Sandman29

I applied to the following: 1. UMDNJ -- offered interview. I declined due to licence issues in NJ (turnaround time). 2. Allegheny Valley Hospital in PA-- offered interview. Did not accept interview. 3. U of Pittsburgh-- interviewed and liked the school but put on alternate list. 4. Mayo-- was declined an interview. 5. Villanova in PA-- was told I would interview for a spot for 2006. I declined that offer. 6. Case Western-- interviewed. They raked me over the coals. I was sure I bombed and they didn't like me. Then, I got an acceptance letter!! I almost had a coronary over that. I was so unsettled by the rough interview I decided not to attend. 7. U at Buffalo-- interviewed, loved the interview and info session. I start in Aug 2005. I'm nervous but in a good way. I can't wait to hit the books. Good luck to all of you out there in the same boat. --Sandman

Well, only a few more months and I'm off to Buffalo to start CRNA school. Classes start in August but I'm starting to get excited and nervous at the same time already. That's because I'm already well underway making plans with my family for the move. We're from Pennsylvania so this will be a significant relocation. We've just fininshed the final touches on our house to show it to the realtor tomorrow morning and put it on the market. Boy is that weird. We've been here 5 years and my kids have only known this place as home. The respiratory therapists at my hospital are training to intubate because the hospital is eliminating the on-call CRNA on eve's and nights in a month or two. That means the RT will intubate and we RN's will sedate and paralyze. Weird combo. Anyway, I was talking to my friend who's an RT and he said he did his training already and it was fun. I felt jealous and I can't wait to get in there myself. I work with some really great CRNA's and they've been very supportive in my application process. They say they LOVE what they do. I'm just worried about how difficult the program will end up being. I'm financially prepared to not work for the whole program. I figure that if I have some extra time I should spend it with my wife and kids. But I just wonder how I'll handle the pressure. I mean, it seems weird to think that I'll be performing general anesthesia on people in 3 years. Yikes! I've just been told by my ENT doctor that I need a septoplasty for my deviated septum and it requires genereal anesthesia. I'm freakin' scared to go as a patient (and CCRN). I hope that I'll be good at what I do and be able to put my patients at ease. I guess the beauty of being a CRNA is that at least your patients are knocked out when you're working with them. Isn't that fascinating? I think anesthesia is the coolest thing. How can it be that you can alter someone's level of consciousness that way that you can then operate on them and not have them feel pain or remember the proceedure? Weird. I can't wait to learn all about it. Well, for all you who read this who are heading off to school: good luck and I'll see you on the other side when we can proudly add the initials CRNA behind our names!

I thought the interview was a pleasant experience (after the fact). Of course I was nervous before hand, but I thought the interviewers were VERY pleasant and respectful and at times even funny! The questions were VERY clinical-- they picked my brain about stuff, but there were some basic questions also about why I want to be a CRNA too. I think it was the best well-balanced interview of all the schools I interviewed at. I think they got a good feel of my clinical knowledge, my personality, how I handle moderate pressure (I was nervous), and my goals in life. All in a short amount of time. They asked good questions that rightfully judge clinical knowledge and decision making, but they don't beat you over the head with very detailed obscure knowledge questions, like "Please name the 3 primary metabolites of the drug Pentazofil and each of their primary and secondary actions on the parasympathetic nervous systems of invertabrates". I think the reason I chose Buffalo was because I got a sense that the instructors and the head of the department Dr. Obst were just nice people. Not that the program won't be butt-kickin' hard, but it's a lot more tolerable with nice people. You know what I mean-- you can take History 101 with a jerk and struggle or you can take it with a great professor and they can make you WANT to learn and love the subject. I think I could enjoy learning at Buffalo. Oh, and Buffalo was very considerate about notifying me within a few weeks after the interview when I was accepted. That was nice too. Good luck at your interview!!! See you in the fall.

Hey, I'm glad I'm not the only one wondering about Pitt. I interviewed in November last year and haven't heard anything yet. I really liked the interview and the school, but I'm getting a bit frustrated. Initially, after the interview, they said we would hear yes/no within 2 weeks (that from John O'Donnell himself). Well, even after calling them in December they just said they're still interviewing people and they'd probably call me soon. Now it's January, 2 months later and nothing yet. I'm accepted at another school and I'll probably go there. It's just unusual that Pitt painted the picture of military precision but hasn't developed a straightforward way of interviewing and notifying candidates. I could live with a firm rejection notice, but the hurry up and wait thing is strange to say the least. The other school that did accept me had the director call me personally within two weeks after the interview and invite me to attend. That was a very nice touch. It gave me a sense of personal contact and personal attention. Well, if you hear yes or no let me know. I'll post if I hear something too.

I'm in! Can't wait for that COOOOOOOLD lake effect weather. I'd like to be able to contact as many of my future classmates as possible just to get to know you and share info on relocating to the area and registration etc. . . Feel free to email me anyone starting at Buffalo in Aug 05. --Sandman29 : :Snow: