychMDhopefully]

I'm a med student thats on the verge of being dismissed from med school, It hasnt happened yet but its very likely. I handled the course work in the first 2 years no problem, but I have struggled with the boards. I've been thinking about what else I could do and Anesthesia Assistant came up as an option. My GPA and MCAT are very competitive for programs and I have all the supplemental things needed to apply. My only concern is the limited practice geography or opportunity. I see that many of the states where AAs practice are located in the southeast which is great that is where I'm from and where I want to live, my top 4 states would be NC, TX, GA, FL I wouldn't mind living in Missouri either. But with the limited amount of practice states and competition from CRNAs is it harder for AAs to find jobs?

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[deleted171991]

Can you help, @jwk?

 

[bashwell]

I'm a med student thats on the verge of being dismissed from med school, It hasnt happened yet but its very likely. I handled the course work in the first 2 years no problem, but I have struggled with the boards. I've been thinking about what else I could do and Anesthesia Assistant came up as an option. My GPA and MCAT are very competitive for programs and I have all the supplemental things needed to apply. My only concern is the limited practice geography or opportunity. I see that many of the states where AAs practice are located in the southeast which is great that is where I'm from and where I want to live, my top 4 states would be NC, TX, GA, FL I wouldn't mind living in Missouri either. But with the limited amount of practice states and competition from CRNAs is it harder for AAs to find jobs?

If you are dismissed, it could be a blessing in disguise. Not that I know much about them, but CRNA or maybe AA seem like decent paths at least from what some people on this forum say!

 

[nimbus]

Or go to nursing school. The opportunities within nursing are vast.

 

[deleted162650]

How is it that one can have a strong MCAT and do well during the first 2 years of med school, and then not be able to muster a "passing" score on the USMLE??

 

[deleted480308]

I'm a med student thats on the verge of being dismissed from med school, It hasnt happened yet but its very likely. I handled the course work in the first 2 years no problem, but I have struggled with the boards. I've been thinking about what else I could do and Anesthesia Assistant came up as an option. My GPA and MCAT are very competitive for programs and I have all the supplemental things needed to apply. My only concern is the limited practice geography or opportunity. I see that many of the states where AAs practice are located in the southeast which is great that is where I'm from and where I want to live, my top 4 states would be NC, TX, GA, FL I wouldn't mind living in Missouri either. But with the limited amount of practice states and competition from CRNAs is it harder for AAs to find jobs?

struggled or failed? how many times?

 

[psychMDhopefully]

How is it that one can have a strong MCAT and do well during the first 2 years of med school, and then not be able to muster a "passing" score on the USMLE??

When I say strong MCAT I mean for applying to AA school, my MCAT was 28. Yeah I didn't really have trouble the first 2 years, the test were in smaller more digestible chunks. Having a comprehensive test that covers everything in the first 2 years of med school has been unexpectedly difficult of me. I feel like there is just way to stuff to remember in the detail they want.

 

[BLADEMDA]

When I say strong MCAT I mean for applying to AA school, my MCAT was 28. Yeah I didn't really have trouble the first 2 years, the test were in smaller more digestible chunks. Having a comprehensive test that covers everything in the first 2 years of med school has been unexpectedly difficult of me. I feel like there is just way to stuff to remember in the detail they want.

I've always thought one needs to be really careful about choosing Med school if you aren't good at bubbling in the dots. It seems the selection process favors those that can take standardized tests well and this process starts with the SAT/ACT and ends after your Advanced Written Exam.

I fully encourage you to apply to AA School; plenty of jobs available in Georgia, Florida and Texas just to name 3 states off the top of my head.

 

[rakotomazoto]

If you have already built up a lot of student debt and you are serious about continuing with medical school, have you considered hiring a USMLE tutor or going to a prep course? If you still have another shot, go all in. I know people who walked away because it seemed like the right decision and some of them regretted it. Don't wonder "what if". Make sure you have explored all of your options if you are interested in trying to continue.

However, as some have alluded to this might also be a blessing in disguise. If you could see yourself being totally satisfied in another field, I respect the decision to change course. You have to do what is best for you, no matter what everyone else is telling you. There are many paths to happiness in life. Things will continue to get harder beyond step 1 and there is no shame in recognizing your limits. If you are miserable, get out now before you are even deeper in debt and have spent more time on the wrong career path.

