CAA ADMISSIONS GUIDE
CAA Shadowing Requirements: 2026–2027 Guide
Shadowing is an important part of preparing for CAA school because it helps applicants understand the operating room, anesthesia practice, and the role of Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants within the anesthesia care team.
However, CAA programs do not all use the same shadowing policy. Some require a specific number of documented hours, others strongly recommend anesthesia exposure, and the types of anesthesia professionals you are permitted to shadow may vary by school.
This guide explains the major differences and provides current examples from CAA programs. Always verify the final requirement directly with each program before applying.
Last reviewed: October 2026
How Many Shadowing Hours Do You Need for CAA School?
There is no universal number of shadowing hours required by every CAA program.
Eight hours is a common published minimum at several programs, while some schools recommend more extensive exposure rather than establishing the same mandatory threshold. Applicants should pay attention to whether a school describes shadowing as required, recommended, or simply part of a competitive application.
Meeting the minimum number of hours should also not be confused with fully understanding the profession. The purpose of shadowing is to gain realistic exposure to anesthesia practice and the anesthesia care team—not simply to accumulate a number for an application.
Current CAA Shadowing Requirements
The examples below show why applicants should check each program individually. Policies can differ in required hours, accepted anesthesia professionals, documentation, and whether additional shadowing is encouraged.
| CAA Program | Hours | Who You Can Shadow | Documentation / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Western Reserve University | 16+ hours strongly recommended | CAA preferred; anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist practicing within the anesthesia care team model may be used where CAAs are not readily available. | The program recommends using its shadowing form to document hours for upload to CASAA. |
| Emory University | Minimum 8 in-person hours required | Anesthetist or anesthesiologist in the operating room. | Documentation of Familiarity form must be completed and uploaded to CASAA. Emory also publishes a waiver process for applicants unable to obtain shadowing after documented attempts. |
| Indiana University | Minimum 8 hours required | Physician anesthesiologist, anesthesiology resident, CAA, or CRNA practicing in the Anesthesia Care Team model. | Shadowing must be documented using IU's verification form or a similar form containing the required information. |
| University of Colorado Anschutz | Minimum 8 hours required | Anesthetist or anesthesiologist in an operating room environment. | Additional hours are strongly suggested. Documentation is uploaded through CASAA Program Materials. |
| Ohio Dominican University | Minimum 8 hours required | An anesthesia professional. | Documentation and the anesthesia professional's signature are required. ODU encourages applicants to obtain more than the minimum. |
| UTHealth Houston | Minimum 8 hours required before application submission | Anesthesiologist, Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant, or CRNA. | Applicants arrange their own shadowing experience; UTHealth does not currently coordinate shadowing opportunities. |
Important: A school's minimum number of hours is not necessarily the same as the amount of exposure that makes an applicant well prepared. Some programs explicitly encourage additional shadowing beyond the minimum.
Who Can You Shadow for CAA School?
The accepted anesthesia professional can vary by program.
Some CAA programs specifically prefer or encourage applicants to shadow a Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant. Others accept shadowing with a physician anesthesiologist, CRNA, anesthesiology resident, or another anesthesia professional practicing within the anesthesia care team model.
If CAAs are not available in your area, do not assume that you cannot meet the requirement. Several programs explicitly allow alternative anesthesia providers, but applicants should verify the exact policy before scheduling the experience.
How to Find CAA Shadowing Opportunities
Finding anesthesia shadowing can take persistence, especially in areas where CAAs are less common.
Start by contacting hospitals, anesthesia groups, academic medical centers, and CAA programs in your region. When reaching out, explain that you are a prospective CAA applicant seeking observational experience in the operating room.
Some CAA programs help prospective students connect with shadowing opportunities, while others expect applicants to arrange the experience independently. Hospital credentialing, privacy policies, and operating-room access requirements can also affect availability.
Contact local hospitals or anesthesia groups directly.
Ask whether they employ CAAs or participate in an anesthesia care team.
Contact the anesthesia department, chief anesthetist, or program office when appropriate.
Reach out early; hospital approval can take time.
Keep a record of facilities you contact in case a school offers a waiver or alternative process.
Emory says applicants generally need to arrange shadowing through personal contacts or clinical sites and suggests contacting the chief anesthetist at a group; UTHealth gives similar guidance. Colorado currently offers a pathway for prospective applicants to request help connecting with a CAA through UCHealth.
What Should You Observe During CAA Shadowing?
Shadowing is more useful when you pay attention to how anesthesia care actually works rather than simply counting hours.
Observe how the anesthesia provider communicates with the patient, prepares for induction, works with the anesthesiologist and operating-room team, monitors the patient, responds to changes, and transitions through emergence and recovery.
You do not need to understand every medication or clinical decision. The goal is to leave with a more realistic understanding of the profession and enough insight to explain why the CAA career fits you.
Questions to think about after shadowing:
What surprised you about the anesthesia provider's responsibilities?
How did the anesthesia care team communicate?
What did you notice about patient interaction before and after anesthesia?
What parts of the work appealed to you?
What challenges did you observe?
Did the experience strengthen or change your understanding of why you want to become a CAA?
Emory similarly encourages applicants to think about the provider's typical day, responsibilities, procedures observed, and types of anesthesia used.
Do You Need Proof of CAA Shadowing?
Often, yes.
Some programs require a specific shadowing or familiarity form signed by the anesthesia professional. Others accept comparable documentation containing the required information.
Before your shadowing date, check the admissions page for every program you may apply to. If a school has its own form, bring it with you rather than trying to obtain a signature weeks or months later.
Indiana University requires its Anesthesia Shadowing Verification Form or a similar form containing the same information. Emory requires its Documentation of Familiarity form to be uploaded with the CASAA application.
Does Healthcare Experience Replace CAA Shadowing?
Not necessarily.
Healthcare experience and anesthesia shadowing serve different purposes. Clinical employment can demonstrate patient-care exposure, professionalism, and familiarity with healthcare environments, while anesthesia shadowing is specifically intended to show that you understand anesthesia practice and the CAA profession.
Some programs may allow qualifying anesthesia-related work experience to satisfy an exposure requirement, while others still require formal shadowing. Always check the individual school's policy rather than assuming that clinical employment substitutes automatically.
What If You Cannot Find a CAA to Shadow?
First, check whether your target programs allow shadowing with another anesthesia professional.
If access is still difficult, document your attempts and review each school's current policy before assuming you are ineligible. Some programs offer alternatives or waiver procedures in limited circumstances.
Emory, for example, currently allows applicants who have unsuccessfully contacted at least three clinical facilities to submit documentation through its published waiver process.
Need Help Finding a Shadowing Opportunity?
Finding CAA shadowing can be difficult, especially if you live in an area where the profession is less established.
If you're struggling to figure out where to start, feel free to reach out. I may be able to help you identify CAA programs, anesthesia groups, hospitals, or other resources worth contacting in your area.
CAA Admissions Lab does not operate a nationwide shadowing-placement network and cannot guarantee a shadowing opportunity, but I'm happy to help prospective CAA applicants identify possible next steps.
You may also find it helpful to connect with the broader pre-CAA community on Discord, where prospective applicants often share experiences and ideas for locating shadowing opportunities.
Compare the Rest of Your CAA Requirements
Shadowing is only one part of building a CAA school list. Prerequisite coursework, GRE or MCAT policies, GPA expectations, deadlines, and supplemental requirements can also differ by program.
Keep Your CAA Application Organized
The free CAA Application Starter Kit includes a Program Comparison Worksheet, readiness scorecard, application timeline, pre-submission checklist, personal statement self-check, interview readiness checklist, and final application review.