Tiffany: to Pre-AA Pathways, I'm Tiffany, an anesthesia tech.
Adrienne: And I'm Adrienne, a cognitive communication specialist. We're two non-traditional students applying to anesthesiologist assistant school.
Tiffany: New to the career? anesthesiologist assistants (CAAs) are advanced anesthesia providers delivering life-saving care in the care team.
Adrienne: Pre-AA Pathways is here to make the journey to anesthesiologist assistant school clearer, smarter, and a lot less overwhelming.
Tiffany: sharing insights and resources to make your path to anesthesiologist assistant school easier. This is PreAA Pathways.
Adrienne: turning ambition into admission.
Tiffany: Can I just Adri, I was super nervous before my first AAAA event, and even more nervous during my second
Adrienne: wait, what were you nervous about?
Tiffany: Honestly, I would walk in and immediately feel like I did not belong everyone look at me like, why is this girl here?
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. And did they actually respond like that?
Tiffany: No, nobody looked at me like that, not once.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. So that's actually the whole episode right there.
Tiffany: Okay, we can end it there. ⁓
Adrienne: we will continue. ⁓ So before we dive further into topic, a really quick disclaimer... we are both pre-AAs actively applying in the 2026 CASAA application cycle, and we are not CAAs, in this episode should be taken as admissions guidance, or any guarantee of any outcome.
Tiffany: ⁓
Adrienne: with that said, we're talking about why pre-anesthesiologist assistant students should seriously consider attending the AAAA National Conference. We're both coming at this from real experience, not and hopefully, increasing some insights for some of our listeners. let's just start off with establishing a baseline. Tiffany, what is AAAA Conference?
Tiffany: Yeah, Adri, so the AAAA, which stands for the American Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants they hold a national conference every year. It is the main professional gathering for the CAA profession. practicing CAAs, student AAs, program faculty, researchers, affiliate members, pre-AAs can actually attend as affiliate members.
Adrienne: Yeah, affiliate members of the American Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants Tiffany and I are lucky enough to be tells you something about how the organization thinks about who belongs in professional spaces.
Tiffany: Yes, and are not treating pre-AAs as outsiders. There is real interest in every person's
Adrienne: you. ⁓
Tiffany: a lot of pre-AAs imagine the conference as something they're only allowed to observe from, like from the dark edges, but that's actually not, yes,
Adrienne: Yeah, the periphery.
Tiffany: that's not the actual culture. You're not crashing a party.
Adrienne: So Tiffany, what does the conference schedule actually cover?
Tiffany: Yeah, so many start with the clinical continuing educations. So advanced content, newer advancements in anesthesia case presentations, skills workshops.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: So a pre-AA, you may follow all of it, but that's fine. There are also advocacy and policy sessions, which is where ⁓ the profession's active get discussed. And you are part of that fight as a pre-AA.
Adrienne: Yeah. wholly agree with you. That's really important because as a pre anesthesiologist assistant student, you're signing up for advocacy.
Tiffany: Yes, for sure. talk about scope of practice, legislation, interprofessional dynamics. All of these things are very beneficial for to understand what you're getting yourself into,
Adrienne: Tiffany, from your operating room perspective as an anesthesia tech, what does showing up in a professional CAA space do that nothing else really replicate?
Tiffany: So when you're at the AAAA event and you're sitting in a room with practicing CAAs who are talking about their cases, their scope, their challenges, you to build this different kind of picture. Not "here's what anesthesia looks like", but more "here is how CAAs think and communicate about what they do."
Adrienne: And that really matters. And here's a cognitive communication science perspective behind why it's different from just content consumption. So there's a concept called communication accommodation theory. When you're physically present in a space with a professional group, your communication system starts calibrating to that group. Did you know that? You're ⁓ yes, environment impacts your behavior.
Tiffany: I did not know that.
Adrienne: Well, no duh, right? So you're building what researchers call a mental model of what it means to practice in that profession. So not just from descriptions of it, from direct exposure. And that's also why programs emphasize the need for mandatory shadowing hours. Even if it's just eight hours of shadowing, you gain so much more of that understanding of the profession when you are immersed in that specific environment.
