Eligibility Requirements

Requirements for Admission

Completion of the following with a grade of "C" or better:

• General Biology Course (PCC Biology - BIOL 003, 010A, 011, or higher)

OR

• Chemistry (PCC CHEM 001A, 002A, 002, or higher)

AND ANY TWO of the following:

• Anatomy (PCC ANAT 025)
• Physiology (PCC PYSO 001 or 100)
• Medical Terminology (PCC HLSC 115)

AP scores in lieu of prerequisite courses are acceptable ONLY IF AP scores are greater than 3. You must consult your counselor to verify eligibility.

Recency is not a requirement, albeit we strongly recommend prerequisite courses to be completed within seven (7) years of application to the program. Furthermore, it is strongly recommended that students review the Technical Standards before application to the program to ensure they meet the criterion.

Course Equivalency

Questions regarding course equivalency for coursework taken at colleges other than Pasadena City College should be directed to the PCC Counseling Center.

Program Application

ALL applicants are required to have the following:

1. Graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent
2. Completion of the required general education track
3. Completion of the program prerequisites to be eligible to obtain an associate degree in anesthesia technology upon the completion of the program, if no previous degree has been awarded
4. Current Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification from the American Heart Association
5. Completion of application for admission into Pasadena City College
6. Statement of purpose

Program Acceptance

Enrollment is determined by:

1. Meeting all the eligibility requirements and coursework required for admission.
2. The applicant pool and the random lottery selection process while adhering to all federal and state laws.

Upon acceptance into the program, applicants will be required to:

1. Complete a Health Clearance and all required immunizations and titers. It is strongly suggested that the PCC Student Health Center be utilized for this as they are familiar with all health requirements.
2. A clear drug screen. Forms will be provided.
3. Complete a criminal background check to attend all clinical coursework.

It is strongly recommended that students have health insurance coverage during their studies in the Anesthesia Technology program.

Expenses

The anesthesia technology program fee structure is subject to change each semester.

All tuition is paid through Pasadena City College.

*Each student is responsible for payment of the fee which must accompany the application to take the National Certification Examination upon graduation.

**For all anesthesia technology courses.

Financial Aid

There are a variety of options when seeking financial assistance. Each of the following programs have separate applications processes and deadlines:

• FAFSA
• Pasadena City College
• icanaffordcollege.com

Course Transfer

The official repository of articulation for California’s public colleges and universities is called ASSIST. It is an online student-transfer information system that shows how course credits earned at one public California college or university can be applied when transferred to another.

How to use ASSIST:
Access assist.org and begin by selecting an institution.

1. Academic Year: Select the catalog year you plan to enroll into or completed course(s) at a college/university.
2. Institution: Select the institution you would like to take a course at or completed course(s) at.
3. In the Transferable Courses section, select IGETC for UC and CSU and then select View Transferability Lists.
4. Use the course name to determine if there is an equivalent course(s). If there is no articulation, there is no equivalent course at this college/university.
5. Finally, submit official transcripts from all completed transfer coursework to Pasadena City College Admissions and Records for a final determination.

Important note: To be eligible to enroll in the Kaiser Permanente Anesthesia Technology Program, you must first apply and be admitted to Pasadena City College.

Technical Standards

Purpose

To facilitate the development of a qualified Certified Anesthesia Technology workforce through clearly identified and transparent benchmark expectations of both applying candidates and students of the Kaiser Permanente Anesthesia Technology Program.

Aim

To develop a specific written policy to guide the admission process, create a system for advocacy and support of students with disabilities, and provide accommodations to facilitate these students’ matriculation.

A. Observation¹ / Sensory-Motor

Candidates and students must be able to observe demonstrations and learn from experiences in the basic sciences, including but not limited to, basic physiology and pharmacology, rudimentary microbiology, and laboratory situations.

Candidates and students must be able to observe and learn from experiences in the clinical laboratory and operating/surgical suite such as in the following examples:

• Read gradients/calibrations on a syringe
• Identify medications from labels and packaging
• Recognize color changes on chemical reaction strips
• Auscultate physiologic sounds including, but not limited to, heart, lung, and abdominal sounds
• Assess normal and abnormal color changes in the skin
• Observe pupil changes
• Observe monitors for digital or waveform readings
• Read from digital material, computer screens, and paper-based texts or print-outs

Candidates and students must be able to observe a patient accurately at a distance and close at hand.

