Drexel University PA
Nurse Anesthesia Program

Drexel University is one of 13 CRNA schools in Pennsylvania.

Drexel University PA
Nurse Anesthesia Program
245 N. 15th Street
7th Floor Bellet Building MS 501
Philadelphia, PA 19102

Contact Information
Lewis R Bennett, CRNA, MS, MSN, Program Director
ph: (215) 762-7863
fax: (215) 762-8640
email: lrb33@drexel.edu

Kirsten Brinkman-Hansen, M.A., Academic Advisor/Admissions Coordinator
ph: (215) 762-8548
fax: (215) 762-8640
email: kjb52@drexel.edu

Quick Facts

CRNA Degree offered
MS in Nursing, Post-Master's Certificate. The Post-Master’s Certificate only requires 68 quarter credits (rather than 89)

Program Length
28 months, full time

Credit Hours
89 quarter credits

Starting Month(s)
First week in January

Application Deadline
April 15, 2013 for the January 2015 cohort.

Interview Process
Interviews are held throughout the year. If you are invited for an interview, you’ll be notified of acceptance approximately two to four weeks after the interview. If accepted, you may take M.S.N. core courses prior to beginning the program full time.

Entire Program Cost of CRNA School at Drexel University PA.

Tuition is calculated at the 2012-2013 rate. Tuition at most schools increases each academic year. Over the duration of the program, expect to pay a tuition that is 5% to 15% higher than what is shown here.

Cost of Tuition: $71,645
*Fees and expenses: $4,500
Grand Total: $76,145

*This includes the cost of health insurance, books and supplies, test fees and miscellaneous school expenses.

Drexel University PA Tuition Link

Class Size
20

Number of Applicants
approximately 130

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CRNA Program Summary

Are you concerned that Drexel University PA’s Nurse Anesthesia Program won’t give you the specific experiences or training you need to be a successful CRNA? Learn what standards CRNA Programs must meet in order to be accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia (COA).

This CRNA program (as well as all others that are accredited by the COA) prepares you to take the CCNA certification exam at the conclusion of the program, allowing you to become a CRNA.

The program is integrated, offering clinical and didactic education concurrently throughout the program.

All of the graduate nursing core courses for the nurse anesthesia department are offered online with some blended virtual class requirements. All anesthesia-related coursework is taught at Drexel University PA’s Center City campus in Philadelphia or via teleconferencing for students located in central Pennsylvania.
“ The overview of nurse anesthesia course offered in the first quarter is complemented by a simulated clinical experience in which small student groups practice basic anesthesia skills, including:

induction, maintenance and emergence process
hands-on practice in airway management.
regional anesthesia techniques.

“For the subsequent four quarters, advanced concepts of nurse anesthesia practice are taught to provide the fundamental knowledge base needed to augment students' ability to tailor the anesthetic management based on the patient's physiological and pathophysiological state.

“Clinical Practicum : The nurse anesthesia clinical practicum is offered at one of several sites located in the tri-state area. Under direct supervision of anesthesiologists and/or certified registered nurse anesthetists, students administer all types of anesthesia, including sedation during monitored anesthesia care, general anesthesia, and regional anesthesia. Students also gain experience inserting various types of invasive monitors and performing alternative airway techniques.

“Additional clinical subspecialty rotations provide:

obstetric experience.
cardiac experience.
neurosurgical experience.
three-month pediatric clinical experience.

“As an elective, students contemplating specializing in pediatric anesthesia may apply to complete an additional month's pediatric rotation at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

“Students administer a minimum of 650 anesthetics and average more than 1,500 clinical hours.

“Clinical sites range from 0-90 miles from the university. A reliable vehicle is necessary and parking is available at all clinical sites. Some clinical sites offer free student housing during the clinical rotation.”

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Program Requirements

Looking for something specific? Find CRNA schools categorized by their unique requirements.

Some CRNA schools require much more out of their applicants than others. See how the requirements at Drexel University PA compare to most CRNA school’s requirements.

CRNA Program Requirements

Required Bachelor Degree
A Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree is required. If you have a bachelor’s degree in a related science discipline and wish to be admitted to the CRNA program, you will be required to complete the BSN bridge program (it consists of 3 courses).

1st, apply to the CRNA program. Your acceptance will be provisional, pending successful completion of the bridge courses. You’ll have one year to complete the courses and tuition for the bridge program is charged at the graduate rate.

