CRNA or Anesthesiologist

[8YRSAWY]

Here's my quandary...

I have always wanted to be a professional health care practitioner. I've had the opportunity to be around many professionals in a large, general hospital. Out of the fields I've observed, I'm fascinated by Anesthesiology. Eight months ago, my wife gave birth to our first child and I really "appreciated" the level of education and the professionalism our Nurse Anesthetist exuded. His confidence laid my wife's fears at rest.

My question is this. Should I go the CRNA track or the Anesthesiologist (MD) track? What benefits would I gain by doing one over the other? If it helps, my long term goals are to get into medical education/research. I would like feedback from both sides if possible.

Note: Please don't flame me. I'm not in it for the money, although I realize the salary is desirable. After much research and thought, this is the specialty I have chosen so I ask to be respected for my decision.

Eric

[SirJohnny]

All:

- Just to add to Eric's question.

- Once you become an MD -- how hard/competetive is it to get into Anesthesiology school?

Thanks,

John Coxey

[Tenesma]

once you have your MD it is pretty straightforward getting into most Anesthesia residencies after internship - in 1995 it was ridiculously easy to get into the top programs because of the huge drop off in interest and therefore lack of competition. Now it has fully turned around, and in order to get into the top programs you have to have done research, graduate in the top 10-20% of your medical school class, etc.... You can still get into an anesthesia program it just might not be the most desirable in terms of academics, research and location

good luck

[athomas91]

first and foremost you need to decide whether you want to be a nurse or a doctor - although CRNA and MDA's focus on the same material, i feel it is approached from a differing point of reference.

[Athlein]

I think it would help if you clarified your long-term medical education/research goals. I completed a medical research internship as a post-baccaleaureate, and I came away with a completely different understanding of what it takes to succeed in this realm.

Ask yourself what it is that you really want to do. Provide direct patient care or work in a research setting or teach? Do you want to head the research and conduct science-based investigations, or do you want to explore clinical phenomenon as a part of a team? And if it's teach, then teach what? Medicine/science or nurse anesthesia? It will be difficult to choose a path until you answer these questions.

Remember that the CRNA role is a clinical specialty, and while there are many opportunities for educators in CRNA programs, direct patient care is an integral part of nurse anesthesia practice, which is why the vast majority of CRNAs can be found at the head of the bed, not at a desk.

[subee, MSN, CRNA]

You need to have a long conversation with a CRNA who is more aware of what an anesthesiologist does than the anesthesiologist is aware of what the CRNA does. Nursing and medicine approach the patient from a different perspective. In general medical model treats diseases rather than promote wellness (nursing perspective). This topic can't be covered in depth on a bulletin board. I applied to med school the same time I applied to nurse-anesthesia school. Because I am a nurse and wanted to associate with nurses rather than with MD's (and for age and economic reasons), I decided to stick with CRNA and have NEVER regretted that decision. If you want to work in medical research than you should be an MD. However, do you know what the culture of medical researchers is like. If you go go a conference that includes large numbers of researchers and practitioners you can tell who is who fairly quickly. They're different breeds.

[Tenesma]

subee - i find your post to be somewhat confusing.

first, you say that nursing treats wellness and medicine treats disease... as a CRNA what does nursing provide that leads to increased "wellness" of an anesthetized patient???

second, I am an MD and a practitioner - and yes, i do research but it is clinical and incorporated in my daily OR routine. I am first a practitioner - so i think it is unfair to say that CRNA=practitioner and MD=researcher.

[deepz]

Originally posted by Tenesma

......what does nursing provide that leads to increased "wellness" of an anesthetized patient???

........ i think it is unfair to say that CRNA=practitioner and MD=researcher.

What Subee said:

"In general medical model treats diseases rather than promote wellness (nursing perspective). This topic can't be covered in depth on a bulletin board."

Am I wrong, Tenesma? -- my impression is that you are an MD anesthesia resident at a large teaching institution?

Without putting words in the person's mouth, I believe Subee indicates that, in general, a deep understanding of the extent of knowledge as it applies to acute hands-on nursing care, the way a CRNA provides anesthesia, goes way beyond what can be conveyed within the shallow constraints of this internet format.

The supportive role of the CRNA is summed up here:

http://www.gaspasser.com/unique.html

deepz

[subee, MSN, CRNA]

Tenesma: Sorry if my message was confusing but it was meant to be the opposite of what you postulated. Nursing is not medicine and pure research is not clinical practice. We're always doing research on some level as we practice but I thought the question involved doing pure medical reserach which can be a far different expression of medicine than practice.