Path towards CRNA

[ClaRn]

Hello all. I am posting here to obtain advice on the best path towards becoming a CRNA. My projected year to start CRNA school (hopefully) is 2014. I would like to attend school in state, and they are very competitive. However, I am open to traveling out of state as well. I am starting out with a clean slate, with 6 months into my ICU experience and shadowing a CRNA. My GPA is poor, a 3.2, and I know this is a huge weakness, but I am willing to do what it takes to make it past that. Which steps would be the best to complete an application in 2014 that would stand out to the admissions committee? Thank you all for your input.

[Music in My Heart]

In addition to what you're doing (ICU and shadowing), I'd get enrolled in some university science classes (specifically, general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, embryology, animal physiology, etc - the stuff that the chemistry and biology folks take, not the survey stuff from nursing pre-reqs) and rock them with straight A's and some fabulous recommendations from the profs.

Pretty much, you need to demonstrate that you've got the academic chops to go through a CRNA program.

[ClaRn]

Thank you for your comment. I think I am too late to start taking classes in the summer and maybe even registration for the fall. I guess my problem lies wherein which specific classes to take. I've contacted a few CRNA programs, and each has different requirements. Which specific classes (whether it be general chemistry or nursing graduate courses) will make me an attractive applicant to a broader range of schools rather than targeting 1 or 2 specific CRNA schools?

[missnurse01, MSN, RN]

I had this issue since I was looking at a large number of schools. A lot of schools seem to like bio chem, so I started down the path to complete that. Where I am 3 classes of general chem and then 3 classes of organic chem are required before I could do bio chem. I also took physics. I know others who have taken grad level patho or pharmacology to flesh their app out. Take everything for science majors, not nursing majors only-they like the heavy full classes.

Other than that of course do your ccrn, maybe csc or cmc depending on what environ you work...and take all the complicated pts you can get...and go to other people's room to learn as well!

Good luck.