Chicago CRNAs???

U of C, Rush uses CRNA's. I go to Rush, have 6 months left. Once you are out, contact Rush's nurse anesthetist director, talk to her. She can hook you up with an advisor, and someone to shadow.

Thanks! I was hoping to get into Rush. How hard was it to get in? Any advice? Thanks again for the info :)

First, you need to take the GRE. Then, you can apply to one of Rush's Nurse practioner programs. There is alot of overlap in courses at first between anesthesia and NP.This will allow you to get tuition reimbursement from wherever you are working. Most hospitals require proof of admission, before they pay for it. Anyway, after that, you can apply for anesthesia program. You need to do very well in all of your coursework at Rush, because the admission committee looks at that. They only admit into the anesthesia once a year. Interviews are usually in Sept/Oct for the next class which starts in June of the following year. You also need 1-2 years of ICU experience before you interview. Alot of people apply, you need to make yourself very attractive, ie CCRN, ACLS, PALS, etc. It is a very hard, demanding program, altho I am sure all of the anesthesia programs are. Because, if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. Anyhow, that will start you off. Is it worth it? I think/hope so. There are many days that I wonder what the hell I am doing, my life used to be so easy. But I keep at it. Good Luck

I'm still in NS also with an ultimate goal of CRNA. Rush is my 1st choice. So just to clarify, you're saying to apply to any of the NP programs 1st then switch to CRNA?

thanks again. i really appreciate the help. the info about taking the np classes was great, i didn't know any of that. i really want to do this and i would be devastated if i didn't get into a program. i am usually at the top of my class but this is different since i will for once be competing with others who are used to being at the tops of their classes. i want to do everything i can to better my chances and prepare myself for a program that i know is going to be brutal. i really have my heart set on getting into rush. thank you so much for taking the time to help me. if there is anything else you can think of that may be useful for me to know i would love to hear it. feel free to send me a message with anything you think might be helpful. i don't want to bother people who are busy in school with all of my silly questions so i wont keep bugging you. thanks again for everything!

Yes, because if you wait to take classes until you are in the CRNA track, you will be swamped with a full time student class load. By going the NP track you can take the core classes-Nsg research, Physiology, Pathphys, etc which are mandatory for all the tracks. Beleive me, you don't want to wait to take them, you don;'t want to make your life any more difficult than it needs to be. If you time it right, you can get 12-16 credits done before you even enter the anesthesia track