Kaiser Permanente or USC??

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I've heard nothing but great things about Kaiser Permanente's School of Anesthesia Program here in So Cal, but hardly anything about USC's CRNA program. I've heard only one thing about USC's program from one person and that was their clinical experience is better because their students rotate through a lot of the Level I Trauma Centers. Just wondering if anyone here had any input, positive or negative, about the two programs. Any issues with either school with having to compete with med school students or residents for some of the cases? If you had to pick between the two, which would you choose and why? :)

I am a current Kaiser student and think that the program is excellent. I don't have anything to say about USC except that it is very expensive relative to the cost at Kaiser, so if you can get in to Kaiser, that should be your first choice. (I do know some USC grads, and they are very good... I don't think a grad from either program is superior to another.) A Kaiser student may rotate at between 8-12 different clinical sites, so there is an excellent variety of cases. Of course, I believe you get out of it what you put in, so individual experience varies. To answer an above question, Kaiser does not give admission preference to Kaiser employees, however, it may be easier to get employed by Kaiser as a CRNA after graduation since you will have likely rotated through many Kaiser hospitals and are able to network. You would also have the opportunity to rotate out of state (Oregon, Hawaii) if you so desire.

If you are concerned about schools for your children.... yes, LA has a very poor public school system, and a lot of research should be done about neighborhoods and schools. The district in the city of South Pasadena (not a part of Pasadena) is probably one of the best in the city, so if you can afford an apartment there, then that's where you ought to live if you have school age children. The good value of the tuition at Kaiser would offset the high rents in S. Pasadena....

Hope that helps!!!!

It does help. Thanks so much for your time. Do you know if the Kaiser school accepts historical SICU experience with current trauma/ER experience? That is a big factor for me. I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK INTO THE ICU IF I CAN HELP IT. I am trying to finish my BSN this year with renewed science courses. My load is full--working full time in an ICU would bury me; and yes, I've read their ENTIRE web-site a hundred times about pre-reqs:) I just wanted to know THE REAL DEAL. If it will HURT my chances without going back to the unit. Good luck in your program. I hope to hear of your progress.

Best Wishes

91CRN

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Kaiser is one of the few schools that accept ER experience. Several of my classmates (including myself) came from the ER with little or no ICU background. If you have both, it is probably to your advantage. Remember that you are competing with 400 others for an interview at Kaiser, you have to look good on paper first... keep your GPA way, way up.... keep working.... get great letters..... write a good essay. You can do it!

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Hey guys,

My plan at this point is to go on-call in the ER/maybe take my CCRN and do some time in the ICU (big maybe). Finish my BSN as QUICKLY as possibly while renewing my science courses--micro/ochem/physics. Hopefully I will do well on my GREs. I want to start applying to CRNA programs this Winter but won't be done with my BSN with all prereqs until the Summer. I just don't want to lose a year. Do you think this is wishful thinking? The programs I will be applying to so far are #1 Kaiser in Pasadena, CA #2 Samuel Merritt in Oakland, CA #3 Duke in Chapel Hill, NC. #4 Army--Sam Houston, TX---(I'm 45 and I don't think they'll take me but I have 8 years enlisted service so we'll see). My husband (interestingly) is hoping I go Army again. He's an old soldier and wants to be my SECOND. He'd like to be stationed at Llanstuhl again:) I'll keep ya'll posted as to how this shapes up. I have a really good feeling about this plan. I am sure I will be a practicing CRNA by the time I am 50! Better late than never.

BYE NOW,

91CRN

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If anyone in this thread has been interviewed/been accepted/is attending Kaiser or USC, I would greatly appreciate any info you would be willing to give (what the interview was like, GPA, experience, etc.). Thank you so much!

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Coco are you interviewing at kaiser this year??

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Cali-

No, I am finishing up my Accelerated BSN, and hope to apply to Kaiser and USC in the near future. I am a planner, so I am trying to gather any info and tips I can about these schools. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!:smilecoffeecup:

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Specializes in Critical Care.

91Charlie, you may also want to consider applying to Texas Wesleyan. They admit the largest class in the country with a class historically the size of between 120-150 students, they have a clinical site in L.A. @ Arrowhead Medical Center (actually in Colton, CA), and they have a distance learning option. Their program is frontloaded with the first year being classroom work. I know they require at least one year of critical care experience within the last 3 years and they do not consider PACU or ER critical care. Anyway, don't know if you have researched this program...just another option that could possibly keep you at home.

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CoCo612, finish your BSN with a high GPA and get into a univeristy teching hospital in the intensive care unit and you should be a good candidate. Worry about interviewing after your counseling session.

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Specializes in Labor & Delivery.

Currently, an Anesthesiologist at my hospital suggested I look into getting my CRNA. I ran across this thread while researching different programs.

I'm still not sure if I want to go into anesthesia. However, I was hoping some of you could enlighten me as to why you're choosing this career.

The huge responsibility of anesthesia makes me a nervous, but so did nursing when I started that. Do any of you have similar feelings? If you are done with the program, do you feel prepared now?

Any insights would be appreciated....thank you!

Stacy:nurse:

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Specializes in Pulmonary & Cardiothoracic Critical Care.

Hey guys, just wanted to see anyone who went to USC if they needed to get prerequisites preapproved first to determine exactly what I need. I have an okay GPA above a 3.0 but nothing approaching a 4. I have five years experience in large university hospitals. What's the best way to approach USC and get information from them?

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