Take complete health history of patients
Perform physical exams to identify any issues that may affect the anesthesia care plan
Administer diagnostic and laboratory tests
Prepare the patient to be monitored, using noninvasive and invasive methods, as determined by the physician
Assist with preparatory procedures, such as pulmonary artery catheterization, electroencephalographic spectral analysis, echocardiography and evoked potentials
Pre-test and calibrate anesthesia delivery systems and monitors
Induce, sustain and adjust anesthesia levels
Ensure continuity of care through the postoperative recovery period
Assist with life support where required, including airway management
Perform functions in the intensive care unit and pain clinic
Perform administrative duties, research and clinical instruction
Qualified student applicants must complete all of the premedical coursework required by the typical American medical school. The chart below is a list of common AA program requirements and the Emory course equivalents. Requirements vary by school. This list does not include all courses that may be required by AA programs. Additionally, schools have differing policies for accepting AP/IB credits to fulfill prerequisites. Students are responsible for verifying the prerequisite coursework and AP/IB policies of the schools to which they plan to apply.
| Subject | Emory Course(s) |
| Biology (2 semesters) | BIOL 141 and BIOL 142 both with labs |
| Chemistry (General and Organic- 2 semesters each) | CHEM 150, 202, 203, and 204 all with labs |
| Biochemistry (1 semester) | BIOL 301 or CHEM 340 |
| Physics (2 semesters) | PHYS 141 and PHYS 142 both with labs or PHYS 151 and PHYS 152 both with labs |
| Human Anatomy and Physiology (2 semesters) | BIOL 236L and 237L (Anatomy and Physiology 1 & 2 both with labs) |
| Statistics** (1 semester) | QTM 100 or QTM 110 or DATASCI 100 or DATASCI 110 or ECON 220 (additional advanced statistics courses such as QTM 210, DATASCI 210, MATH 207, or MATH 361 may be required by some programs) |
| Calculus (1 semester) | MATH 111 |
| English (1 semester) | Any course with ENG prefix or Any Continued Communication (CC) course or Any course ending in W taught in the English language |
| Medical Terminology (1 semester) | No Emory Course Equivalent |
This is not an all-inclusive list! Make sure to check with the individual programs to confirm their requirements.
Some programs recommend Human Physiology (BIOL 336) in addition to A&P, Micobiology, Genetics, and Psychology
Some programs also have a shadowing requirement. They require students to shadow an AA or an anesthesia provider and document that time to submit with their application.
**Please confirm if your major course of study plan requires a specific course
Please contact your pre-health advisor if:
Schools generally accept both the GRE and MCAT. Some schools only accept one or the other, please refer to individual programs for specific requirements.
Length: 7 hours and 30 minutes
Sections: Four sections:
Cost: The basic registration fee for the MCAT is $310, which covers the cost of the exam, as well as distribution of your scores. Late registration and changes to registration will result in additional fees. Applicants with financial need may apply for the AMCAS Fee Assistance Program to receive reduced MCAT registration fees.
Scores: Scores range from 472-528
Timeline: PHA recommends that applicants start studying for the MCAT only AFTER all required MCAT coursework has been completed. This means you should complete all MCAT coursework at least three months before you plan to start studying. Students should plan to take the MCAT no later than May* in the year they plan to apply.
MCAT Prep Resources: There are a variety of MCAT prep resources, each differing in both cost and teaching style. PHA does not endorse any specific test prep resource, but we encourage you to explore each of the different options to determine which will best fit your needs.
Topic specific:
Additional Resources:
PHA does not endorse any specific preparation service or program.
Length: 3 hours and 45 minutes
Sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing
Cost: The registration fee is $205 which includes the exam and scores sent to four schools. Sending scores to additional schools costs $27 each. Applicants with financial need may request a GRE Fee Reduction Certificate to cover 50% of the GRE fee.
Scores: Scores range from 260-340 Verbal and Quantitative Composite, and 0-6 Analytical Writing.
GRE Prep Resources: There are a variety of GRE prep resources, each differing in both cost and teaching style. PHA does not endorse any specific test prep resource, but we encourage you to explore each of the different options to determine which will best fit your needs.
Educational Testing Service GRE Prep (free/low cost)
Kaplan (scholarships available)
Princeton Review (scholarships available)
PHA does not endorse any specific preparation service or program.