Looking for guidance from a CRNA??

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Hello, I would like to talk to a CRNA about the career and this seems like the place...

To start out, I originally wanted to be an anesthesiologist as a high school student and my mom (who is an RN) told me that it was not a good career and that being a doctor is not all that it is cracked up to be. So I finished my undergrad degree with a BS in chemistry and completed my PharmD. I am currently working as a pharmacist and I have to say that the pay is great but I am not really happy with the amount of autonomy that we are given as healthcare professionals ( I can go into more details with this if anyone is interested).

If I decided to become a CRNA, I know that the path would take me at least 4 years but I can work as a pharmacist part time (or more..if possible). I really want to know if it is financially worth my time? I think that I will eventually end up living in a smaller town where a CRNA would be granted enough autonomy to work on their own. On my rotations in pharmacy school I enjoyed time spent in the OR and working with CRNA/MDA's the most. I really like hands-on patient care and I think nurse anesthesia would be a good career. If anyone could give me some advice that would be great....

Thanks

SC

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Wow - well, if you can do pharmacy school, you will be a shoe-in for admission and success in anesthesia school. Admissions committees will LOVE you! All that science and pharmacology background. Your classmates will beg you for tutoring too. (this pharmacodynamics/kinetics stuff is making MY brain hurt . . . ;) )

Anesthesia pays well but I have no idea what pharmacists make and whether you will gain or lose. Going to school is pricey and once you actually start CRNA school, you will not have a lot of time to work as either an RN or a pharmacist.

I am so impressed with your drive - I just hate school (all school) and I don't think I could motivate myself to go back and change careers after I finish with anesthesia. Best of luck!

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Thanks a lot for the reply. I make right at 100k (maybe 115 because I work at 2 separate places) but I just do not really enjoy the work. I am the kind of person that needs to be satisfied with my career. My fiance (who is also a pharmacist) thinks I am crazy. She is not too crazy about me going back to school but she would support my decision. I have done a lot of reading on this site and I am finding out new things about getting accepted into a CRNA program (and even a BSN program). There is an accelerated BSN program here in Denver that is 12 months. That is probably considererd to be pretty fast paced but I don't think it will be that bad (not to downplay or anything). I was seeing the posts in the forum about only having 1 year of CC experience. Will I be able to work in an ICU right out of school or will I get the .....your fresh out of school bit? Could I get my one year of experience then go back to working as a pharmacist to save $$ for a CRNA program. They seem to be extremes in the pricing of some schools. OHSU started a program that is 70k for 2 years. That is bogus!! I wouldn't mind paying like 30 to 40k but I think it is rediculous to pay more than that. My first step will be applying to a BSN program, so we will see how that goes.

Thanks

SC

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SC,

My sister-in-law completed the 12-month program at Metro State here in Denver, and definitely felt prepared once she finished. I work at University of Colorado Hospital in Denver, and they definitely supprt new grads going straight into the ICU (we probably have 10-15 a year that they accept directly into the ICU). WIth your pharmacy background, you should have no trouble going directly into the ICU.

BTW - where do you currently work?

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