RE: Arizona- Midwestern Univ. NA Program

big sweet life · May 4, 2006

Hello again....just bringing this to the top again....anyone out there familiar with this program?

kcwolf200 · May 4, 2006

I looked into this program a little and was going to apply. My reason for wanting to apply there was because I have family in Phoenix. I was unable to find anyone that was familiar with the program and all I knew about it was what I found on their website.

Long story short, I did not apply and was accepted to TWU. Sorry this isn't much help, but I thought at least one person should reply. Good luck.

MmacFN · May 4, 2006

hey there

Im from AZ and have 2 friends in the program. I decided not to apply there for a couple of reasons.

Due to the power of Valley anesthesia clinical sites are few and far inbetween. They are basically a massive group of MDAs who said they wernt going to even let the program start. When that didnt work they started threatening contracts if hospitals allowed SRNAs to do clinicals at their facilities. In short, its curren tly a hostile environment here for CRNAs.

This has caused the school to have 70% of their clinicals in other states including the east coast as far away as maine, colorado, new mexico etc. The cost of travel, food, housing is 100% the students responsibility. A 73K program isnt cheap and when you add another 20K orso for expense... well you might as well goto a school where he clinicals are in the same state.

deepz · May 4, 2006

......clinicals in other states including the east coast as far away as maine, colorado, new mexico.....

Wow, dude, your antipathy toward their former Program Director for her having dissed your FN experience seems to skew your response here. Don't allow your personal feelings to prejudice wannbees against Midwestern. You don't like it --fine. Allow others to form their own opinions without prejudice.

I work with Midwestern students frequently. Yes, it's a new program; bumps in the road are not unexpected. Emphatically, these students do very, very well clinically, and they know their scholastic stuff too.

Maine, yes, that would be some distance. But don't overestimate the power of the Phoenix MDAs. Midwestern does have students in clinical sites in Phoenix -- and you surely know this, but you fail to mention it. Please -- as to distance, New Mexico and Colorado are contiguous with Arizona, dude.

...... The cost of travel, food, housing is 100% the students responsibility........

Not true.

Certain clinical sites subsidize Midwestern students (and other students as well). The degree of help varies, but some go so far as to furnish room and board 100%.

Get you facts straight, my friend, before you go poisoning the well.

deepz

MmacFN · May 5, 2006

Hey deepz

My issue with that program director is over since she was replaced. I have nothing against midwesterns program, but if wea re going to be honest there is one major issue, clinical sites.

There are only a few that i am aware of in AZ. Maricopa County hospital (i believe they take 5-10 students), Mayo (takes only mayo employees in the program there is one, my friend), Del Webb hospital (JUST accepted). None of these hospitals allow CRNAs to do any of the major cases. No neuro, hearts, etc. So all of that has to be done at other locations. This is a major issue for people who are choosing midwestern to stay in AZ.

As to the clinical site helping with room and board; the program director and the students i know in the program both said this is rare and you should be prepared to pay for costs yourself. I can only go by what current students have told me.

As for the power of valley anesthesia, im not underestimating then, i work here remember? I know exactly how they feel and i know how many contracts they have throughout the valley. What isnt changing is the fact that, currently, CRNAs do very little in this state and as long as that is true the clinical sites wont exist for the major cases. That has nothing to do with midwester, it is the culture of the area which is slow to change.

Deepz, i did not poison anything. What i said was 70% of clinical sites are currently out of state. This is quoted from the director and indictes that 30% must be in state. colorado may be attached, that dosent make it in state. Also, the reason this is the case, the local MDA group, is also a direct quote from the director and MDAs here in the area.

Anyway. Ive talked to two good friends at the school. They both really enjoy the program and the professors. There are no real issues with the actual didatic. They all have the same concerns and its all in relation to having to travel all over the place for clinical sites. If this is OK with you, no big deal. If your wanting to goto midwesterns because you have a family and want to stay in the state for your education its something to consider. Its as simple as that.

Wow, dude, your antipathy toward their former Program Director for her having dissed your FN experience seems to skew your response here. Don't allow your personal feelings to prejudice wannbees against Midwestern. You don't like it --fine. Allow others to form their own opinions without prejudice.
I work with Midwestern students frequently. Yes, it's a new program; bumps in the road are not unexpected. Emphatically, these students do very, very well clinically, and they know their scholastic stuff too.
Maine, yes, that would be some distance. But don't overestimate the power of the Phoenix MDAs. Midwestern does have students in clinical sites in Phoenix -- and you surely know this, but you fail to mention it. Please -- as to distance, New Mexico and Colorado are contiguous with Arizona, dude.

...... The cost of travel, food, housing is 100% the students responsibility........

Not true.

Certain clinical sites subsidize Midwestern students (and other students as well). The degree of help varies, but some go so far as to furnish room and board 100%.

Get you facts straight, my friend, before you go poisoning the well.

deepz

MmacFN · May 5, 2006

A couple of people have questioned the number of clinical sites avaliable for the CRNA program at midwestern.

623/572-3215 or 888/247-9277.

Get it from the source, midwestern AZ campus itself.

big sweet life · May 7, 2006

Thank you both for differing perspectives and information. That is what I was looking for. Any other input from sources familair with the program would be much appreciated. Thanks again.