CAA Job Outlook

Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. For much of your life, you’ll spend more time at work than any other activity. It will affect what you can afford to do, how much time you have to enjoy non-work activities, and what sort of family structure you will be able to provide. When you spend that much time doing something, you want to be certain it will be fulfilling and enjoyable.

You are likely here because you have identified the CAA profession as one that meets those needs, while also providing flexibility and a comfortable lifestyle. You’ve surely seen the salaries and heard of the additional earning opportunities. But will it always be this good? Can something this great truly last?

The short answer: Yes. The data points to an ongoing demand for Anesthesia Providers that we currently don’t have the ability to meet. While this may be bad news if you need surgery in the next 10 years, it may have a positive impact on the demand for CAAs.

Our population is aging quickly; the number of adults in the US over the age of 65 will grow 80% between 2020 and 2030. This generation is not just getting older, they’re getting sicker, too. Currently, over 60% live with at least one chronic illness (including heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension). This means more patients are requiring more specialty care, including surgery.

Due to limitations on training programs, the increase in demand for these procedures is outpacing our ability to train new providers. A paper released by the American Academy of Medical Colleges in 2021 predicted a major physician shortage by 2030. Specifically, a shortage of 12,500 Anesthesiologists is anticipated due to an aging workforce and caps on new resident training.

The data on anesthetist shortages paints a similar picture. CRNA and CAA programs don’t face the same limitations as Physician Anesthesiologist residency programs, but they do still require considerable time and resources to establish. As new providers enter the workforce, older anesthetists retire or cut back on hours worked. Over 50% of CRNAs will reach retirement age in the next 10 years, leaving many open roles for incoming providers to fill.

Larger healthcare trends affect the job market too. Investment-backed Anesthesia Groups have become much more prevalent, and many large companies have taken ownership of previously independent groups. These large groups often employ supervision or solo CRNA models in order to maximize revenue for their investors. Anesthesiologists are running their own rooms much less often than in previous decades, which further increases the demand for anesthetists.

Although nobody knows that the future of healthcare will bring, we do know that without a major shift in surgical demand, provider training, supervision models, or the delivery of anesthesia itself, the CAA profession will be in high demand for many years to come. The degree of demand may level off, which would temper the sharp rates of increase in salaries. However, a specialty this vital will surely provide you with job security, a variety of opportunities, and a comfortable income for the duration of your career.

Ready to explore the job market to confirm if this dynamic and vital profession aligns with your career aspirations? Let ScopaHealth simplify your search to start exploring Anesthesia Jobs by clicking here. You can create a profile to browse available CAA positions!