The nurse anesthesia program at Samford University’s Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing was ranked #32 out of 110 programs nationwide in U.S. News and World Report rankings that were released March 15. The rankings are included in the 2012 edition of America’s Best Graduate Schools.
“We are pleased with being ranked in the top one-third of all programs in the country, especially since we are a relatively young program,” said program director Mary C. Karlet, Ph.D., who also noted that most of the top-ranked programs are housed at major medical centers or large research universities.
Many of those programs have been in place for decades-- unlike the Samford program, which has yet to celebrate its 10-year anniversary.
The Samford nurse anesthesia program, one of two in Alabama, admitted its first students in 2003 and graduated the first class in 2005. The 28-month course of study awards the master of science in nursing degree and prepares students to sit for the nurse anesthesia national certification examination. In 2006, the program received the maximum 10-year accreditation from the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs.
The U.S. News rankings are based on a survey completed by deans or program directors at all fully accredited nurse anesthesia programs nationwide. Respondents rated the academic quality of program on a 5-point scale.
The Samford program offers small class size, exceptional clinical and didactic instructors, clinical rotations in rural as well as metropolitan locations, excellent regional anesthesia opportunities, and a rich tradition of high academic standards.