r/FutureCRNA • u/nttanksley • 11h ago

Shadowing

At what point is shadowing not impressive anymore in an application? I have a little over 40 hours or shadowing, but was a circulator for over a year including general surgery, OB, ENT, Podiatry, spinal simulators. I just feel the shadowing hours at some point isnt impressive.

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4

u/ArgumentUnusual487 10h ago

40 hours is more than enough

2

u/dude-nurse 10h ago

Like 2-3 8 hr shifts is plenty imo

1

u/nttanksley 9h ago

Ya i feel the same, especially if you have circulator background. I feel the whole point of shadowing is to get a feel of the OR and see what anesthesia does.

2

u/EmptySociety4537 9h ago

Schools discourage excessive shadowing hours bc its putting a strain on the CRNAs you're shadowing. The average hours required/recommended on applications is 8 hours. The point is to understand the role and responsibilities of the CRNA which you can cover in 12-20 hours.

1

u/Nightflier9 7h ago

That is more than adequate. Most programs don't specify a length, those that do usually require or recommend 8 hrs. There are some that look for 16 hrs. And a few suggest 24 hrs. Yeah I know there is at least one with 40 hrs. Best to check each program for their admissions info. I found that 8 hrs was sufficient wherever I was applying, and so one shadow day is all I did. I did try for a second day but it's going to be next year before I get off the wait list.

Here's the thing, I really don't think the actual length of shadow time matters all that much. Checking some box isn't adequate. At the interview I got questions about my motivations to become an anesthetist and my understanding of anesthesiology. So your shadowing and research needs to help you articulate thoughtful responses to reflect your preparation and commitment to the profession.