Someone from St. Mary's University of MN?

Nursing Students SRNA

Published

I've been accepted into the Nurse Anesthesia Program for 2011, and I'd like to know how time off/vacation works at St. Mary's during the classes and clinicals. Thanks!:up:

I have heard from more than a few students that this program is a disaster...

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Specializes in ICU, SICU, Burns, ED, Cath lab, and EMS.

Hi,

I attended this program in previous years. Unfortunately, I was one of the outliers as far as students and didn't graduate. The program is front loaded with most academic classes the first year. Anesthesia concepts are put into practice during an introductory clinical- 1 day/ week in Surgery dept. No guarentee you'll be in OR more than 5-6 days out of 18. The lucky ones go to Regions. The clinical program in the second year offers many great experiences at a variety of sites. Many places have great preceptors, but there are those who like to see students flonder. If you demonstrate problems clinically, your improvement depends on clinical sites and preceptors. The school definitely be more supportive. Its not a disaster, but its a contrast to other programs in town. Feel free to PM me.

Skip

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Skip. It sounds like you went through a lot with that program. I am sorry to hear that you

did not finish? If you don't mind me asking what do you think contributed to you not finishing?

Thanks for your insight.

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Specializes in ICU, SICU, Burns, ED, Cath lab, and EMS.

It was a combination of self-doubt, listening too much to negative providers, and death of family member. Saying the wrong thing at the wrong time around a p@ssed off surgeon.

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I am sorry to hear. hope everything work out for you.

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I was dismissed from this program with 12 weeks remaining in the program. I am now in contact with other students spanning 17 years (yes seventeen! and the list I have acquired is growing!) at this school and I have found that it is generally common for this to happen. The significance of this late dismissal is that most of the credits, and thus expenses, occur at the beginning of this program. Thus, in my case, I had three remaining credits. In other words, I had already taken 61 credits of this program. Furthermore, the first event that lead to my dismissal involved a site that has a history of being very very hard on students. In my case I was screamed in the OR while I was intubating a patient. Intubations are probably the most sensitive intervention anesthetists do. There were also some very overt miscommunications to me via the syllabus and clinical educators from the school. WHen I told the Dean of this school, and the clinical director, the did not advocate on my behalf in any way whatsoever. They immediately placed me on probation, and deferred to the screaming belligerent doctor as the "expert," and thus worthy of absolute deference. In so many words, I was shocked.

As I have found, spanning many years, my treatment is not uncommon. The school does very little, if anything, to help students, which one would think would be the goal of education. If you have any special needs, if you are an older student with a family, or if you feel like you may need help during your school, this program is NOT for you.

Though not advertised, the attrition rate at this school is always at least 10%. That means at least 4 students WILL NOT graduate. I have accounts of students having a job and being within weeks of graduation being dismissed. Even with support from the potential employer, the school would not graduate this person. YIKES!

If I knew then what I know now, I would not have gone to this school. If this was the only school I got accepted to, and I knew this information, I would continue to apply, or pursue a different specialty.

Finally, please know that when you get so far along in a program that requires you to be a full-time student, you will also accrue a huge financial burden. In my case, as in most others I am in communication with, the debt with 1 or 2 semester left is over $100,000. I have $120,000, and I am older. Going to another program and spending the time and money may not be realistic. Therefore, I will have monthly payments that may cause me to lose my house, etc.

At times I feel totally helpless. But, most of the time I feel like justice needs to be served. Maybe the best justice, for me, would be that people see this school as it is, a profiteer, and choose NOT to apply here. If you do, GODSPEED TO YOU!!!!!

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I graduated from the program several years ago and I can assure anyone that applies that if you get dismissed from the program it is either academic (which you can come back the next year and retake the class. (at least in the past it was)) or because you are not cutting it as a provider period!!!! The school wants you to graduate but they do not want to graduate incompetence as YOU represent CRNAs everywhere. We don't want mediocre providers out there providing anesthesia to anyone. When you are in the program keep your mouth shut and do your job in a safe and competent manner and you will have zero problems. Stay off the Dean's radar and you will have no problems. It is a good school although I believe the anesthesia part back then was more self study. The A&P part by scott schauss is I believe the best in the country. The guy is phenomenal!!!! Study, mind your own business, and staff of everyone's radar and you will do fine. Remember when you bath mouth anybody ANYWHERE it will get back to the program director. SO KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!!! I cannot over emphasize this.

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As a future student to this school, reading Yikes75's comments makes me nervous. I appreciate 22gawhitacre's advice though. I have read this type of advice from students in other CRNA programs, so I am sure these types of issues are not SMU specific. I guess I'll find out for sure next year.

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I have heard way to much inside information to have a postitive option about this school.

Ask how many students and CRNA's from USM if they respect scott schauss? Maybe a great speaker but way to much BS about info that is just not needed in the field. (I have seen MSA's work load compared to schauss' crap) To me MSA seems to really understand exactly what you need to know, the why, and thats it....not volumues and volumes of **** for the sake of giving you volumes and volumes of ****) maybe I'm wrong just me.

What kind of learn environment is it when the common factor that students tell other people is to keep a low profile and keep your mouth shut?

Is this a school or 1930's Germany? crazy, step back and ask yourself if it is normal to have to mind your own business just to survive in a school. I would think a student should be active, engauged in the process of learning with the awesome direction/guidance of real CRNAs.....not watching your step by a guy that is NOT a crna.....again just me....its your money/time.

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Yikes! This has me a little worried! Ether Bunny how's it going?

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I spoke with a recent grad who stated much the same. Not enough support or backup from the school

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