CRNA or Medical School

Phishininau · Jun 9, 2006

Going from the bedside to CRNA is not a lateral move in my opinion. You would be moving to an advanced practice. Nurse anesthesia is a highly skilled profession and I seriously do not think that your ER doc has had much experience with one.

This is your decision to make, and to me it seems that you are correctly weighing the right components of the decision. You just have to follow your heart on this one.

ICRN2008, BSN, RN · Jun 9, 2006

From what you saying, it sounds like you would have to earn your bachelor's degree first no matter what. So, you have plenty of time to decide. However, a BSN may not be the right route to go if you decide on medical school, because you would be missing out on the organic chemistry and possibly physics requirements. Anatomy and physiology usually does NOT count for the biology requirement, either.

I would suggest the following:

1) Look in the employment sections and on the web (gaswork.com) to see how many CRNA jobs are available in your area. Also find out if there is an excess number of physicians in your city. Assess your willingness to move to another area to find a job.

2) Spend a day shadowing a physician (in whatever specialty you are interested in) and a CRNA. Ask frank questions about job satisfaction, quality of life and if they would make the same choice if they had it to do all over again.

3) Ask to speak to an admissions counselor at the local medical schools and CRNA programs

4) Speak to students in each discipline and find out what they like and don't like about their programs

Medical and CRNA schools are both very selective and have difficult coursework, so that may not be as much of a deciding factor as you might think. However, you might want to take financial issues into consideration. With each route, figure out how much will you be ahead in X number of years and how much debt will you have. Also, sit down and assess your other (non-career goals) and how your choice will impact them. Finally, determine whether there are differing philosophies of care between the two professions, and if so find out how much they diverge. You may find that you prefer one approach over the other.

This is a hard decision that only you can make, but doing adequate research will help you to assure yourself that you are making an informed decision.

rn29306 · Jun 9, 2006

One of the ER docs that I work with told me that he just doesn't see a future for Nurse Anesthesists, so why not just go to medical school. He said that going to school to be a CRNA would be a step to the side, not a step up.

Sometimes you have to consider the source. Hope you don't get easily offended, but your physician is talking out of his buttonhole. What is his basis for these statements? Actually, the CRNA profession is prospering quite nicely and job shortages will abound in the near future. CRNAs have been providing quality anesthesia care for over 100 years.

If CRNA training is not a step up and instead a step to the side, then why the additional school and intense clinicals?

This is just my gut feeling, but sometimes the ER docs get their pannies in a wad when a difficult intubation comes in, he or she calls anesthesia, and one of those 'danged' CRNAs shows up and drops an OETT like its hot. Not too proud to admit, but many physicians don't like the advanced scope of practice that CRNAs have. I have been told numerous times by surgical residents at my teaching institution that I have "made the right choice" and even some surgical attendings have said "...... if I had it to do over again, I would be a CRNA." Considering our salaries are higher than some physician salaries doesn't exactly sit well either with them.

You are in serious need of shadowing a couple different CRNAs. This will probably be the best thing you can do to settle your questions.

Nitecap · Jun 9, 2006

Yeah I would shadow a few CRNA's that work in different environments so you can get a good feel. When I shadowed one specific CRNA we did freaking eyeballs all day and I thought it was boring. Another day we did a bunch of big belly cases and the CRNA was flying all over the place. Shadow more than once.

It really all depends what you want. I have a friend that just graduated Med school and was gun ho anesthesia and didnt match. He scrambed and got in a pathology resident but didnt want that at all. Thats the risk you take. Another guy I know didnt match anesthesia and is now doing medicine. That means seeing tons of pts, taking alot of call and maybe not earning much more than a CRNA. That sucks.

jkw_83RN, BSN, RN · Jun 9, 2006

Thanks for everyone's input. I graduate in August of 2007 with my BSN, so I still have some time to think.

xenogenetic · Jun 9, 2006

I think a lot of people see the salary averages of CRNA's and immediately set their sights and dreams on attaining CRNA status. I believe that a lot of these people are overlooking a crucial component of whether or not they *LIKE* the type of work CRNA's are asked to do!

What a tragedy it would be to make all those sacrifices of time, money and postponement of family matters for a profession that once you get into you find out that you hate. Money's not everything...if it were dentists would not have the astronomical suicide rate that they do.

