IU Med School Launches Anesthesia Masters

The grant will also support the creation of a high-end biomedical research center.

The Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis has launched a Master of Science in Anesthesia. The school says the program is one of only about a dozen offered in the country and will help address projected needs for anesthesia providers.

The school says the number of Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants has quadrupled over the past decade. Indiana licensed the anesthesiologist assistant profession with legislation signed into law in 2014..

The 28-month program will include clinical rotations focusing on several anesthesia subspecialties including pediatric, trauma, ambulatory, cardiac and obstetric. Program Director Richard Bassi says graduates "will immediately be able to apply their knowledge and skills in a career field with a historical job placement rate of 98 percent."

The program officially launched earlier this month. The first class, expected to contain about one dozen students, will enroll in August.