Tiffany: Okay. so this is why watching a YouTube video about a CAA is not the same thing.
Adrienne: Right, so a recording captures the content just like this recording. It doesn't capture the actual room. And there's another cognitive learning science concept called prior context loading. ⁓ New information integrates faster when there's already a framework to attach it to. So if you spent time in a professional CAA space before you start a program, that clinical training may land a little differently.
Tiffany: Hmm.
Adrienne: just because you have the outlines of some sort of scaffolding.
Tiffany: You know, Adri, I actually have noticed this in not only like my shadowing, but also working as a tech. hours that I did after spending time around practicing CAAs in a professional context were different from the early of me shadowing. ⁓ You know, I was asking better noticing different things.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, and that's exactly it. I would say I experienced the same things, I think back to my very first day shadowing a certified anesthesiologist assistant in Florida. I literally flew across the country was so... basic and simplified compared to after two full weeks of shadowing an anesthesiologist in California.
Tiffany: Yeah, I think immersing fully in the professional community, you know, being in room full of CAAs, especially from a non-traditional background, that inner of "do I really belong here?" it shifts "how do I want to show up here?"
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Yeah, and that's available earlier than most people think,
Tiffany: is a huge part this as well. As mentioned in my coffee break, I'm Vietnamese American. When I think about making that CAA profession ⁓ more accessible Vietnamese Americans or other underrepresented communities broadly, part what that requires is people from those communities showing up in spaces before ⁓ they feel fully credentialed to be there.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: don't become a visible part of a profession by waiting until you have all the right letters after your name. ⁓ become part of it by showing up, being professional, contributing, and making it normal for people who look like you in those rooms.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Definitely normalizing it. And that is not just a soft point. that is a structural one. We need diversity in this profession. We diversity to increase creativity and adaptability. ⁓
Tiffany: So all you pre-AAs, no matter your age, your background, your career trajectory, the AAAA conference is a room you are allowed to be in and being in it now matters. Okay, let's talk practicalities. A pre-AA has registered. They now show up. Adri, walk me through what they should be doing once they're there.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. so before you get there, think about the context. know why the AAAA exists. Know the difference between the AAAA and its nursing counterpart, which is the AANA or the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology. Have a working of where the profession's current legislative battles are. If you're in a non-CAA state
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: and it's fighting for legislation, get involved, right?
Tiffany: Yeah, and that context isn't hard to The AAAA website and socials are very up to date. If you're in a CAA licensed state, look at state academy sites. ⁓ The information is out there. We'll we'll also have information in our show notes. ⁓
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. So you're in the AAAA conference, definitely go the advocacy and legislation sessions. Even if the content maybe feels out of your scope, sit in the room, Listen to how CAAs frame the profession's challenges,
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: the that they use, what they choose to emphasize. communication in real time. So you're not gonna get that from ⁓ any other source,
Tiffany: yes, cannot this strongly enough. ⁓ Go to many sessions as you can, not just the clinical ones. Go to the ones that are about wellness.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: Go to the ones like Shenandoah's keynotes Mary Jeanne's "Regulating Your Nervous System" ⁓ especially you're a non-traditional applicant who's already managing you know, a full-time clinical job, prerequisites, applications, a family. Yeah, everything else. The content in sessions is directly relevant to your sustainability in this field and not just your application or your career.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Family. Yeah, it's not just that, but it's also building longevity, right? So I want to mention just on introducing yourself when you're at this type of conference, stop apologizing for being a pre-anesthesiologist anesthesiologist assistant student. Stop saying, I'm just a pre-AA. You are ⁓ person. have history, whether it's clinical or not, you are someone who's exploring the CAA path and lead with the identity that you've already built. I'm so and so.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: and I'm applying this cycle And the apology of I'm just a pre-AA versus "I'm here I'm working towards this career," They land completely different.
Tiffany: Yeah, that pre-AA status is only one piece of who you are professionally and not the whole picture. So show them.
Adrienne: Tiffany, on asking questions to CAAs, what would you pre-AAs maybe kind of come prepared with?
