Graduates will help increase surgeries at area hospitals
TAMPA, Fla. — The first ever Anesthesiologist Assistants (AA) students from Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) Tampa Student Educational Center will graduate on Aug. 28, helping to meet the healthcare needs of Tampa Bay residents.
“The Tampa area, Florida, and the nation in general has a need for more providers of anesthesia,” said Richard E. Davis, EdD, PA-C, dean of NSU’s College of Allied Health and Nursing which runs the AA program. “With only seven AA programs in the nation, we educate and provide quality AA’s who are ready to work.”
Anesthesiologist Assistants allow doctors to perform additional surgeries which is needed in areas like Tampa where the demand is high. They are highly trained allied health professionals who provide top-quality patient care under the medical direction of a doctor of anesthesiology. AA’s work in a care team format with a physician anesthesiologist to render complete anesthesia care.
The 25 NSU graduating anesthesiologist assistant students began their 27- month program in 2009. Because AAs are in high demand, many of these graduates will find positions with salaries between $120,000 and $150,000 according to William Orr, M.M.Sc., AA-C assistant professor and department chair of the anesthesiologist assistant program at Tampa’s NSU campus.
According to Orr, most of the students will begin jobs immediately upon graduation. “Many of our students will be staying in Tampa at Brandon Regional Hospital and New Port Richey Community Hospital, said Orr. “Others are going to Shands in Gainesville, Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and Capitol Regional Medical Center in Tallahassee.”