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.

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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.

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Program Requirements

CRNA Program Requirements

Required Bachelor Degree
You MUST have a baccalaureate degree with a nursing major (or entry-level Master of Nursing)

Request BSN Information

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

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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.

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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.

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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.

See CRNA School Reviews

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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