Tiffany: I would say skip the interview script the ones that are "what you love about being a CAA?" I
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: don't think that that really shows you the profession. I recommend questions show that you've really thought about the actual work. So some questions that I would maybe ask is, I'm coming in as an anesthesia tech. What did you find most counterintuitive about the clinical transition to CAA practice? Or what was communication challenge that really surprised you as a CAA or a student AA? these questions will give the other person something real to with. And then
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: they can show you what they're thinking about the profession's complexity and not just credentials behind it.
Adrienne: you're right, think about the profession's complexity, So as a pre-AA, Tiffany, can you talk a little bit more the specifics of what an actual affiliate membership is? I think you mentioned this in your Coffee episode, but for those who are just listening to this episode now.
Tiffany: Yeah, so you can go on the AAAA website. The AAAA has current categories and registration information. Those details do change, so we're not quoting prices or logistics here.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: go directly to the source and apply to be an affiliate member.
Adrienne: Yeah, and that is a direct line become someone who can help shape the profession. You know, as an affiliate member, you can't vote, right? You don't have any actual say, but you can see and gain the most up-to-date knowledge is very, very valuable, not only an but as someone who is highly invested in participating and contributing to this field.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: So I also wanna be honest. about the barriers money is real. There's a registration, there's flights, there's hotels. This adds up top of the prerequisites, CASAA fees, everything else.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm. yeah, Adri, And I think it's worth separating, that thought of this isn't right financial decision for me right now. ⁓ from I'm telling myself it's not worth it because I'm uncertain about committing. two are very different. So you can know which one is true for you.
Adrienne: yeah, and maybe the timing might not work one year, but it could work another year. we've got time. may not feel like you have time. but chances are low ⁓ to get in on the first try, that's okay, that's normal, but that also gives time to really be mindful about how we are going to show up in the profession we get there.
Tiffany: when do go a pre-AA, that pre-acceptance window has a little bit something more specific in it. ⁓ you show up as a professional who chose to be there, who invested in themselves The relationships ⁓ and the people that you meet, all of that starts building before you're in a program.
Adrienne: being pre-AA is very competitive and there's this win and lose mentality, but you may feel like competitive, but no, collaborative. If change that perspective, your mindset can change how you show up today. It can change how you show up tomorrow. And it will change how you show up five, 10 years down the road when the CAA profession, is even bigger and all states are licensed. And, how are you going to contribute?
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: So show up, be who you are,
Tiffany: Yes.
Adrienne: So We're just gonna do a couple of rapid fires, I'll throw the first take, Tiffany, you answer first.
Tiffany: Okay.
Adrienne: expounding, ready? All right, so myth number one. "I'm not in a program yet, so the conference isn't really for me."
Tiffany: No, the AAAA created its affiliate membership so that they could included. You are exactly who that category was built for.
Adrienne: Yeah, a pre-program period is when building that professional context costs you the least and you the most. So best, better return on investment. Myth number two, "I'll have to I'll just be in the way." ⁓ man, how many times have you felt that?
Tiffany: Mm-hmm. gosh. ⁓ Tell me about it. ⁓ No, is huge myth. I walked into my first AAAA professional event as a medical assistant. I still worried about this because I knew nothing about the AAAA. ⁓
Adrienne: and the conference and the structure. You guys listening to this are already way ahead, right?
Tiffany: Yes, let just tell you I was not in the way. You bring your clinical background, your questions, your professional seriousness, and that is more than enough. If you just that curiosity.
Adrienne: So myth three, "networking is awkward and I'm bad at it."
Tiffany: Okay, first off, stop calling it networking. you are doing professional observation, and you are having real conversations with people who are further along a path that you are seriously considering. You're building, yeah.
Adrienne: Yes, Transactions are awkward. it's building connections with people, genuine curiosity about the AAAA and how it runs and it functions, I think is so
Tiffany: Mm-hmm. Yes.
Adrienne: So myth number four, "the clinical sessions will be over my head and I'll look dumb."
Tiffany: my gosh. I will say I had that fear. ⁓ also had that feeling when I was sitting there. Yes, I am an anesthesia tech.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: I did not follow every single thing in every session that is fine. And also to be expected, you will be learning that in AA school, but as a pre AA is fine.
