Med school for experienced CRNA?

I would have to vehemently disagree that 20-30 years experience makes a CRNA with inferior training equal to or better than todays BSN or MS or DNP trained nurses. If that were the case, why not just go back to the archaic way of doing things all by guilds of nursing. No, I am afraid after having 25 years of observing nurses having come from different backgrounds the following is true:
1. 2 year or diploma nurses tend to be more adept at clinical skills immediately after graduation since they frequently were effectively working as apprentices in the same hospital or system where they would be eventually employed, however within a few years their deficiencies in fundamental knowledge of pharmacology, anatomy, physiology became apparent. Advances in technology were not embraced by these nurses that preferred instead wrote nursing of repetition....doing it the way they were trained to do. The same has been true in my observations of CRNAS: those with inferior training were the last to let go of gallamine or dTC since that was what seemed to work for them in spite of the advances in neuromuscular blockade advancements. The inferiorly trained CRNAs really didn't have a working knowledge of cardiac physiology even when they were doing cardiac cases....it was routine induction/intubation/gas/wake em up mentality. They were technicians, far inferior to the currently trained nurses with BSN or earned (not grandfathered) MSNs.
2. 30 years experience frequently means blindly doing the same thing over and over again for 30 years, or until changes in technology or practice forces them to change. How many nurses with 30 years experience are frequently conducting studies to advance the field? Or going to TEE courses to enhance their knowledge about TEE even if they may not use it? Where is the thirst for knowledge when the mundane becomes an accepted way of life? Current BSN and MSN nurses (and especially doctoral nurses) will do far more for the field of nurse anesthesia than the technicians role that has been adopted by so many CRNAs, especially those with 20-30 years of experience. The AANA journal needs drastic improvement in content and original research. With over 30,000 CRNAs, why are there so few quality evidence based nursing journal article publications? Is it just not important to the older CRNAs?

I challenge the CRNAs of America to rise to the level of currently trained CRNAs and to do your duty to the profession by DOING RESEARCH and not simply resting on the laurels of the "good old days" when nurses didn't need no college learnin' and are smarter than these young upstarts.

Sorry about what your wife is going through. I known many nurses ( CRNA,NP,MSN) who have transitioned to become MD's here in the united states and especially here in Illinois.

First option, she could decide to go through regular path by applying to schools of medicine here in the country. Since, she already have taken a lot of science classes, and have at least a BSN, she can start the process by talking to counselor in many of these schools, to see what are her options.

The second path that many inspiring doctors with careers and families do is to contact school outside the country such as in the caribean. I know quite a few americains who became MD's using this path. You live and work here, but study outside.

Here is one particular school that I can recommand taht is worth of checking is the school of medicine at university of health sciences antigua.

Whatever your wife decide, make certain that the family can endure and afford it.

I hope this help