There's a cliche that says: "Some people climb a career ladder only to find that the ladder was leaning against the wrong wall once they get to the top."

jkw_83RN, BSN, RN · Jun 9, 2006

While it is true that some people look at jobs from a monetary aspect, that is not my case. If it was all about money, I wouldn't have a problem deciding what career path to choose. I have researched what CRNA's do, and what doctors do. I have a huge thirst for knowledge and desire to obtain a career where I deal with people and I'm challenged to think independently, that is another reason why both careers interest me.

MmacFN · Jun 9, 2006

Here is the thing.

I think anyone who is an A type personality in nursing considers medical school at some point in time or another. Your age (i think it was 22) is no barrier. I have friends who went back in their 30s. Its all about what you "really" want to do.

I did all the pre reqs for med school, spent alot of time thinking about it. Applied and got in. Once i had an acceptance in my hand it was easy to make the decision that i wanted to be a CRNA more. I know thta sounds funny, but i felt i needed to prove to myself i could get into med school and i did. After that pressure was gone (which most med students will tell you is the hardest part) my mind was clear to make the best decision for me.

As for money? eveything is about money to one degree or another. However, im not going to CRNA school for money. My wife and i are both RNs, we dont have kiddies and dont plan to ever have em. We are just about debt free and between us make over 150K. I dont need the money. I need the challenge. I want to be a CRNA because i think its the most challenging thing i can do which will give me the autonomy i crave and the lifestyle (time off and flexability not mone) i want.

Do not goto CRNA school if its your second choice. You wont be happy and CRNAs do not want or need, people entering as a second choice. As my dad always said to me, if you dont go for what you really want, you will regret and wonder for the rest of your life.

Good luck on your decision.

yoga crna · Jun 10, 2006

I realize that most of you don't care much about history, but I can't help myself. In 1960, a physician told me not to go to anesthesia school because CRNAs were going to be obsolete. Of course, I didn't listen and in the last 46 years I haven't been out of the operating room for more than three weeks in a row and have been able to find work in all parts of the country. I am still waiting to be obsolete. Some of the things that never change are: we will not be obsolete, but there will never be a shortage of people who predict that we will; there will also never be a shortage of doctors and nurses who are jealous of us, our independence and earning power. Get used to it and have your smart answers ready.

yoga

subee, MSN, CRNA · Jun 10, 2006

I have been a nurse for about 2.5 yrs, and I have had a interest in CRNA school, but I have also considered going to medical school for my own personal reasons. I have been working in the ER for the past year and a half and I will be transferring to the SICU at the end of this month to gain critical care experience. I feel like I am kind of teetering between the two professions. When I completed my ADN in 2001 and told the ADN chair that I wanted to pursue a career in Nurse Anesthesia, she didn't sound too encouraging. She was like "that's hard to do, well good luck." One of the ER docs that I work with told me that he just doesn't see a future for Nurse Anesthesists, so why not just go to medical school. He asked me what kind of job would I find in Wisconsin. He said that going to school to be a CRNA would be a step to the side, not a step up.
I have weighed the benefits and setbacks associated with each. I know that I am capable of doing either, but when it comes to having kids, time commitment, and finances, it would be smarter to go to CRNA school. I could do all of those things and go to medical school, but I wouldn't be able to have kids until I am old, it would cost a lot more, and it would take longer to bouce back financially after medical school. I do have youth on my side right now.
I am really interested in what others have to say, any input would be appreciated.
Thanks:uhoh3:
a confused nurse

There's a BIG shortage of CRNA's and its gonna get worst. There's plenty of jobs in Wisconsin and in every other state. You will never be out of job offers. Courses in organic chem and physics will be forever useful if you decide to become a CRNA - my school required credits in each. (Long time ago).

berry · Jun 10, 2006

I had the same experience with trying to decide between med school and crna. Are all ER docs recruiters I had several close friends that I worked with in the ER trying to convince me I belong in medical school, they used to tell me come on over to the dark side. They all respected the crna side of my decision as well none of the negatives you mentioned. You need to talk to physicians, crna, repressive at both schools and decide what you want to do day after day for the next few decades. In my experiences both schools were happy to sit down and talk with my about what the education experience would be like as well as what they thought each path would lead. This is a choice you need to make carefully or you could spend some years regretting it.