How to become a student AA  

Qualifying as an AA requires successful completion of an AA training programme. Because AA training is largely clinical, rather than a direct application to the university, applicants are required to obtain a student AA role within a trust/board that has secured training places for AAs.    

On successful application, the student AA will be assigned to a university (currently there are three offering AA courses) while continuing to work within the trust. The training course of two years is designed alongside the curriculum, developed by the RCoA in close collaboration with the GMC. 

NHS Jobs  holds vacancies for AAs, but not every trust/board lists its vacancies in the same way and there are also variations in the job title. 

The existing AA Managed Voluntary Register, held by the RCoA, will remain until March 2025. After that, all qualified AAs should register with the GMC by December 2026 in order to practise. You can find further information on the GMC website. 

Training and education 

Entry requirements: 

• Graduates with a biomedical science or biological/life science 2:1 honour degree.  

• Registered healthcare professionals (examples are nurses or operating department practitioners) with at least three years clinical experience.  

Overseas candidates: 

The GMC has established a process to register overseas practitioners in anaesthesia who wish to work as an AA in the UK. Applicants must provide evidence of an acceptable qualification and must pass the anaesthesia associate registration assessment (AARA) in full. Applicants will also need to demonstrate their knowledge of English. Full details of the process and requirements for registering as an AA in the UK can be found on the GMC website. 

AA Curriculum

Beginning in 2020, the RCoA worked with the General Medical Council (GMC) and other key stakeholders to develop a new  Anaesthesia Associates Curriculum, which aligns with the  GMC’s Physicians Associate and Anaesthesia Associate Generic & Shared Learning Outcomes  and the professional standards in  Good Medical Practice. 

Following a GMC consultation in 2021 and recommendation from an independent panel of GMC Associates in 2022, the RCoA published the draft curriculum which course providers were able to use in developing their courses.  

Please note that the current draft curriculum includes elements that extend beyond the Interim AA Scope of Practice 2024  and therefore should not be performed in practice at the current time. Specifically, this applies to simple peripheral blocks. In line with the Interim AA Scope of Practice 2024, we will be working with the GMC to clarify any changes required to ensure that the curriculum and scope of practice align. 

Course Information 

There are three course providers for the AA training programme. The RCoA, alongside the University of Birmingham, Lancaster University Medical School and University College London, have a duty to ensure that the relevant standards are upheld to ensure highly skilled and safe to practice graduates.  

However, please note that as of February 2024, the College requested that clinical leaders pause recruitment of new student AAs while we undertake further research on the impact of the AA role. We expect the pause in recruitment of new student AAs to remain in place at least until the Leng review has been completed and we have had the opportunity to review the report and recommendations. 

Following successful completion of an approved AA training programme, from summer 2025 all newly qualified AAs will need to complete the AA registration assessment (AARA) in order to register with the GMC and be able to practise. Only after this are they a qualified AA able to practice.  

University of Birmingham

The postgraduate diploma which all qualified AAs hold is studied over 24 months with an additional three-month probationary period served in clinical practice to conclude training. The course comprises 12 two-month teaching blocks within four modules, which introduce trainee AAs to the clinical practice of anaesthesia, applied physics, the anaesthetic machine, and monitoring principles. In later modules trainees study anatomy and physiology related to anaesthesia and surgery.  

The final assessments are based on the management of life-threatening emergencies and advanced practice. Weekly teaching and tutorials are delivered by a consultant anaesthetist through the university e-learning interface. A typical week may consist of a tutorial, two to four days in clinical practice and the rest involving clinical skills training and self-directed study. The standards of training are high and demanding on individuals to ensure a high calibre of competent AA graduates. More details can be found at  University of Birmingham website.  

• University College London (UCL) 

The UCL Anaesthesia and Perioperative Science course prepares students for clinical practice with a 24-month Master's degree (MSc), incorporating all the necessary academic and professional qualities needed for the AA role. Blending online learning with practical experience in the clinical environment, high-fidelity simulations, tutorial groups and teaching by a faculty of experts, the MSc puts a strong emphasis on applied science and rigorous training. 

Clinical placements occur in University College London Hospitals (or selected partners), whilst the academic training benefits from the extensive student resources offered by UCL. As part of the programme, students are supported to complete a research project or structured quality improvement initiative, including learning how to use data and evidence synthesis to improve an area of clinical practice. The MSc benefits from expert mentorship and innovative learning methods. Funding and bursaries are available, depending upon set criteria. More information can be found at the  University College London website.   

• Lancaster University Medical School   

Lancaster University Medical School’s new postgraduate diploma in anaesthesia and perioperative sciences commenced in March 2023. It runs over two years and offers a blend of in-person learning on the University campus (e.g., simulation, clinical skills, keynote lectures), online resources (e.g., lectures, virtual anatomy, online simulation), and ‘flipped classroom’ learning in the clinical workplace. The four taught modules cover the fundamentals of operating theatre practice, anatomy and physiology, applied pharmacology and therapeutics, and safety, quality and population health. The fifth module is achieved through completion of the workplace-based assessments specified in the AA Curriculum. 

A typical week consists of three days in clinical practice, half a day of self-directed study using online resources, and a half-day tutorial. Assessments will comprise single best answer questions, reflective case reports, and workplace-based assessments (e.g., of practical skills). More details can be found via the  Lancaster Medical School Postgraduate Study website.    

Please note that all guidance on this page is subject to change and may be updated and refreshed to align with the changing nature of the Medical Associate Professions programme.