research/teaching as a CRNA

[meredithxm]

I apologize if this has been asked before. I work in clinical research and LOVE it. One thing that has been bothering me about taking the plunge into the Nurse anesthetist world is that I havent heard much about research/teaching opportunities. When I am older and wayyyy more experienced I would love to teach at the graduate level.. Is there anyone here who does a lot of research or is in academia?

[mwbeah]

That's exactly why we must obtain the credentials required to conduct our own research. When I am finished, my PhD will be non-nursing related (i.e neuroscience), therefore I have the background and own research to write grants and conduct additional research. I won't need another author with an advanced degree because I will have it. Have your friend write the grant himself or just continue on with the research, he doesn't have to have the other author....but it sounds like he is in the clinical environment which makes it tough. My advisors are people with doctorates in physiology, neuroscience, pharmacology, etc. It is not a medical program, it is a graduate program in biomedical sciences. When I am finished, it is up to me as to what and when I conduct research. Unfortunately, roughly 1% of CRNAs have a doctorate in the biomedical sciences. I still have a long way to go, but we have to have people in the field with the background and credentials to support other CRNAs in their research endeavors. In fact, student anesthetist will need our support when they conduct their master's research. Someone has got to be there for them and guide them through the process. It helps them and it helps the CRNA community.

Mike

[meredithxm]

wow what a deal. This is unfortunate because where I work NP's can be principal investigators(i dont know what they have to go through to get there though) I assumed it would be that way for CRNAs as well. so naive......

I was discussing this very topic with a friend of mine the other day. He mentioned that, while he was in school, a CRNA instructor of his was met with great resistance when she proposed a clinical trial to the director of anesthesiology at her hospital. Apparently he told the CRNA that nurse anesthetists do not conduct research. Although she designed the trial, wrote the proposal, and did everything else that was required, the director of anesthesiology insisted that she include a MD faculty member so that he could essentially ride the CRNAs' coattails and advance himself up the academic ladder. It's a shame, although certainly a reality, that those CRNAs dedicated enough to advance our profession are confronted with such opposition.