sleeper

Hi, I felt compelled to respond to your post. Especially after reading the reply you got. I am a CRNA. There could have been no better choice for me. I wasted 10 years of my life working at another job before going back to school and landing in the medical profession. Don't waste time. Ask to go into a hospital and see CRNA's at work. You will find few of us that are unhappy with what we do. Yes, we get stressed out. But the work is rewarding. The hours arn't bad, and the pay, well, I make over 100k before benifits. Go directly to a four year nursing program. Keep a grade point above 3.25. Get an ICU job, prefferably a cardiovascular ICU or SICU. After completing one year of ICU, start sending out the applications. Do not hold back. Send them to every shcool with a high pass rating on the national certifying exam. (say, 90% or better) Most schools last 27 months average and you leave with a masters degree. You don't need it before you start. The cost of school is significantly less than that of an anesthesiologist. You can work in a wide variety of places and get there in less time. You have less pressure on you than MD's have, and you can do almost anything they can. Granted, you will not have the MD behind your name, and you will not have the extensive medical training, but will know anesthesia. Crna schools are getting better and more competitive all the time. Pay is going up and working conditions are improving. Hospitals need cost effective and safe means of providing anesthesia, and we are it. We don't threaten the jobs of MDA's, we all have a role in anesthesia. But I believe ours is the best role. Good luck, sleeper