Adrienne: Yeah, and sitting in that room and not understanding everything is how learning starts, not how it fails.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: you're building context. what the AAAA looks like, how people interact at AAAA to being there in person. ⁓ And building a foundation. It's building a support to help you be successful. myth five. "Showing up before I'm accepted will look presumptuous to programs."
Tiffany: programs want applicants who are serious about this profession. You as a pre-AA, traveled and attended national conference of the field that you're entering That is pure evidence seriousness. Full stop.
Adrienne: So myth number ⁓ "I
Tiffany: Yeah.
Adrienne: Follow CAAs online and in community spaces. I'm already getting this exposure. I don't need to go."
Tiffany: And that is perfectly fine if you can't. Like we said, there are real barriers. that online exposure gets you that information. And if that's the only information that you get, absorb it. But, you know, getting that in-person professional exposure, it builds your mental model and your professional identity. That information alone won't be able to build.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: So those aren't the same thing, but if it's all that you can get, that is perfectly fine.
Adrienne: Yeah, so the recording captures the content, which is a great starting point, it just doesn't capture the room, that's all. So last one, "it is too expensive right now or I can't afford it." Tiffany just this,
Tiffany: Poof. Yes, it is a a constraint and it is legitimate reason. If you are unable to pay it is a legitimate reason to wait. ⁓ The question is it's still true when you actually run the numbers or whether it's a proxy for something else like for me and that fear of failure. ⁓
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Right? Fear, So, you know, if I show up, I actually have to do this work, right? Not only financially, but emotionally, mentally socially, right? So if it's genuinely that financial barrier right now, affiliate membership itself has value without conference attendance and it's much more affordable. You can start there. As of right now, this recording, it's May of 2026 and affiliate membership is only $25 for a year,
Tiffany: for
Adrienne: The conference is gonna come back around. It's annual. So we've got time as pre-AAs.
Tiffany: Yes. Okay, thought from me So I into the professional super nervous. Even the second time as an tech, I felt like just a little pre-AA
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: the feeling that I actually walked away with was that this profession is smaller ⁓ more accessible than I expected ⁓ that the people who are already in it ⁓ more good people coming in that really want it, that really want be in this profession.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Yes. Yes, yes. And that's been my experience too the flip side, coming a ⁓ profession hundreds of thousands of clinicians, this profession ⁓ of assistants is tiny. And that means the quality of those coming in needs to top notch because
Tiffany: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: it's like dropping a pebble into a pond. ripple effects are real. And also know as a pre-AA, the profession isn't gatekeeping pre-AAs who are showing seriously. And if you're not sure about if this profession's for you, keep doing that background work, And it's totally valid to choose like, hey, maybe this profession's not right for me. And that's okay, But knowing about this profession, knowing the facts about the profession fighting misinformation is also a community thing that we can do.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Adrienne: building that infrastructure,
Tiffany: for sure.
Adrienne: even though it's like, you know, baby steps, it's the first step.
Tiffany: yeah, if you're waiting to feel fully ready before you show up, I promise you, you will wait too long. Show up as what you already are, ⁓ be curious, ⁓ ask the questions.
Adrienne: so Tiffany, what's the actual next step?
Tiffany: Yes, so Adri, I would say to the AAAA website, is anesthetist.org. Look at their affiliate membership if you haven't done so already. Look at the conference, which is April 15th through April 18th Run real numbers for your situation. if you... can make that investment in yourself. But decide based on information and not assumption.
Adrienne: That's it. So there's no promises about what happens. If you do go just, this is what's available. This is what it's for. And here's how to think about whether it makes sense for you.
Tiffany: Thanks so much for listening. Next episode, we breaking down the CASAA application portal. So what it is, how it works and how to avoid some common mistakes.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. also, I don't know about you guys, but I am actually this month going to start filling out my application. So will be the most updated information as of May of 2026. You
Tiffany: Same.
Adrienne: if the application process feels intimidating, ⁓ this next episode, episode five, will help make things a lot clearer.
Tiffany: this is Pre-AA Pathways.
Adrienne: Thanks for being here.
Adrienne: And I'm Adrienne, a cognitive communication specialist. We're two non-traditional students applying to anesthesiologist assistant school.
Tiffany: New to the career? anesthesiologist assistants (CAAs) are advanced anesthesia providers delivering life-saving care in the care team.
Adrienne: Pre-AA Pathways is here to make the journey to anesthesiologist assistant school clearer, smarter, and a lot less overwhelming.
Tiffany: sharing insights and resources to make your path to anesthesiologist assistant school easier. This is PreAA Pathways.
Adrienne: turning ambition into admission.
Tiffany: Can I just Adri, I was super nervous before my first AAAA event, and even more nervous during my second
Adrienne: wait, what were you nervous about?
Tiffany: Honestly, I would walk in and immediately feel like I did not belong everyone look at me like, why is this girl here?
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. And did they actually respond like that?
Tiffany: No, nobody looked at me like that, not once.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. So that's actually the whole episode right there.
Tiffany: Okay, we can end it there. ⁓
Adrienne: we will continue. ⁓ So before we dive further into topic, a really quick disclaimer... we are both pre-AAs actively applying in the 2026 CASAA application cycle, and we are not CAAs, in this episode should be taken as admissions guidance, or any guarantee of any outcome.
Tiffany: ⁓
Adrienne: with that said, we're talking about why pre-anesthesiologist assistant students should seriously consider attending the AAAA National Conference. We're both coming at this from real experience, not and hopefully, increasing some insights for some of our listeners. let's just start off with establishing a baseline. Tiffany, what is AAAA Conference?
Tiffany: Yeah, Adri, so the AAAA, which stands for the American Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants they hold a national conference every year. It is the main professional gathering for the CAA profession. practicing CAAs, student AAs, program faculty, researchers, affiliate members, pre-AAs can actually attend as affiliate members.
Adrienne: Yeah, affiliate members of the American Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants Tiffany and I are lucky enough to be tells you something about how the organization thinks about who belongs in professional spaces.
Tiffany: Yes, and are not treating pre-AAs as outsiders. There is real interest in every person's
Adrienne: you. ⁓
Tiffany: a lot of pre-AAs imagine the conference as something they're only allowed to observe from, like from the dark edges, but that's actually not, yes,
Adrienne: Yeah, the periphery.
Tiffany: that's not the actual culture. You're not crashing a party.
Adrienne: So Tiffany, what does the conference schedule actually cover?
Tiffany: Yeah, so many start with the clinical continuing educations. So advanced content, newer advancements in anesthesia case presentations, skills workshops.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: So a pre-AA, you may follow all of it, but that's fine. There are also advocacy and policy sessions, which is where ⁓ the profession's active get discussed. And you are part of that fight as a pre-AA.
Adrienne: Yeah. wholly agree with you. That's really important because as a pre anesthesiologist assistant student, you're signing up for advocacy.
Tiffany: Yes, for sure. talk about scope of practice, legislation, interprofessional dynamics. All of these things are very beneficial for to understand what you're getting yourself into,
Adrienne: Tiffany, from your operating room perspective as an anesthesia tech, what does showing up in a professional CAA space do that nothing else really replicate?
Tiffany: So when you're at the AAAA event and you're sitting in a room with practicing CAAs who are talking about their cases, their scope, their challenges, you to build this different kind of picture. Not "here's what anesthesia looks like", but more "here is how CAAs think and communicate about what they do."
Adrienne: And that really matters. And here's a cognitive communication science perspective behind why it's different from just content consumption. So there's a concept called communication accommodation theory. When you're physically present in a space with a professional group, your communication system starts calibrating to that group. Did you know that? You're ⁓ yes, environment impacts your behavior.
Tiffany: I did not know that.
Adrienne: Well, no duh, right? So you're building what researchers call a mental model of what it means to practice in that profession. So not just from descriptions of it, from direct exposure. And that's also why programs emphasize the need for mandatory shadowing hours. Even if it's just eight hours of shadowing, you gain so much more of that understanding of the profession when you are immersed in that specific environment.
Tiffany: Okay. so this is why watching a YouTube video about a CAA is not the same thing.
