Vanderbilt CRNA Program Interview: Format, Dates and Who Gets In
What happens at the Vanderbilt nurse anesthesia (CRNA) interview, how you get one, and the dates for Summer 2028.
For its first class, starting May 17, 2027, Vanderbilt said it would invite up to 100 applicants in August to a virtual interview of about 60 minutes that mixes video and written response questions. The program is accredited for up to 30 students per cohort and will provide a profile of the class after it admits its first cohort, so it has no published acceptance rate yet. For a Summer 2028 start, applications run March 1 to May 15, 2027, with interviews in summer 2027.
Key facts (Summer 2028 start)
- Format
- A virtual interview that mixes video and written response questions, published for the Summer 2027 cycle.
- Length
- About 60 minutes.
- Online or in person
- Online.
- Who is interviewed
- Up to 100 applicants, invited in August, for up to 30 places per cohort.
- When
- Summer 2028 start: apply March 1 to May 15, 2027, interviews in summer 2027, decisions in fall 2027.
- Waitlist
- Vanderbilt uses a waitlist that stays open until classes begin.
- Tests
- No GRE. CCRN is strongly encouraged, not required, and must be in by the application deadline to count.
What happens in the interview
Vanderbilt's interview is online and short, and part of it is written. These details were published for the Summer 2027 cycle, so check your invitation for any changes.
- About 60 minutes. The virtual interview takes about an hour to complete.
- Video questions. You answer some questions on video.
- Written questions. You answer others in writing.
- Not published. Vanderbilt does not say whether the video answers are live or recorded, how many questions there are, or whether any are clinical.
Practice both modes. Rehearse short spoken answers on camera and timed typed answers. Clear, well-organized writing matters as much as how you sound.
How offers are decided
Vanderbilt does not publish how it scores the interview. It says only that review is holistic.
- Up to 30 seats. The program is accredited for up to 30 students per cohort.
- Decisions in the fall. Decisions came in October 2026 for Summer 2027. For Summer 2028 they are due in fall 2027.
- Waitlist. If spots open, waitlisted applicants are notified. The waitlist stays open until classes begin.
- No class profile yet. Vanderbilt says it will share a profile of admitted students after its first cohort.
How you get an interview
Vanderbilt's review is holistic and looks at everything the application asks for. It interviews up to 100 applicants.
Critical care experience
- 1 year within 5 years. At least 1 year of full-time critical care, or its part-time equivalent, within the past 5 years, done by the program start. Orientation does not count.
- Adult or pediatric. Vanderbilt has no preference between adult and pediatric ICU experience.
- Not accepted. PACU, operating room, emergency department, and cardiac catheterization or electrophysiology lab.
Academics and application
- Degree and license. A bachelor's or graduate degree in nursing or an appropriate major, and an unencumbered US RN or APRN license.
- GPA 3.0 and statistics. A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and a statistics course.
- A current supervisor reference. Required, and a charge nurse does not count. If you recently changed roles or units, a previous ICU manager can serve as the supervisor reference if they supervised you within the past year. Academic (professor), CRNA, and physician recommendations are also acceptable, and the recommendation is a rating form with open-ended responses.
- CCRN and BLS/ACLS/PALS. CCRN is strongly encouraged, with adult and pediatric CCRN accepted and neonatal CCRN not accepted. BLS/ACLS/PALS are required by the start of the program and shared in the open-ended responses.
- Shadowing. Not required, but strongly recommended.
Dates and other details
Vanderbilt's deadline comes a full year before classes begin.
Dates for a Summer 2028 start
- March 1, 2027. Applications open.
- May 15, 2027. Application deadline.
- Summer 2027. Interviews. Last cycle, invitations went out in August.
- Fall 2027. Admission decisions.
- May 2028. Classes begin.
The program
It is a new, full-time, in-person DNP of 36 months, 9 semesters, 90 credits and 2,500 clinical hours, starting in late May. Up to 6 credits can be evaluated for transfer. COA last reviewed it on January 21, 2026, with the next review in Spring 2031.
The program is integrated, with clinical work starting in semester 3 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and its sites and running 3 days per week beginning in semester 5. Students take SEEs approximately 12 months and 6 months prior to program completion. Vanderbilt does not recommend working during the program.
How to prepare
A short online interview leaves little time to warm up, so practice concise answers in both video and writing.
- Write under time. Practice typing a clear, structured answer to an ethics or teamwork question in 10 minutes or less.
- Speak in two minutes. Answer common questions on camera in about two minutes each, then watch them back.
- Know the training setting. Vanderbilt University Medical Center performs nearly 300,000 anesthetics per year, and students train alongside anesthesiology residents in both medically directed and non-medically directed models, plus simulation events with anesthesiology physician residents and nurse midwifery students. Be ready to talk about teamwork in anesthesia.
- Set up your space. Test your camera, light, sound and internet before the day.
Be a good first-class fit. A brand-new program needs students who adapt and give feedback well. A story about helping build or improve something on your unit fits here.
Practice questions
Questions in the style of a Online video and written questions station, written for applicants to Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nurse Anesthesia DNP. They are practice questions, not the school's own. Open one for what a strong answer does.
What ICU experience do you have that has prepared you for anesthesia?
Name the patients, drips and devices you manage and link each one to a skill anesthesia needs.
How do you view the CRNA's relationship with anesthesiologists?
Describe respectful teamwork across care models, and focus on patient safety rather than turf.
Tell me about a time you made a mistake. How did you handle it?
Own it plainly, explain how you protected the patient, and show what you changed afterward.
Describe your approach to lifelong learning.
Give real examples of how you keep learning now, such as CCRN study or new unit protocols.
Why do you want to become a CRNA rather than continue as a bedside nurse?
Show respect for bedside nursing while giving a specific reason anesthesia is your next step.
What questions do you have for us?
Ask about something only a new program can answer, like how student feedback shapes the curriculum.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Vanderbilt CRNA interview virtual?
Yes. For the Summer 2027 cycle, Vanderbilt said interviews are virtual, take about 60 minutes, and mix video and written response questions.
What is the Vanderbilt CRNA program acceptance rate and how many applicants are interviewed?
Vanderbilt has not published an acceptance rate yet because its first cohort starts May 17, 2027, and the school says it will provide a profile of the class after it admits its first cohort. Up to 100 are interviewed, with invitations sent in August, and the program is accredited for up to 30 students per cohort.
When is the Vanderbilt CRNA deadline?
For a Summer 2028 start, applications open March 1, 2027 and close May 15, 2027. Interviews are in summer 2027 and decisions in fall 2027.
Does Vanderbilt's nurse anesthesia program require the GRE or CCRN?
Neither is required. CCRN is strongly encouraged and must be submitted by the application deadline to be considered. Neonatal CCRN is not accepted.
Does ER or PACU experience count for Vanderbilt CRNA?
No. Vanderbilt does not accept PACU, operating room, emergency department, or cardiac catheterization or electrophysiology lab experience.
Sources
Official pages only, read on the date shown. Schools change their process every year, so check the school's own page before you apply.
- Vanderbilt University School of Nursing: Nurse Anesthesia DNP · read October 24, 2026