Find your path to a Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice

MUSC offers two DNAP pathways for nurses at different stages of their careers. Use this guide to find the pathway that fits your background, understand the key differences and plan your next step.

Start with where you are today

Answer the questions below based on your current license, certification, education and critical care experience.

Compare the pathways

	Post-Baccalaureate	Post-Master's
Designed for	Licensed RNs preparing to become CRNAs	Certified CRNAs seeking doctoral education
Learning mode	Residential	Hybrid
Clinical Experience	At least one year of critical care experience required before applying	Professional nurse anesthesia experience required before admission
Outcome	DNAP and preparation for CRNA certification	DNAP

Take the next step

Once you identify your pathway, review the current admissions information to confirm your eligibility, understand the application process and prepare for what comes next.

DNAP Post-Baccalaureate

For registered nurses preparing to become nurse anesthetists.

The Post-Baccalaureate pathway combines doctoral education with the academic and clinical preparation needed to enter nurse anesthesia practice.

You may be a fit if you:

• Are a licensed registered nurse
• Hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• Have at least one year of qualifying critical care experience
• Meet all admissions requirements

Next step: Review admissions requirements and learn how to prepare a competitive application.

DNAP Post-Master’s

For certified CRNAs ready to advance their education

The Post-Master's pathway is designed for certified registered nurse anesthetists who hold a master’s degree and want to earn a practice doctorate while advancing their leadership and clinical expertise.

You may be a fit it you:

• Are currently certified as a CRNA
• Hold a qualifying master's degree
• Are seeking doctoral-level education in a hybrid format

Next step: Meet with our team to confirm your eligibility.

Have questions about your path?

Our CHP recruitment team can help you determine which DNAP pathway aligns with your current credentials and what you’ll need to move forward. Schedule a phone call or email us at chp-recruit@musc.edu.