CRNA or PharmD???

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Hello everyone! Im a cvicu rn who is in a dilemma choosing between going to crna or pharmd route..

I can imagine myself working as a retail pharmacist, I like interacting with patients/customers, and I like the business side of it.. While at the same time, I can also imagine myself working as a crna in an outpatient or plastic surgery ORs, dealing with more stable patients than the busy and stressful icu that I work at..

Anyways here are some factors I'm considering right now( pls correct me if there's some that are not accurate)

crna = 2 to 2 1/2 yrs full time school,

pharmd = like 1 yr part time school for pre reqs and 3-4 yrs full time school

crna and pharmd almost the same cost of school (if im not mistaken, around $120k) but crna will make more and will finish school sooner (pharmd 90k to 120 k average, crna 120 to 150 k average, they say you what you make is almost the same with a family medicine doctor)

Pharmd is more in demand because not all states have crna

Respect factor, I think both has their due respects... although pharmd will deal less with the "no, im not a doctor (anesthesiologist), im a nurse anesthetist" type of situation.. I think crna will be called doc more because of the work setting thus more explanations to do.. Because they will ask and you will have to explain to them that you are not a nurse and at the same time not a doctor(anesthesiologist)..

Crna I think is more stressful, anything can happen when you're giving anesthesia.. It's actually not just giving anesthesia.. eg, you might need to start pressors or give boluses.. its also kinda scary(for lack of a better word to describe it) knowing that its always a life and death situation everytime you are behind that or table... plus you might have to deal with egoistic and very demanding surgeons.. Ive heard stories of anesthesia providers and surgeons yelling at each other during surgery..

Anyways, some might say that I should do what I want to do.. yes of course, but Im also considering the financial factors, working conditions, respect given, and the work opportunities..

Feedbacks will be appreciated...

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Pharmd is more in demand because not all states have crna

This is incorrect. CRNAs practice in every state.

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Go CRNA. I'm a 4th (final) year Pharm D student and my sister is doing interviews at CRNA schools and I am jealous of her.

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Barok, really? What made you "jealous" of her? Pls specify.. thanks!

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Definately CRNA... I am a pharmacist and I am starting an accelerated BSN next May.

Just my opinion

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I'm jealous, I should say envious, because my sis will be done with grad school in 2.5 years, be better trained (clinically) than I am, will be able to focus on one case at a time, and will be have greater decision making powers.

Pharmacy is a good pick and I feel lucky to be doing it, but it's stressful, filling 300+ orders a day while customers are screaming at you that they've been waiting a whole 15 minutes for their script, and why can't I have my controlled substance Rx early, and why do I have to pay a $10 dollar co-pay, and whaddya mean I have no refills, and on and on and on. So much of the retail pharmacists job is customer service that we don't get to think clinically all that often.

On the hospital end, pharmacists are just glorified data entry techs/information specialists.

But If I want clinical glory, I can do a 2 year residency, get paid less after I'm done, then try to keep up with the doc's caseloads, doing my 40 hours while they do 60.

Pharmacy has it's priorities all screwed up. The role of a nurse anesthetist seems more clear, although I don't really know much about the job.

Although I'm envious of my sis, I can't imagine going to any more school, pharm school has completely turned me off to higher education, so best of luck coopsc1.

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
I'm jealous, I should say envious, because my sis will be done with grad school in 2.5 years, be better trained (clinically) than I am, will be able to focus on one case at a time, and will be have greater decision making powers.

Pharmacy is a good pick and I feel lucky to be doing it, but it's stressful, filling 300+ orders a day while customers are screaming at you that they've been waiting a whole 15 minutes for their script, and why can't I have my controlled substance Rx early, and why do I have to pay a $10 dollar co-pay, and whaddya mean I have no refills, and on and on and on. So much of the retail pharmacists job is customer service that we don't get to think clinically all that often.

On the hospital end, pharmacists are just glorified data entry techs/information specialists.

But If I want clinical glory, I can do a 2 year residency, get paid less after I'm done, then try to keep up with the doc's caseloads, doing my 40 hours while they do 60.

Pharmacy has it's priorities all screwed up. The role of a nurse anesthetist seems more clear, although I don't really know much about the job.

Although I'm envious of my sis, I can't imagine going to any more school, pharm school has completely turned me off to higher education, so best of luck coopsc1.

I've often dreamed of being pharmacist instead of CRNA. If you think you're in for less stress, WAKE UP! Its just exchanging one type of stress for another. We're the piano players in the whorehouse. Most of your "autonomy" is imaginary. If you're going to retire or die before you're 60, be a CRNA.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency.
Hello everyone! Im a cvicu rn who is in a dilemma choosing between going to crna or pharmd route..

I can imagine myself working as a retail pharmacist, I like interacting with patients/customers, and I like the business side of it.. While at the same time, I can also imagine myself working as a crna in an outpatient or plastic surgery ORs, dealing with more stable patients than the busy and stressful icu that I work at..

Anyways here are some factors I'm considering right now( pls correct me if there's some that are not accurate)

crna = 2 to 2 1/2 yrs full time school,

pharmd = like 1 yr part time school for pre reqs and 3-4 yrs full time school

crna and pharmd almost the same cost of school (if im not mistaken, around $120k) but crna will make more and will finish school sooner (pharmd 90k to 120 k average, crna 120 to 150 k average, they say you what you make is almost the same with a family medicine doctor)

Pharmd is more in demand because not all states have crna

Respect factor, I think both has their due respects... although pharmd will deal less with the "no, im not a doctor (anesthesiologist), im a nurse anesthetist" type of situation.. I think crna will be called doc more because of the work setting thus more explanations to do.. Because they will ask and you will have to explain to them that you are not a nurse and at the same time not a doctor(anesthesiologist)..

Crna I think is more stressful, anything can happen when you're giving anesthesia.. It's actually not just giving anesthesia.. eg, you might need to start pressors or give boluses.. its also kinda scary(for lack of a better word to describe it) knowing that its always a life and death situation everytime you are behind that or table... plus you might have to deal with egoistic and very demanding surgeons.. Ive heard stories of anesthesia providers and surgeons yelling at each other during surgery..

Anyways, some might say that I should do what I want to do.. yes of course, but Im also considering the financial factors, working conditions, respect given, and the work opportunities..

Feedbacks will be appreciated...

i can't recall any CRNA program that costs that much. at least not for tuition alone. with added living expenses, still, could be done under 100K. which is chump change to pay off as a new CRNA !!:lol2:

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Even better choice is to circumvent all the nursing education BS, take real undergrad college classes, and do the AA program. You might have to go out of state depending where you live.

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Specializes in CRNA.
Even better choice is to circumvent all the nursing education BS, take real undergrad college classes, and do the AA program. You might have to go out of state depending where you live.

Nursing education BS? nurses take care of patients-which is what you do in anesthesia. Days are numbered for AAs because they can only practice in the least cost effective practice arrangement-supervised by anesthesiologists. CRNAs are much more flexible and cost effective and here for the long hall. AAs can only practice in a few states also, while CRNAs are well established in all 50 states.

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We have both (PharmD and CRNA) in the family........the PharmD thinks that he is a physician and the crna thinks that she is an anesthesiologist. since I paid for both educational programs, I have a comment: if these programs lead to that type of thinking, stay out of both fields. I'm a lot more impressed with a "plain" RN

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Specializes in trauma ICU,TNCC, NRP, PALS, ACLS.

I know this is an old post but mamb have you made a decision.

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