questions about CRNA school

[lmarti10]

I am planning to *hopefully* go to CRNA school next fall. I've had an interview at VCU and have two more coming up - Georgetown and University of Maryland.

Does anyone out there attend these schools? input? do you feel supported by your professors if you are struggling in class or clinical? what are your options if you are struggling?

Are you able to have a social life at all? Go out on a Saturday night?

I am so excited to go back to school, but I have read some posts from other people about how awful CRNA school is and how some people actually wish they would fail out so they don't have to be so miserable in school - this absolutely terrifies me! I guess I am just looking for reassurance that it is possible to still enjoy life while in school and not feel like you are completely drowning.

thanks for the input!

[gazpaz]

Take a nice vacation because your life will dramatically change. It is all encompassing for 3 years. I basically had no life, spent most of my free time reading, studying, preparing for clinicals. I spent weekends in the cadaver lab before anatomy exams and went to every free lab session they had. This is your education, you should make the most of it. I would really "party" after an exam by scheduling lunch or some afternoon activity to see non-Srna friends.

I had Georgetown as my primary site (went there too), in DC students are used as staff. I would easily put in 60-80 hrs of clinical time each week. SRNAs and residents cover the in-house call 24/7 too. You get to the hospital around 6am and we would leave when our ORs were done, or stay to cover the 24 hr call shift. OB was only 24 call shifts for that entire month. In addition there is class 1 day and week and studying for clinical rotations, school and boards. You do get "vacation" time, but because of clinical rotations it isn't the normal vacation times of the year.