Kansas City University welcomes inaugural class of future anesthesiologist assistants

Two Kansas City University students in purple scrubs practice airway management during a simulation exercise, using an anesthesia machine and bag-valve mask on a patient mannequin in a clinical training room.

Students in KCU's anesthesiologist assistant program practice airway management during a simulation-based training exercise.

Rachel Sweet, a Kansas City University anesthesiologist assistant student, sits smiling on a red bench inside a modern campus lounge.

Rachel Sweet, a student in KCU’s inaugural class of anesthesiologist assistants, is part of the first cohort training to help address the growing demand for anesthesia providers.

Inaugural MHS-AA cohort begins training in Joplin to help meet growing regional and national demand for anesthesia providers

JOPLIN, MO, UNITED STATES, February 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Kansas City University (KCU) welcomed its first class of 24 students to the Master of Health Science in Anesthesiologist Assistant (MHS-AA) program at its Joplin, Missouri, campus, marking an important milestone in the University’s ongoing efforts to address critical health care workforce needs.

Developed in response to growing regional and national demand for anesthesia care providers, the program prepares anesthesiologist assistants to support care teams in hospitals and surgical centers under the medical direction of physician anesthesiologists. Local health partners, including Freeman Health System and CoxHealth, identified anesthesia support as an urgent need. Ongoing shortages have limited the ability to provide timely surgical and procedural care across the region.

The 28-month program offers a rigorous curriculum focused on anesthesia principles and practice, pharmacology, patient assessment, procedural skills, patient monitors and machines, and quality of care. Students also complete extensive hands-on clinical experiences working alongside physician anesthesiologists, certified anesthesiologist assistants and other qualified providers in a variety of clinical settings. These experiences prepare students for professional practice and the national certification examination administered by the National Commission for the Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants.

“When KCU established a presence in Joplin, the goal was to respond to the health care needs of the community,” said Marc B. Hahn, DO, president and CEO. “This program is the result of local health care partners identifying another need—a lack of anesthesia care providers--and working with us to help address it."

For students, the program represents both a professional opportunity and a chance to make a meaningful impact close to home. Rachel Sweet, a Southwest Missouri native, said the opportunity to train in her home community played a key role in her decision to enroll. After earning a bachelor’s degree in biology and working in health care locally, Sweet was drawn to a program that would allow her to build a career while contributing to the region’s long-term health care capacity.

“This has been my goal for many years, and it’s exciting to finally be here,” she said. “I’ve seen firsthand how shortages can affect patients and delay care. My hope is to stay in this community and be part of the solution, helping ensure surgeries and procedures can happen when patients need them.”

KCU established its Joplin campus in 2017. Since then, the campus has grown to include the College of Osteopathic Medicine, the College of Dental Medicine, which opened in 2023, the College of Health Professions and the Center for Population Health and Equity. Welcoming the inaugural MHS-AA cohort builds on that foundation and further strengthens clinical education opportunities in the region.

About Kansas City University
Founded in 1916, Kansas City University (KCU) is a fully accredited, private not-for-private health sciences university with Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, Biosciences, Dental Medicine, and Health Professions and campuses in Kansas City and Joplin, Mo. The College of Osteopathic Medicine is the fourth-largest medical school in the U.S. and the leading producer of physicians in Missouri. It ranks #1 for producing physicians who practice in primary care, rural areas and underserved regions in the state. KCU’s Center for Population Health and Equity addresses the variables that affect a population’s health and contribute to health disparities, while better preparing students for professional practice. KCU offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, dental medicine, and clinical psychology and a master’s degree in biomedical sciences. Concurrent degree offerings include master’s degrees in business administration in health care leadership, public health, and bioethics. A new Master of Health Science – Anesthesiologist Assistant program launched in January 2026.

Haley Reardon
Kansas City University
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