anesthesiologist assistant (AA), physician extenders who perform under the oversight of physician anesthesiologists to provide safe anesthesia care. Certification is granted by the National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants following the completion of an accredited graduate-level program and successful completion of the certification examination. Duties include the delivery and maintenance of quality anesthesia care, as well as advanced patient monitoring techniques. The exact details regarding delegation and licensing of anesthesiologist assistants differ from state to state and are regulated by the Board of Medicine and state statutes or regulations. Anesthesiologist assistants are defined as nonphysician anesthetists within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services section of the Code of Federal Regulations. They may practice at any Veterans Affairs facility in the United States.