Adrienne: Right, so a recording captures the content just like this recording. It doesn't capture the actual room. And there's another cognitive learning science concept called prior context loading. ⁓ New information integrates faster when there's already a framework to attach it to. So if you spent time in a professional CAA space before you start a program, that clinical training may land a little differently.
Tiffany: Hmm.
Adrienne: just because you have the outlines of some sort of scaffolding.
Tiffany: You know, Adri, I actually have noticed this in not only like my shadowing, but also working as a tech. hours that I did after spending time around practicing CAAs in a professional context were different from the early of me shadowing. ⁓ You know, I was asking better noticing different things.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, and that's exactly it. I would say I experienced the same things, I think back to my very first day shadowing a certified anesthesiologist assistant in Florida. I literally flew across the country was so... basic and simplified compared to after two full weeks of shadowing an anesthesiologist in California.
Tiffany: Yeah, I think immersing fully in the professional community, you know, being in room full of CAAs, especially from a non-traditional background, that inner of "do I really belong here?" it shifts "how do I want to show up here?"
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Yeah, and that's available earlier than most people think,
Tiffany: is a huge part this as well. As mentioned in my coffee break, I'm Vietnamese American. When I think about making that CAA profession ⁓ more accessible Vietnamese Americans or other underrepresented communities broadly, part what that requires is people from those communities showing up in spaces before ⁓ they feel fully credentialed to be there.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: don't become a visible part of a profession by waiting until you have all the right letters after your name. ⁓ become part of it by showing up, being professional, contributing, and making it normal for people who look like you in those rooms.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Definitely normalizing it. And that is not just a soft point. that is a structural one. We need diversity in this profession. We diversity to increase creativity and adaptability. ⁓
Tiffany: So all you pre-AAs, no matter your age, your background, your career trajectory, the AAAA conference is a room you are allowed to be in and being in it now matters. Okay, let's talk practicalities. A pre-AA has registered. They now show up. Adri, walk me through what they should be doing once they're there.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. so before you get there, think about the context. know why the AAAA exists. Know the difference between the AAAA and its nursing counterpart, which is the AANA or the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology. Have a working of where the profession's current legislative battles are. If you're in a non-CAA state
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: and it's fighting for legislation, get involved, right?
Tiffany: Yeah, and that context isn't hard to The AAAA website and socials are very up to date. If you're in a CAA licensed state, look at state academy sites. ⁓ The information is out there. We'll we'll also have information in our show notes. ⁓
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. So you're in the AAAA conference, definitely go the advocacy and legislation sessions. Even if the content maybe feels out of your scope, sit in the room, Listen to how CAAs frame the profession's challenges,
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: the that they use, what they choose to emphasize. communication in real time. So you're not gonna get that from ⁓ any other source,
Tiffany: yes, cannot this strongly enough. ⁓ Go to many sessions as you can, not just the clinical ones. Go to the ones that are about wellness.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: Go to the ones like Shenandoah's keynotes Mary Jeanne's "Regulating Your Nervous System" ⁓ especially you're a non-traditional applicant who's already managing you know, a full-time clinical job, prerequisites, applications, a family. Yeah, everything else. The content in sessions is directly relevant to your sustainability in this field and not just your application or your career.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Family. Yeah, it's not just that, but it's also building longevity, right? So I want to mention just on introducing yourself when you're at this type of conference, stop apologizing for being a pre-anesthesiologist anesthesiologist assistant student. Stop saying, I'm just a pre-AA. You are ⁓ person. have history, whether it's clinical or not, you are someone who's exploring the CAA path and lead with the identity that you've already built. I'm so and so.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: and I'm applying this cycle And the apology of I'm just a pre-AA versus "I'm here I'm working towards this career," They land completely different.
Tiffany: Yeah, that pre-AA status is only one piece of who you are professionally and not the whole picture. So show them.
Adrienne: Tiffany, on asking questions to CAAs, what would you pre-AAs maybe kind of come prepared with?
