Looking for a Current Drexel Student

SRNA4U, BSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Jan 17, 2013

Hello,

I'm a student in Drexel's Post-Masters CRNA program. I start in the January 2014 class but I am currently taking some of the core courses now, such as Advanced Pharmacology and in the spring quarter, I will take Advanced Physiology. For the traditional MSN CRNA program, it would be better for you to take the 7 core classes, which are all offered online. This will definitely cut down on your course load, which allows you to concentrate on just your anesthesia classes. The one thing among many that I love about Drexel is they select students 1-2 years before their cohort begins and during that time, they kind of expect you to take your core courses so you can concentrate on your true love...anesthesia, without having to worry about writing papers for the core courses, which will take away your time from studying.

You are correct that if you take your core courses before the program starts, you will end up only taking 2 classes a quarter and as the year goes on, they will drop to some quarters with you having only 1-2 classes, which is a great deal compared to other programs. Also, since Drexel is an integrated program, you start clinicals the second quarter of starting the program and it starts off as 1 day a week for the spring and summer quarter and then advances to 2 days and then more days as each quarter goes by.

Unlike many CRNA programs, Drexel also has Fellowships for CRNA students in pediatric anesthesia or pediatric cardiothoracic anesthesia which is great for those who want to specialize in a sub-specialty.

I have 2 friends who just started in the Jan 2013 cohort and they took all their core courses before the program started and for their first quarter, they only have 2 classes they are taking. Many of the senior students I have talked with said they were able to work PRN with such a reduced course load even though I wouldn't recommend it. Their grading scale is a tad bit different since they use pluses and minuses in the grading scale. So for your classes, you maintain a B average and a grade of B start off at an 84. If you get an 83, that would be a B-. I liked it better when a B was an 80-89 and an A was 90-100. You need to ensure you get an 84 or higher in your classes to pass. Also, an A+ is a 99-100 and an A is 95-98. I think it's a weird grading scale but the core classes aren't that bad. Also, since the school is on a quarter system, we cover a lot of material in a short amount of time. A quarter is about 10 weeks. My pharmacology professor is awesome and a great teacher. So far I have an A+ in the class. Some of the students in the class are in the same cohort with me knocking their core classes out.

Good luck to you.

usancrn · Jan 17, 2013

Thank you so much for the response!!! Very helpful. I wish my nursing school grading scale had been like that but it definitely wasnt Are all the core courses offered online as I live about 5 hours from Drexel. If one takes all the core courses before the start of the program, and only have 2 or 3 the first few quarters how many days a week are they actually in class vs days "off" to study. I am already planning and saving as to NOT work PRN but wil be moving away from my family so may need/want to go back to see my husband for a day or 2 :)

Thank you again and congrats to you!!

SRNA4U, BSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Jan 18, 2013

All of the core courses are offered online, including the new requirement for APNs to take Advanced Health Assessment/Diagnostic Reasoning is also offered online. For the first quarter (Winter) if you take all your core courses, you will only have Basic Principles of Anesthesia and Overview of Nurse Anesthesia as your only 2 classes when you start the program in January.

Unfortunately, in the term master schedule, they dont have what days these 2 classes are offered. Since both are 3 credit hr courses, it's possible they can be given for 1 hr 3 days a week or 1.5 hrs 2 days/week. I know the overview of anesthesia course is where they teach you regional anesthesia and they also have you in the simulation lab learning the process of induction, maintenance, and emergence from anesthesia. They also have the live actors where you practice you anesthesia interviews.

By the way, which year will you be starting? I know in my Pharm class, we have some people that are in the 2015 class as well.

missnurse01, MSN, RN · Jan 21, 2013

Does this alter availability of full time financial aid?

SRNA4U, BSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Jan 28, 2013

Does this alter availability of full time financial aid?

Nope, they charge you non-billable credit hours so you can continue to receive full-time benefits. I asked the same question since my GI Bill housing allowance is based off of 3/4 to full-time status. I was told once I start my anesthesia classes, I will be coded as a full-time student even though I will be doing only 6 credit hours. I don't know how they do it but it might have something to do with clock hour time as well. I was assured not to worry and that I would get my financial aid as a full-time student. Even current students told me the same thing. They say the financial aid package is very generous at the school. I know I probably won't get much since the aid is based off of previous year earnings but next year, since I won't be working, I should be able to get more aid.

Angelrina,CCRN · Oct 6, 2013

Does anyone know if it possible for non-matriculated students to take some of Drexel's core courses online?