Q1: What is the certification exam pass rate and attrition rate of graduates of the Nurse Anesthesia Program?
A1: Historically, the first time pass rate for the CRNA exam is 94.4%

The class of 2018 (16 students) had a 88% first-time pass rate and a 100% overall pass rate
The class of 2017 (17 students) had a 94% first-time pass rate and a 100% overall pass rate
The class of 2016 (18 students) had a 100% first-time pass rate and a 100% overall pass rate
The class of 2015 (18 students) had a 84% first-time pass rate and a 100% overall pass rate

The Nurse Anesthesia Program retains a very low attrition rate:

The class of 2018 (16/16) had a 0% attrition rate
The class of 2017 (16/17) had a 5.8% attrition rate
The class of 2016 (18/18) had a 0% attrition rate
The class of 2015 (18/20) had a 10% attrition rate

Q2: How competitive is the program and what makes an applicant competitive?
A2: Approximately 60-80 applicants complete the admissions process per year. The Admissions Committee invites 40-45 of the most qualified applicants for an on-campus interview. We admit up to 24 students each year. A few select applicants are placed on a wait list should a student have to withdraw from the program for any reason.

The most competitive applicants will have a strong and recent (within the last 5-6 years) academic background in courses such as physics, biochemistry, and organic chemistry, with grades of B or better. They also will have a strong professional background as a registered nurse in an acute care setting, obtained by working in an ICU and evidenced by their CCRN certification.

Q3: How long is the program?
A3: Webster's Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice, DNAP, is a full-time, 36-month program. Admitted students begin in the Summer term, the end of May/begining of June and graduate in May three calendar years later.

Q4: What is the application deadline and admission timeline?
A4: The postmark deadline is September 1 of each year. Letters inviting qualified applicants for an interview are mailed at the beginning of October. Interviews take place at the beginning of November and decision letters are mailed within two weeks after the on-campus interview. Interviews take place on the Webster Groves, MO, home campus. Admitted students begin the program in the Summer term, end of May/beginning of June.

Q5: Is the GRE (Graduate Record Entrance) exam required for admission?
A5: No.

Q6: Do I have to have a bachelor's degree in nursing in order to apply?
A6: No. Students must be registered nurses, whether through a 2-year, 4-year, or accelerated BSN program. However, all graduate level applicants must have a prior Bachelor's degree in any field.

Q7: I am re-applying to your program. What documents do I need to re-submit?
A7:

  • Purpose statement
  • Resume
  • 2 letters of recommendation
  • Nursing license
  • Current copies of your ACLS, BLS, PALS, and CCRN and any other continuing education certifications
  • Official transcripts for any course taken since last applying to the program

Re-applicants do not need to:

  • Submit new application, unless personal information has changed after submission of the previous application
  • Pay another application fee
  • Submit a new CRNA shadow verification form
  • Request official transcripts submitted for a previous application year (unless the transcripts are more than 3 years old)

Q8: My undergraduate cumulative GPA was low, but I did well in my nursing classes. Should I apply?
A8: If you have a lower cumulative GPA, it would be necessary to have evidence of strong post-graduation work. We look for a cumulative GPA of a 3.0 in the most competitive applicants. Specifically, the admissions committee seeks an overall basic science GPA of 3.0. If your science grades were below a B, we would encourage you to repeat some of your basic sciences courses before you apply.

Q9: Can I submit a shadow verification form from an anesthesiologist to satisfy the CRNA shadow verification?
A9: No. Students are required to submit a shadow verification form from a CRNA whom they have shadowed. This step demonstrates an applicant's commitment to pursuing Nurse Anesthesia as a career.

Q10: Can a preceptor write the reference letter as the “immediate supervisor”?
A10: No. A charge nurse would be more acceptable than a preceptor. However, a manager or supervisor is preferred.

Q11: How do I obtain CCRN certification?
A11: You should contact the American Association of Critical Care Nurses at the website link provided. http://www.aacn.org. We prefer that you pass the Adult CCRN.