Tiffany: I would say skip the interview script the ones that are "what you love about being a CAA?" I
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: don't think that that really shows you the profession. I recommend questions show that you've really thought about the actual work. So some questions that I would maybe ask is, I'm coming in as an anesthesia tech. What did you find most counterintuitive about the clinical transition to CAA practice? Or what was communication challenge that really surprised you as a CAA or a student AA? these questions will give the other person something real to with. And then
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: they can show you what they're thinking about the profession's complexity and not just credentials behind it.
Adrienne: you're right, think about the profession's complexity, So as a pre-AA, Tiffany, can you talk a little bit more the specifics of what an actual affiliate membership is? I think you mentioned this in your Coffee episode, but for those who are just listening to this episode now.
Tiffany: Yeah, so you can go on the AAAA website. The AAAA has current categories and registration information. Those details do change, so we're not quoting prices or logistics here.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: go directly to the source and apply to be an affiliate member.
Adrienne: Yeah, and that is a direct line become someone who can help shape the profession. You know, as an affiliate member, you can't vote, right? You don't have any actual say, but you can see and gain the most up-to-date knowledge is very, very valuable, not only an but as someone who is highly invested in participating and contributing to this field.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: So I also wanna be honest. about the barriers money is real. There's a registration, there's flights, there's hotels. This adds up top of the prerequisites, CASAA fees, everything else.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm. yeah, Adri, And I think it's worth separating, that thought of this isn't right financial decision for me right now. ⁓ from I'm telling myself it's not worth it because I'm uncertain about committing. two are very different. So you can know which one is true for you.
Adrienne: yeah, and maybe the timing might not work one year, but it could work another year. we've got time. may not feel like you have time. but chances are low ⁓ to get in on the first try, that's okay, that's normal, but that also gives time to really be mindful about how we are going to show up in the profession we get there.
Tiffany: when do go a pre-AA, that pre-acceptance window has a little bit something more specific in it. ⁓ you show up as a professional who chose to be there, who invested in themselves The relationships ⁓ and the people that you meet, all of that starts building before you're in a program.
Adrienne: being pre-AA is very competitive and there's this win and lose mentality, but you may feel like competitive, but no, collaborative. If change that perspective, your mindset can change how you show up today. It can change how you show up tomorrow. And it will change how you show up five, 10 years down the road when the CAA profession, is even bigger and all states are licensed. And, how are you going to contribute?
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: So show up, be who you are,
Tiffany: Yes.
Adrienne: So We're just gonna do a couple of rapid fires, I'll throw the first take, Tiffany, you answer first.
Tiffany: Okay.
Adrienne: expounding, ready? All right, so myth number one. "I'm not in a program yet, so the conference isn't really for me."
Tiffany: No, the AAAA created its affiliate membership so that they could included. You are exactly who that category was built for.
Adrienne: Yeah, a pre-program period is when building that professional context costs you the least and you the most. So best, better return on investment. Myth number two, "I'll have to I'll just be in the way." ⁓ man, how many times have you felt that?
Tiffany: Mm-hmm. gosh. ⁓ Tell me about it. ⁓ No, is huge myth. I walked into my first AAAA professional event as a medical assistant. I still worried about this because I knew nothing about the AAAA. ⁓
Adrienne: and the conference and the structure. You guys listening to this are already way ahead, right?
Tiffany: Yes, let just tell you I was not in the way. You bring your clinical background, your questions, your professional seriousness, and that is more than enough. If you just that curiosity.
Adrienne: So myth three, "networking is awkward and I'm bad at it."
Tiffany: Okay, first off, stop calling it networking. you are doing professional observation, and you are having real conversations with people who are further along a path that you are seriously considering. You're building, yeah.
Adrienne: Yes, Transactions are awkward. it's building connections with people, genuine curiosity about the AAAA and how it runs and it functions, I think is so
Tiffany: Mm-hmm. Yes.
Adrienne: So myth number four, "the clinical sessions will be over my head and I'll look dumb."
Tiffany: my gosh. I will say I had that fear. ⁓ also had that feeling when I was sitting there. Yes, I am an anesthesia tech.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: I did not follow every single thing in every session that is fine. And also to be expected, you will be learning that in AA school, but as a pre AA is fine.
