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There are a lot of requirements to be a CRNA. I had a post going all over the wide list of requirements like education degree, GPA, ICU experience and nursing license. This article will go over the CRNA prerequisites which are the courses that you need to have completed in order get into CRNA School in the first place. When you think about it, the CRNA pre reqs are the easiest to meet. For example, if you’re missing the credit, try to see if you can substitute the credit by taking the course at a local university. It’s really important that you meet the requirements for each school that you’re applying for, so pay attention to this.
What Classes Should I Take Before CRNA School?
It is really important that you focus on the nurse anesthetist prerequisites because all the CRNA schools are completely different pre reqs. However, 60% of CRNA Schools require you to take a Statistics Course, 44% require you to have taken General Chemistry, and 36% require you to have taken a Physiology Course. If you think about what classes to take before CRNA school you should definitely take those 3 courses. The specific breakdowns of courses and the percentage of schools that require the course are broken out below from highest to lowest:
- Statistics – Prerequisite for 60% of CRNA Programs
- General Chemistry – Prerequisite for 44% of CRNA Schools
- Physiology – Prerequisite for 36% of Nurse Anesthetist Programs
- Anatomy – Prerequisite for 34% of CRNA Programs
- Organic Chemistry – Prerequisite for 31% of Nurse Anesthesia Programs
- Biochemistry – Prerequisite for 29% of CRNA Schools
- Microbiology – Prerequisite for 16% of Nurse Anesthetist Programs
- Pharmacy – Prerequisite for 11% of CRNA Programs
- Physics – Prerequisite for 9% of CRNA Schools
CRNA Schools with the Highest Perquisites
The CRNA schools with the strictest and most number of pre reqs are as follows:
- University of South California – 8 pre reqs
- Quinnipiac – 7 pre reqs
- Yale – 7 pre reqs
- University of Kansas – 7 pre reqs
- North Kentucky University – 7 pre reqs
- University of Michigan – 7 pre reqs
There were a lot of CRNA programs that did not have any pre reqs as shown in the table below.
Again, please make sure you properly research and make sure you meet all the prerequisites so you do not automatically disqualify yourself later. I cannot emphasize this further. Without further ado, here is the list
List of CRNA Prerequisites By Nurse Anesthetist School
| All CRNA Schools | Statistics | Basic Chemistry | Physiology | Anatomy | Organic Chemistry | Biochemistry | Microbiology | Pharmacy | Physics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AdventHealth CRNA | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Albany Medical College CRNA Program | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| La Roche CRNA | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed |
| Antillean Adventist University | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Army CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| ASU CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Augusta CRNA Program | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Murray State CRNA | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Barry University Nurse Anesthesia Program | Required | Not Needed | Required | Required | Recommended | Recommended | Not Needed | Required | Required |
| Baylor College of Medicine CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Boston College CRNA | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Bryan College CRNA | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Kaiser CRNA | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Charleston Area Medical Center | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| UNC CRNA Program | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Recommended |
| Cedar Crest CRNA | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Clarkson College CRNA | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed |
| Cleveland Clinic CRNA program | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required |
| Columbia University CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Millikin CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Drexel CRNA | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Duke CRNA Program | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| ECU CRNA | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Emory CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Excela Health School of Anesthesia | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Fairfield CRNA | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Recommended |
| Florida Gulf Coast University CRNA | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| FIU CRNA Program | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| FSU CRNA | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Recommended | Recommended | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Case Western CRNA | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| FranU CRNA | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Required |
| Mayo Clinic Health System | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| La Salle CRNA program | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Bloomsburg CRNA | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Georgetown CRNA | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Goldfarb CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required |
| Gonzaga CRNA | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed |
| Hofstra CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Integrated Anesthesia Associates | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Inter American University | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Johns Hopkins CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Keiser University CRNA | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Lincoln Memorial University CRNA Program | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Loma Linda CRNA | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| LSU CRNA Program | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Lourdes University CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Marian University CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Marquette CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Mayo Clinic CRNA | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Recommended | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| MUSC CRNA Program | Required | Required | Required | Required | Recommended | Not Needed | Recommended | Required | Not Needed |
| Michigan State University CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Midwestern University CRNA | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required |
| Minneapolis School of Anesthesia | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Missouri State University CRNA | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Mount Marty CRNA | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| National University CRNA | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Newman CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Northeastern CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| NKU CRNA | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Northshore CRNA | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Northwestern CRNA Program | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Oakland University CRNA Program | Required | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed |
