After reviewing Wake Forest School of Medicine Nurse Anesthesia Program’s CRNA program page, I was impressed by their thorough quiz that shows you how you measure up as an applicant.
Wake Forest School of Medicine Nurse Anesthesia Program
Wake Forest School of Medicine
Nurse Anesthesia Program
525 Vine Street, Suite 230
Winston Salem, NC 27101
Contact Information
Michael Rieker, DNP, CRNA, Program Director
ph: (336) 716-1411
fax: (336) 716-1412
email: napinfo@wakehealth.edu
Quick Facts
CRNA Degree offered
Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia
Program Length
24 months
Credit Hours
64 credit hours
Starting Month
August
Application Deadline
The application for the Class 2021 is now closed.
The application for the Class of 2020 is now open as of February 1, 2019.
Applicants who submitted on or before March 1, 2019 will be interviewed starting May 2019. Complete submission of requirements by September 4, 2019 will be considered for the November 2019 interview.
2018 Statistics
For the 2018 interview season, cand RN experience of 3.4 years.
Entire Program Cost of CRNA School at Wake Forest School of Medicine Nurse Anesthesia Program.
Tuition is based on the 2018-2019 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: $67,800
*Fees and expenses: $4,665
Grand Total: $72,465
*Fees and program fees. You will still be responsible for health insurance.
Class Size
24
Number of Applicants
150 applicants. 60-70 interviews. They also implemented a new policy of early decision allowing them to make decisions and send acceptance offers to highly-qualified applicants who submit their application early in the year.
When did this CRNA Program begin?
1942
CRNA Program Summary
Are you concerned that Wake Forest School of Medicine 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).
The CRNA program at Wake Forest School of Medicine Nurse Anesthesia 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 richness of the clinical education they offer has been a strength of this program, since their inception. Being integrated in design, they provide students with an intensive introduction to clinical anesthesia in the first two months of the program. Then, you’ll spend the rest of the program in the classroom as well as in clinicals.
Many Wake Forest School of Medicine Nurse Anesthesia Program CRNA students find that this integration suits their learning style, as they can immediately translate theory from the classroom into clinical application in the operating room.
As a student at Wake Forest School of Medicine Nurse Anesthesia Program, you’ll obtain clinical experiences at a variety of affiliated clinical sites which provide a broad exposure to anesthetic practice. Some of the many experiences include fiberoptic airway management, stereotactic surgery, high-tech anesthesia, patient care information systems and otolaryngology.
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 Wake Forest School of Medicine Nurse Anesthesia Program compare to most CRNA school’s requirements.
CRNA Program Requirements
Do you feel confident as an applicant to Wake Forest School of Medicine Nurse Anesthesia Program? Don’t just go off of a feeling, find out if you have what they are looking for and quite helpful.
Required Bachelor Degree
Baccalaureate degree in nursing (BSN) or degree in a related field from an accredited program (NLNAC, CCNE, or regional accreditation). If you are an experienced nurse, you may be granted an interview if you are in your last semester of your BSN program.
RN:
Current licensure as a registered nurse – (NC licensure required for matriculation)
Critical Care:
A minimum of one year (2,080 hours) of full-time experience within the 2 years prior to application in an intensive care (ICU) or coronary care unit (CCU).
Clinical experience must involve:
- Direct patient care
- Independent decision-making (experience in orientation or in managerial positions is not applicable)
Examples of experiences most applicable to nurse anesthesia study include:
- Management of vasoactive infusions
- Invasive monitors
- Ventilator modalities
- Sedative and paralytic drugs
- Blood test interpretation
The broader range of experiences you have, the easier nurse anesthesia school will be for you.
Though the following types of experience reflect well on an applicant’s diversity of experience, they will not be considered as meeting the minimum one-year requirement.
- Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)
- Emergency Department (ED)
- Step-down
- Surgery
- Other non-ICU acute care
GPA:
A minimum GPA of 3.0 in nursing and supporting courses. However, a GPA less than 3.5 without good academic indicators otherwise may be considered less competitive. A high GPA based upon a large number of transfer credits or non-nursing courses may not be considered adequate.
If your GPA is on the low end (3.0) you may consider taking some graduate courses. Performance in sciences such as pharmacology, pathophysiology, or chemistry are good ways to demonstrate your academic ability in technical graduate-level courses.
They look at the cumulative GPA and nursing courses. Many applicants take some of their core courses at UNCG or other graduate coursework before or while applying. Performance in relevant graduate coursework is weighed in their assessment, as well.
GRE:
Satisfactory score on the Graduate Record Examination within the past 5 years.
Individual area GRE scores should exceed approximately the 50th percentile (150 for verbal, and verbal score.
As these measures are meant to predict your ability in graduate study, consideration of significant graduate-level work completed may outweigh the impact of your standardized scores.
International Students:
Foreign applicants or those with very low GRE verbal scores will be required to demonstrate a TOEFL score of at least 600.
Certifications:
- BLS (Basic Life Support)
- ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
Undergraduate Course Prerequisites
- Biostatistics or Statistics (preferably including inferential) (3 units)
- Chemistry (organic chemistry is not required but definitely helpful) (3 units)
- Health Assessment (recommended not required)
Shadow a CRNA for a day (recommended, not required)
WFUBMC’s CRNA program website
CRNA School Performance
CRNA School Rankings – Schools by Rank
Ranked 29 for the 2014 graduating class.
*Please note: Read about how CRNA rankings are created.*
Accredited CRNA Programs are reviewed regularly.
Wake Forest School of Medicine Nurse Anesthesia Program was last reviewed 10/2015. It was given the maximum of 10 years accreditation andards.
First Time Test Takers – Certification Exam
96% (2016)
Attrition Rate
8% (2016)
Employment Rate
100% (2016)
An average nurse anesthetist salary in North Carolina
North Carolina CRNA salaries are in line with the national average with an annual mean wage of $171,040.
An average annual nurse anesthetist salary in the US is $169,450 (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2017 study)
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the average accepted student look like?
For the class of 2018, the average undergraduate GPA of accepted students is 3.7, and nursing courses. Many applicants complete some graduate coursework before or while applying. Performance in relevant graduate coursework is weighed in our assessment, as well.
Time off
(20) Personal days off per year in addition to program holidays.
Can I work as an RN while I’m in WFSM’s program?
Due to the varied clinical assignment schedule (including evening, weekend, and call shifts) as well as the rigors of the academic program, it is exceedingly difficult to work while in school. Some students occasionally pick up an extra shift in the PACU or ICU, but it is highly discouraged that students expect to depend on part-time work as a necessary component of financial support while in the program.
Other Programs Offered
Global Health Certificate Program
A program for students interested in international health care. This is a 24-month program that runs concurrently with the anesthesia program, and students receive a Certificate in Global Health from Wake Forest School of Medicine.
Lifespan Development Courses
They also provide extensive Lifespan Development courses to prospective and entering students to help ensure their success in anesthesia school.
All information given on this site about Wake Forest School of Medicine Nurse Anesthesia Program was taken directly from their website or questions were answered from the program director.
Salaries pulled from Bureau of Labor Statistics
*This page was updated February 11, 2019*
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