Making myself a more competitive applicant...

[wannaBaCRNA]

I have been a RN for 5 years now (mostly ER) and I'm going to be applying next fall hopefully to start CRNA school in 2009. Here's what I'm doing so far to prepare before applying next year:

I have left the ER and will be will be working in a large, busy ICU fulltime (UAB). That would give me almost 2 years ICU experience before starting school.

I am studying to retake the GRE in March (I did horribly on it the first time I took it 2 years ago) the first time I took it cold. So I will take it seriously this time and give myself 6 months to study.

After I complete the GRE, I will start studying and take CCRN in July.

I will also take organic chemistry. After organic chemistry, I'm thinking of taking a graduate level course (pharmacology or pathophysiology) to show them I can handle graduate level courses.

I welcome any suggestions to help make myself a great applicant. Thanks in advance!

I welcome any suggestions!

[MmacFN]

Hey Wanna

Good plan.

The only thing i would be careful of is the Organic chem unless its a requirement for the schools you plan to apply to. It is very hard and could well drop your GPA which isnt good.

If you are planning to attend an MSN school I could suggest you complete your MSN before CRNA school application since you have 2 years before you plan to start. It would take ALOT of stress off you in school.

I too 2 MSN classes prior to starting school and it has made a big difference in regards to spending more time on anesthesia. If i could do one thing differently, it would be to have done an MSN ahead of time so that I wouldnt be doing ANY of these other classes.

Ultimately, you have to do whats best for you ;)

[wannaBaCRNA]

Hey Wanna

Good plan.

The only thing i would be careful of is the Organic chem unless its a requirement for the schools you plan to apply to. It is very hard and could well drop your GPA which isnt good.

If you are planning to attend an MSN school I could suggest you complete your MSN before CRNA school application since you have 2 years before you plan to start. It would take ALOT of stress off you in school.

I too 2 MSN classes prior to starting school and it has made a big difference in regards to spending more time on anesthesia. If i could do one thing differently, it would be to have done an MSN ahead of time so that I wouldnt be doing ANY of these other classes.

Ultimately, you have to do whats best for you ;)

Thanks for responding! I plan to apply to both UAB & Samford so I guess I need to check and see if those are MSN programs. You're right, while I'm waiting It would be smart to get those courses out of the way :idea:

[ethernaut]

Thanks for responding! I plan to apply to both UAB & Samford so I guess I need to check and see if those are MSN programs. You're right, while I'm waiting It would be smart to get those courses out of the way :idea:

at least a research or statistics class.. that will count for entry requirements (unless you have them already)...
i agree with mike, orgo can be difficult.
but if you are good at that stuff, then it shouldn't hurt.
i also agree that you should check to see if MSN or MS program.
that will also guide you in your class decision.
if you are feeling bold, you could always take a biochem class.
i think that has more applicability than orgo.
it may not be a requirement for entry, but it definitely helped me during my didactics.

[wannaBaCRNA]

at least a research or statistics class.. that will count for entry requirements (unless you have them already)...
i agree with mike, orgo can be difficult.
but if you are good at that stuff, then it shouldn't hurt.
i also agree that you should check to see if MSN or MS program.
that will also guide you in your class decision.
if you are feeling bold, you could always take a biochem class.
i think that has more applicability than orgo.
it may not be a requirement for entry, but it definitely helped me during my didactics.


Thanks ethernaut! I just went to UAB and Samford's website. UAB offers a MNA degree, Samford is MSN. Biochem would be worth taking, especially if I can apply it to didactics! I took research during my BSN program, and I have taken statistics before- or are you referring to a master's level courses?

[ethernaut]

Thanks ethernaut! I just went to UAB and Samford's website. UAB offers a MNA degree, Samford is MSN. Biochem would be worth taking, especially if I can apply it to didactics! I took research during my BSN program, and I have taken statistics before- or are you referring to a master's level courses?

well, if you can knock out a master's research (and usually have to defend it), that should count toward the anesthesia program. and that will free up much time.
as for the stats, i think undergrad is all that is usually 'required'.
as for programs, it also depends on what you are looking to get out of it.
if you want more nursing oriented education or if you want more science based.
my program is an MS in anesthesia, which seems chock full of sciences. and i am soooo glad to not have to hear or read about flo nightengale and why an open window is priceless.

[wannaBaCRNA]

well, if you can knock out a master's research (and usually have to defend it), that should count toward the anesthesia program. and that will free up much time.
as for the stats, i think undergrad is all that is usually 'required'.
as for programs, it also depends on what you are looking to get out of it.
if you want more nursing oriented education or if you want more science based.my program is an MS in anesthesia, which seems chock full of sciences. and i am soooo glad to not have to hear or read about flo nightengale and why an open window is priceless.


