Interesting comparison if someone is wanting to counter comments about how few AAs there are..
Graph the number of nurse anesthetists 1860 to present by year. Graph the number of training schools for nurse anesthetists, same time frame.
Graph the number of AAs, 1950 to present, by year Graph the number of training programs, same period.
I bet the AA chart will look a lot like the CRNA chart, with very few providers in the early years and an explosive growth after a while. The "explosive growth" for AAs will come in the next 10-15 years as the MDA and CRNA baby boomers start dropping out of the work force.
Slow growth of the profession of AAs IMO is not a negative, rather it helps ensure the concept is put into practice in a well thought out manner.