B. Communication² / Speech, Reading, and Writing

Candidates and students must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in oral and written forms with patients, caregivers, physicians, other health professionals, clinical staff, faculty, peers, and the community-at-large in order to elicit information and describe changes in the environment or with a patient’s hemodynamics.

Candidates and students must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients in the English language.

C. Psychomotor³ / Physical Ability and Coordination

Candidates and students should have sufficient motor function to

• Elicit information from patients by palpation, auscultation, and other clinical maneuvers
• Collect specimens and perform basic tests, such as glucose finger stick and point of care testing
• Assist in replenishing supplies, perform an anesthesia machine checkout, and disinfect the anesthesia workspace
• Commute or arrange transport to clinical sites, class, or laboratory experiences including but not limited to the Southern California region

Candidates and students should be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients. Examples of emergency treatment reasonably required of Certified Anesthesia Technologists include:

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• Assisting anesthesia care providers during intubations
• Assisting anesthesia care providers during invasive line placements
• Assisting in moving and lifting patients using proper body mechanics

D. Intellectual⁴ / Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities

Candidates and students must be able to comprehend and interpret documents written in English.

Candidates and students should possess cognitive abilities to ensure measurements, calculation, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis of information and data.

Candidates and students must exhibit critical thinking. This is the ability to synthesize knowledge from clinical and didactic material and integrate the relevant aspects of a patient's history, physical exam findings, and diagnostic studies into a proper course of care.

E. Behavioral and Social Attributes

Candidates and students must possess the emotional health required to utilize their intellectual abilities fully. They are expected to exercise good judgment, complete all tasks/responsibilities attendant to the care of patients promptly, and develop sensitive and effective relationships with patients and their families.

Candidates and students must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. They must be able to adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical care of patients.

Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal communication skills, interest, and motivation are all personal qualities that will be assessed during the admissions and education process.

As a component of anesthesia technology education, a student must demonstrate ethical behavior including adherence to the professional anesthesia technologist and student honor codes.⁵

Reasonable Accommodation

Candidates and students who disclose a disability are considered for admission if they are otherwise qualified, so long as such accommodation does not significantly alter the essential requirements of the curriculum and the educational program or significantly affect the safety of patient care or others.

When candidates or students disclose a disability, the provision of reasonable accommodations will be considered to assist these individuals in meeting these required technical standards.

Candidates and students whose response indicates that they cannot meet one or more of the technical standards will be reviewed further by the College's Office for Academic Accommodations, with input, to determine if any reasonable accommodations are possible to facilitate successful completion of the Anesthesia Technology curriculum, clinical training requirements, and preparation for the National Certification Examination.

¹Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision and other sensory modalities.

²Communications include not only speech but also reading, writing, and computer usage, including digital literacy.

³Coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, and functional use of the senses of touch and vision.

⁴Measure, calculate, reason, analyze, and interpret data.

⁵The honor code at the Kaiser Permanente Anesthesia Technology Program (KPAT) mirrors Pasadena City College’s peer-oriented integrity system to promote an environment where academic honesty is valued and expected.

How to Apply

Application Cycle: November 28 - February 15

1. Submit your the online Anesthesia Technologist application
2. All applicants must obtain a PCC Student ID number. If you do not have a student ID number, go to pasadena.edu, select “Apply Now,” and complete the application through the CCC apply.
3. Upload a copy of your Basic Life Support (BLS) certification to your online application.
4. Provide proof of high school diploma or equivalent (required regardless of whether you already have a college degree - a copy of the diploma is not accepted). We require your official transcripts from the high school you earned your degree. A GED is also accepted.
   • Once you receive your transcripts, open, scan, and upload them as PDFs to your online application. For high school degrees earned outside of the U.S., please upload the general evaluation report from IERF, ACEI or AERC.
5. Regarding college transcripts and/or AP reports: Order official college transcripts from all colleges attended including PCC and have them sent to your primary residence either by postal mail or electronically (if your campus allows). Applicants with advanced placement (AP) scores should request the official AP score report from collegeboard.org.
   • Once you receive your transcripts, open, scan, and upload them as PDFs to your online application. A printed copy of your classes from your student or campus portal will not be accepted. Please be sure to also scan the transcript's legend usually found on the last page. For college coursework taken outside of the U.S., please upload the comprehensive evaluation report from IERF, ACEI, or AERC.