Drexel CRNA Class of 2014

nikkimarthe · Jan 22, 2013

Hi i saw your post regarding the post master's ...did they based your gpa on your previous MSN? also, did you have to take less classses and if so how much less?

SRNA4U, BSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Jan 23, 2013

They looked at both my undergrad and graduate GPA, science grades, and my recommendations. The good thing is that if you get called for an interview, you have a very high chance of already being selected for the program. I think the interview just seals the deal.

For the post-masters, I only needed to take 3 core courses and only because it was not offered in my MSN program, which was in a non-clinical specialty (nursing education). So I needed to take the Advanced Pharmacology, Advanced Physiology, and the Advanced Health Assessment/Clinical Decision-Making course. Which means when I start in January, I will only have my anesthesia classes to take and my load will only be 2 -3 classes/quarter, which is very nice. My first quarter class is Basic Principles and Overview of Nurse Anesthesia. With only those 2 classes, I'll be able to devote all my time to just those 2 classes.

The MSN students has 7 core classes to take before they start the program and the good thing is they are all offered online. My instructor for pharmacology is fantastic. So far I have an A+ average. One thing to note, Drexel does pluses and minuses for their grading and a B starts at an 84. If you get an 83, that equals a B- which is not considered passing for your anesthesia classes. All lectures are recorded and you can download them for listening at home or on the go. Attrition rate is 8%, which is really low and very good. Board exam pass rate is 95% for the past 5 years. With those numbers, I knew Drexel was the program for me. After I interviewed, I knew Drexel was the program for me. I was accepted into Villanova and LaSalles University's program. I picked Drexel hands down as the best.

When are you applying?

jtboog2003 · Jan 23, 2013

They looked at both my undergrad and graduate GPA, science grades, and my recommendations. The good thing is that if you get called for an interview, you have a very high chance of already being selected for the program. I think the interview just seals the deal.
For the post-masters, I only needed to take 3 core courses and only because it was not offered in my MSN program, which was in a non-clinical specialty (nursing education). So I needed to take the Advanced Pharmacology, Advanced Physiology, and the Advanced Health Assessment/Clinical Decision-Making course. Which means when I start in January, I will only have my anesthesia classes to take and my load will only be 2 -3 classes/quarter, which is very nice. My first quarter class is Basic Principles and Overview of Nurse Anesthesia. With only those 2 classes, I'll be able to devote all my time to just those 2 classes.
The MSN students has 7 core classes to take before they start the program and the good thing is they are all offered online. My instructor for pharmacology is fantastic. So far I have an A+ average. One thing to note, Drexel does pluses and minuses for their grading and a B starts at an 84. If you get an 83, that equals a B- which is not considered passing for your anesthesia classes. All lectures are recorded and you can download them for listening at home or on the go. Attrition rate is 8%, which is really low and very good. Board exam pass rate is 95% for the past 5 years. With those numbers, I knew Drexel was the program for me. After I interviewed, I knew Drexel was the program for me. I was accepted into Villanova and LaSalles University's program. I picked Drexel hands down as the best.
When are you applying?

This wasn't directed at me I know, but I was wondering, what kinds of questions were asked at the interviews for the schools? Were they more clinical based or general questions about you? I will be applying to all three schools very soon, and wish to know what I am up against.

SRNA4U, BSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Jan 24, 2013

This wasn't directed at me I know, but I was wondering, what kinds of questions were asked at the interviews for the schools? Were they more clinical based or general questions about you? I will be applying to all three schools very soon, and wish to know what I am up against.

There were a mixture of clinical and personal questins but none too difficult. As far as specifics I can not say since that would compromise the integrity of the interview process. At the time I interviewed, there was a rumor someone compromised the integrity of the interview process by leaking it on nursing blogs so the department conducted an investigation. So I would caution anyone that interviewed at any anesthesia school to be aware of the consequences of leaking that type of information.

If you know your stuff and you're secure in your clinical specialty. you'll do fine.

