Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice - Entry Into Practice Program

Admission to the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (D.N.A.P.) - Entry into Practice program is considered on a competitive basis for prospective students who are registered nurses and hold a baccalaureate or graduate degree in nursing, or an appropriate major, with an unencumbered license as a registered professional nurse and/or an advanced practice registered nurse in the United States or its territories. Applicants must also have a minimum of 1 year full-time work experience as a registered nurse in a critical care setting (see options below).  Applicants will submit the initial application through the NursingCAS system. Applications are then reviewed by the Office of Admissions for completeness and referred to the Nurse Anesthesia Program Admissions Committee Chair to determine applicant eligibility for an interview. The Admissions Committee meets after the interviews and reviews the full application file for applicants who were interviewed.

The Admissions Committee will determine which applicants will be accepted. The Office of Admissions notifies each applicant in writing of the admission action/decision. Decisions on acceptance are made until the maximum enrollment for the Nurse Anesthesia Program is reached.

The Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (D.N.A.P.) program uses a rolling admissions process. Completed applications are reviewed and decisions to interview individual candidates are made at regular intervals during the admission cycle. Interviews are conducted and the selection process of each candidate for admission is made until the cohort is filled. Applicants are notified of their selection status at various intervals throughout the interview process.                                                                               

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to The Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (D.N.A.P.) program at Midwestern University, students must submit the following documented evidence:

1. Minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
2. Minimum science GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
   • All science courses are included in the calculation of the science GPA. These include, but are not limited to anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, chemistry, biochemistry and physics.
3. Completion of a baccalaureate or graduate degree in nursing or an appropriate major, granted by a regionally accredited U.S. college or university.
4. Satisfactory completion with a C or better of all prerequisite coursework prior to the application (grades of C- are not acceptable).
5. Licensure to practice as a registered nurse: an unencumbered/unrestricted license to practice in at least one legal jurisdiction in the United States or its territories. The applicant possesses no previous sanctions or restrictions on the RN license.
6. Minimum of one year of full-time critical care registered nursing experience prior to application. Initial orientation experience does not count towards the one year experience. Critical care experience includes all types of Adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Pediatric ICU, and Flight Nursing. Neonatal intensive care unit and Emergency Department experience does not meet this requirement. Experience should include management of mechanical ventilation, invasive monitoring, and vasoactive medication infusions.
7. Demonstration of sincere understanding of and interest in nurse anesthesiology.
8. Oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with faculty, patients, and colleagues.

Prerequisite Courses

Application Process and Deadlines

To be considered for admission into the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Program, applicants must complete an application through the NursingCAS portal (see link below).

Apply here

Nursing CAS Application: Application portal in NursingCAS opens September 1st and closes December 1st. Please refer to the NursingCAS application instructions for specific details about completing the application, required documents, and processing time. Due to the large number of applications and the limited number of seats available, applicants are strongly encouraged to complete their NursingCAS application early in the cycle.

All requests for withdrawal of an application must be done in writing via e-mail, fax or letter submitted to the Office of Admissions.

*Midwestern University (MWU) is expanding its Nurse Anesthesia program in Glendale, Arizona to include MWU Downers Grove, Illinois, in August 2026, pending approval from the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). No students may be enrolled in the additional location until COA approval is granted. The expansion, once approved, will increase access to a program known for academic excellence and strong graduate outcomes. Initial acceptance will be for the Glendale campus with additional acceptance to the Downers Grove campus upon COA approval.

Transfer Policy

The Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Program may elect to accept transfer students during the didactic phase of the program. Transfer students must apply to the program and, if qualified, must participate in an admission interview. The Admissions Committee must approve all transfer students and will determine the number of graduate transfer credits allowed. In addition, a letter from a student's former program director must accompany the application explaining the reason for the transfer.

Transfer students are not accepted during the clinical phase of the program.