CAA Guide
CAAHEP Accredited 15 seats

University of New Mexico — Albuquerque

Anesthesiologist assistant (CAA) program in Albuquerque, New Mexico · CAA practice status in New Mexico →

Last verified
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Note on confidence: Some details for this program rely on secondary reports or pending updates; see notes below for context.

Program Overview & Admissions

Degree & Length
Master of Science in Anesthesia (MSA)
28 months duration
Cohort Seats
15 seats
Program-published cohort statistics table (program-information page, image): 15 admitted in each of Cohorts 2026 and 2027
Starts & Deadline
Starts: August
CASAA: Dec 15, 2026
Estimated Tuition
$98,476
total program tuition, NM resident; excludes university fees (2025-26 (undated on program page; unchanged since at least May 2025))
Out-of-state: $125,481
Testing Requirement: MCAT or GRE required, taken within 3 years of application; program generally interviews applicants scoring at or above the 45th percentile.
Shadowing: 8 hours required. With an anesthetist or anesthesiologist in the operating room; more hours suggested; Documentation of Shadowing Experience form uploaded to CASAA source ↗

Admissions Statistics

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Cohort 2027

Average GPA (cumulative) 3.74 published as an image table on the program-information page
Average GPA (science) 3.83 prerequisite GPA

Source: UNM MSA Program — Program Information (cohort statistics) · verified Aug 17, 2026

Cohort 2026

Average GPA (cumulative) 3.81
Average GPA (science) 3.83 prerequisite GPA

Source: UNM MSA Program — Program Information (cohort statistics) · verified Aug 17, 2026

Only figures the program or a cited public source has published appear here. A missing number means it isn't published — not that it's zero.

Prerequisite Coursework

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  • Biology I
  • Biology II
  • General Chemistry I
  • General Chemistry II
  • Organic Chemistry I
  • Physics I
  • Physics II
  • Statistics
  • Biochemistry
  • Human Anatomy & Physiology

Program Notes

A new program: CAAHEP accredited it in November 2023 and the inaugural cohort entered August 2024, so no outcomes are published yet (first graduates December 2026). Applications for the August 2027 class open May 1, 2026 on CASAA and are due December 15, 2026. The program adds a Casper assessment, minimum GPAs of 3.2 (last 60 credits) and 3.4 (prerequisites), 8+ hours of anesthesia shadowing, and a $1,250 non-refundable seat deposit. Biochemistry and A&P must be within five years of application, other prerequisites within seven. 116 credit hours over seven semesters. Admissions gives "highest consideration" to applicants who reside in New Mexico or the Southwestern United States, among other holistic-review criteria — out-of-state applicants should weigh that against the 15-seat cohort.