Q12: I have worked mostly in the ER and/or OR. Would I be competitive with other applicants?
A12: It is necessary to gain acute care experience in an ICU setting before applying. Competitive applicants will have extensive experience with bedside care and nursing skills based on advanced monitoring principles.


Q13: Can students work while they're in the program?
A13: We do not encourage students to work while they are in the Nurse Anesthesia program. Between clinical hours and the academic rigor of the program, students would find it difficult to work. Weekends are usually spared for study and family time.


Q14: How much time is spent in class and clinicals?
A14: Nurse Anesthesia students at Webster follow a 9-week term system. There are five 9-week terms in a calendar year.

Clinical rotations begin in the Summer term of the 2nd year in the program. In the first year, students are in class for full days Monday-Thursday with clinical simulation held multiple times per week. In the second year, students are in class two days a week with 3 days spent in clinicals. The last year students have one day of class and 4 days of clinicals. There will also be some on-call hours later in the program.


Q15: Would I be required to do any clinical work outside of St. Louis?
A15: Yes. Webster has 20+ clinical facilities, several of which are out of the St. Louis area. We have several out of state locations. Each facility offers a unique set of opportunities. All students are required to participate in at least one rotation (9-week term) at a rural, out of town location.


Q16: Is any of the program completed through online courses?
A16: Yes. There are 7 online courses.


Q17: Are transfer credits accepted?
A20: No. This is a cohort program, meaning that admitted students each year take their courses in a set rotation that cannot be changed, even if students have completed graduate courses at a different institution.


Q17: Is financial aid available?
A21: Yes, in the form of student loans. Financial assistance from Webster University is limited to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are degree-seeking students at Webster.

We highly encourage students to seek opportunities for outside sources of funding by creating a student profile on www.fastweb.com.For additional questions or to schedule an appointment with a financial aid counselor, contact the Financial Aid Office at 314-968-6992, or 1-800-983-4623.

Q18: What is the employment rate of your graduates?
A18: Our graduates have a 100% employment rate within 6 months after graduation.


Q19: Can I schedule a time to meet with a representative to learn more about the program?
A19: Absolutely. Prospective students and applicants who have questions about the program and the admission process may contact our Nurse Anesthesia admission counselors. Please note that counselors are assigned based on applicant last name.


Emily Winslow
Graduate Admission Counselor (Last names A - K)
Emilyhorn63@webster.edu
(314) 246-7836

Meghan Higdon
Graduate Admission Counselor (Last names L - Z)
higdomeg@webster.edu
(314) 246-7836

Q20: I’m not sure if the course I’m considering will fulfill the prerequisite requirements – how can I confirm this?
A20: The following prerequisite courses are required:

  • Organic chemistry (3 cr) OR Biochemistry (3 cr) – This course should not include any general chemistry content. A good indicator of this is a general chemistry prerequisite for the course. Courses that include general chemistry content (typically found in the title or course description) will not be accepted. Courses that combine organic and bio-chemistry are acceptable, but again there should be no mention of general chemistry content in the course title or description.
  • Physics (3 cr) – college level, algebra based (calculus based not recommended but acceptable)


Please come for a visit to find out more about our program and our campus.

Many students are interested in learning more about our Nurse Anesthesia program and the field in general. To that end, we offer prospective students the opportunity to attend our All Class Conference (ACC). This Conference is held four times during the academic year, and held from 2:00-4:00 pm in the Browing Hall, ISB auditorium (ISB 160) located on our Webster Groves Home Campus. RSVPs are not required. Please see the ACC schedule below.

Location: Webster University Home Campus
Browning Hall, ISB 160
(Location may vary)
8274 Big Bend BLVD.
St. Louis, MO 63119

Time: 1:30-2:00 pm Pre All Class Conference (Question and answer session for prospective students)
2:00-4:00 pm All Class Conference

Dates: (subject to change)
October 17, 2019
December 12, 2019
January 16, 2020
April 2, 2020

For further questions about the All Class Conference, please contact the Nurse Anesthesia Department at 314-246-5927.