Clinical vs. Didactic

[LSLG]

Hi!

I am finishing up my first of two summer sessions and then we are off to clinical in the fall! One year down (fingers, eyes, brain - crossed). I was just wondering if current and past students could expand upon the difference between the didactic and clinical section of CRNA school. I am in front loaded program and will be complete with the mostly didactic section in the fall and then will begin 18 months of clinical before graduation. I began last August and have been through one fall, one spring, and now one summer semester- my brain hurts. I have heard some say that clinical, though physically tiring, is more manageable than the classes. I just wanted to get some more opinions about the differences, besides the obvious, between didactic and clinical.

Thank you!

[dive.princess]

I am half way through a front-loaded program, so I am doing clinicals only. I am glad I am in this program now that I am doing specialties like open heart and complex acute cases. I feel like I am coming into the clinical with some background information and not "winging" it (did an AAA the other day, and could competently explain about AO XC and the gtts and pathophys, etc.) The clinicals are still exhausting, but more because of my own self-imposed standards of excellence (if that makes sense?). In the beginning I didn't feel like a real SRNA becasue I was only doing book work--and there are 4 other programs in the area that are integrated, and I felt like I was "behind." And then when I got started, I was compared to them, and then really felt woefully behind. But after a few months of straight clinical 4 days a week, I'm up to speed--and I have 11 months to go, and will certainly polish off my skill set and be ready for boards/practice independently.

Granted, this teaching style works for me, and not necessarily for everyone--but I am happy with the front-loaded program. So don't get discouraged! Trust that your instructors and administrators will give you the information you need to succeed!

Good luck!:)