Top Choices

AmiK25 · Jan 24, 2003

Because there is not an anesthesia school in Indiana, my husband and I will have to move for me to go to school. We are going to try to stay as close to the area as possible as my husband has a son from a previous marriage and we would still try to see him at least every third weekend or so. So, my top choices are the University of Cincinnati and the Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia in Nashville, TN. Rush University is also on my list put it is really expensive and I don't think we can afford to live in Chicago.

louloubell1 · Jan 24, 2003

This will sound rude, but please don't take it that way. I really don't mean it to be flippant, but are you serious? Georgetown, Duke, & Columbia? Well, I guess it's good to have aspirations, so let me just say . . . Way to set extremely high goals girl (or guy. . . sorry, I shouldn't just assume! lol. I swear I don't mean to be rude. I myself am aiming for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Just finished filling out the application for the fall of 2004. I'm nervous . . . .

Lou

Convicted of placenta previa & serving time on couch arrest ~ Day 22

peds2bee · Jan 24, 2003

i dont think that your comment was offensive. i do know that thoses schools are hard to get into. like i said, i would go to any crna program because they are all good. if i had to choose though...... georgetown, duke, and columbia are my top choices. :)

EmeraldNYL, BSN, RN · Jan 24, 2003

I want to go to a CRNA program in Philly because I don't want to move! Other than that, I'll happily go to which ever one I get accepted to!

meandragonbrett · Jan 25, 2003

RNlou,

It is possible. One of the guys on here is at georgetown.

louloubell1 · Jan 25, 2003

Oh, I know it's possible. Somebody has to be able to get in, lol.

g8rlimey · Jan 25, 2003

Vanita03

Let me first say that I applied at VCU, G-town, and Duke, and was accepted at VCU before I heard from the other 2 and that's where I am heading in the fall. Although these schools you mentioned have great names, they might not necessarily be the best programs. As the adage goes, One man's junk is another man's treasure, but I know my gut told me alot when I got to the schools and looked around and really made me decide what I wanted out of my experiences. When I was at VCU, I really felt welcome, and they tried very hard to sell their program to me---which was an important factor in my decision-making.

I guess what I am trying to say is don't go at it based on name alone. Who's to say one's experiences at a small, unknown school won't blow the experiences of another at a large school out of the water?

I hope this doesn't sound too patronizing, but all the best in your endeavor.

MICU RN · Jan 25, 2003

I agree with Sam's post 100%; as a matter of fact, when it come to professional programs I would put the expensive private universities at the bottem of my list. Why? Because at that level, all the programs ( private, state, small or large), have to meet certain standards. Therefore, there is usually not that much of a difference in terms of academic quality or board pass rate when contrasting all the programs. However, I did say usually and I am sure there are exceptions. But don't be fooled into thinking just because you go to a big time university and pay big bucks that you will have a huge advantage in getting a better job once you graduate. It may work like that in some professions or general undergraduate programs, but as I said with this type of program the employers realize that each school has to meet high standards and that if you passed your boards you will be considered a good prospect to hire no matter where you attended school.

I learned this lesson while working at an academic hospital where medical students from a local state university and a local private university trained. As you can image, the private school has a better known national reputation than the state. However, over the years I have had many of the students who attended the private med school say that if they had to do it over they would have tried to go to a state school because the extra money, they usually paid 2 to 3 times as much, was not worth it. When I asked them how come? They would say because all the programs have to meet certain national standards which assure that that all graduates will be able to pass there boards. Therefore, there is not a huge difference in the quality of the programs, like you would have in other curriculums where there is no boards to take after graduation and the school name may give you a big advantage in getting a job.

So after looking into crna programs, I have concluded the same probably holds true. As a matter of fact, since most crna's who graduate will go to work in a clinical setting as opposed to trying to do a competive residency or research it probably applies to crna's more than medical doctors. Just my take on it and why my first choice will be my local state university.

Now, I do realize that not everyone has a local state university they can attend and that they will have to go out of state. Also, as an out of state resident the state schools then become almost as expensive as the private schools.

louloubell1 · Jan 25, 2003

Absolutely, you're right g8rlimey. Mea maxima culpa. I guess I'm just too afraid of massive amounts of rejection to imagine putting all my tender little eggs into such prestigious baskets (even if it's just the names of the baskets that scare me).

g8rlimey · Jan 26, 2003

I am sorry for posting to you RNLou, I realized my mistake this afternoon and edited my post---but thx for continuing in the conversation.

nilepoc · Jan 26, 2003

MICU RN, check your numbers, but my program in tuition, will only cost me about $30,000, the same amount my friend is paying at a smaller school.

But as Sam says, go where you feel it is the best program for you. I chose Georgetown, because I wanted a clinical site without residents (not availible at G-towns hospital, you have to go to Sinai, or another outlying site), access to good instruction, (I thought it was important to not be taught on the nursing model of teaching. I think nursing style education coddles the student too much). Currently, I am taking classes that are the same as the Med students.

I got into G-town, even though I thought i wouldn't, they were my pie in the sky school, as in, the application only costs 75$ why not apply. So try for a couple of schools you thin you might not get into, you might get a suprise.

Anyway, don't limit yourself, apply where you want, and throw some gimmies in there too.

Craig