Published Oct 29, 2020
anesthesiajourney
5 Posts
Hello, I am looking for some advice on how to get into a CRNA program.
My story: I graduated nursing school from a large state university at a pretty young age and did not at all have the drive I have now to get excellent grades. Overall BSN GPA was 3.4, and science GPA was quite low, about 2.9. I got C's in physiology and organic chem, B- in mircobio, anatomy, and health assessment.
7 years of rehab/floor/stepdown nursing later, I took an OR position at a level 1 trauma center, and had the epiphany while I was training that I absolutely wanted to go into nurse anesthesia. So, I left that OR (which was a tough choice but needed to be done), but unfortunately could not just transfer into an ICU at that level 1 trauma center, and so am currently in an ICU at a community teaching hospital, although it is a relatively large one and we do occasionally see balloon pumps, impellas, and swans- But no trauma.
Still at less than a year of ICU experience, but I've got plenty to keep busy with while working. I got CCRN certified. I took the GRE and got a 315, 4.0W.
Clearly I need to retake science courses. I retook physiology and got an A, and am taking a 2-semester combined chem/o-chem/biochem sequence and have an A in the first semester, will be taking the second one soon.
My question is-- What else should I take? What else should I do? I am considering retaking anatomy since I got the B- and possibly microbio. I was also going to take a biochem course. I got a B- in health assessment in semester 1 of nursing school so was thinking of taking a grad level health assessment course.
I will really do whatever I have to do to be accepted and successful as a CRNA, so please just give it to me straight. Thank you.