I definitely want more science based! I got more than enough Nightengale lectures in my nursing courses. Thanks for all your help, you all are great!

[leebertn]

Find out how many credits the schools will accept before you try to get ahead. Samford will only accept 6 hrs (Adv Pharm from UAB is all they accepted for me) UAB allows you to take the Research/stats class ahead of time. I don't think Org Chem is a requirement for either anymore. It NEVER hurts to take graduate level courses and make A's in them prior to interviews. Good Luck! Lee Ann

[montrn]

Wannab...I just started the TCU program this fall. As long as your GPA is ok I don't see any reason to burden yourself with taking classes when you are applying to school. It makes the process much more stressfull. Don't try to study up before getting into a program, they teach you everything they want you to know. Just try and get the best GRE score and prepare for your interview. Doing well in the interview and on the GRE along with a decent GPA should assure you a spot. Hope this helps.

[wannaBaCRNA]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I'm taking notes ;)

[Medic1RN12]

My Friend,

I am a recent graduate of the CRNA program at UAB and honestly had a very good education and clinical experience. Before I was a CRNA, I was a ER Nurse (UAB Level One), MICU RN, SICU RN, and right before school a flight nurse. I have to say the flying I think got me more credit than anything. I think the way it was looked at is I was functioning independently and able to make critical decisions and not need others to help me make those decisions. I also made sure I did EVERYTHING possible to improve my GPA. In so doing that, I took some masters level classes in another program and ended up with a 4.0 in those classes prior to being accepted into the CRNA program. All in all...I wanted to make sure my first time to apply was the only application I ever had to make for a CRNA school.

If I can give you any advice its this; go and see BOTH program directors personally and ask for advice to enhance your application to both schools. They are based a little differently, as one is in a school of nursing and one is not, and one is private and one is a public school. But the advice is, whatever advice they give you...TAKE IT. As I said in a past post, its hard to defend yourself when your asked if you were given tips before applying and you ended up not taking those tips. We had several people when I was coming through the program who were given advice about strengthening their application and did not take it and when asked why not they could not give a reasonable, educated answer. Want to know where that got those people: REJECTION LETTER!!!

Your doing the right thing is getting ICU experience and if your able to take the stats class of advanced pharm class for the programs, I would go ahead and take it. It will honestly free you up to study, should you get accpeted. Trust and believe this...you will need every bit of extra time to study you can get, there is a lot of information to take in and make sense of for those exams that seem to be never ending.

Good Luck.

[jgaither_1956]

Samford is a MSN, UAB's program is in the dept. of Allied health, so they give a MSNA (no nursing theory goop)

[jgaither_1956]

shadowing a CRNA as much as possible may elevate your chances. Especially if you point out that you went in to observe on your day off.

[wannaBaCRNA]

My Friend,

I am a recent graduate of the CRNA program at UAB and honestly had a very good education and clinical experience. Before I was a CRNA, I was a ER Nurse (UAB Level One), MICU RN, SICU RN, and right before school a flight nurse. I have to say the flying I think got me more credit than anything. I think the way it was looked at is I was functioning independently and able to make critical decisions and not need others to help me make those decisions. I also made sure I did EVERYTHING possible to improve my GPA. In so doing that, I took some masters level classes in another program and ended up with a 4.0 in those classes prior to being accepted into the CRNA program. All in all...I wanted to make sure my first time to apply was the only application I ever had to make for a CRNA school.

If I can give you any advice its this; go and see BOTH program directors personally and ask for advice to enhance your application to both schools. They are based a little differently, as one is in a school of nursing and one is not, and one is private and one is a public school. But the advice is, whatever advice they give you...TAKE IT. As I said in a past post, its hard to defend yourself when your asked if you were given tips before applying and you ended up not taking those tips. We had several people when I was coming through the program who were given advice about strengthening their application and did not take it and when asked why not they could not give a reasonable, educated answer. Want to know where that got those people: REJECTION LETTER!!!

Your doing the right thing is getting ICU experience and if your able to take the stats class of advanced pharm class for the programs, I would go ahead and take it. It will honestly free you up to study, should you get accpeted. Trust and believe this...you will need every bit of extra time to study you can get, there is a lot of information to take in and make sense of for those exams that seem to be never ending.

Good Luck.

Great idea! I will definitely do this, thanks!