NSU Expands Nation’s 4th Anesthesiologist Assistant Program

(L to R) Lauren Hojdila MSA, AA-C, assistant professor at the NSU Anesthesiologist Assistant program, stands with her students, Rosemary Shoener, Catherine Coleman, Morris Reid, David Drolte, and Brian Purser. The group is inside a classroom at the program’s facility at University Park Plaza.

Nova Southeastern University recently announced plans to expand its anesthesiologist assistant (AA) program. NSU, the fourth university in the United States to offer such a program, began its 27-month AA program in 2006 with 29 students. NSU added another class of 36 students this summer because anesthesiologist assistants are in high demand. The University plans to add a new class of approximately 35 students each year. “The more students NSU can matriculate, the greater the chances are for Floridians and people across the country to get access to health care,” said NSU professor Mike Nichols, MSA, AA-C., President of the American Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants.

NSU is the only university in Florida to offer students an anesthesiologist assistant program, and Florida is one of 17 states that allow anesthesiologist assistants to practice their trade. The program will graduate its first class in 2008. Because the field is in high demand, these students are all but guaranteed jobs that offer a starting salary between $120,000 and $150,000, according to NSU professor Robert Wagner, M.M.Sc., AA-C. Experienced anesthesiologist assistants can earn $180,000. Because of the hot job market, some NSU AA students’ tuitions are being subsidized by anesthesiologist assistant groups. The other AA programs are located at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Emory University in Atlanta and South University in Savannah. Anesthesiologist assistants are highly trained allied health professionals who provide top-quality patient care under the medical direction of an anesthesiologist.  AAs work in a care team format with an anesthesiologist to render complete anesthesia care.