Why Mayo CRNA program is not top rated?

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Mayo Clinic is ranked 2nd best hospital in U.S. and its medical school is ranked 22nd (top 1/8) among 163 medical schools. Its CRNA program rank is much lower, tied at 30th (top 1/3) out of 92 accredited programs. Most of top medical schools ahead of Mayo have no CRNA program, I just naturally thought that Mayo CRNA should be the top 10% and it is not the case. This is also reflected in the application pools. There is extremely strong interest to Mayo Medical School as it has the lowest acceptance rate --2.7%, even lower than Harvard (4.7%) and John Hopkins(5.6%). But Mayo CRNA program isn't nearly close to that level of interest. It has normally 120 applicants a year and admits 30, so the acceptance rate is about 25%. I feel the 25% rate in CRNA is above the average as a lot of programs accept only 5-10% of applicants. The 2 geographically closest programs, Minnesota VA and Franciscan Skemp, has attracted more interest per position wise as they all have about 10% acceptance rate.

In my opinion Mayo has the teaching and clinical resources to make it one of the best CRNA programs in U.S. Is there anybody have any explanation for that? Is it because Mayo is not really interested in building a top-rated CRNA program as they are more interested in maintaining a strong MD/residence program?

As for the ranking system, I am not sure how accurate that is. I interviewed at Mayo in December and was accepted. I am from outside the facility and outside the state, and I guess I got lucky to get in. Most all the other applicants had wonderful experience and most were from the Mayo ICU's. I really enjoyed my interview and the information I received while there. They are open about what there program offers and what it does not. In most facilities as a CRNA, you will not be the one putting in SWANS and centrals, and the variety and scope of cases you are able to be invloved with at Mayo are awesome. Every year in recent past 100% of students passed boards on the first try, and several received a perfect score. the CRNA graduating from Mayo generally have a great reputation and extensive caseload backround.

Plus, you can not beat the tuition

Thanks for your input. Do you have to work for Mayo after graduation to get the stipend?

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No, You Do Not Have To Sign On For Mayo To Receive Stipend. All Students Receive A Small Stipend Of Around $500 A Month During 24 Month Clinical. If You Do Sign On To Work For Mayo, You Can Recieve An Additional $1000 A Month. It Is A Nice Option To Have If You Decide To Stay In The Area.

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Every program offers something different, I guess that pretty much sums up the whole conversation. Mayo is a wonderful place to work and there are many opportunities there that can't be found anyplace else. With 200 + OR's there are many interesting cases to choose from (not including toenailecomies). That being said I did not apply to Mayo's anesthesia program. I have only worked there two year and know that is not enough time to have a shot at getting accepted.

I don't know whether they just don't flat teach lines/regional (which I doubt) or they don't offer much clinical experience with the 2. But no amount of ORs or cases would make up for someone telling me in an interview I'll never place lines. Id rather get a broad experience and then decide whether or not I want to place lines after i pass boards. Not have some pencil pusher decide for me.

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I don't know whether they just don't flat teach lines/regional (which I doubt) or they don't offer much clinical experience with the 2. But no amount of ORs or cases would make up for someone telling me in an interview I'll never place lines. Id rather get a broad experience and then decide whether or not I want to place lines after i pass boards. Not have some pencil pusher decide for me.

Mayo's program DOES allow you to place lines/regionals....just not AT Mayo Rochester......they give you an 8 week rotation at your choice of about four or five sites, where you will focus on those aspects of learning. Also...when you are going through training, there are some docs that WILL allow you to do these things...just depends on your repour with them...it is not guaranteed and certainly something students shouldn't EXPECT to get to do at that Mayo site. They just make that clear up front during the interview, cause if it is something you'd be deeply disappointed in, then it probably isn't the program for you. Also...actual CRNA's and Anesthesiologist teach the classes....they all still work in the field so they aren't just pencil pushers out of touch with reality...the curriculum (even general classes) is highly based on what you will actually be seeing/doing as a Nurse Anesthetist...not like in general nursing school where you took a very basic anatomy/physiology intended for non-nursing specific students. This is just what I've been told from other students currently in Mayo's program. I will be attending this fall. :)

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I was very surprised to stumble across this old thread. As an ex-student of the Mayo CRNA program, I'm surprised at the stats. Here was our class: 17 nurse valedictorians from all over the USA. I don't think there was a one of us that were regular Mayo nurses in that group--could be wrong, but I don't think so. Wasn't in the program long due to terminal parental illness and getting called home, but I was glad I chose that program (I had a choice as I had multiple acceptances that year and was initially the oldest in our class at age 44 back in the mid 1990s).

Mayo is the historic "mother" of all CRNA programs. Anyone going there thinking they're so smart and that this program will be a piece of cake or somehow substandard will get their "come uppin's", to be sure.

You know, in the end, it's all what YOU make of your education and career--I'd rather have a CRNA at my head who's an excellent gas passer than a techie line-inserter. There's excellent and lousy in every profession. One of the most brilliant nurses/students I ever met, a grad from the U of Iowa, was in our Mayo class--it was humbling to see she was one of the few people who understood more than one word in the biostats course the rest of us were borderline flunking--and there were MDs in this class having problems, too! I'd be more worried about passing my initial courses than making a school choice based upon central or swan line insertions---that can always come later.

Good luck to all you youngin's out there! I left Mayo and took care of a parent 24/7 who had amazingly hung on another 10 years! LOL!

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