Today’s inane image of the day:
All three jobs provide anesthesia, so what’s the difference?
While true that an anesthesiologist, CRNA [certified registered nurse anesthetist], and CAA [certified anesthesiologist assistant – generally shortened to AA, which is the designation I will use for this entry] all provide anesthesia to patients, the pathways to get to each profession and the actual practice are different. I think all three paths can definitely provide a fulfilling career and should all be considered for anyone that might have an early interest in the practice of anesthesia.
I want to note that I did not know I’d be pursuing anesthesia when I entered medical school, so I didn’t consider the CRNA/AA route. I did briefly consider PA school as a backup plan to MD/DO if I didn’t get in, but I didn’t need to go down that path. Anyway, let’s dive in.
Read more