Path to CRNA?

[marcus_aurelius]

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How does one become a CRNA?

I have a bachelors degree in Biology and have completed two years of medical school. I am having some difficulties and was contemplating switching professions.....I would really like to start making some money in the next decade.) (I was thinking that if I could complete two years of med schl basic sciences, it might be an easier transition for me into the CRNA world....is this true?) I would greatly appreciate it if someone could give me more info on the CRNA profession and how to get in to a program. Also, what is the lifestyle like? Is it possible to make 120k a year without working over 50 hours a week?

Any help would be much appreciated. I have also heard that some states reimburse tuition expenses...is this true....because it sounds too good to be true.

What is the time commitment like on an average day. How many hours do most students spend studying on weekdays and weekends? Are there any entrance examinations that need to be taken to get into a program? Are there any licensing exams similiar to the USMLE that one needs to take?


(Please dont turn this into a CRNA/MD/Anesthesia war. Any humble and honest advise would be much appreciated. 🙂 )

Thanks 😀

 

[deleted6669]

if you are not already an rn this would be a faster parth to the same goal.....
http://www.anesthesia-assistant.com/

 

[Mike MacKinnon]

emedpa

While i agree that allows you to be an AA, it isnt the same thing educationally by a long shot. AA's lack the experience or education CRNA's have. They are essentially Techs and cannot practice independantly.

 

[captaindargo]

Plus Georgetown and Columbia Universities both have direct entry CRNA programs

 

[deleted6669]

emedpa

While i agree that allows you to be an AA, it isnt the same thing educationally by a long shot. AA's lack the experience or education CRNA's have. They are essentially Techs and cannot practice independantly.

Mike- have to disagree with you there.there are anesthesia techs out there but that is not the same as AA. check the link I posted. places that use both AA's and crna's have them do exactly the same job description and give them the same salary. the supervisory requirement for AA's is met by having an mda physically present in the hospital( not the or) while care is delivered. there are AA/CRNA groups in which an AA is the chief anesthetist.check out the education of an AA vs a CRNA. it is at least equivalent if not more demanding than a crna program. most AA programs require the mcat as a prereq + all medschool prereqs. All AA programs are taught at the masters level to folks who already have a bs in a science field.
if you want to be able to practice anywhere in the country crna is probably the way to go as they can practice in all 50 states while aa's practice in something like 13-15 states with more states added every yr.
crna's can practice independently in something like 13 states and must have an md supervisor everywhere else.

check out this link for a sample of AA salaries from gasworks.com
lowest salary listed is 100k
http://www.gaswork.com/cgi-bin/ipbltsrch.exe?ForumID=JOB4AA&IPro_ShowSummary=1

 

[marcus_aurelius]

Plus Georgetown and Columbia Universities both have direct entry CRNA programs

Do I need to be an RN before entry into these programs?

I read in the American Assn of CRNA's that you need one year of nursing experiences but that this requirement was set by individual schools.

If applying, i'd try to get my med schl experience to count for at least some of the nursing experience, and probably would need to do a few months of hands on work.

i think i'd feel safer going the crna route, just to have the potential to practice independently. i'm sure though that in the next ten yrs, aa's may have addtl specialization to practice indep too.

so at georgetown and columbia, i could get into a crna program with my background? thanks, i'll look into it.

any idea about the answers to my other questions...salaries, lifestyle etc? i really appreciate all of your time and help.

 

[captaindargo]

no... but you will become a nurse in the process... check out the webpage.

http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/nursing/programs/etp.html and georgetown webpage is http://snhs.georgetown.edu/content.cfm?objectID=1470

 

[dqbanrn]

no... but you will become a nurse in the process... check out the webpage.

http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/nursing/programs/etp.html and georgetown webpage is http://snhs.georgetown.edu/content.cfm?objectID=1470

the truth is, there is no direct entry to CRNA school. There are direct entry programs with other nurse practitioner specialties however. the programs that are listed as direct entry add another year to 18mo of school so the student can earn their nursing license during the process. the requirement of 1 year experience in the ICU BEFORE applying to anesthesia school is a national requirment, it does not matter which school you apply to. the only difference is that some schools have different deffinitions of what constitutes icu experience. For example, some schools will accept ER experince. most ICUs will not hire a new graduate nurse(some will though). As a result, the new nurse usually spends 6mo to 1 year practicing in med/surg or other entry level position before transitioning to the icu. If you add this up, at best, thats one year of school for your nursing degree, 1 year for icu experience and 28-32 mo for your anesthesia degree. In your best case scenario, your looking at about a 5 years if you change. If your in your second year of med school, you might as well stick it out and become and anesthesiologist.

 

[nitecap]

Just Do It

 

[captaindargo]

So you have to do a year as a nurse before you continue the program? Will Columbia and Georgetown help you find someplace so you can do you find a place to do ICU. It still end up being like 4 years then. it still does sound so bad.

 

[MDNICU]

yes, you must work a minimal of 1yr as a RN before proceeding to the CRNA program which ranges from 14-24 mts. So if u do not have an RN licenses u most go to a bachelor program for nursing (2yrs) or fast track if you have a BS or BA (1.5yrs) then 1+ yr in an ICU unit, then CRNA school (do not forget that u have to take the prequr. for RN school)

 

[jennyboo]

I don't quite get it.... Having completed two years of medical school, you will have a job in two years and start anesthesia residency in three years, and be done six years from now. So I guess that is a couple of years longer than going CRNA from this point forward, but when you add the time it takes to apply and wait, you won't be "done" that much earlier than if you finished medical school and did an anesthesiology residency.

You will of course work >50 hours/week in many cases....

 

[billydoc]

I don't quite get it.... Having completed two years of medical school, you will have a job in two years and start anesthesia residency in three years, and be done six years from now. So I guess that is a couple of years longer than going CRNA from this point forward, but when you add the time it takes to apply and wait, you won't be "done" that much earlier than if you finished medical school and did an anesthesiology residency.

You will of course work >50 hours/week in many cases....

I was going to ask the OP same thing. Besides, you shouldn't "sattle" for anything else, if medicine is what you want to do. But CRNA schools are even more competitive to get in than med schools these days. There are very few CRNA programs out there, and even fewer instructors to teach them. Having done 2 years of med school (basic science I assume) will no doubt help you to get through CRNA, but bringing up the fact of being the medical student prior to SRNA may actually hurt your chances rather help you to get in. I know it for a fact, because I'm in pretty much similar situation. The only difference is that I've been an RN for 15 yrs. But I also did 2 semesters of basic science in the Carib med school, and had to withdrtaw mainly for health reasons. But CRNA programs are not really any less demanding than med school. They are just shorter in duration, but cannot be done on a part-time basis. Only you know your situation best. But reevaluate why do you have problems in med school, and what makes you think you won't have them in CRNA school? In my case, I realized that i will not be happy with anything other than being a doc, no matter how hellish in terms of just about everything in life this road may be. I'm just trying to manage my health issues, but I've got to give myself another shot at it,so I wouldn't live the life full of regrets.

Good Luck with your soul searching.
Have a good one