Free Guides

NCCAA Exam & CAA Career Guides

Free, practical guides to certification and recertification for anesthesiologist assistants — written by a practicing CAA.

SAA certificationCAA recertificationStudy planningExam context

How to Pass the NCCAA Certification Exam

A practical, step-by-step study plan for student anesthesiologist assistants preparing for the NCCAA certification (CERT) board exam — blueprint, timeline, and proven study methods.

SAA certification · 7 min read

CAA Recertification: Requirements & How to Prepare

A practical guide to Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant (CAA) recertification — the continued-demonstration-of-qualifications exam, CME, and how to prepare efficiently while working full-time.

CAA recertification · 6 min read

High-Yield Topics for the NCCAA Exam

The highest-yield anesthesia topics for the NCCAA board exam, organized by content domain — pharmacology, physiology, monitoring, subspecialty care, regional anesthesia, and crisis management.

Exam focus · 7 min read

How Long Should You Study for the NCCAA Exam?

A realistic NCCAA study plan for SAAs and CDQ recertifiers — how many weeks and weekly hours to target, full 8-week and 12-week sample timelines, and how to know when you're ready.

Study planning · 10 min read

NCCAA Exam Pass Rates: What to Expect

The published NCCAA certification (CERT) and recertification (CDQ) pass rates, why first-time rates run in the low-90s while repeat rates drop sharply, and how to maximize your odds.

Exam data · 9 min read

CAA vs CRNA Board Exams: Key Differences

How the CAA (NCCAA) and CRNA (NBCRNA) board exams differ — certifying bodies, eligibility, exam format, and content weighting — and why CAA prep should track the NCCAA blueprint.

Profession context · 9 min read

Practice with real board-style questions

MACPrep is an in-depth NCCAA question bank written by a practicing Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant — every item mapped to the content outline, with teaching explanations and journal-grade references.

Try 3 questions free — no signup →