Admission requirements

Positions

Up to 30 students are accepted on a competitive basis each year for the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) Program at Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota.

Prerequisites

For admission to the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) Program (a 39-month, continuous program), you must have:

• A current unencumbered Minnesota registered nurse (R.N.) license upon enrollment.
• Received a bachelor's degree in nursing or an appropriate biological science from an accredited institution.
• A minimum of two years of acceptable clinical experience as an R.N. in an intensive care unit (ICU) setting by the time of program start.
• Demonstrated ability in no fewer than 30 prerequisite basic- or advanced-science semester credits.
• Completed undergraduate or graduate courses in:
• Anatomy
• Chemistry (organic chemistry preferred, but not required)
• Physiology

Acceptance factors and criteria

During the application review process, you will be screened on the following criteria:

• Cognitive factors:
  • Overall academic performance
  • Demonstrated ability in science courses
• Non-cognitive factors:
  • Essay questions
  • ICU and R.N. experience — two years or more of ICU R.N. experience by the time the program starts is required.
• References: Two specific references required (current nurse manager, and ICU physician or advanced practice provider with whom you have worked)
• Knowledge of the profession (nurse anesthesia shadowing experience recommended)

Successful applicants are not selected on grades alone. Their entire college or university cumulative GPA and selected science GPA must be at least 3.0 (4.0 scale). As an alternative to this prerequisite, at the discretion of the DNAP Program Director, cumulative and science GPAs represented by the last 60 and 30 credit hours, respectively, of higher education coursework may meet this requirement. Contact the DNAP Program Director directly and request this consideration with an explanation of your circumstances.

Application process

Application timeline

The online application opens on April 1 the year prior to enrollment. Your application and all supporting documentation must be submitted no later than June 1.

Application instructions

Complete the following steps to apply through the Nursing CAS* System:

1. Create an account to begin the online Application for Admission
   • Select - Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences
   • Select - Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Program
2. Follow the instructions in the Nursing CAS system
3. Utilize this template for your CV - DNAP Program CV Template
4. Complete each section of the application and submit

*Please note: Nursing CAS collects data from you; like any electronic system, a data breach is inherently possible. By sharing your data, you acknowledge that you are aware of this possibility and accept the risk.

Interview process

If you are considered for acceptance, you may be asked to visit Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester (at your own expense) for a personal behavioral interview with the admissions committee.

Interviews are held in the fall. Final candidates for the program are selected after all interviews are completed.

Acceptance

Acceptance letters are mailed by November. Payment of a $250 (subject to change) nonrefundable slot-retention fee is required upon acceptance into the program.

Classes begin in mid-September. The traditional program is completed 39 months later in mid-December.