Anesthesia (Doctor of Anesthesia Practice)

**Note: Pending approval by HLC.

Department of Anesthesiology
Hurley Medical Center
(810) 257-9264
Fax: (810) 760-0839
www.umflint.edu/graduateprograms/anesthesia

2102 W.S. Whit Building
(810) 762-3172
Fax: (810) 762-3003

Director: Lynn L. Lebeck, CRNA, Ph.D.
Educational Coordinator: Shawn Fryzel, CRNA, MS
Secretary: Deb Berg
Program Faculty: Lynn L. Lebeck, CRNA, Ph.D., Arlesia Mathis, Ph.D., Shan Parker, Ph.D., Suzanne Selig, Ph.D.

Note: At the time of publication, this program has received all institutional, state, and Council of Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational programs approvals. However, the program awaits approval from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Students may not begin this program until such approval is granted.

The Doctor of Anesthesia Practice (DrAP) program is intended to provide a post-master’s educational opportunity for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) to prepare for leadership positions in a variety of aspects of the profession of nurse anesthesia. The profession encompasses more than the actual administration of anesthesia to patients; CRNAs engaged in research, education, and administration are recognized as being engaged in the practice of anesthesia. Graduates of the program will have broadened understanding of the healthcare systems and environments in which they practice, and will be better prepared to further develop the roles that CRNAs fill within increasingly complex systems of healthcare delivery, in businesses involving anesthesia, in meeting the anesthesia needs of diverse populations, and in preparing the next generation of CRNAs to be educated in the clinical doctorate framework.

The program is designed for the CRNA who already has an entry-to-practice MS or MSN degree or one completed after an entry-level BS degree of an earlier era. The program, consisting of 32 graduate credits, provides students with an innovative level of flexibility and individualized program iteration. Students take 16 credits of core courses in areas of leadership, health policy, financial management/economics of healthcare, informatics and evidence-based practice, and ethics in healthcare, 9 credits in personalized elective areas such as Business Administration, Education, Healthcare Systems, Advanced Pathophysiology/Pathology, and 7 credits in the Capstone/Research process, during which they develop and carry out capstone projects which demonstrate the acquisition and application of knowledge gained through the interdisciplinary coursework completed. The curriculum is based upon expected competencies articulated in Report of the Doctoral Preparation Taskforce to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists in 2007, and incorporates sound pedagogy with maximum flexibility to meet individualized professional needs of its students.

The program is offered primarily in an online format. Individual courses other than those with the ANE prefix may be offered in an online and/or face to face format. Selection of elective courses will impact the students online or face to face design of their individualized program.

Mission and Assessment
The program participates in the University-wide assessment effort to assess its academic programs. Information on assessment plan including goals, methods and outcomes is available at assessment.umflint.edu.

Admission Requirements
Applications for admission are accepted throughout the year for the following Fall semester. Application deadlines are posted on the Office of Graduate Programs website. Admission decisions are made by the program admission committee in consultation with the program faculty. Applicants must satisfy the following requirements to be considered for admission:

Completion of a master’s degree in science or nursing (M.S. or M.S.N.) with a focus on nurse anesthesia, from a program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs or completion of a post-master’s certificate in anesthesia accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs.
A minimum overall graduate grade point average of 3.0 on a 4-point scale or 5.0 on a 9-point scale.
Current, unrestricted licensure as a Registered Nurse (copy of license required).
Current, unrestricted licensure as a CRNA (or APRN if applicable) (copy of license or state specialty certification required).
A statement of purpose for pursuing the degree including areas of interest for elective courses.
Official copies of transcripts from each college and university attended.
Copy of current Certification or Recertification certificate from the appropriate Council.
Three letters of recommendation, at least one from a supervisor/employer who can speak to the applicant’s practice as a CRNA and as least one from someone qualified to comment on the applicant’s abilities.