Minority Nurse applying to CRNA school

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I am half spanish. My father is from argentina (and is a cardiologist) while my mom is from new orleans (she is a nurse). I was wondering if I should play the "race" card when applying to CRNA school? I have never used it before, though my brother and sister have. My sister is getting her masters at Savannah College of Art and Desigin with a minority scholarship totaling $40,000 while my brother is getting a FULL RIDE at LSU law school on a similar minority scholarship. My mom says I should since black/spanish CRNA's make less than 2% of the profession. However, I'm more american than most americans! My grandfathers on my mom side actually fought in Korea, WWII, WWI, and the civil war! I hardly speak spanish, love hunting and fishing, love the new orleans saints, etc... I only look spanish and thats it! Also, would this help me getting into CRNA school? Should I use it like in the application process, for scholarships, in the personal letter to the CRNA admissions council, etc???

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Minority:

Hey, I'm half spanish too. No, don't play the race card. All merit. When you're putting someone to sleep and managing their medical complications while in surgery, they won't care much about your skin color :). Learn as much as you can in a high-quality ICU, and take as much science as you can in your undergrad.

My 'white' friends think that somehow I've received more cash or something for being PR -- ha!

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By all means play the race card. Use any advanatge you have. In addition using it to get admitted it, after you are admitted to school the threshold for dismissing you will be much much higher than those admitted on merit alone. Nothing strikes fear into a program director like a dismissed student lawyering up claiming racial discrimination.

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I wouldnt 'play the race card' either if I were you. The AANA is pretty active in encouraging minorities to enter anesthesia - you can look this up on the AANA website and maybe mention in your interview how this impacts you as a minority and your pursuit of CRNA.

BTW, being in the minority doesnt not equal being American (sorry for the double negative - just saying you dont have to prove any level of 'Americanness').

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Specializes in CRNA.

Admitting students based on race instead of past experience and qualifications will always produce practitioners who are incompetent and dangerous in the OR. While it would be nice for the CRNA population to be more diverse, using the race card as a pathway to becoming a CRNA is definitely the wrong answer towards solving the problem.

Dude, if you really want to become a CRNA...1) work hard in a unit with lots of toys, vasoactive gtts, and high degree of autonomy 2) Study hard for the GRE 3) Shadow CRNAs in the OR (this is one of the most important things you can do for many reasons) 4) Be willing to relocate 5) Develop a financial plan to cover cost of living and tuition 6) Get letters of recommendation from CRNAs that know you and will vouch for you based on your integrity, determination, and willingness to succeed 7) Prepare your family. You will not see much of them for the next 3 years.

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Specializes in CRNA.
By all means play the race card. Use any advanatge you have. In addition using it to get admitted it, after you are admitted to school the threshold for dismissing you will be much much higher than those admitted on merit alone. Nothing strikes fear into a program director like a dismissed student lawyering up claiming racial discrimination.

This is possibly the worst advice that I have ever heard given. First of all as a previous poster mentioned no one cares at all what race you are when you are delivering their anesthesia. I'd be more than happy to have someone who was purple put me to sleep if they were the best provider. The idea that they are less likely to flunk you out because you are a certain race is so ignorant. The testing in most programs is set up so that race, sex, etc do not play a role in passing or failing. If the answer is A and you put B it doesn't matter what color or sex you were when you put it.

People like this poster are the problem in America today. Everyone is trying to use race, gender or sexual preference to try to get a hand out. If you want to be respected by anyone don't ever use the race/gender, etc...card. Now don't get me wrong if there is a scholarship or loan or something like that that you can get because you are a minority, or woman or single parent, etc. by all means apply for it.

Best of luck getting into school! You can do it!

O

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Specializes in CRNA.
This is possibly the worst advice that I have ever heard given. First of all as a previous poster mentioned no one cares at all what race you are when you are delivering their anesthesia. I'd be more than happy to have someone who was purple put me to sleep if they were the best provider. The idea that they are less likely to flunk you out because you are a certain race is so ignorant. The testing in most programs is set up so that race, sex, etc do not play a role in passing or failing. If the answer is A and you put B it doesn't matter what color or sex you were when you put it.

People like this poster are the problem in America today. Everyone is trying to use race, gender or sexual preference to try to get a hand out. If you want to be respected by anyone don't ever use the race/gender, etc...card. Now don't get me wrong if there is a scholarship or loan or something like that that you can get because you are a minority, or woman or single parent, etc. by all means apply for it.

Best of luck getting into school! You can do it!

O

look up the definition of sarcasm

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Interesting advice so far...I just wish some posters will stick to the topic :smokin:

I think I will show my "true colors" as a qualified applicant when I apply. I'm applying to several programs with LSU being my top pick due to its New Orleans location. LSU applications are due around Sept I think. Since I am a very qualified with regards to GPA, Experience, I am half way through one masters program already, Strong in Sciences, all I have to do is raise my GRE to around 1150...now back to the point. Since minorities make a 2% of the anesthesia field, I certainly do not see what the big fuss is about when one is able to express themselves in a different way beyond the average 98% of applicants.

Also, people (and posters :rolleyes: yes i'm looking at you uotdoor1!) raise a huge fit about "hand outs" (please stick to just the topic!) and so called "advantages" minorities have over the general population. Basicly in a nut shell, the only advantage minorities have is that if "white" Adam has a 3.5 GPA and "black" Mario also has a 3.5 GPA......and if there is one spot open....then they will allow "black" Mario a spot to incorporate diversity into the workplace and profession. You see the similarities? They are equal and both very qualified! They just allow the minority a spot because they (the admissions council) believes diversity in the workplace makes for a stronger and brigher future for the profession. And, I might add, studies have shown this to be correct :yeah:So please, do not see it as "black" Mario has a 1.5 GPA and is allowed a spot over "white" Adam soley because of his skin color. :D ... That is just so stupid to think the board admissions council thinks that way!

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

check out: jefferson college of health professions - nursing

tri-state nurse anesthesia program (tnap) for underserved and diverse populations

the “tri-state nurse anesthesia program (tnap) for diverse and underserved populations” aims to increase the number of master’s prepared certified registered nurses anesthetists (crna) in pennsylvania, new jersey and delaware. this project for which mary bowen, crnp, dns, jd, cnaa, associate professor and associate dean of research and faculty development, was awarded $1.14 million over three years this project has three foci: offer access to quality health care for underserved populations; educate diverse, culturally competent crnas; and eliminate health disparities by reducing barriers to access to specialists.

diversity in nurse anesthesia

the diversity in nurse anesthesia mentorship program mission is to provide planned activities to increase minority representation in nurse anesthesia ...

www.diversitycrna.org/

from minority nurse to nurse anesthetist

...the nurse anesthesia program at georgetown university has begun to address this challenge by developing a project designed to prepare more minority nursing students for nurse anesthetist careers. funded by a grant from the health resources & services administration’s bureau of health professions, division of nursing, the project’s approach is multifaceted, encompassing student recruitment, admissions and, above all, successful completion of the program....

the minority student’s guide to crna programs

how to get in, how to survive and how to find a program that welcomes diversity.

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Specializes in Gas, ICU, ACLS, PALS, BLS.

University of Miami likes diversity in their CRNA school....my kids are halfies also (hispanic/american) so I'll definitely tell them to use anything that will be to their benefit, especially when it comes to scholarships. good luck applying!

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