UMDNJ here i come!

Specialties CRNA

Published

After my 5th interview, i finally got it right.

I will be starting UMDNJ Fall 2005.

Thank you to everyone for your words of encouragement during my plight.

The interview at Our Lady of Lourdes Anesthesia program is now in panel format. They bring in each candidate individually to meet with the panel that consists of the Director and Asst. Director of the program, the Medical Director, the Director of 's program and sometimes a couple more CRNAs or MDAs. They ask typical admission questions " Why do you want to be a CRNA?" ect. and some clinical questions on hemodynamics ect.

Potential students then take an exam that is a mix of ICU type clinical questions. The exam is not really used in the decision unless they need a tie-breaker. The exam is really hard and most people do not do well.(which is expected)

Then, candidates spend some time with a couple of student reps to ask questions and get the "REAL" story about the program. I spent the past 2 years as a rep.

I think the program is as good as any. As with all programs, they have there weaknesses but also their strengths. You will get excellent clinical experience and become independant very early. THe CRNAs there are excellent and the Docs as well. They have added some new clinical sites which has improved the variety of experience and allowed them to accept more students.

In my opinion, the biggest weakness is lack of good pediatric experience. I met my numbers but not by much, so I'm not that comfortable with kids.

But overall, I felt I got an excellent education. I felt prepared for boards and passed without too much stress. There will always be people who love their program and others who hate it. If you keep a positive attitude and suck it up when things are going your way, you will do fine.

So far, my class has a 100% pass rate on the boards! I can't complain.

PM me if you have specific questions.

Congratulations! I applied also to UMDNJ, they told me that the interview will be sometime in February...I guess they doing it twice a year, ha;) ?

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