MD/DO input on AA

[RootbeerConnoisseur]

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Hello all,

Long story short: I am very seriously considering becoming an AA. I am taking the MCAT in January and have the stats for med school (depending on MCAT score) 3.85GPA with a higher sci GPA, the volunteering, the shadowing, etc. so I believe I have a decent shot.

HOWEVER, I am very concerned about the profession itself and have done some research but I can't seem to find anything with heavy MD/DO input in the midlevel forum. Considering that AA's are dependent on MD/DO oversight I have a two key concerns.

If CRNA's are becoming independent (17ish states I believe), then it concerns me that they might out-compete MD/DO's for the market. Judging by their attitude towards AA's, this concerns me greatly.

Are there any any MD/DO's on these forums that employ AA's actively in New Hampshire or Vermont? I would like to entertain the possibility that I might be able to work back home at some point in life.

I'm not stellar at math, so I feel like its allied health professions (for financial/family reasons) or the Bakken oil fields for me.

Thank you for your input.

 

[Consigliere]

Do it! Anesthesiologists love (or should) AAs and hate (or should) CRNAs. Every anesthesiologist I know does and I know a lot.

 

[aneftp]

A couple of Washington DC hospitals are hiring AAs.

I see a lots of groups in Georgia hiring AAs. And they are slowly expanding in Florida.

Of course crnas/AANA are fighting tooth and nails against AA expansion.

 

[chmd]

It seems like all academic anesthesiology residency programs should have an AA training program. I think fear of nurse reprisal is what keeps that from happening more -- ie, the threat of widespread work stoppage. It's a shame we let them retain that power over us. Academic programs are probably the only places that could withstand that pressure at first.

 

[jwk]

Don't know if there are any docs on here from Vermont, but there are definitely AA's there - have been for years.

If you're not aware of it, there is a new AA program at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. First class started this summer. Primo program director. PM me if you'd like more info.

 

[gasthrowaway]

As a MS4 going into anesthesia, I really hope we start to push for AAs and run CRNAs out of the workforce. There are multiple directions that this can go over the next 20-30 years, and I think AAs are a huge key.

 

[jwk]

It seems like all academic anesthesiology residency programs should have an AA training program. I think fear of nurse reprisal is what keeps that from happening more -- ie, the threat of widespread work stoppage. It's a shame we let them retain that power over us. Academic programs are probably the only places that could withstand that pressure at first.

Nurse reprisal isn't the problem - it's dropping the free labor that comes with SRNA's running rooms.

If you already know that AA's are being used in your state, and you're interested in supporting their education process (or better yet, hiring them) contact any of the programs and inquire about setting up an out-of-town rotation for AA students. Senior students from all of the programs do rotations all over the place - Colorado, Missouri, Wisconsin, Georgia, Florida, and more.

 

[aneftp]

Nurse reprisal isn't the problem - it's dropping the free labor that comes with SRNA's running rooms.

If you already know that AA's are being used in your state, and you're interested in supporting their education process (or better yet, hiring them) contact any of the programs and inquire about setting up an out-of-town rotation for AA students. Senior students from all of the programs do rotations all over the place - Colorado, Missouri, Wisconsin, Georgia, Florida, and more.

I know billing practices very well.

An srna alone in a room cannot accumulate billing units.

So I don't know if groups that leave srnas alone are doing illegal billing practices or not. But the billers told us this.