What should I say?

[Young-one]

Lately when I tell people that I want to be a CRNA, they say I should shoot for doctor instead of just a nurse. I know why I would rather choose Nurse Anesthetist but I don't know what to tell them. What would you say?

[tfleuter, BSN, RN]

It's interesting, because when I mention to people I would like to be a CRNA, no one has ever suggested becoming a MDA instead. Mostly, people don't even know what a CRNA is.

If you know why you would rather be a NA, then tell people just that. I guess I just don't understand where the difficulty lies, unless you really don't know why you would choose one over the other, or are embarassed by your reasons (which you shouldn't be!)

[loveanesthesia]

As a high school senior I was called into the guidance counselor's office and told I should go to Med school instead of nursing because I was "too smart". That still annoys me, I just told him that I wanted to be a nurse and not a doctor. I've never regretting becoming a nurse. You don't have to tell them anything, just smile and nod and do what you want.

[poppy07]

what are your reasons for crna vs. mda? just curious. i'd like the extra knowledge you gain in med school, but i definitely don't want to do 80 hours a week through all different rotations in areas that i know i don't want any part of. i chose nursing over med-school while i was completing my pre-med courses because i realized all the opportunities available to nurses, and a more involved approach to patient care.