The Practice of AAs Outside of the United States

The clinical practice of the AA-C and AA-S is subject to the laws and restrictions established by the individual country where that practice occurs. The AA seeking to practice in a country in which independent practice or less stringent terms of medical direction are considered legal or in which related laws are not established should consider the AAAA statement of values and any applicable Good Samaritan laws that may apply to the circumstances. The AAAA remains committed to the Anesthesia Care Team model as the ultimate ideal while recognizing that medical direction may not always be possible in certain circumstances outside of the United States. In such cases, opportunities for creative solutions such as increased supervision ratios or long-distance direction via telecommunications should be examined and considered. Any such alteration to the ACT structure should be considered a temporizing measure, and advocacy for the ACT model should remain paramount to our work abroad.