Anesthesia Science (MMSc)

Offered at South University, Savannah.

Mission

The mission of South University’s Anesthesia Science (MMSc) degree program (Anesthesiologist Assistant Program program) is to prepare competent entry-level anesthesiologist assistants in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains who will practice in the anesthesia care team model. Students will have the opportunity to learn to provide safe and efficacious anesthesia care to patients of all ages and degrees of illness for a complete range of surgical procedures.

The program strives to enhance the overall knowledge and practice of the anesthesia care team by providing students with proficiencies in physiology, pharmacology, patient monitoring, anesthesia equipment and the principles of safe anesthesia care.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates will be able to:

Demonstrate the fundamental skills necessary for safe and efficacious delivery of anesthesia to a wide variety of patient populations and surgical specialties.
Apply knowledge in biomedical and anesthesia sciences to the safe and efficacious delivery of anesthesia.
Exhibit professionalism, including ethical and moral behavior as befits an Anesthesiologist Assistant.
Practice effective verbal and written communication skills needed to be an effective member of the Anesthesia Care Team.
Promote lifelong learning and apply evidence-based medicine to clinical decision-making through the use of information literacy skills.

Master of Medical Science in Anesthesia Science: 169 Credits

Quarter I Summer, 13 weeks: 18 Credits

120 hours clinical experience

ANS5001 Clinical Anesthesia I 1 credit hour
ANS5020 Medical Terminology 1 credit hour
ANS5081 Principles of Airway Management I 2 credit hours
ANS5100 Physics of Anesthesia 2 credit hours
ANS5120 Introduction to Anesthesia Delivery Systems & Equipment 2 credit hours
ANS5160 Introduction to Clinical Anesthesia 3 credit hours
ANS5181 Anesthesia Laboratory I 1 credit hour
ANS5191 Anesthesia Simulation I 1 credit hour
ANS5931 Anatomy & Physiology I 4 credit hours
ANS5941 Anatomy & Physiology Lab I 1 credit hour
Basic life support certification will be accomplished during Quarter I

Quarter II Fall, 14 weeks: 20 Credits

120 hours clinical experience

ANS5012 Clinical Anesthesia II 4 credit hours
ANS5182 Anesthesia Laboratory II 1 credit hour
ANS5192 Anesthesia Simulation II 1 credit hour
ANS5221 Principles of Instrumentation and Patient Monitoring I 2 credit hours
ANS5345 Anesthesia Principles and Practice I 3 credit hours
ANS5932 Anatomy & Physiology II 4 credit hours
ANS5942 Anatomy & Physiology Lab II 1 credit hour
PHA5001 General Pharmacology I 4 credit hours

Quarter III Winter, 11 weeks: 20 Credits

138 hours clinical experience

ANS5013 Clinical Anesthesia III 5 credit hours
ANS5183 Anesthesia Laboratory III 1 credit hour
ANS5193 Anesthesia Simulation III 1 credit hour
ANS5201 Cardiovascular Physiology for Anesthesia Practice I 2 credit hours
ANS5222 Principles of Instrumentation and Patient Monitoring II 2 credit hours
ANS5346 Anesthesia Principles and Practice II 3 credit hours
ANS5421 Pharmacology in Anesthesia Practice I 2 credit hours
PHA5002 General Pharmacology II 4 credit hours

Quarter IV Spring, 12 weeks: 20 Credits

170 hours clinical experience

ANS5014 Clinical Anesthesia IV 5 credit hours
ANS5184 Anesthesia Laboratory IV 1 credit hour
ANS5194 Anesthesia Simulation IV 1 credit hour
ANS5202 Cardiovascular Physiology for Anesthesia Practice II 3 credit hours
ANS5300 Pulmonary Physiology for Anesthesia Practice 2 credit hours
ANS5347 Anesthesia Principles and Practice III 3 credit hours
ANS5422 Pharmacology in Anesthesia Practice II 2 credit hours
ANS5510 AA Professional Seminar 1 credit hour
ANS5601 Regional Anesthesia Practice I 2 credit hours

Quarter V Summer, 13 weeks: 20 Credits

180 hours clinical experience

ANS5015 Clinical Anesthesia V 6 credit hours
ANS5140 Pre-anesthetic Evaluation 3 credit hours
ANS5302 Pulmonary Physiology for Anesthesia Practice II 2 credit hours
ANS5348 Anesthesia Principles and Practice IV 3 credit hours
ANS5502 Advanced Anesthesia Systems and Monitoring 2 credit hours
ANS5520 Advanced Airway Management 2 credit hours
ANS5602 Regional Anesthesia Practice II 2 credit hours
Advanced Cardiac Life Support and PALS certification will be obtained during this quarter.

Note(s):

A Comprehensive Examination covering the material from the first five quarters will be administered to determine the preparedness of each student to advance to senior clinical year. Failure to successfully master the exam will result in remediation and necessary extension of the student’s program by at least one Quarter.

Quarter VI Fall, 14 weeks: 18 Credits

480 hours clinical experience

ANS6011 Clinical Anesthesia I 16 credit hours
ANS6021 Senior Seminar I 1 credit hour
ANS6041 Anesthesia Review I 1 credit hour

Quarter VII Winter, 11 weeks: 18 Credits

495 hours clinical experience

ANS6012 Clinical Anesthesia II 16 credit hours
ANS6022 Senior Seminar II 1 credit hour
ANS6042 Anesthesia Review II 1 credit hour

Quarter VIII Spring, 12 weeks: 17 Credits

480 hours clinical experience

ANS6013 Clinical Anesthesia III 15 credit hours
ANS6023 Senior Seminar III 1 credit hour
ANS6043 Anesthesia Review III 1 credit hour

Quarter IX Summer, 13 weeks: 18 Credits

480 hours clinical experience

ANS6014 Clinical Anesthesia IV 16 credit hours
ANS6024 Senior Seminar IV 1 credit hour
ANS6044 Anesthesia Review IV 1 credit hour

Note(s):

The curriculum is dynamic and changes may be made to update and improve the curriculum at any time. Should the curriculum depart from that published above, on the recommendation of the curriculum committee, the Council of Deans and the Council of Presidents before matriculation, a letter identifying the changes will be mailed to all students that have been accepted into the incoming class. At this point, students may elect to continue with their planned matriculation accepting the changes in the curriculum, or cancel their registration and receive a full refund of their deposit without a penalty.

Generally, examinations for classroom and laboratory work will be administered outside of normal class periods. Occasionally, exams, review sessions, and special certification classes (Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support) may involve weekends. Clinical rotations may involve evenings, nights and weekends during the second year, depending upon the rotation and the clinical site. Clinical sites may require students to take in-house call. When a student, in their second year, participates in daytime operating room assignments and is expected to remain in-house for call or extended clinical opportunities that exceed midnight, the student will have the next 24 hours free of clinical obligations. By official request, special arrangements will be made for students who have religious obligations that may conflict with educational program activities.