MOBILE, Ala. – The first graduating class of nurse anesthetists from the University of Mobile’s new Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice program achieved a perfect 100% first-time pass rate on the National Certification Exam, the highest pass rate in Alabama for 2024.
That’s far above the national average of 83% and is an exceptional accomplishment for a new program, said Dr. Todd Hicks, executive dean of UM’s College of Health Professions and professor of nurse anesthesiology.
“When we developed the School of Nurse Anesthesia and the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) program in 2021, we had hopes of providing students with educational opportunities in both the classroom and clinic that would maximize their ability to pass the NCE on the first attempt.
“Our inaugural Class of 2024 made a commitment to prepare and trust in our process at the University of Mobile. It gives me great joy that we were able to build a program that enables our students to achieve their dreams,” said Hicks, DNAP program director and founding dean.
By passing the NCE, all 12 graduates are now Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists in a high-demand career where salaries start at $190,000 and up. Even before they completed the program this summer, every member of the first class had received job offers in a field that U.S. News & World Report ranks #5 on its 2024 Best Jobs List.
Benefits Our Local Community
Dr. Pamela Buchanan Miller, vice president for academic affairs at the Christian university, said the program’s success is “a huge win not just for the University of Mobile and our students, but for the entire Mobile area as the majority of our graduates will stay here and practice here. This means better local health care for all of us.”
Of the dozen graduates, 11 are now working in Mobile area hospitals while the 12th returned home and is practicing at a north Alabama hospital.
Buchanan Miller said it is “a profound blessing to see the Lord honoring our DNAP students’ hard work. They have shown true sacrificial commitment over the past three years, and we could not be more proud of them. They have worked year-round since 2021 mastering an incredibly complex body of information, not to mention the intricate skill necessary to become nurse anesthetists.”
Growing Demand, Expanding DNAP Program
The University of Mobile DNAP program is the first and only Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice program in the four-state region of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Georgia.
The highly competitive 36-month doctoral program is offered in a blended format, combining on-site and online learning. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and more than one full year of critical care nursing experience.
The program has grown and now accepts 15 new students each year. It is accredited and approved by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA), Alabama Board of Nursing and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
To learn more about UM’s DNAP program, visit umobile.edu/dnap. The annual application deadline is October 1.
Excellent Preparation, Exceptional Students
Hicks praised the Class of 2024 and noted their accomplishments. During the program, the dozen students:
- Delivered 10,735 anesthetics among six clinical sites
- Experienced 32,157 hours and 30 minutes of anesthesia time
- Cared for 1,136 pediatric patients, including 304 infants and 31 neonates
- Provided care for 482 emergencies
- Handled 864 obstetric cases, including performing 393 epidurals for labor analgesia and more than 300 spinal anesthetics for 382 Cesarean sections
- Performed 7,539 endotracheal intubations, 1,243 regional anesthetics, 913 arterial lines and 182 central lines.
- Participated in 165 open heart anesthetics and 210 lung surgeries.
- Produced three high-quality evidence-based practice doctoral projects and conducted at least 6,000 hours of research and inquiry.
“Any cohort of students who all pass the NCE on their first attempt is a special group. The 100% first-time pass rate is a testament to the countless hours of our most valuable commodity, our students. These students handled the crushing commitment of time required for success with aplomb,” Hicks said.
Congratulations to the DNAP Class of 2024!
Members of the inaugural class of UM’s DNAP program are: Evan Brock, Alexandra Brock, Olivia Branning, Alec Cunningham, Tyler Downs, Anna Caroline Gaines, Joel Hicks, Morgan Harlan, Molly Miljus Lane, Heath McGrew, Olivia Partin and Meredith Perry
About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered university with a vision of “Higher Education for a Higher Purpose,” founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions in an environment where they are known. Located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama, on a campus of over 880 acres, the university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs.The University of Mobile was founded in 1961 and is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention.
For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
Kathy Dean uses her passion for storytelling and “playing with words” to share the stories of people, place and purpose that make the University of Mobile unique. As associate vice president for university communications, she manages media relations, edits the TorchLight alumni magazine, and oversees university communications. A former award-winning journalist, she is a two-time recipient of the Baptist Communicators Association grand prize for feature writing. Kathy and her husband, Chuck, live with three extremely loud miniature schnauzers.