RAnking of CRNA school

Nursing Students SRNA

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Does the ranking of the school matters when you apply for jobs?

The TCU School of Nurse Anesthesia has a great reputation in the nurse anesthesia community. The director of the school was the 2008 AANA Program Director of the Year and currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the Council on Accreditation. It is at the forefront of the DNP transition; being one of the few schools to now offer the BSN to DNP.

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I saw something kinda funny on the US News website that relates to this thread. As has been mentioned, US News rankings are formulated based on responses from various biased PDs or other biased representatives from each competing crna program. Moreover, as I just noticed, only 49% of surveys were completed. The competing interests *might* cancel out if all 113 schools that were surveyed responded, but less than half (49% = 55 schools) responded. IMO these rankings are garbage.

Responses in this thread have stated that some school's reputation within the CRNA community hold more clout than others. Nobody has been real specific as to how an aspiring student could figure that out though. Being that crna school costs as much time and money it does, I wish there was a more accurate, more objective gauge of quality. Does anybody have any pointers?

Btw I'm unconcerned w/ pass rates. Maybe students pass more b/c they are forced into classes instead of clinical experience. Maybe they accept students who do very well at standardized tests. Whatever. I value clinical experience much higher than first time pass rate and I'll study lots for boards irrespective of which school I go to.

Methodology: Best Health Schools Rankings - US News

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Specializes in ER, Trauma ICU, CVICU.
I saw something kinda funny on the US News website that relates to this thread. As has been mentioned, US News rankings are formulated based on responses from various biased PDs or other biased representatives from each competing crna program. Moreover, as I just noticed, only 49% of surveys were completed. The competing interests *might* cancel out if all 113 schools that were surveyed responded, but less than half (49% = 55 schools) responded. IMO these rankings are garbage.

Responses in this thread have stated that some school's reputation within the CRNA community hold more clout than others. Nobody has been real specific as to how an aspiring student could figure that out though. Being that crna school costs as much time and money it does, I wish there was a more accurate, more objective gauge of quality. Does anybody have any pointers?

Btw I'm unconcerned w/ pass rates. Maybe students pass more b/c they are forced into classes instead of clinical experience. Maybe they accept students who do very well at standardized tests. Whatever. I value clinical experience much higher than first time pass rate and I'll study lots for boards irrespective of which school I go to.

Methodology: Best Health Schools Rankings - US News

Well you just seem to have it all figured out then! Why on earth are you even bothering to ask?!

The only advise offered was what we have available to us. I know Baylor has an excellent reputation because I have taken the time to ask around about the program...I did that as an aspiring student. I have read the methodology on the US news and world report, but it is the only ranking system we have to go on, and from personal experience with different graduates, it appears to be somewhat accurate. Methodology garbage or not, the programs that are considered CRNA mills within the community and that consistently produce subpar graduates are near the bottom of the list. I'm not saying that there aren't exceptions.

You say you are unconcerned with pass rates. I think that is ridiculous. Of course you can be trained just for the test, but pass rates still matter...a lot. You are going to study hard no matter what program you get into not because you are so motivated, but because you have to in order to stay afloat. The best programs provide both excellent didactic and excellent clinical rotations.

I do think you are on the right track in seeking good clinical experiences. If your goal is to obtain good clinical experiences why don't you just review the experiences available in each program. How long is the clinical rotation? What is the quality of the clinical site(s)? How many cases on average does each graduate complete (and what types)? Do you get good regional experience? When some programs offer 18 months of clinical vs. 12 months, the choice should be clear to you.

I did a lot of research, asked a lot of questions, read blogs, googled, and honestly didn't feel like I had much trouble figuring out which programs were excellent, which were good and which weren't worth my application fee.

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Specializes in CRNA.

Passing boards is 75% the student, and 25% the program (I just made that up, but that's how it seems to me). If a program picks students who do well on standardized tests, and are motivated, they will have a high pass rate. Some excellent clinical practitioners are poor standardized test takers, but if the goal of the program is only to have a high pass rate then the poor standardized test taker might not be accepted into a program. If you look at the NCE scores over the past 20 years, there is a high correlation with younger age. For the past year, past rates by age were: 40: 77%. You can see this at: http://www.nbcrna.com/certification/SiteAssets/Pages/Program-Administration/NBCRNA%20Summary%20FY%202013%20NCE%20SEE%20Performance%20Transcript%20Report.pdf

So, if a program doesn't require the GRE and looks for candidates with more clinical experience (older) their pass rate will suffer. But the program may have excellent faculty and produce excellent clinical practitioners that employers want to add to their practice. Pass rates are a poor measure of quality of instruction. I think [COLOR=#003366]UnfinishedSentenc is looking at programs with the correct attitude. Try to figure out how the clinical experience will be. That is very difficult. Numbers don't tell the whole story. Maybe a program lists a large number of complex cases, but if the students are in an environment where CRNAs aren't allowed to make independent decisions, it's still not a good experience. I do think a longer clinical experience is a positive and that is something that you can find out.

