I'm a senior in high school currently. I have been researching for a six figure job that takes less than 8 years of education. I have found several over the past month but recently I found out about CRNAs who have the best money to education ratio by far. What I want is a job that I can go home with a smile and a heavy paycheck. Satisfactory seems to be amazing with this job and the pay is above what I was aiming for.
I never looked into the medical field until now yet it seems like something I could really get into. The reason for having less than 8 years of education is so I don't waste all of my youth. I know there are plenty of alternatives but, CRNA seems like a safe route to a happy and successful life.
This is the biggest decision of my life so I'm not taking it lightly. I do not want to switch my career and waste my time picking a direction through life. So before I make it I want to know exactly what I'm getting into.
I want to know from people who have been through this already, why or why not CRNA? Any advice or additional tips will be very appreciated.
Also anything that you found surprising or caught you off guard while becoming CRNA? As in is it what you expected?
(How hard the schooling is for CRNA is not one of my concerns)
My thoughts were similar. If you're focused on the $ and the time frame there are plenty of educational opportunities that will pay (maybe only a little at first) after 8 years (such as med school, just to name one).
NOT to say that becoming a nurse of any type is at all a poor career choice, even at at your young age. I'm sorry if my first reply made it seem like that. From your posts you seem much more articulate and mature at 17-18 than many with whom I have studied and so you may already have a reasonable idea of what field you want to be in.
The path to CRNA is around 10 years. It takes a lot of work to get there. When I started nursing school, my class had around 100 people. I would guess 30+ of those said they were going to nursing school to be CRNAs. Out of all those people, I am the only person who actually went through with it.
It is doable, but nearly the same amount of time to be an anesthesiologist (10 vs 12). All CRNA schools are moving to doctoral schemas by 2022, so you will have at least 3 years of CRNA school by the time you can get it.
It is worth the time in my opinion, but there are much easier ways to make six figures.
My friend decided when she was 12 she was going to be a CRNA. She is graduating this year at the age of 34. I won't say don't go into it for the money but make sure you know what you're doing.
You have to want to be a NURSE first and foremost. A CRNA I worked with who wrote my letter of recommendation said the best applicants loved being ICU nurses. You aren't guaranteed an ICU nursing job, especially if you say you want to just be a CRNA. I was a peer interviewer at my last job and if someone mentioned they only wanted to be a CRNA we had second guesses about them. Also, I moved from a wonderful city I loved to a city I hated for 4 years because there were no ICU jobs. You really aren't guaranteed a job.
That being said, I am very excited to begin CRNA school, except for the massive amount of debt I'm taking out. Let's put it this way with the debt: I'll probably live paycheck to paycheck for the next 5 years after graduating.
I loved the ICU but didn't want to do it forever--the money wasn't bad in my area (and it's good in Northern California:many RNs will take home 100k according to my friend up there) but I wanted more independence and less back aches.
I'd suggest trying to shadow some RN's if you haven't already to see what nursing is like, and make sure you enjoy that. I'd hate to tell you to go for it and have you not be accepted to CRNA school and despise work as an RN.
FYI. Pay isn't that great and jobs aren't plentiful in metropolitan areas
Where are you getting this from? Pay is 150-180 starting as far as I know (on the higher end in rural areas) and all schools I've checked out in metropolitan areas have a 100% employment rate after graduation. COA posts these.
Where I work for example they are getting rid of anesthesiologists and hiring more CRNAs. The job prospects for CRNAs is growing.
Starting salary for new graduates in Chicago is 120s - 130s. Higher numbers you might see on gaswork are for 1099 jobs that you have to pay for malpractice insursnce, medical / dental, retirement, taxes, etc..
Rural is the way to go to make money and have more autonomy.
Where I work for example they are getting rid of anesthesiologists and hiring more CRNAs. The job prospects for CRNAs is growing.
I had a hospital administrator tell me the other day that this is becoming a national trend in hospitals. Phasing out anesthesiologist contracts and bringing in CRNA's, who can perform the same job independently, on a cheaper pay scale.
Not every state & especially hospitals allow independent practice for CRNAs. Will it get there? Eventually, but for now this is the practice climate. Fact is that in Chicago, for example, there are a fixed number of positions and many new grads. That drives the salary down. The only way to combat that is by having new graduates turn down the lower paying positions, but when you're facing 80-100k in school loans and you're being offered a job in a large city, most people jump on that opportunity. It devalues the profession. Rural is the way to go to make money - there's incentive. No one wants to live there so they'll pay more.
It's a great professional and there are opportunities to make money, but salaries aren't as good as they once were. Maybe once more States and hospitals allow independent practice and not the current ACT model, salaries will go back up. But until then, schools are churning out 100s - 1000s of new graduates every year. Also, AAs are lobbying to be allowed to practice in many states, and they have the backing of the ASA. AAs = job security for ASA because they have no chance of independent practice.
As for the OP - if you have the chance, go to medical school and become an MDA. You'll make WAY more money, and after residency you won't be doing the grunt work of maintaining anesthesia.
The path to CRNA is around 10 years. It takes a lot of work to get there. When I started nursing school, my class had around 100 people. I would guess 30+ of those said they were going to nursing school to be CRNAs. Out of all those people, I am the only person who actually went through with it.
It is doable, but nearly the same amount of time to be an anesthesiologist (10 vs 12). All CRNA schools are moving to doctoral schemas by 2022, so you will have at least 3 years of CRNA school by the time you can get it.
It is worth the time in my opinion, but there are much easier ways to make six figures.
I found the anesthesiologist route before I found the CRNA route. What scared me off was the amount of time spent on education. As an anesthesiologist I would spend 13 years on education (I expect myself to complete the fellowship).
Correct me if I'm wrong-
CRNAs spend 4 years on BSN
1-2 years experience afterwards.
2-3 years on nurse anesthesia.
That's 7-9 years.
I'm not sure exactly what makes the time differentiate but, I have a feeling it's how well you do in school and what you get accepted into.
I expect to be ahead of the crowd, so 7 years seems like my time.
"All CRNA schools are moving to doctoral schemas by 2022"-
I don't know what this is about, if you could provide an article or explain it in further detail that would be awesome!
On a side note-
I know that there are endless amounts of alternatives, yet I'm interested in this one specifically for the following reasons:
I find science extremely interesting.
I love independence.
I love to help and give people advice.
I do not want to be concerned with work outside work hours.
I love being active, both physically and mentally.
I want a high salary.
I want flexibility.
I do not want:
A great paying job that I dread going to.
A job I worry about after work hours.
A job that isn't challenging.
A job that isn't meaningful.
A job that is risky; one that has a chance of failing no matter how good I do.
If you find something else that fits my puzzle then please share!
jayrow
34 Posts
My thoughts were similar. If you're focused on the $ and the time frame there are plenty of educational opportunities that will pay (maybe only a little at first) after 8 years (such as med school, just to name one).
NOT to say that becoming a nurse of any type is at all a poor career choice, even at at your young age. I'm sorry if my first reply made it seem like that. From your posts you seem much more articulate and mature at 17-18 than many with whom I have studied and so you may already have a reasonable idea of what field you want to be in.