?? on CRNA programs in Michigan

Oakland/Beaumont students sort of get a bad rap in the Detroit area. It is a big program that accepts a large percentage of its students from within the nursing staff at Beaumont. The hospital is huge. The biggest negatives to Oakland are the lack of line placement experience and lack of regional experience afforded as well as the MDs having very tight control over the CRNAs. In order to get regional and line placement the students rotate to the VA where they get to do those things. Unfortunatly, the VA while having awsome CRNAs that practice fully independantly, is slow, so you might only place a couple of lines in the month you are there. The director of the program is wound a bit tight and there is very little "freedom" within the program. The positive aspect is that the have specialty rotations including cardiac, vascular, neuro as well as the usual OB and peds rotations. Oh, the are a MSN so there are nursing theory type classes to deal with.

That said, U of D is now a front loaded program which has recently expanded. They do not offer special rotations such as cardiac but do have peds and OB. Line placement can be a bit spotty depending on where you rotate (come to genesys, you can place lines and do regional) you rotate thru the VA and many rotate thru Childrens hospital. They have opened a new clinical base where CRNAs start ASA 1 & 2 cases without the MDA. The program director is a great guy who obviosly loves teaching as well as anesthesia.

You should look into Wayne's program. The staff there is phenominal. Prudentia Worth, the director, is the best. There is a lot of flexability as to how things are done both academically, personally as wel as clinically. You feel lika more of a part of the anesthesia team and less like a mere student there. They are big into teaching line placement, regional as well as FOB. My first week there after my transfer from Henry Ford Hospital, I placed 5 AX blocks and did 3 or 4 FOB ETT placements. The only downside is that they only offer peds and OB as specialty rotations (which are great BTW, high risk OB at hHutzel and peds at Childrens). You can arrainge to do a Cardiac rotation if you want to drive to Toledo. I did and got wonderful experience with lots of line placement. I also did a lot of AAAs while there. I loved this program even with the lack of specialty rotations.

That leaves U of Michigan. They offer specialty rotations and the students have good clinical skills. I don't know much about their director or staff but I hear no complaints from the students. We always have a couple of juniors and seniors at our hospital. Which means they can place there own lines as well as do epidurals, spinals and bier blocks. Academically, they seem a bit weak although there are always outstanding students. Clinically their skills seem above average.

I don't think you will go wrong with any of the 4, they just have different strengths and weaknessess. Probably, one will be happiest at Wayne and least happy at Oaklnd/Beaumont.

hey winter, i have heard some great things from a former student at beaumont about the experience working as a crna there. has this changed? we were told that they pretty much leave you alone and give you difficult cases soon after being hired. this source told us they offer great incentives for working there, ie tuition reimbursement, moving expenses, pay, and OT pay. is this wrong? just wondering because a few of us at my school were considering working there after graduation for the great experience we were told we would get there as new grads.

thanks

Actually, I believe the pay and other compensation is quite good there. I just know you will have little or no autonomy and won't be placing lines or doing regional anesthesia. You make the call.