Adrienne: Yeah, and sitting in that room and not understanding everything is how learning starts, not how it fails.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: you're building context. what the AAAA looks like, how people interact at AAAA to being there in person. ⁓ And building a foundation. It's building a support to help you be successful. myth five. "Showing up before I'm accepted will look presumptuous to programs."
Tiffany: programs want applicants who are serious about this profession. You as a pre-AA, traveled and attended national conference of the field that you're entering That is pure evidence seriousness. Full stop.
Adrienne: So myth number ⁓ "I
Tiffany: Yeah.
Adrienne: Follow CAAs online and in community spaces. I'm already getting this exposure. I don't need to go."
Tiffany: And that is perfectly fine if you can't. Like we said, there are real barriers. that online exposure gets you that information. And if that's the only information that you get, absorb it. But, you know, getting that in-person professional exposure, it builds your mental model and your professional identity. That information alone won't be able to build.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: So those aren't the same thing, but if it's all that you can get, that is perfectly fine.
Adrienne: Yeah, so the recording captures the content, which is a great starting point, it just doesn't capture the room, that's all. So last one, "it is too expensive right now or I can't afford it." Tiffany just this,
Tiffany: Poof. Yes, it is a a constraint and it is legitimate reason. If you are unable to pay it is a legitimate reason to wait. ⁓ The question is it's still true when you actually run the numbers or whether it's a proxy for something else like for me and that fear of failure. ⁓
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Right? Fear, So, you know, if I show up, I actually have to do this work, right? Not only financially, but emotionally, mentally socially, right? So if it's genuinely that financial barrier right now, affiliate membership itself has value without conference attendance and it's much more affordable. You can start there. As of right now, this recording, it's May of 2026 and affiliate membership is only $25 for a year,
Tiffany: for
Adrienne: The conference is gonna come back around. It's annual. So we've got time as pre-AAs.
Tiffany: Yes. Okay, thought from me So I into the professional super nervous. Even the second time as an tech, I felt like just a little pre-AA
Adrienne: Mm-hmm.
Tiffany: the feeling that I actually walked away with was that this profession is smaller ⁓ more accessible than I expected ⁓ that the people who are already in it ⁓ more good people coming in that really want it, that really want be in this profession.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. Yes. Yes, yes. And that's been my experience too the flip side, coming a ⁓ profession hundreds of thousands of clinicians, this profession ⁓ of assistants is tiny. And that means the quality of those coming in needs to top notch because
Tiffany: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Adrienne: it's like dropping a pebble into a pond. ripple effects are real. And also know as a pre-AA, the profession isn't gatekeeping pre-AAs who are showing seriously. And if you're not sure about if this profession's for you, keep doing that background work, And it's totally valid to choose like, hey, maybe this profession's not right for me. And that's okay, But knowing about this profession, knowing the facts about the profession fighting misinformation is also a community thing that we can do.
Tiffany: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Adrienne: building that infrastructure,
Tiffany: for sure.
Adrienne: even though it's like, you know, baby steps, it's the first step.
Tiffany: yeah, if you're waiting to feel fully ready before you show up, I promise you, you will wait too long. Show up as what you already are, ⁓ be curious, ⁓ ask the questions.
Adrienne: so Tiffany, what's the actual next step?
Tiffany: Yes, so Adri, I would say to the AAAA website, is anesthetist.org. Look at their affiliate membership if you haven't done so already. Look at the conference, which is April 15th through April 18th Run real numbers for your situation. if you... can make that investment in yourself. But decide based on information and not assumption.
Adrienne: That's it. So there's no promises about what happens. If you do go just, this is what's available. This is what it's for. And here's how to think about whether it makes sense for you.
Tiffany: Thanks so much for listening. Next episode, we breaking down the CASAA application portal. So what it is, how it works and how to avoid some common mistakes.
Adrienne: Mm-hmm. also, I don't know about you guys, but I am actually this month going to start filling out my application. So will be the most updated information as of May of 2026. You
Tiffany: Same.
Adrienne: if the application process feels intimidating, ⁓ this next episode, episode five, will help make things a lot clearer.
Tiffany: this is Pre-AA Pathways.
Adrienne: Thanks for being here.
