daitheflu

If you research this forum you will find that this has been discussed many times. I think that most people who are driven enough to attend anesthesia school have seriously considered medical school as another option. As one of my anesthesia professors said, "it is healthy to question if you really want to be here; I would consider unwise not to do so." I went through the same thing that you are going through about three years ago. I actually posted here: https://allnurses.com/forums/f16/crna-vs-mda-pros-cons-102539.html and received some very good replies. Long story short, I decided to stick with the nursing route and I started anesthesia school this Fall. The major reason for my decision was based on my desired work/life balance. I am not willing to sacrifice eight years of my life to the pursuit of a medical degree. While I consider my professional career extremely important, I also realize that there is much more to life than what I do for a paycheck. There may be no right or wrong answer for you. You will be successful either way. Sometimes it is good to step back and realize that at the end of the day, regardless of what letters are behind your name, you are still the same person. Good luck

Well, sadly I can't answer most of your questions about CRNA practice on the west coast. I just started the program, and we haven't started clinicals yet. I know the west coast only has a handful of CRNA schools, so that may be some sort of indicator of its "CRNA friendliness." I will send an email address to you via private message.

I am actually in the Nurse Anesthesia Program at OHSU in Portland. I can ask my classmates and program director for some information next week. My program director is very nice and I'm sure he would be willing to talk to you.

Take CCRN. Yes, it takes some study time and some effort. You seem motivated, so get motivated and do this. With quality CTICU experience you should have no problems considering a good chunk of the test is hemodynamics. I used Laura Gasparis Vonfrolio's CCRN DVD (it is for sell on her website). Looking at your stats alone you look like a great candidate. I was accepted to UM with pretty much every stat lower than yours, but I performed well at the interview. I also did not have organic, so I don't think it is vital to acceptance.

i just used the same essay that i had used for applying to other programs. it was essay style and included the things that you listed below (what interests you in crna, what have you done to prepare for school, why you are a good candidate, etc..) . i actually did write a paragraph stating my goals. i was accepted to their program so i guess i did it correctly.

I will give a quick run down of the interview process. show up, go to lounge and meet current students. this is very laid back, the students were studying and conversing with the all the candidates. i am not sure about the number RN's that the program interviews. pretest given in separate room I was interviewed by 2 people in a small office (the program director and I think the assistant program director). it was semi-laid back, but definitely not a 'just get to know you' type interview. and like i said before, clinical questions, especially related to your specialty. i seem to remember that they liked CCRN and if you had any graduate nursing courses. the were also interested in support systems and stress management (both of which are very helpful during school!). if you get an interview, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, with someone else. i have a list of common interview questions that i encountered. i will post them later

I interviewed there earlier this year. They give you a exam with about 20 questions. You take it in a room by yourself before your interview. It is mainly about general critical care knowledge (ex. PA pressures, ABGS, etc). You definitely need to brush up on your knowledge. They also ask some clinical questions during the interview. Otherwise, the interview had the normal interview questions such as why do you want to be a CRNA, why did you pick MUSC, what does a CRNA do, what have you done to really be sure that you want to be a CRNA (ie shadow a CRNA), etc. They also throw an ethical question in there for fun. Just reply to this thread if you want to know any more specifics.

If you REALLY want it, you can do it. It will take hard work and sacrifice, but if you REALLY want it, go for it. You need to show the programs that you are 100% dedicated. Score very well on the GRE. Get your CCRN certification if you don't have it. Maybe even retake some old science courses, or even take some graduate nursing courses (and get good grades of course). Higher priority is placed on last 60 hours and well as your science GPA. I have heard of people getting in with less than a 3.0. It is very possible. If you have any specific schools in mind, go talk to them about your situation. They will give you recommendations on how to improve your chances. good luck

all of the schools that i know about do not care about your CCRN score, but they do want you to have it. it makes you look better and shows that you have the motivation for independent study. if you are applying to a school with only a few years of experience, i would definitely recommend having it. i actually did mention my CCRN scores during my interviews because i did very well. they seemed to be receptive to my mentioning them. i used them as an example of my strength in test taking.

http://www.nurseanesthetist.org/blog/ the entry "calling all applicants" has some useful information regarding what an admissions committee is looking for in a successful nurse anesthesia candidate also, i just read a great post by "biglum". i thought i would repost it for more to see.