| Old Dominion University CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed |
| OHSU Nursing | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required |
| Otterbein CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Quinnipiac CRNA Program | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed |
| Raleigh School of Nurse Anesthesia | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Rosalind Franklin CRNA | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Rush University CRNA | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Rutgers CRNA | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| SIUE CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required |
| Saint Marys CRNA | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Samford CRNA | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Samuel Merritt CRNA | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required |
| Saint Joseph Hospital | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Buffalo CRNA Program | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| TCU CRNA | Not Needed | Recommended | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Texas Wesleyan University CRNA | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Jefferson CRNA Program | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Truman CRNA Program | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| UAB CRNA | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| University of Akron CRNA | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| University of Arizona CRNA | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required |
| UAMS CRNA Program | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| University of Cincinnati CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Detroit Mercy CRNA | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Evansville CRNA | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| University of Iowa CRNA | Required | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended |
| KU CRNA Program | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| U of M CRNA Program | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| University of Maryland CRNA | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| UM CRNA Program | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| University of Minnesota CRNA | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Mobile University CRNA | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| UNF CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| UNE CRNA Program | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| UND CRNA Program | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| UPenn CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| University of Pittsburgh CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| University of Puerto Rico | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| USF CRNA Program | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed |
| University of Scranton CRNA | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| University of South Carolina CRNA | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| USC CRNA School | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Required |
| USM CRNA Program | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| UT Houston CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| UTC CRNA | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| UTK CRNA Program | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed |
| University of Tennessee Health Science Center | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| University of Tulsa Nursing | Required | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed |
| University of Wisconsin Oshkosh CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed |
| Union University CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| UPMC Hamot | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Military CRNA | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Villanova CRNA program | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| VCU CRNA Program | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Wake Forest CRNA | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Wayne State CRNA | Not Needed | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Webster University Nurse Anesthesia Program | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required |
| WVU CRNA program | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Western Carolina University CRNA | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Westminster CRNA | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
| Yale CRNA | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not Needed | Required | Not Needed |
| York College CRNA | Required | Not Needed | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended | Not Needed | Recommended | Recommended |
| St Elizabeth Health Center | Required | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed | Not Needed |
Top CRNA Schools
We spent hundreds of hours studying all CRNA schools and interviewing over 125 nurse anesthetists to create our exclusive list of Best CRNA Schools. So now you know the CRNA School pre reqs, your next research is to compare the Best CRNA programs with the Nurse Anesthetist School Requirements in order to see which CRNA schools are the best fit and which programs you should apply to.
Map of CRNA Schools by State
As you think about CRNA program requirements, we provide all the CRNA Schools by State in the map for your reference below.
Notes:
The darker the blue color equivocates to more CRNA Schools in the State.
Tier 1 = 6 or more CRNA Schools
2nd Tier = 3 to 5 CRNA Schools
Tier 3 = 1 or 2 CRNA Schools
White means no CRNA schools in the State.
Data source: everythingCRNA
Author Bio: Nelson started everythingCRNA to help aspiring, student and practicing CRNAs & CAAs.
Nelson is currently a CRNA in New York City. Previously, he worked as an ICU Travel RN and Critical Care RN in Philadelphia, Miami, Washington DC, and Boston. He earned his BSN from Penn State and his MSN from Bloomsburg. He is also a member of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA).
In his free time, he enjoys working out, exploring the outdoors, and helping future CRNAs.
Nelson is currently a CRNA in New York City. Previously, he worked as an ICU Travel RN and Critical Care RN in Philadelphia, Miami, Washington DC, and Boston. He earned his BSN from Penn State and his MSN from Bloomsburg. He is also a member of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA).
In his free time, he enjoys working out, exploring the outdoors, and helping future CRNAs.
Latest posts by Nelson (see all)
- The Real Truth Behind the Rush CRNA Program - September 8, 2021
- CRNA Post Masters - August 26, 2021
- CRNA Prerequisites - August 25, 2021
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