 

[psychMDhopefully]

[QUOTE="rakotomazoto, post: 19305592, member: 281392] "Things will continue to get harder beyond step 1 and there is no shame in recognizing your limits. If you are miserable, get out now before you are even deeper in debt and have spent more time on the wrong career path.[/QUOTE]

How do Step 2 and Step 3 compare to step 1? I was under the impression Step 1 was the worst of all the 3 test.

 

[ZzzPlz]

[QUOTE="rakotomazoto, post: 19305592, member: 281392] "Things will continue to get harder beyond step 1 and there is no shame in recognizing your limits. If you are miserable, get out now before you are even deeper in debt and have spent more time on the wrong career path.

How do Step 2 and Step 3 compare to step 1? I was under the impression Step 1 was the worst of all the 3 test.[/QUOTE]
I studied a month for step 1. A few days for step 2. Showed up for step 3.

Got about the same score on each

 

[BLADEMDA]

[QUOTE="rakotomazoto, post: 19305592, member: 281392] "Things will continue to get harder beyond step 1 and there is no shame in recognizing your limits. If you are miserable, get out now before you are even deeper in debt and have spent more time on the wrong career path.

How do Step 2 and Step 3 compare to step 1? I was under the impression Step 1 was the worst of all the 3 test.[/QUOTE]

Correct. If there is any chance, even a remote one, you can pass Step 1 then by all means don't give up. Even if you need to repeat a year or just take a year off to pass Step 1 do whatever your school will allow to pass the exam and remain a med student. Of course, you won't Match in anything competitive but PSYCH is still a distinct possibility.

If you do end up getting kicked out then AA school is one of your better options.

 

[Mad Jack]

I'm a med student thats on the verge of being dismissed from med school, It hasnt happened yet but its very likely. I handled the course work in the first 2 years no problem, but I have struggled with the boards. I've been thinking about what else I could do and Anesthesia Assistant came up as an option. My GPA and MCAT are very competitive for programs and I have all the supplemental things needed to apply. My only concern is the limited practice geography or opportunity. I see that many of the states where AAs practice are located in the southeast which is great that is where I'm from and where I want to live, my top 4 states would be NC, TX, GA, FL I wouldn't mind living in Missouri either. But with the limited amount of practice states and competition from CRNAs is it harder for AAs to find jobs?

If you want to keep your options open, you could do something like Columbia's Direct Entry Nursing programs. If psych still catches your interest, you could go the PMHNP route, and I know Columbia has taken former medical students in the past:
Masters Direct Entry (MDE, MDE/DNP, MDE/PhD)

Yale has the similar GEPN:
Graduate Entry Prespecialty in Nursing (GEPN) | Yale School of Nursing

There's a lot of programs like this from reputable universities that let you train in any number of specialties.

If you're really into anesthesia, AA or CRNA is a fine way to go. Just be aware of the limitations the AA puts on you.

 

[Mad Jack]

[QUOTE="rakotomazoto, post: 19305592, member: 281392] "Things will continue to get harder beyond step 1 and there is no shame in recognizing your limits. If you are miserable, get out now before you are even deeper in debt and have spent more time on the wrong career path.

How do Step 2 and Step 3 compare to step 1? I was under the impression Step 1 was the worst of all the 3 test.[/QUOTE]
Step 2 is easier to pass than Step 1, Step 3 you could sleep through.

 

[AdmiralChz]

How do Step 2 and Step 3 compare to step 1? I was under the impression Step 1 was the worst of all the 3 test.

Each get progressively more clinical and focused on things you're likely to see from day to day. They are still very long, marathon tests though and not be taken lightly. In fact, Step 3 is a two-day doozy - nearly 14-16 hours of testing.

Really glad those days are over.

Back to your original question, there are TONS of open positions for AAs in the states they can work in. You won't hurt for employment. That being said, for any AA students out there reading this it can be tough to go into a setting where there are almost exclusively CRNAs - they can be wickedly mean and petty to downright unwelcoming and unprofessional since you are viewed as a threat to their jobs. Better to go to a place that already has AAs on staff (of which there are plenty).