I have a little dilemma on my hands. I have been accepted to OHSU for this fall. I have also been invited to an an interview at University of Miami in April. I am trying to decide if I should even take the time and money to travel to Miami for the interview. I currently live in San Diego (on a travel assignment), so would be a $500-$1000 dollar venture. The locations couldn't be more opposite, but I would enjoy Oregon's wilderness just as I would enjoy Miami's sun and beaches. I realize that both of these schools are fairly new, but I do know that all of Miami's first graduating class passed boards. One large factor is the cost of the programs. OHSU costs $70,000 just for tuition, while Miami is about $50,000 which includes most fees. OHSU involves a large amount of traveling for clinical (all around Oregon, Washington state, and even one in Tampa, FL!) I do not know how much traveling is involved with Miami's program. OHSU's class size in only 12, while I think Miami's is around 25. The cost of living is Coral Gables is quite high, while the cost of living in Portland would be somewhat cheaper. Lastly, Miami is closer to my home, friends, and family in Louisiana. Those are some of the factors may weigh in on my decision. Any advice would be appreciated.

i took it with 1.5 years experience and it was a breeze. go for it. i used primarily used this DVD by Laura Gasparis to study for the exam: https://www.greatnurses.com/exp/index.php/products/item/ccrn_review/ it is $150 but worth every penny. sometimes a unit in your hospital may have it and you can check it out.

I recently interviewed at OHSU and was accepted. The interview process was extremely organized and well presented. They even had a pre-interview meet-and-greet introduction to the program, faculty, and students. The first admitted class will be graduating this December, so there are no statistics regarding their board exams. The first year is all classroom, while the rest of the program is clinicals. There is quite a lot of traveling to clinical sites. Sites are located all over Oregon, Washington, and Tampa (yes, FLORIDA). The program still costs $70,000. The new director seemed very supportive and invested in his students success. The first class started with 10 students, but 2 dropped out. The second class started with 10 and still has 10. I think they accepted 12 students for this year.

OH SNAP!! rejected at MUSC. accepted at OHSU in Portland, OR.

you can also take this opportunity to do some travel/agency nursing. no one cares if you are going to anesthesia school when you sign a 3 month contract!

does anyone know anything about the OHSU program. all i know is that it is only a few years old and that their other nursing masters program are nationally acclaimed. just wondering if anyone has hear any news from current students (or from anywhere else) about the quality of this new program. by the way, i am interviewing there in early February.

yea, same place...MUSC in Charleston. the director offered an interview date to me before the application deadline. it was just through email though, and I know it is not official until they either call or send a letter. i dont think you should have a problem getting an interview, your experience and education are impeccable.

the program director offered an interview to me last month, but I have not received any official correspondence yet. I don't think they have sent anything out.