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SweetdreameRN, I am considering applying to Baylor next spring. I see that you have said that they are preparing you to be an independent crna. Have you got to do any clinicals with crna-only groups? Have you done a lot of regional blocks? What all are they doing in the classroom and clinical setting to prepare you to be a confident, independent anesthetist?

I ask these questions because being an independent anesthesia provider at the end of my schooling is the most important factor guiding what schools i apply to.

Thanks!

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Specializes in ICU, transport, CRNA.

In my area there seems to be a bias against NA's who were trained at schools in the Southeast. They have a reputation of not being well trained, in particular for independent practice.

Schools here in the upper Midwest usually don't require the GRE but do require a lot of high quality ICU experience. They also have a great reputation for training independent practitioners.

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Specializes in ER, Trauma ICU, CVICU.

Go-GetterRN

I appreciate your questions and it seems that you are certainly on the right track. Baylor does not offer clinical sites outside the medical center of Houston. This is an advantage because all of your clinical sites are in a 2 mile radius (if that) and you will never have to commute or move. However, the CRNAs in the medical center have a lot of autonomy, but there are no all-CRNA groups. I do think that would be a nice addition to Baylor's clinical rotations. I do not think that it stunts the graduates whatsoever. I know several graduates that have gone on to work in independent settings after gradation.

From what I understand, regional blocks, central lines, and other skills are pretty much readily available at each clinical site. At Ben Taub there might be a little more competition with residents, but that is only 9 months of the 18 months of clinical rotation, and its not like you don't get to do them at all. I asked this same question on interview and the answer was pretty much that in order to get such amazing clinical experiences (Level I, CV, etc.) that we might have a little more competition for overall lines and blocks, but in the end we far exceed the minimums and have ample opportunities to become proficient.

Classroom education involves a robust sim-lab experience that definitely puts you on the spot and makes you think independently. We take classes that focus on the legal scope of practice of CRNAs (prescriptive authority, opt-out, supervision, etc). We take classes that focus on the business aspect of running your own practice or functioning as the chief CRNA (budgets, staffing, cost-effectiveness-analysis, etc). I was happy to learn that Baylor focuses on really molding you into a fully-functioning provider, including medicolegal, and business aspects of the job. I have never, never been told in class, to consult, ask or otherwise depend on an anesthesiologist for help. There are programs grooming grads for ACT. Baylor is not one of them.

No program is perfect, but I am so happy that I chose to come to Baylor. I hope you feel the same! Good luck with the application process, it is such a task that I felt like I deserved some type of certificate just for getting in! ;)

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Go-GetterRN

I appreciate your questions and it seems that you are certainly on the right track. Baylor does not offer clinical sites outside the medical center of Houston. This is an advantage because all of your clinical sites are in a 2 mile radius (if that) and you will never have to commute or move. However, the CRNAs in the medical center have a lot of autonomy, but there are no all-CRNA groups. I do think that would be a nice addition to Baylor's clinical rotations. I do not think that it stunts the graduates whatsoever. I know several graduates that have gone on to work in independent settings after gradation.

From what I understand, regional blocks, central lines, and other skills are pretty much readily available at each clinical site. At Ben Taub there might be a little more competition with residents, but that is only 9 months of the 18 months of clinical rotation, and its not like you don't get to do them at all. I asked this same question on interview and the answer was pretty much that in order to get such amazing clinical experiences (Level I, CV, etc.) that we might have a little more competition for overall lines and blocks, but in the end we far exceed the minimums and have ample opportunities to become proficient.

Classroom education involves a robust sim-lab experience that definitely puts you on the spot and makes you think independently. We take classes that focus on the legal scope of practice of CRNAs (prescriptive authority, opt-out, supervision, etc). We take classes that focus on the business aspect of running your own practice or functioning as the chief CRNA (budgets, staffing, cost-effectiveness-analysis, etc). I was happy to learn that Baylor focuses on really molding you into a fully-functioning provider, including medicolegal, and business aspects of the job. I have never, never been told in class, to consult, ask or otherwise depend on an anesthesiologist for help. There are programs grooming grads for ACT. Baylor is not one of them.

No program is perfect, but I am so happy that I chose to come to Baylor. I hope you feel the same! Good luck with the application process, it is such a task that I felt like I deserved some type of certificate just for getting in! ;)

Thanks for the detailed response! I'm most likely going to apply to Baylor and a few other places next year. Baylor is my number 1 option because I feel like they will be the best as far as the academic side goes. I'm not counting on getting accepted because it is such a prestigious school, but I will at least apply and see what happens! I'm also going to apply to some other schools (prob in the midwest) for their strong clinical experience. Hopefully I will get accepted somewhere with my little amount of ICU exp (1 year.) Congrats on being accepted, it really is a big accomplishment. Good luck with the rest of the program!

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As a Charleston Area Medical anesthesia school graduate I would NOT recommend this program. NO HANDS ON Regional experience!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No hands on line placements!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Try that resume and find some one that wants you. Good Luck!!

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don't apply at CAMC in charleston. NO REGIONAL or CENTRAL PLACEMENT. YOU get to watch only!!!!!!!

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