Med school drop out, now a CRNA. ask me anything...

Specialties CRNA

Published

The title says it all. Did not do well in med school, dropped out, did a ABSN program, worked in the ICU for 2 years before going on to CRNA school. Now I am a CRNA.

babyNP., APRN

1,922 Posts

Specializes in NICU.

Nothing to ask, but really happy for you that you were able to find your own career path.

guest769224

1,698 Posts

What physician specialty did you intend to practice in?

You state you did not do well; CRNA programs, on some levels, are arguably as difficult and taxing as medical school is. What empowered you to do better in the latter program?

What physician specialty did you intend to practice in?

You state you did not do well; CRNA programs, on some levels, are arguably as difficult and taxing as medical school is. What empowered you to do better in the latter program?

I did not felt CRNA school was as hard as medical school. You can practice as a CRNA as long as you pass the NCE... On the other hand, the lowest score on the USMLE will not land you a residency... I felt like CRNA school was about as rigorous as my undergrad premed classes (I went to a top public school)... I studied about the same number of hours in CRNA school as I did during undergrad... The problem with medical school is that you are competing with people who scored really well on the MCAT, I felt like I was studying all the time during medical school but I was still at the bottom of my class and were all competing with eachother for residency positions... CRNA schools on the other hand do not value your gpa as much and the GRE was a breeze compared to the MCAT, CRNA schools place more emphasis on ICU experience as opposed to gpa... And the good thing about CRNA school is that were not competing with eachother for residency positions... The bottom 30% of each med school cohort will most likely end up in the least desirable specialties...

What physician specialty did you intend to practice in?

You state you did not do well; CRNA programs, on some levels, are arguably as difficult and taxing as medical school is. What empowered you to do better in the latter program?

ALSOOOO, the environment in CRNA school is deffo more supportive and less toxic than medical school. We all support eachother... I felt like every student in med school was competing with eachother... I was less depressed in CRNA school overall because of this...

Oldmahubbard

1,487 Posts

Thanks for sharing your story. There is an ugly underbelly in medicine where the bottom quartile are going to end up possibly with nothing, or in a speciality they have no interest in.

A physician of my acquaintance has several friends who went to foreign medical schools, and couldn't get a residency. She couldn't understand why they can't at least work as NPs!

You had to swallow a ton of pride, and it has worked out well, obviously. Good for you. Your parents did a good job:)

Swellz

746 Posts

Specializes in oncology, MS/tele/stepdown.

Was your goal for medicine to be an anesthesiologist?

Why NP as opposed to PA (unless you wanted to be a CRNA from the get-go)?

Congratulations! It's amazing that you didn't let that defeat you and moved on in such a great way.

Trauma Columnist

traumaRUs, MSN, APRN

88 Articles; 21,249 Posts

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Thanks for your post. CRNA is a popular APRN destination and we appreciate your expertise.

Could you expound on general area where you work, what type of cases, workload, etc.? thanks.

popopopo

107 Posts

I did not felt CRNA school was as hard as medical school. You can practice as a CRNA as long as you pass the NCE... On the other hand, the lowest score on the USMLE will not land you a residency... I felt like CRNA school was about as rigorous as my undergrad premed classes (I went to a top public school)... I studied about the same number of hours in CRNA school as I did during undergrad... The problem with medical school is that you are competing with people who scored really well on the MCAT, I felt like I was studying all the time during medical school but I was still at the bottom of my class and were all competing with eachother for residency positions... CRNA schools on the other hand do not value your gpa as much and the GRE was a breeze compared to the MCAT, CRNA schools place more emphasis on ICU experience as opposed to gpa... And the good thing about CRNA school is that were not competing with eachother for residency positions... The bottom 30% of each med school cohort will most likely end up in the least desirable specialties...

Bottom 30%, did you go to a school with a gpa and not pass fail? Have you taken Step1?

Bottom 30%, did you go to a school with a gpa and not pass fail? Have you taken Step1?

I went to a med school with pass/fail system but I failed the step 1... I did not know how much harder I could have studied.... I studied all day 7 days a week in med school but I just couldn't hack the USMLE.. I wish I never have gone to med school and wasted time... I applied to 40 medical schools while I was in undergrad and was unlucky enough to get 1 acceptance...

Thanks for sharing your story. There is an ugly underbelly in medicine where the bottom quartile are going to end up possibly with nothing, or in a speciality they have no interest in.

A physician of my acquaintance has several friends who went to foreign medical schools, and couldn't get a residency. She couldn't understand why they can't at least work as NPs!

You had to swallow a ton of pride, and it has worked out well, obviously. Good for you. Your parents did a good job:)

Yes I actually know a couple FMGs who couldn't get a residency and ended up in NP school... They are very happy now :) and have a nice career... So not getting into med school/residency is not the end of the world...

Was your goal for medicine to be an anesthesiologist?

Why NP as opposed to PA (unless you wanted to be a CRNA from the get-go)?

Congratulations! It's amazing that you didn't let that defeat you and moved on in such a great way.

I applied to an ABSN program in my city as I wanted to live at home... There are no PA programs in my city...

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