Helping Hands in Anesthesia Care Michael Ferrante, M.S.A., ’13 HELPING HANDS for QUALITY CARE

panoramaUNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE » SUMMER 2014

Helping hands in anesthesia care Michael Ferrante, M.S.A., ’13 HELPING HANDS FOR QUALITY CARE

Anesthesiologist assistant program provides new players for health care team

BY KELLY EDWARDS

ix months before he gradu- “I began working one week after Master of Medical Science Physician ated from the UMKC School of graduation and from day one on the job Assistant program. SMedicine’s Master of Science in I felt prepared to provide safe, qual- “As time goes on, I think it’s criti- Anesthesia (MSA) program, Michael ity anesthesia services,” Ferrante said. cal for us to have these programs in Ferrante interviewed for a position as an “As an anesthesia provider now, I have the medical school because with the anesthesiologist assistant (AA), a highly students from other AA programs changes in the health care delivery sys- skilled anesthesia provider who works rotate with me, and I can honestly say tem, more and more health care is going under the direction of a licensed anes- that UMKC, all around, has the best to be done in teams, not just by indi- thesiologist. He was offered the job at clinical year AA students of any AA viduals,” School of Medicine Dean Mercy Hospital in St. Louis a week later. program. I have full confidence that Betty Drees, M.D., said. “And making As new technology and medica- future UMKC MSA graduates will con- sure that we have the educational pro- tions make it possible for people with tinue to be prepared to enter the field grams here for the whole team to meet complex medical conditions to live lon- upon graduation.” the workforce needs in our own state is ger, a growing number of patients is in This spring, the seven-semester pro- critically important.” need of surgical procedures and that gram will graduate its fifth, and largest, The MSA program, one of only 10 translates into an increased need for class of 12 anesthesiologist assistants. accredited anesthesiologist assistant anesthesia services and anesthesiolo- As of May 2014, the School’s MSA pro- programs in the country, is the only AA gist assistants. gram will have produced 36 graduates, program housed in and administered Ferrante earned his undergradu- the majority of whom are providing by a medical school. Missouri is one Melanie Guthrie, M.S.A., A.A.-C., ate degree at the University of Utah. anesthesia services in Missouri. of just 18 states in which anesthesiolo- director of the School's Master of He had worked as an anesthesia tech- Since launching the MSA program six gist assistants are allowed to practice. Science in Anesthesia program, hoods nician for five years. So with a desire to years ago, the School has expanded its Likewise, accredited AA programs are Michael Ferrante during the 2013 MSA become an anesthesiologist assistant, allied health offerings to meet a broad limited throughout the country. In fact, graduation ceremony. Ferrante is one Ferrante came to UMKC immedi- spectrum of pressing local and regional until recently when the University of of the program’s many anesthesiologist ately after receiving his undergraduate health care needs. In 2012, the School Colorado started a program, all of the assistants who are filling a vital need for degree. He said he had no problem find- appointed Julie Banderas, Pharm.D., as country’s other MSA programs were anesthesia providers in Missouri. ing the job he sought or fitting in with assistant dean for graduate studies and located east of Kansas City. an anesthesia team after completing the allied health to oversee those programs. Ferrante said he knew from his time

ROBERT STECKMESTROBERT MSA program at UMKC in May 2013. This past January, the School began a as an anesthesia technician that this