Nursing school is definitely harder than the undergraduate prerequesite classes. That being said, it is by no means impossible. You will spend much more time studying than you are accustomed. Some students have to study more than others. Your grades will probably be lower than what you are used to receiving. The key is getting your priorities in life straighted out. If you are not willing to sacrifice some of your time and energy, you are dead in the water. You will quickly learn how much effort is required to pass each class then you can manage your study time accordingly. Like the previous poster said, take it one test and one paper at a time. Don't stress yourself out about school, there is no point in worrying and your grades (and sanity) will suffer. It is amazing what a laid-back attitude and a little common sense will do for you on tests. Just stick with your goal and you should be fine. Attending nursing school was one of the best decisions of my life. The experiences have helped me grow as a person and to appreciate the beauty in life. The hard work is worth every minute...well, at least most of the time. Oh yes, and most importantly of all HAVE FUN. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Make sure you are not always studying and get out and do whatever it is that you do that makes you happy. Also, you dont have to be organized to pass nursing school. I am the most unorganized person in the land, hands down. I've edited ths post twice now because I am too scatterbrained to write down everything in one sitting. Organization is very good trait to posses, but not vital to success. Some posters have mentioned that nursing school will take up your whole life and that you will become addicted to coffee and never sleep because you are up all night studying. I have had a different experience. I rarely stay up late studying and most of the time I don't look at my notes unless a test is in the very near future. I have most nights free and life is good. It all depends on what type of student you are. If you find yourself studying copious amounts for your prereq classes, then you will be mr./ms. studypants in nursing school. Why is nursing school so hard? You are enrolled in a training program that teaches you how to prevent illness, maintain health,treat (to an extent) medical conditions, and support patients with an array of illnesses. You learn how to administer medicines that can kill the patient if erroneous in delivery. Your mistakes can cause loss of life or limb. You are training to be a vital cog in the nation's healthcare system. You must provide quality care to human beings at the most vulnerable points of their life. Your five senses, equiped with your nursing knowledge, are utilized to assess, diagnose, plan, implement, and evaluate treatments rendered. You have the power to save lives and change lives. And the list goes on... Now on to the academic side of the fence. The first thing that comes to mind is that damn 7 point grading scale. That definitely takes some time to get accustomed to. Also, the sheer volume of material that you are expected to learn poses difficulty. While some of the information is abstract and hard to grasp concepts, most of it is memorization and application. Some teachers will supply comprehensive notes for class; you do not even have to crack a book to study. On the other hand, some teachers give skeleton outlines and you are expected to read the material from the book and be a 'self directed learner'. While in nursing school you always feel like you have something due or have a test approaching. There are papers for this class, assessments for another, a test here, and an project there. If you keep swimming and keep your head above the water the semester will be over before you know it. The same cycle repeats itself every semester until graduation.

It amazes me that there is such variation in grading among schools. I wonder if any graduate programs take your school's grading scale into account (I seriously doubt it). My first semester in nursing school all of my grades were above a 90, yet I only received one A. That was very frustrating to say the least. 100-93 A 86-92 B 79-85 C below 78.5...SOL

I earnestly thank all who posted in response to my questions. The replies are much greater than I had hoped. Each poster has a unique perspective on the subject matter, and these multiple perspectives are exactly what I am looking for in order to make an educated decision. This summer I plan on shadowing both CRNA's and MDA's. I will work in the ICU upon graduation, while at the same time attending a university to fulfull medical school prerequisites (a couple of organic chems and physics). I believe that this working experience will help me understand what I truly want to do with the rest of my life.

I am going to graduate with my BSN in December at age 22. It has been my goal for years to become a CRNA. I have thoroughly researched the profession (with help from some great posts on this forum) and I have fallen in love with it. Lately, though, I've been contemplating attending medical school. Reasons include: 1) I currently have no constraints (single, no children, geographic freedom, funds available) to attending medical school 2) The desire to further my education to a higher level 3) To "be all that I can be" 4) I am interested in many medical specialties including anesthesia, emergency medicine, surgery, orthopedics, and radiology I love nursing and everything that it represents. I am just at a crossroads in my life and I am trying to make the best decision possible for my future. I've had doctors tell me that CRNA is a wise decision and to not become a doctor. I have also read about CRNA's that proceeded to return to school and become MDA's. My primary concern is that I do not want work to completely overwhelm my life...I would prefer a fair balance between work and other aspects of life such as family. In the following questions I refer to only MDA's, but feel free to answer the questions regarding MD's in general. 1) What would you say were some advantages/disadvantages of being a CRNA over an MDA (ex. lifestyle, respect, work opportunities, etc.)? 2) If a person has the opportunity to become either a CRNA or a MDA, which one would you recommend?

Today I was talking to a recovery room nurse and she said that PACU experience is critical care. She also said that it would be the best unit to work in if you are interested in anesthesia school. Now, this makes sense to me, considering that in PACU you are dealing with the effects and after effects of anesthesia. So my question - Is PACU experience accepted for CRNA school? and if so, is it better or worse than ICU experience?