Admission and Pre-requisites

Program Admission & Prerequite Requirements

Ohio Dominican enrolls students in the MS in Anesthesiologist Assistant Studies Program every spring. The process is highly competitive, so please make sure to read all the requirements carefully.

Admission

  • Earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a 3.0 overall and science GPA on a 4.0 scale, and provide official transcripts of all undergrad and graduate coursework.
  • Completed Prerequisite coursework.
  • An understanding of minimum technical standards.
  • Completed at least eight hours shadowing an anesthesia professional with documentation and anesthesia professional signature.
  • GRE and/or MCAT scores submitted no later than the application deadline. ODU's institution code for submitting your GRE is 3371. By using this code, your scores will be sent directly to CASAA for verification. Scores must be within five years of admission.
  • Three letters of recommendation as required through the CASAA application. The following are the recommended sources of such letters: employers, managers, professors, advisors, and lab managers (Only one reference can be a character reference).
  • CASAA application personal statement.
  • Complete an interview (by invitation only) either online or on-campus. Any travel expenses are the responsibility of the candidate. An interview does not guarantee acceptance into the program.
  • Completed and submitted an application through the CASAA Portal. You'll submit your transcripts directly through the CASAA Portal. ODU does not require a supplemental application or accept any additional documents or updates once an application has been submitted.

Applicants to ODU's Anesthesiologist Assistant Program must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States of America.

The AA program requires applicants that completed coursework outside the United States provide foreign transcript evaluation (at their own expense) from one of the accepted credential evaluation agencies, ECE or WES.

All required prerequisite coursework must be taken at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States.

In addition to the regular admission requirements above, all students from non-English speaking countries must achieve a score of 550 or higher on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

After being accepted into the program, but before enrolling, students are required to:

Complete a criminal background check and drug screen prior to matriculation. Drug screening and further background checks may be necessary depending upon program and/or clinical site requirements. The cost of all background checks and drug screens will be the student’s responsibility. Ohio Dominican University reserves the right to rescind admission into its Anesthesiologist Assistant Studies Program for students whose criminal background check comes back positive for any conviction, including, but not limited to, alcohol/drug-related offenses.

Provide proof of health screening and immunization status consistent with CDC recommendations for adults and healthcare workers. Student also must provide proof of basic health insurance.

Must have valid driver's license.

Prerequisites

Coursework

Applicants must complete the below minimum prerequisite coursework prior to admission to the program. We recommend that applicants complete all prerequisite coursework within ten years of enrollment in ODU’s Anesthesiologist Assistant Studies Program. It is recommended that the majority of academic work be completed prior to application.

All prerequisite coursework must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. All prerequisite courses must be taken at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States. Prerequisite coursework completed as Pass/Fail will only be accepted for spring 2020, summer 2020, and fall 2020 semesters due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Course Required Semester Credit Hours
Inorganic/General Chemistry with Lab  4
Organic Chemistry with Lab  3
Biochemistry*  3
General Biology 6
Physics with Lab 6
Calculus 3
Statistics  3
Microbiology, cell biology, molecular biology, anatomy and physiology recommended but not required 3
Humanities. Examples include: English, Foreign Language, Theater, Art, Music, History, Theology, Philosophy, and Religion 12
* Course cannot be combined with Organic Chemistry. Courses need to be taken separately.

Minimum Technical Standards

Technical standards are defined as the attributes considered necessary for students to complete their education and training and subsequently enter clinical practice. These standards are prerequisites for entrance to, continuation within, and graduation from the Ohio Dominican University Anesthesiologist Assistant program. They are also prerequisites to licensure by various state professional boards. Reasonable accommodation will be offered for persons with disabilities in conjunction with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Students must possess aptitude, ability, and skills in the following five (5) areas:

  • Observation
  • Communication
  • Sensory and motor coordination and function
  • Conceptualization, integration, and quantitation
  • Behavioral and social skills, abilities, and aptitudes