Can Anesthesiologist Assistants Practice in South Carolina?
Yes — CAAs are licensed in South Carolina.
South Carolina licenses anesthesiologist's assistants through the Board of Medical Examiners under a dedicated practice act dating to 2001. A 2025 law raised the supervision cap to four AAs per anesthesiologist and dropped the in-person board appearance requirement, making licensure faster.
Where CAAs can practice nearby
CAAs can also practice in 2 of South Carolina's 2 neighboring states.
CAA Programs in South Carolina
1 campus offers CAA master's training in South Carolina.
Bluefield University at VCOM — Carolinas (Spartanburg)
Spartanburg, South Carolina
- Degree & Length
- Master of Health Science in Anesthesia (MHSA) · 28 mo
- CASAA Deadline
- Oct 31, 2026
- Tuition
- $132,741
- Admissions Tests
- No entrance exam: GRE/MCAT not required; scores may be submitted voluntarily for research purposes only.
Need to compare required biology, chemistry, and physics coursework across programs?
Open Prerequisites Matrix →Supervision & Practice Authority in South Carolina
Supervision Requirements
CAAs practice only under an anesthesiologist who is actively and directly engaged in clinical anesthesiology, immediately available in the operative area, and present for induction and emergence. Each anesthesiologist may supervise at most four AAs at one time (raised from two in 2025), under a written practice protocol reviewed annually.
State Context & Regulatory Notes
The practice act (§§ 40-47-1205 through -1300) dates to 2001. The supervision cap stayed at two until Act 48 of 2025 raised it to four. Board regulations sit in S.C. Code Regs. ch. 81. S 236, a live but now-redundant companion bill, remained parked in committee as of February 2026.
Statutory Summary
- Legal Authority
- S.C. Code Ann. § 40-47-1205 et seq. (Art. 9, Anesthesiologist's Assistants Practice Act)
- Effective
- 2001
- Practice Mechanism
- Licensed
Legislative Activity in South Carolina
2 bills on record (1 enacted, 1 failed). Enacted and failed bills stay listed as history.
Anesthesiologist Assistants — supervision ratio (2:1 to 4:1) and licensure streamlining
enacted (Act No. 48, signed May 12, 2025)
Last action: Signed by Governor May 12, 2025; effective on signing (House 104-0, Senate 41-0)
Anesthesiologist Assistants — companion to H 3996 (same ratio and application changes)
Superseded by Act 48 (H 3996); left in committee when the 2025-26 session ended
Last action: Recommitted to Senate Committee on Medical Affairs Feb 18, 2026