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Nurse Anesthesia (CRNA): Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

When is your deadline for applications? Can I be interviewed if I still need to take a class?

Interviews for the class enrolling Sep 2008 will be held in January 2008. The deadline for applications, transcripts, and recommendations to be considered for the first round of interviews for September 2009 enrollment is Oct 31 2008.

NOTE: The Program welcomes applications or inquiries twelve months a year. The fall series of interviews are held each year. A second series of interviews may be held in the spring, if there is a need.

Applicants who have all requirements met on or before the deadline, and whose applications are complete with supporting documentation, stand the best chance of being invited to interview. If you are near completion of requirements, but are in the process of taking one last prerequisite class (and all other documentation we need is in), you may be extended the courtesy of an interview. If you have more than one class you still need to take (or other requirements are not yet meant), it becomes more difficult to make a fair assessment of your likelihood of success, and the Admissions Committee may not schedule an interview. Depending on the number of qualified applicants, not all who meet minimum requirements may be interviewed. 

What types of critical care experience are accepted? Which are preferred?

The requirement for critical care is that you have experience as a Registered Nurse in a critical care area, with emphasis placed on invasive hemodynamic monitoring, ventilatory care and pharmacologic management. The preferred areas (with the greatest preference first) are:

  1. SICU (Surgical Intensive Care)
  2. MICU (Medical Intensive Care)
  3. CICU (Cardiac Intensive Care)
  4. PICU/NICU (Pediatric or Neonatal Intensive Care)
  5. Applicants have also been accepted whose experience is primarily in the Emergency Room, provided they can demonstrate familiarity with invasive monitoring, ventilators, and critical care pharmacology.

I've only been in the ICU three months, am I eligible for an interview?

The minimum requirement is that you have a least one year of critical care experience prior to starting the program (i.e. enrolling and starting classes in September). If you will have completed a year prior to the start date you may be eligible for a personal interview. Applicants who have completed at least a year in ICU prior to the admissions deadline have the best chance for an interview (all other things being equal).

Which bachelor's degrees do you accept besides a Bachelor of Science in Nursing?

The BSN, or a bachelor's degree in a natural science is accepted. Examples are Chemistry, Biology, Physics.

How recent do my undergraduate science courses have to be?

We look at grades in Chemistry, Organic chemistry (or Biochemistry), and Anatomy and Physiology. You must have one course in each area, taken in the last ten years, with a 3.0 (B) or better. If you have less than a 3.0 in these courses you may repeat your sciences to achieve a better grade. We understand that many times undergraduate grades do not necessarily reflect current ability and maturity.

What is the minimum score required for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)?

We do not have a minimum score on GRE. The GRE is one of many criteria that we use to evaluate eligibility for admission into the Nurse Anesthesia program. The personal interview, grades, recommendations and experience are all evaluated individually.

Applicants who take the GRE after October 2002 will take an Analytical Writing test (scored on a scale of 0-6) rather than the Analytical test which was offered in the past. Please see the Admissions section of this site for information about the range of scores achieved by recently-enrolled students. We recommend that applicants familiarize themselves with the new test by visiting GRE.

Are there any prerequisite courses that I must take prior to admission?

There are no prerequisite graduate courses. The only prerequisite courses to admission are

Accepted applicants may choose to take PYC503 Statistics prior to enrollment.

How many students are accepted each year?

The number accepted each year depends upon the number of qualified applicants interviewed. This number varies from year to year. Fifteen to thirty students per year are accepted.

How do I spend time with a CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist) observing cases?

Contact information is present on this web site. You may wish to schedule a few hours at your own institution to observe anesthesia and surgery. This will also give you an opportunity to meet and talk with our alumni, or current nurse anesthesia graduate students.

The Nurse Anesthesia program has an Information session nearly every month (see Information Session Schedule). This is a good opportunity to meet nurse anesthesia faculty and students face to face, and have any questions about your individual circumstances answered.