Examinations
Certifying Examination
The Certifying Examination for Anesthesiologist Assistants is the entry point into the certification process for anesthesiologist assistants in the United States. Items on the examination are designed to assess the candidate's entry-level knowledge and his/her skill in applying that knowledge related to the duties of a practicing anesthesiologist assistant.
Eligibility for Certifying Examination
To be eligible to apply for the Certifying Examination, a candidate must be 21 years of age; must be a graduate of a CAAHEP-accredited educational program for anesthesiologist assistants; must be practicing as an anesthesiologist assistant or eligible to practice as an anesthesiologist assistant in at least one of the fifty states of the United States; OR must be a student in good standing in an accredited program who will be graduated from that program within 180 days of the Certifying Examination. Upon receipt of a complete application and all requisite supporting documentation, the National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants will rule on an applicant's eligibility and so notify him/her within 30 days.
CDQ Examination
The Examination for Continued Demonstration of Qualifications of Anesthesiologist Assistants [CDQ Examination] is one component of the ongoing certification process for anesthesiologist assistants in the United States. The CDQ Examination is designed to test the cognitive and deductive skills of the practicing anesthesiologist assistant who has successfully entered and continues to participate in the certification process for anesthesiologist assistants administered by NCCAA.
Eligibility for CDQ Examination
To be eligible to apply for the CDQ Examination, a candidate must be currently certified as an anesthesiologist assistant by the National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants, where current means at the time of application. Upon receipt of a complete application and all requisite supporting documentation, the National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants will rule on an applicant's eligibility and so notify him/her within 30 days.
Scheduling an Examination
Once an application for an examination has been approved, the candidate will be mailed a scheduling permit by the National Board of Medical Examiners. The candidate should follow the directions on the scheduling permit to obtain a seat at a Prometric testing center. Prometric is solely responsible for scheduling and rescheduling examinations. To schedule or reschedule an examination or to report a problem with scheduling, rescheduling, or a test center, contact Prometric:
- www.prometric.com - choose Testing Program "National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants"
- Prometric telephone: (800) 490-6504
Content Outline
The Content Outline for the Certifying and CDQ Examinations contains sixteen categories. The following list contains the categories, their approximate percentage [Pct] in the exams, and topics within each category. The description of categories is not all inclusive. The weighting and coverage of topics within categories differs between Certifying Examinations and CDQ Examinations.
| Category | PCT | Topics in Category |
| Airways | 8 | Anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, management; all age groups |
| Anesthesia | 10 | Principles of anesthesia; volatile and gaseous anesthetics; anesthetic techniques; closed circuit anesthesia; special problems in anesthesia; premedication; preop evaluation and planning |
| Cardiovascular | 10 | Cardiovascular anatomy, physiology, diseases, therapy; anesthesia for cardiac and vascular surgery; CPR; cardiopulmonary bypass; ECGs; echocardiography; pacemakers; AICDs |
| Hematology&Coagulation | 3 | Hematology; coagulation; immunology; transfusion; rheology; sickle cell |
| Instrumentation & Monitoring | 5 | Instrumentation; monitoring; electrical safety |
| Metabolism & Endocrine | 5 | Metabolism; GI medicine; nutrition; endocrinology; obesity; malignant hyperthermia; liver transplantation, including anesthesia; alcoholism; diabetes mellitus |
| Neuro | 5 | Neuro anatomy, physiology, diseases, therapy; neuroanesthesia; ESTs; EEGs; evoked potentials |
| Neuromuscular | 5 | Neuromuscular histology, physiology; muscle relaxants, reversal agents; NMB monitoring; neuromuscular diseases and therapy; special problems; all age groups |
| Obstetrics & Perinatology | 5 | Obstetrics & perinatology: anatomy, physiology, diseases, therapy; obstetrical anesthesia, including all regional anesthesia; special problems |
| Pediatrics & Neonatology | 5 | Pediatrics & neonatology: anatomy, physiology, diseases, therapy; pediatric preop evaluation and planning; pediatric anesthesia; special problems; all pediatric coverage, excluding airways, neuromuscular, and regional |
| Pharmacology | 8 | Basic pharmacology of all drugs except volatile and gaseous anesthetics; pharmacokinetics; pharmacodynamics; also includes drugs with several different usages, drugs not in other categories, drugs that would be in two or more categories; toxicology; drug abuse |
| Physics | 5 | Physics; compressed gases; compressed gas equipment safety; breathing circuits; anesthesia ventilators; anesthesia machines; vaporizers; scavenging |
| Regional Anesthesia & Pain Therapy | 5 | Regional anesthesia, including applied anatomy and pharmacology; pain therapy; all age groups |
| Renal | 5 | Renal anatomy, physiology, diseases, therapy; IV fluid therapy; electrolytes; anesthesia for urological & renal transplant surgery; ESWL |
| Respiration | 10 | Respiratory anatomy, physiology, diseases, therapy; physiology & analysis of blood gases/pH; respiratory therapy; chest x-ray; anesthesia for thoracic surgery |
| Miscellaneous | 6 | Aging; heat & temperature; statistics; surgical equipment & therapy; microbiology; infection & infection control; eye surgery; outpatient anesthesia; legal/malpractice; quality assurance; positioning and complications; hypothermia (non-cardiac); sepsis |