[subee]

Originally Posted by jkw_83RN

I have been a nurse for about 2.5 yrs, and I have had a interest in CRNA school, but I have also considered going to medical school for my own personal reasons. I have been working in the ER for the past year and a half and I will be transferring to the SICU at the end of this month to gain critical care experience. I feel like I am kind of teetering between the two professions. When I completed my ADN in 2001 and told the ADN chair that I wanted to pursue a career in Nurse Anesthesia, she didn't sound too encouraging. She was like "that's hard to do, well good luck." One of the ER docs that I work with told me that he just doesn't see a future for Nurse Anesthesists, so why not just go to medical school. He asked me what kind of job would I find in Wisconsin. He said that going to school to be a CRNA would be a step to the side, not a step up.
I have weighed the benefits and setbacks associated with each. I know that I am capable of doing either, but when it comes to having kids, time commitment, and finances, it would be smarter to go to CRNA school. I could do all of those things and go to medical school, but I wouldn't be able to have kids until I am old, it would cost a lot more, and it would take longer to bouce back financially after medical school. I do have youth on my side right now.
I am really interested in what others have to say, any input would be appreciated.

Thanks
a confused nurse

There's a BIG shortage of CRNA's and its gonna get worst. There's plenty of jobs in Wisconsin and in every other state. You will never be out of job offers. Courses in organic chem and physics will be forever useful if you decide to become a CRNA - my school required credits in each. (Long time ago).

[berry]

I had the same experience with trying to decide between med school and crna. Are all ER docs recruiters I had several close friends that I worked with in the ER trying to convince me I belong in medical school, they used to tell me come on over to the dark side. They all respected the crna side of my decision as well none of the negatives you mentioned. You need to talk to physicians, crna, repressive at both schools and decide what you want to do day after day for the next few decades. In my experiences both schools were happy to sit down and talk with my about what the education experience would be like as well as what they thought each path would lead. This is a choice you need to make carefully or you could spend some years regretting it.

[Sheri257]

Originally Posted by jkw_83RN

I have weighed the benefits and setbacks associated with each. I know that I am capable of doing either, but when it comes to having kids, time commitment, and finances, it would be smarter to go to CRNA school. I could do all of those things and go to medical school, but I wouldn't be able to have kids until I am old, it would cost a lot more, and it would take longer to bouce back financially after medical school. I do have youth on my side right now.
I am really interested in what others have to say, any input would be appreciated.

Thanks
a confused nurse

If I was your age, I'd go ahead and do medical school. For me, at least, it was one of those situations where I should have listened to my parents but I just didn't have the discipline back then.

I've heard doctors and med students say that CRNA's are starting to be in higher demand than anesthesiologists, and that CRNA's have one of the best future-employment outlooks.

[tee_number4]

It is so ironic that I pulled this up today. Actually, I am not a nurse. I'm a 21 year old respiratory therapy student and I'll be graduating next spring. I've decided though, that I do not want to do respiratory the rest of my life. I'm currently working as an RT assistant and it's just not that fulfilling right now. I may decide to return to it in my old age, but I was trying to find other fields to go into. One fellow RRT suggested Anesthetist Assisstant. I looked over the cirriculum and the different schools. There are only four or five schools that offer this program. Four or five really expensive schools! That was the first red flag. Even so, I was still considering it, but when I did research on job openings, I didn't see too many. I don't think many people even know about the job, let alone offer positions. Then a fellow student told me the "rumor" that one of our teachers told her about CRNAs being a thing of the past. "PAs are replacing CRNAs. You might as well become a Physician's Assistant. The program is only two years," she said. It sounded pretty good, but I don't really think it's for me. While it may not be the politically correct or the most accepted thing to say, I'd prefer to make six figures as opposed to $80,000 a year. It's not bad, but... it just didn't catch my attention- the profession itself, that is. She was trying to discourage me by stressing the point that I would be "starting all over." Yeah, I know, and if everything goes as planned, I'll be 28 when I finally finish. The really ironic thing is that she's also 28. NOW! And she's just a junior in the RT program. Go figure. I do think 28's pretty old. Imagine showing up at the high school reunion and saying "Yeah, I'm in the CRNA program." I can just imagine the looks. "You're 28 and you're still in progress!!!" Anywho, I honestly believe I would like it. Plus, if I don't and decide not to enroll or finish the program, by then I'll have both respiratory and nursing to fall back on. Weighing my options (getting married, having kids, relocating- all things I plan on doing eventually) I think it's something I would want to put the time and dedication into. My dad was a bit perplexed when I told him I was going back to school for nursing ("Why are you changing? What happened to you wanting to be an RT or a PT?" he asked. Questions, questions, questions). For those who don't know all about this profession, I guess it could seem a bit shaky, but when I actually took the time to look into it, it just seemed like the thing for me to do. So yeah, I'm going to graduate next spring and become an RRT. I'll take a few weeks off and start nursing school that summer. To some, it doesn't make sense, but this is my life. It's not supposed to make sense to everyone else. =)

[platon20]

Originally Posted by CCStudent916

I've heard doctors and med students say that CRNA's are starting to be in higher demand than anesthesiologists, and that CRNA's have one of the best future-employment outlooks.

I dont buy that at all. Both CRNAs and MDAs are in high demand. If you look around the board, you'll find a few posts stating that in some highly desirable locales, MDAs have locked up most of the market and forced some CRNAs to look elsewhere.

MDAs currently average over 250k per year, CRNAs are about 150k. Until those numbers change drastically I dont think you can say that CRNAs are in more demand than MDAs.

One of the ways in which MDAs earn more than CRNAs is that they can "supervise" multiple CRNAs in the ACT model. Also, MDAs are much more likely to move up the ladder than CRNAs. Nearly all anesthesia departments have MDAs, not CRNAs, as department heads. There are a few exceptions, but I'd say MDAs are department chairs at 95% of all hospitals.

[rn29306]

Originally Posted by platon20

I dont buy that at all.

Well I'm not buying that you don't buy.

[MmacFN]

Ill buy that for a dollar.

Originally Posted by rn29306

Well I'm not buying that you don't buy.

[Nitecap]

I got Five on it, ya heard me.

[darienblythe79]

Originally Posted by MmacFN

Ill buy that for a dollar.

Do I hear $2? Anyone????