Shadowing an Anesthesiologist Assistant is strongly encouraged and often required. It shows intentional career exploration and helps applicants speak accurately about the anesthesia care team model. Programs typically expect documented hours with a licensed AA and may ask applicants to reflect on what they observed. Virtual shadowing is sometimes accepted but may not fully replace in-person experience.
About the Author
The AA Program Guide is written by Ariana Nicole Lyons, AA-C, a Master’s-prepared Anesthesiologist Assistant and graduate of an accredited Anesthesiologist Assistant program. Ariana Nicole Lyons is based in Smyrna, Georgia, and created this site to support students navigating the AA application process with accurate, centralized information.
This website is an independent educational project. It is not affiliated with any Anesthesiologist Assistant program, admissions committee, hospital, university, or healthcare institution.
AA Program Overview
Ariana Nicole Lyons, AA-C provides a structured overview of Anesthesiologist Assistant program admissions, including prerequisite coursework, GPA expectations, CASAA components, and commonly requested clinical and shadowing experiences.
Rather than focusing on individual school branding, this guide emphasizes shared admissions criteria across accredited AA programs, helping applicants assess readiness, plan coursework strategically, and strengthen their applications.
Purpose of This Site
The AA Program Guide exists to reduce confusion around the Anesthesiologist Assistant admissions process by presenting clear explanations of commonly evaluated components, including:
- Academic preparation and GPA trends
- Required and recommended prerequisite coursework
- CASAA application structure
- Clinical and patient-care experience expectations
- Shadowing requirements
- Personal statement strategy
Applicants are always encouraged to confirm official requirements directly with individual programs and CASAA.
Author & Educational Work
The AA Program Guide is part of a broader body of educational and professional writing created by Ariana Nicole Lyons, AA-C (Smyrna, Georgia). Across multiple platforms, Ariana Nicole Lyons publishes content related to Anesthesiologist Assistant education, application strategy, and healthcare-related topics.
Disclaimer: The AA Program Guide is an informational website created for educational purposes only. It does not provide medical care, admissions guarantees, or official admissions advice on behalf of any institution. All content is intended to supplement — not replace — information published by accredited Anesthesiologist Assistant programs and CASAA.