University of Minnesota Twin Cities CRNA Program
The University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is one of four CRNA schools in Minnesota.
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
School of Nursing
Nurse Anesthesia Area of Study
5-160 Weaver-Densford Hall
308 Harvard Street S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
ph: (612) 625-7980
Contact Information
Dana Hurley, Admissions & Enrollment Coordinator
ProspectiveDNP@umn.edu
Kathryn White
CRNA, DNP
612-624-8959
white732@umn.edu
Quick Facts
CRNA Degree offered
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Post-Master's Certificate
Program Length
36 months, full-time
Four-year and five-year study plans are also available.
Credit Hours
102 semester credits
Starting Month
September
Application Deadline
September 1
Cost of CRNA School at University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Tuition is calculated at the 2011-2012 rates. 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: $70,231
Fees and expenses: $3,000
Grand Total: $73,231
Tuition rates and fees were calculated from information available from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
Class Size
10
Interviews
Nurse anesthesia faculty review applicant files in early September;
interviews are conducted in November. All applicants receive a letter
informing them of whether or not they are granted an interview. They
typically interview 30 applicants for the 10 positions.
Students are chosen for the program in late November/ early December.
CRNA Training
The three-year (9 semesters) DNP curriculum integrates anesthesia
didactic coursework, anesthesia clinical experiences, and DNP
coursework. The program follows an Executive Model of education where
the majority of coursework is online combined with about 8 on-campus
sessions each year
Your clinical experience will primarily be held at Minneapolis VA Medical Center. In addition, you will rotate to several urban and rural clinical sites,
which offer a broad spectrum of practice experiences. Some of the
clinical sites are required, and some are optional. All required
clinical sites are within daily driving distance of the campus.
When you graduate, you will possess expertise in general and regional anesthesia techniques and will be prepared to provide leadership in the practice setting.
The program was the first nurse anesthesia program in the U.S. to
be accredited to offer the entry-level Doctor of Nursing Practice. At
University of Minnesota Twin Cities, the DNP replaced the Master's
degree in Anesthesia in the fall of 2009.
Program Requirements
CRNA Program Requirements
Required Bachelor Degree
You MUST have a baccalaureate degree with a nursing major (or entry-level Master of Nursing)
RN
You must hold an RN license in the state in which you will complete clinical courses.
Critical Care
1 year of critical care nursing experience required. The average accepted student has approximately three years of high-acuity adult surgical critical care experience.
Acceptable critical care experience is nursing care which, on a
daily basis, includes managing invasive hemodynamic monitors, cardiac
assist devices, mechanical ventilation, and vasoactive drips. The
following critical care areas are preferred:
- Surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
- Cardiothoracic ICU
- Coronary ICU
- Medical ICU
- Pediatric or Neonatal ICU
Other critical care experience is considered on an individual basis.
GPA
Successful applicants typically have a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.4
or above (on a 4.0 scale). Each applicant will be considered
individually for any exception to the stated requirements.
GRE
GRE exam scores are required for admission, and the exam must have been
taken within the last 5 years. Applicants who hold a Master’s degree
may be eligible for a GRE waiver.
Preferred scores are a minimum combined verbal and quantitative score of
1000 on the older GRE General Test or a minimum combined verbal and
quantitative score of 297 on the revised GRE General Test.
International Students
- If your native language is not English, you must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
and score at least 586 (written) 240 (computerized) or 95 (IBT). The
School of Nursing will accept TOEFL or MELAB exams taken within three years
of the time of application. If the TOEFL is not available in your
country, you must take the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery
(MELAB) and score at least 85.
You are exempt from taking the test if, within the past 24 months, you have completed 24 quarter credits or 16 semester credits in residence as a full-time student at a recognized institution of higher learning in the United States. - You must submit a photocopy of a current RN license from your home country.
You must obtain a Minnesota license by the end of your second semester in residence. You will need to pass the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) exam and the NCLEX exam in order to obtain a Minnesota license. You are encouraged to take the CGFNS exam in your home country prior to enrollment. For more information, contact the Minnesota Board of Nursing: or call 612-617-2270. - DNP programs are not eligible to provide documents needed to obtain the appropriate F-1 student VISA or status based on having limited (less than four) face-to-face on-site classes per DNP course.
University of Minnesota Twin Cities CRNA program website
CRNA School Performance
CRNA School Rankings - U.S. News & World Report (2011)
2.7 out of 5.0. Ranked 48 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.
University of Minnesota Twin Cities Nurse Anesthetist Program was last reviewed 01/2009. It was given the maximum of 10 years
accreditation and will be reviewed again 10/2018. This shows that the
program is in full compliance with the COA’s accreditation standards and
is very stable.
Pass Rate for CRNA Boards at University of Minnesota Twin Cities
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%
- National average (2008): 89.9%
Attrition Rate
The 10-year attrition rate for 2000-2010 is 1.1%
CRNA Employment Rate of program graduates
Except for an occasional graduate who, at graduation, is deciding which
job offer to accept, 100% of our graduates have jobs on the day of
graduation.
CRNA Salaries
An average nurse anesthetist salary in Minnesota
Minnesota CRNA salaries are slightly higher than the national average and range from $160,000-$180,000.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do they look for in an applicant?
At the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, the typical successful
applicant has an undergraduate GPA of 3.4 to 4.0, approximately three
years of high-acuity adult surgical critical care experience, good
personal references, and knowledge about what a CRNA does on a daily
basis.
With the implementation of the DNP curriculum, the Admissions
Committee at University of Minnesota Twin Cities will look for evidence
of leadership potential. They look at each applicant individually, and
make a decision based on all the criteria.
How many vacation days will I have?
The 36-month nurse anesthesia program runs year around. You’ll get a
2-week winter break, 1-week spring break, and 1-week summer break each
year of the program.
Are sign-on bonuses available when I graduate?
The shortage of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) has
prompted many employers (primarily hospitals) to award significant
sign-on bonuses in return for some years of service to the awarding
hospital. Often the sign-on bonuses are paid during school to offset
tuition and living expenses.
All information given on this site about the University of
Minnesota Twin Cities Nurse Anesthetist Program was taken directly from
their website.
*This page was updated November 16th, 2012.*
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