Okay, so, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about switching careers. You know, doing something totally different. And for some reason, the idea of becoming an anesthesiologist assistant has really stuck with me. Sounds cool, right? Helping people, being in the medical field, but not, like, a full-on doctor. Anyway, my undergrad is in psychology, which is probably not the first thing you’d think of for this kind of job. So, I started digging around to see if it’s even possible.
First Steps and Research
First thing I did was hit up Google. Just wanted to see what the basic requirements were. Turns out, you need a bachelor’s degree to get into those CAA programs – Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant, that’s what they’re called. It’s a master’s degree. No surprise there, but what was cool is that they don’t really care what your bachelor’s is in. Sweet! But, you know, there’s always a catch.
The Prerequisites
It looks like I needed to have taken some specific science courses. Stuff like general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, physics…you get the idea. I took a couple of those in college, but not all of them. And then, I found out that most people who go this route major in biology or chemistry because it just covers most of these classes anyway. Makes sense, but that wasn’t my path.
The MCAT or GRE
Next up, I learned that you gotta take either the MCAT or the GRE. The MCAT is that big test for med school, so I wasn’t super thrilled about that. The GRE is more general, but still a big exam. I haven’t taken either, so that was another hurdle.
The Anesthesiologist Assistant Program
If you get past all that, you actually have to get into one of these CAA programs. They’re accredited by this group called CAAHEP, and it’s pretty intense. You got coursework, clinical hours, all that jazz. They teach you how to monitor patients during surgery, administer anesthesia, the whole nine yards. It sounded really interesting, but also, a lot.
Realizations and Doubts
Honestly, after reading all of this, I started to have some doubts. My psychology background is more about, well, the mind, not so much about the body in a medical sense. I mean, I’m fascinated by how people think and behave, but did that prepare me for this? I wasn’t so sure. And then there’s the whole taking the MCAT or GRE thing, plus catching up on those science courses.
Also, I’ve heard that the field is in high demand, which is great. But that also means the programs are pretty competitive.
Final Thoughts
So, can I become an anesthesiologist assistant with a psychology degree? Technically, yeah, it looks like it’s possible. But it’s definitely not the easiest path. There are a lot of steps, and it would take a lot of work and dedication, also with strong character and self-confidence. I’m still on the fence about it, to be honest. It’s a big decision, and I want to make sure I’m doing it for the right reasons. But hey, at least I know it’s an option, right?
I keep digging, keep learning, and maybe even shadow an anesthesiologist assistant to see what it’s really like. Who knows where this road will take me, but it’s been an interesting journey so far. That’s all for now, just wanted to share my thoughts and what I’ve found out. Maybe it’ll help someone else out there who’s in the same boat.
