Med school to CRNA

[HouseDO2b?]

Hey all,

Just a few quick questions. I'm currently a first-year medical student who has been interested in Anesthesiology. However, I am learning that a lot of what we learned will eventually be irrelevant to practice after specialization, and I'm actually pretty bored and lament the duration of the education, for now. (Regardless of what others say, medical school is not conceptually difficult)

I am just curious what CRNA admission people would think about a previous medical student who decided to change paths. I don't have a BSN or anything, but I could easily pick one up in an accelerated program, especially after a year of med school.

[AdonaiLoveable]

Hello HouseDO2b,

Have you considered the career of Anesthesia Assistant (AA)? These are anesthesia providers trained in the medical model similarly to Physician Assistants. Their programs require the same pre-med courses you took to get into medical school so you wouldn't have to take extra coursework or get another baccalaureate degree. There are only four schools who train people to become AA's and my limited understanding of that profession is that they provide anesthesia services and care just like CRNAs do, but they work under the license of a physician (like PAs do) rather than their own license like CRNAs and NPs do.

Check them out at the following websites I googled:

http://www.asahq.org/career/aa.htm

http://www.anesthesiaassistant.com/index.html

[ICURN2CRNA]

CRNAs and AAs don't do the same thing... CRNAs do not need supervision by an Anesthesiologist. Each state and hospital has bylaws that govern practice, but no federal law mandates that CRNAs be supervised, AAs need supervision.

[dfk, RN, CRNA]

CRNAs and AAs don't do the same thing... CRNAs do not need supervision by an Anesthesiologist. Each state and hospital has bylaws that govern practice, but no federal law mandates that CRNAs be supervised, AAs need supervision.

i think this is what the previous poster did say.. and essentially, yes, they DO provide the same type services..

you may get some slack from AAs, so be ready ~

[wanttobeacrna]

Finish med school and then try for anesthesiology....Patience is a virtue!! and well worth it!!

[gasmaster]

To finish what I'm doing now is at least 6 more years

If I decided to leave and get a CRNA, it is around 1.5 for the accelerated BSN, 1 working in an ICU, and 2 for the CRNA, so about 4.5 years minimum.

I'll stick around and see what happens. I hear things get better second year.

It sounds like burnout to me. Trust me, the grass isn't necessarily greener over here. Your addition is a bit off, as most CRNA programs are 2.5 years or longer. Some are now moving from 28 to 30 months or more. So, count on at least 5 years min. for the CRNA. When you think about it, what's one more year? I mean, as a doc you will be making 2 to 3 x the salary of the CRNA. I say stay where you are. My ex was an anesthesiologist and he hated his first year also, but by the 3rd year he said it was the easiest thing. 4th year he said was a virtual blow-off. His residency wasn't bad at all. And remember, you do get to draw a salary while in residency, unlike during CRNA school where it is just impossible to work.

[RNPQT]

I know a physician whose wife is a CRNA, and have heard him talk about cutting back his practice because of the malpractice insurance, and letting his wife be the main breadwinner (because she does not have to pay as much). Food for thought...:yeahthat:

[DermNP2Be]

There is considerable overlap in the prereqs for BSN and premed programs (my wife is a RN), particularly anyone who took additional courses outside of the requirements. Of the things I am missing (undergrad level Micro and A&P) I don't think they will be a problem after having these in med school.

I agree and I feel that you can "pick up a degree easily". Undergrad is considerably easier for some than others and I don't think you meant it the way it might've come off. You are exactly right. I was pre-med before switching to nursing- I had even studied for the MCAT and took the OAT (for optometry school). I was interested in nursing, ophthalmology and anesthesia. After a lot of soul searching, I decided on the CRNA route because I think that is where I'll be happiest and I won't owe a gazillion dollars in student loans when I get out. And my pre-med classes did considerably overlap what I needed for my BSN- the only additional classes I had to take were A & P I and II and nutrition. When my sister had her baby, I took the opportunity to talk to the anesthesiologist that was handling her. When I asked him about anesthesiology and the fact that I want to be a CRNA, I hardly got the words out of my mouth before he exclaimed "I wish I would've went that route!" There's a lot of factors that influence the decision; when speaking with him, he told me that the education with the residency is considerably longer, he owes so much in student loans, and his biggest concern was the fact that he was engaged and wanted to start a family soon but the hours for anesthesiologists suck! He said he'd much rather have the hours of the CRNA. So, I would look at all those factors and maybe talk to some anesthesiologists that are able to be objective and truthful (and have nothing against CRNA's that would yield a biased opinion).

[bucknangler]

No offense to anyone, but he is in "DO" school and not "MD" school. There is a fine line between the two and it is harder for a DO to become an anesthesiologist than an MD. Though it can be done. Look at the stats, the average DO school has 75% of his student's go into primary care; and only 25% go into specialties. And usually, these specialties are rarely anesthesiolgy, but emergency medicine and the like. This is compared to MD schools where usually 50% of their students go into specialties. I was sitting talking to a neurologist and a DO resident who is at school in Kentucky. Anyways, they were talking about salary and how the primary care DO will strugle to break 100K-150K a year. And their salary is shrinking. But look at the CRNA, their salaries are continuing to rise.

My advise, follow your heart, not the money. And I think your heart has been set on becoming a doctor since your childhood. Now you're 90% done with completing your dream. The hard part (getting into med school) is over. Stick with it! You are going to be a great doctor!

And as another person has stated, a lot of people only wish they can be in DO school, like myself. I'm in nursing school!