Good luck to you!!

jtboog2003 · Jan 24, 2013

Thanks. No, I wasn't looking for specific questions they ask, just more of a general sense of the interview. Some school interviews are heavily clinical based, and others hardly ask any clinical questions at all and are more focused on why are you here, want to do this, etc. (or so i have read and been told)

nikkimarthe · Jan 25, 2013

hopefully for 2015. very helpful answers!!! thank you so much!

ICURNuts · Jun 2, 2013

I have an interview for Drexel's program coming up in July. Any pointers? I have 3 years of pediatric cardiac ICU experience. I'm nervous (as if any one wouldn't be)!!! How much do they consider you based on your GPA and CRE vs recommendations?

Ultraposh · Jan 15, 2014

SRNA4U, How is the program going? I like that I can do the core classes online. I LOVE that actually. Please share how the program is going!

SRNA4U, BSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Jan 24, 2014

It's not bad. We just had our first exam today. Our lecture had 500 PPT slides and we covered it in 3 class sessions and our exam today covered a lot of that information. Our anesthesia machine lecture had over 1000 PPT slides and we covered it in 2 class days. The information is not hard to understand it's just the shear volume of information you are given. Most anesthesia programs would cover what we just learned in a whole semester and we covered it in 6 days total. Learning all of the drugs and the mechanism of action with your dosage ranges and being able to apply it to clinical scenarios was a bit overwhelming but then you learn how to make up mnemonics to help you out.

It also helps that I 've been an OR nurse for 11 years so a lot of the surgical info we're getting like how to do an epidural, spinals, and bier blocks, I've already seen and assisted with as an OR nurse. Most ICU nurses dont have the OR experience so its kind of hard for them to understand the lingo of the OR and the positioning and the general flow of cases for each surgical speciality whereas the OR is my comfort zone.

We cover so much information in such a short amount of time because we are an integrated program and we start clinicals the end of March and we've only been in school just for 3 weeks now. I've learned so much in just this short amount of time that even I am amazed. I can see why my school consistently performs well at the clinical sites and on boards. We have a 100% pass rate on boards and our attrition rate is only 6% currently. We have a great Program Director and the faculty are really invested in you succeeding in the program.

Studying is totally on a different level. On the weekends, I study about 12-13 hours. There is so much material to cover that when I finish, I had no idea that 12 hours went by. I still set aside personal time to go to the gym and to travel locally.

Good luck to you as you pursue your ICU-CRNA journey. Anesthesia school is awesome and just the networking you will encounter is phenomenal. Our school also covers the cost for us to attend the AANA annual conference and they are looking to send us to state level meetings as well.

Beachie27 · Mar 18, 2015

Hi. I just attended Drexel's open house yesterday. I absolutely love the school. I have everything submitted for entrance in 2017. How long after the application deadline did you hear back for an interview? I too am an OR nurse (8 years including CVOR) and will have 2 years ICU/CVICU by the start of the program. It was funny to hear the two students who were in their first quarter at drexel talk about how difficult it is to learn the machines and OR routines (sterility, functionality, etc), when all of that comes second nature to me. I know that experience will be beneficial if I get in. Any advice on studying the material? I also will be doing the post masters program.

Christina

SRNA4U, BSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Mar 21, 2015

When I applied, it was back in Oct 2010 and I got my letter to interview around Dec/Jan time frame for a March interview date. I know the school does interviews in June as well. There were 12 selected for March and 12 for June interviews. They normally accept 20 students. If you get selected for an interview it's more than likely you will get in. I interviewed to start with the 2013 class but was unable to get out the military at that time so I ended up deferring for a year and started in the 2014 class. Being an OR nurse will definitely put you ahead of the class. I was running my own room by the end of my 1st year while the rest of the class started doing their own cases this year of our second year. Post masters definitely make your loaf a lot easier. Im.just doing 1 anesthesia class while.my.classmates still have 2 classes plus clinicals. 1st year is definitely the hardest but the 2nd year us much nicer. During the classes, they will give you study guides for the exams so you'll know what to focus on since there is so I've material. I think the 1st semester we learned over 80 drugs mechanism of action, dosages, and pharmacokinetics such as metabolism and elimination. Good luck to you. Drexel I think is the best school.