The NCCAA actively recruits eligible CAAs to participate in the development of the certification examinations for both the CAA and CDQ exam programs. Participation opportunities vary based on the needs of NCCAA, but generally consist of four main activities briefly described below.   

• Item writing and review – Participants receive formal training from NCCAA’s testing expert and then work with other subject matter experts to write, edit, and review questions that will appear on future CAA and CDQ examinations. 
• Examination review – Participants receive training on the fundamentals of what makes an examination reliable and valid and then review newly created examinations to judge whether the content is fair, accurate, meaningful, and current. Participant expertise during this activity is applied to make final decisions about whether the overall examination content is appropriate for the target candidate population. 
• Standard setting – Participants receive training on how to develop passing standards for NCCAA examinations (i.e., passing scores). Participants then participate with other SMEs in a one-day meeting culminating in the examination passing standard/cut score.
• Job analysis – If you have ever wondered how the NCCAA decides what content is included and excluded from their examinations, this part of the exam development process is for you. Every five - seven years the NCCAA engages CAAs in a formal process designed to delineate the fundamental knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform effectively as a CAA. Participants receive training on the process and then are guided through completion of various tasks which results in a detailed outline of important content areas.

Current CAAs with at least five years of experience as a certified anesthesiologist assistant are encouraged to inquire about participation in exam development activities by contacting the NCCAA at exams@nccaa.org.  

 

"Volunteer Subject Matter Expert (SME) Application"
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