Anesthesiologist Assistants

29-1071.01 Zone 5 — Extensive Preparation Needed

Assist anesthesiologists in the administration of anesthesia for surgical and non-surgical procedures. Monitor patient status and provide patient care during surgical treatment.

Also known as: Anesthesia Assistant, Anesthesia Specialist, Anesthesia Technician, Anesthesia Technologist, Anesthesiologist Assistant, Anesthesiologists' Assistant, Cardiothoracic Anesthesia Technician, Certified Anesthesia Technician, ...

Annual Salary

$133,260

Median annual wage (May 2024)

$113,770 25th – 75th percentile $160,160
10th percentile $95,240
90th percentile $182,200
U.S. Employment: 155,540

Job Outlook

+20.4%

Projected growth, 2024–2034 (Much faster than average)

Annual Job Openings 12,000 per year (avg. 2024–2034)
Typical education: Master's degree

What You'd Do

  • Verify availability of operating room supplies, medications, and gases.
  • Participate in seminars, workshops, or other professional activities to keep abreast of developments in anesthesiology.
  • Provide airway management interventions including tracheal intubation, fiber optics, or ventilary support.
  • Respond to emergency situations by providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic cardiac life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), or pediatric advanced life support (PALS).
  • Pretest and calibrate anesthesia delivery systems and monitors.
  • Provide clinical instruction, supervision or training to staff in areas such as anesthesia practices.
  • Collect samples or specimens for diagnostic testing.
  • Collect and document patients' pre-anesthetic health histories.
  • Monitor and document patients' progress during post-anesthesia period.
  • Assist anesthesiologists in monitoring of patients, including electrocardiogram (EKG), direct arterial pressure, central venous pressure, arterial blood gas, hematocrit, or routine measurement of temperature, respiration, blood pressure or heart rate.

Top Skills

Active Listening 4.0
Reading Comprehension 3.8
Monitoring 3.8
Speaking 3.6
Critical Thinking 3.6
Judgment and Decision Making 3.6
Active Learning 3.5
Time Management 3.4

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Knowledge Areas

Medicine and Dentistry 4.1
English Language 4.0
Chemistry 3.6
Customer and Personal Service 3.6
Mathematics 3.6
Biology 3.5
Education and Training 3.4
Computers and Electronics 3.1

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level

Master's
41.7%
High School
21.8%
Certificate
16.8%
Professional
14.5%
Associate's
4.1%
Post-Master's
1.1%

Technology & Tools

Software and tools commonly used in this role

In-Demand Technologies

eClinicalWorks EHR software Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word

Other Tools

Allscripts PM athenahealth athenaCollector Automatic Data Processing AdvancedMD EHR Benchmark Systems Benchmark Clinical EHR Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR CareCloud Central Cerner PowerWorks Practice Management Email software Epic Practice Management GalacTek ECLIPSE GE Healthcare Centricity Practice Solution Greenway Medical Technologies PrimeSUITE HealthFusion MediTouch IOS Health Systems Medios EHR Kareo Practice Management +8 more

Work Styles

Personality traits and work styles important for this career

3.0
Attention to Detail
3.0
Stress Tolerance
2.9
Dependability
2.7
Cautiousness
2.6
Self-Control
2.4
Cooperation
2.4
Integrity

Key Abilities

Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role

Oral Comprehension 4.1
Problem Sensitivity 4.1
Written Comprehension 4.0
Deductive Reasoning 3.9
Inductive Reasoning 3.9
Oral Expression 3.8
Near Vision 3.8
Perceptual Speed 3.8

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Work Activities

General types of job behaviors occurring on this job

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events 4.4
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings 4.4
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge 4.4
Making Decisions and Solving Problems 4.4
Getting Information 4.3
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials 4.3
Documenting/Recording Information 4.3
Processing Information 4.2

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Work Environment

Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work

Exposed to Disease or Infections
4.9
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection
4.8
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
4.8
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
4.8
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
4.7
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
4.6
Physical Proximity
4.5
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
4.4
Telephone Conversations
4.4
Health and Safety of Other Workers
4.4
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
4.3
Contact With Others
4.3

Is Anesthesiologist Assistants right for you?

Take our free career quiz to see how you match with this and 900+ other careers.

Take the Quiz

Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.