If you are enrolled in the BSN program at Drexel University PA, you can apply to their “Early Acceptance Assurance BSN to MSN Program”. This program allows you to apply as soon as your 3rd quarter if you’re in the ACE (Accelerated Career Entry, 11 month BSN for those who already have a bachelor’s or graduate degree), or at the end of your 3rd year if you’re a part of Co-op (4-5 year BSN program that alternates classes with full-time employment).

If you’re accepted through this program, Drexel University PA Nurse Anesthetist Program will hold your place in the class while you gain the required ICU experience.

RN:
Licensed or eligibility for licensure as a registered nurse in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.

Critical Care:
A minimum of two years recent full-time critical care experience with:

Critically ill and unstable patients
Invasive hemodynamic monitoring
Ventilatory care
Pharmacologic management

Preferred areas include:

Coronary Intensive Care
SICU (Surgical Intensive Care)
MICU (Medical Intensive Care)
CVICU (Cardiovascular Intensive Care)
PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit)
Level I Emergency/Trauma Unit are also acceptable

You can apply to the department if you are currently employed in critical care and will have the necessary two years of full time experience before the start of the program.

GPA:
A minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in both BSN and general science coursework.

Minimum GRE scores:
A compiled GRE score of 300 or higher on the verbal and quantitative sections on the 130-170 score scale. A compiled GRE of 1000 or higher when combining the verbal and quantitative scores on the 200-800 score scale.

MAT scores can be submitted in place of the GRE. GRE or MAT scores required and taken within five years of application. Waived for GPA 3.5 or higher and science GPA > 3.25. Also waived for Post-Master’s certificate applicants.

TOEFL:
Applicants who have not received a degree in the United States are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the IELTS test. An official score report must be sent to Drexel by ETS or IELTS; photocopies will not be accepted.

Shadow a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist for a day
“It is strongly recommended that you shadow a CRNA to observe current nurse anesthesia practice to ascertain that you are choosing to pursue a career of interest. The department is unable to provide this experience for potential applicants and recommend that you contact the anesthesia department at your place of employment or a nearby hospital that employs CRNAs.”

Drexel University PA’s CRNA program website

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School’s Performance

CRNA School Rankings - U.S. News & World Report (2011)
2.8 out of 5.0. Ranked 41 out of 107 CRNA programs.

*Please note: CRNA rankings are bias and subjective. Read disclaimer about how CRNA rankings are created.*

Accredited CRNA Programs are reviewed regularly.
Drexel University PA Nurse Anesthetist Program was last reviewed 05/2010. It was given the maximum of 10 years accreditation and will be reviewed again 05/2020. This shows that the program is in full compliance with the COA’s accreditation standards.

Pass Rate for CRNA Boards at Drexel University PA
Please note: It is extremely rare for a student at any CRNA school to not eventually pass the exam. Most students who don’t pass the first time pass the second. Very rarely does a person ever take it a third time. This statistic only measures how well the program prepares students to pass the test the first time around.

First-time test takers: 94% for the class of 2011
National average (2008): 89.9%

CRNA Salaries

An average nurse anesthetist salary in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania CRNA salaries are lower than the national average and range from $130k-$150k.

An average annual nurse anesthetist salary in the US is $163,467 (according to a 2008 study)

Rural average: $174,214
Metropolitan average: $164,148
Suburban average: $156,630
Average starting CRNA salaries range from: $110,000-$130,000.

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FAQs

Time Commitment and work
“Because of an average weekly program commitment of 56 hours/week, very few students are able to work on a regular basis.”

Time Off
“The Nurse Anesthesia Department consists of four 10-week quarters, with one week off between quarters (usually March, June, September and December). Students are off for most major holidays unless assigned an on-call shift as part of the clinical practicum.”

Why should I choose Drexel University PA CRNA program?
“Drexel currently offers a three month certification exam review, two review courses, one of which sponsored by the university.

[Their] department also has on site approachable faculty committed to your learning and success.

“Separate class and clinical days allows the student to adequately prepare for class or clinical.

“The ability to take MSN Core Courses prior to the start of the program will ease the burden of a rigorous program.

“The primary simulation experience is targeted to allow the student to gain the necessary didactic and “hands on” experience prior to the start of their clinical rotations. The simulation experience also includes a pediatric simulation workshop and an alternative workshop in the second and third year of studies.”

See CRNA School Reviews

All information given on this site about Drexel University PA's Nurse Anesthetist Program was taken directly from their website.

*This page was updated November 16th, 2012*