8 UMKC SCHOOL OF MEDICINE « WWW.MED.UMKC.EDU SUMMER 2014 » PANORAMA 9 was the field of practice he wanted to Training Facility (SEE STORY ON of Medicine program got off the enter. But Utah, where he graduated PAGE 4). It’s a training environment ground with five affiliate institutions Meggan McCue, M.S.A., ’13, joined the from college, is one of the many states that follows the medical care team where students could conduct their anesthesia care team at Mercy Hospital that still do not license anesthesiologist model that is becoming prominent in clinical rotations. Today, the MSA pro- in Springfield, Mo., after graduating assistants to practice. So Ferrante came today’s health care world, and promotes gram works with 24 clinical affiliates from UMKC. to Kansas City to interview for the MSA an understanding and the ability to that include hospitals in Missouri, program and spent a day shadowing work within the health care team. Kansas, Arkansas, New Mexico, Ohio, Lance Carter, M.S.A., A.A.-C., assistant “We’ve shown that there is a need in Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin director of the program. the fact that most of our graduates have and Washington, D.C. Five hospitals “It was everything I expected and taken jobs within the state, primarily in in the Kansas City area offer clinical more,” Ferrante said. “I had already Kansas City and St. Louis. There are a lot training sites, including three of the decided to become an AA at that point, of other places where we can expand.” School of Medicine’s affiliate hospitals but shadowing Lance reinforced my The anesthesiologist assistant practice — Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Saint decision to pursue this career. Going this has existed for almost as long as physi- Luke’s Hospital, and the Kansas City route versus becom- Veterans Administration ing a physician and Medical Center. doing an anesthe- Page said one or two sia residency, I felt, anesthesiologist assis- would allow me to “I began working one week tant students from UMKC make a more immedi- do clinical rotations every ate impact on patients after graduation…” month where he works at who need anesthesia Michael Ferrante Mercy Hospital St. Louis. services and allow me “The UMKC AA pro- more time to focus on gram holds a stellar my family.” reputation for the quality Melanie Guthrie, M.S.A., A.A.-C., cian assistants, beginning more than 40 of graduates entering the workforce in a licensed anesthesiologist assistant years ago. Missouri has experienced a Missouri,” he said. serves as director of the School’s MSA rapid growth in the number of anesthe- Meggan McCue, M.S.A., ’13, is a program. Guthrie said the UMKC pro- siologist assistants joining anesthesia Kansas City native who spent six years gram is close to reaching the planned care teams throughout the state. From as a respiratory therapist before com- maximum class size of 15 students, but the spring of 2011 to the fall of 2013, ing to UMKC to be part of the School’s is still growing from an educational the number has jumped dramatically MSA program. McCue said she quickly standpoint. With three full-time anes- from 26 to 65 anesthesiologist assistants became interested in becoming an anesthesiologist assistant faculty on hand, working at 11 Missouri hospitals. thesiologist assistant when the School students have more one-on-one learning Sam Page, M.D., ’92, a St. Louis began its program. She had already time with faculty. Enhanced time in the anesthesiologist, was a member of the studied pre-veterinary medicine and Clinical Training Facility and year-two Missouri House of Representatives determined her real passion was to course content are helping students bet- when the Missouri Society of work not in a clinic setting but in an ter prepare for their certification exams, Anesthesiologists spurred the 2003 leg- operating room. With her allied health she said. Evidence-based medicine and islation that he co-sponsored and now background, McCue said the MSA pro- professions-based courses were added allows licensed anesthesiologist assis- gram was a perfect fit for her. to the MSA program this year as well as tants to practice. “I am a little older than the tradi- being included in the curriculum for the “At the time, there was a great short- tional medical or veterinary student,” physician assistant students. age of anesthesia providers in Missouri McCue said. “The AA program allowed “Obviously, we’ve evolved,” Guthrie and this legislation was designed to me to finish my education and fulfill my said. “We feel like we’ve consistently help fill that need and allow AAs to professional goals on a timetable better enhanced our program.” practice in Missouri,” Page said. suited to my personal situation.” Beginning this year, students in The next step, Page said, was to Now an anesthesiologist assistant at the program have an added experi- establish a program in Missouri to Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Mo., she ence of conducting a portion of their educate and bring more of these crit- too, found a full-time job waiting for clinical training shoulder-to-shoul- ical members of the anesthesia care her as soon as she graduated. der with anesthesiologist residents in team into the state’s health care facil- “I felt very well prepared to enter the the Youngblood Medical Skills Lab at ities. With financial backing from the workforce. The UMKC program was com-

BRUCE STIDHAM BRUCE the new School of Medicine Clinical state legislature, the UMKC School prehensive and great,” McCue said. p

10 UMKC SCHOOL OF MEDICINE « WWW.MED.UMKC.EDU SUMMER 2014 » PANORAMA 11