Clinical sites in CRNA school

Spode · Jan 11, 2010

Some schools have clinical sites in remote areas and/or areas out of the city where the school is, including out of the state. I know that Glendale, AZ has clinical sites in Utah, for example. I have a family and it'd be difficult to be away from them for the 9 week clinical, or however long it lasts.
Do CRNA programs give you the choice of where you want to go for a particular clinical?

No, not usually, you are assigned to a particular site

Qwiigley, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Jan 18, 2010

Most schools (I've heard) will listen to their student requests, but mostly assign their students to many different clinical sites. One of the interview questions at Cal St Fullerton is what you feel about traveling/commuting. The clinical sites out here are from Idaho, Hawaii and So Cal. The So Cal ones are from Woodland Hills to San Diego. For those not familiar with California that is about a 4 hr drive. Add to that traffic and it can be greater than 6 hrs.

Flexibility is what you must have when going to anesthesia school. Flexible in what the school asks of you and flexibility in what you preceptors want to tell you. (and every one of them will tell you that you are wrong, where did you learn that?, etc.)

AdonaiLoveable · Jan 18, 2010

I also have a family and didn't think it would be very easy to attend clinicals all over the state. So I applied to programs that had all their clinical sites within reasonable commuting distance from the school. Examples, Wake Forest, Virginia Commonwealth, Mercer, Raleigh, Ohio, University of Alabama, etc. There are several programs like this, you just have to really seek them out.

Hope this helps!

Adonai

givethanks · Jan 27, 2011

Total flexibility was what was expected during my time in anesthesia school. If traveling great distances to clinical sites will be a problem then I would thoroughly research the programs that you plan to apply to. Older established university based programs that can and will provide most procedure experiences at their teaching hospital on campus may be the better fit. Smaller programs may not have SRNA and MDA residents competeing for cases but you may be expected to go to very rural areas far from home. Don't think that these hospitals will have a sleep room or that the school will have info on local housing or that a same sex student will be assigned with you, so you can split expenses. Heck, they may not know until the night before you are to arrive where you will be the next day. Not only will you be miles from your family but you will incur very expensive charges for either an apartment or a motel room. Some students either owned or borrowed RV's for out of town clinicals.

Students may or may not be seen as dispensable. This depends on the program's faculty. I can only speak of my own observations. Despite your hard work and effort to get into anesthesia school no one seems to feel obligated to perform in their capacities, as they expect you as a student to perform in yours. In other words, admittance to anesthesia school is an extreme privilege with constantly changing standards, depending on how that day's preceptor feels. Flexibility on your part, as the student is expected with very little, if any consideration given to your finances or family obligations unless you have a familial connection to practicing CRNA's or you have some other connection that might be of benefit to the school's program. (Quid Pro Quo) Money and the fact that many go into extreme debt seems to be of no consequence. It is expected of you. If you question anything, it might be viewed as "unprofessional" so be prepared for anything and everything and expect nothing. Just being honest about how it can possibly be. With this said, I know some great CRNA's out there and I hope everyone gets to work with them and glean something good from those that have gone before you.

BCRNA · Jan 27, 2011

De[ends completely on the school. My school likes to pride itself on everything being "in house". Everything is attached to the hospital and can be reached on foot. You just have to research what schools you want to attend.

Some schools do offer a choice in one of the clinicals, most people choose the place they want to work after graduation. I don't think questioning anything is unprofessional at all, I think it shows independance. It is demanding it is your way or berating their standard practice that is unprofessional. I don't know any programs that feel students are dispensable, new applicants are. There are so many people trying to get into school that programs don't have to be flexible on attracting applicants. You either meet their criteria or you don't get in. But once you are in, they want to keep you. If a person drops out then the profession is short one CRNA. Anesthesia programs do not practice attrition, those that are accepted are expected to graduate. We do not allow for drop outs when selecting candidates.

There are plenty of schools for you to pick from that keep clinicals close together. I don't know of any program that routinely keeps clinicals more than thirty minutes from each other. I am sure they exist, but they are no where near me. And even if you have to be away from your family for just 6 to 9 weeks, trust me, it would be worth it in the end.

Good luck.

subee, MSN, CRNA · Jan 29, 2011

In house clinicals = in house faculty. I know...it's old fashioned but after seeing what happens to students in a satellite "teaching" hospital for CRNA students, IMHO, the students are not getting the benefit of being supervised by people who have chosen the role of CRNA teacher. Teacher is not the same as practitioner. Some students should be getting their money back!:)

loveanesthesia · Jan 29, 2011

Something to check into, not all schools require out of state travel for rotations. The older programs with smaller class size usually have enough clinical resources that the distant rotations are not required. I do think rotations in several clinical sites is beneficial, but the distance and cost can be an added unecessary stress. The best of both worlds is a program with a variety of sites, but close enough that you can at least be with your family on the weekends.

acupofgas · Mar 8, 2011

My school is less than 10 years old with only 16 students in the class and has all clinical sites (except 1, which is occasionally used and is 75 miles away) pretty much in the greater metropolitan area of the the major city it is located next too. There are at lease 4 clinical sites within 3 or 4 miles of my house.

srnamu · Mar 10, 2011

my school is based in decatur IL, we have clinicals at close as in house, and as far as 90 minutes, some larger metro hospitals, and other rural sole provider settings.