ICU to CRNA Sean Cooney AFN Class of 2022 reflects on journey through MUSC’s Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Program

The Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (AFN) program at MUSC equips future CRNAs with the advanced clinical skills, leadership experience, and real-world exposure they need to succeed in today’s complex health care environments. Through hands-on simulation training, robust clinical rotations, and supportive faculty mentorship, students graduate prepared to provide high-quality, evidence-based care.

Sean Cooney, DNAP, CRNA, a recent graduate and now full-time provider, reflects on how MUSC helped him grow from a driven ICU nurse into a confident and adaptable CRNA—and why choosing this program was one of the best decisions he’s ever made.

What’s your background, and what led you to consider becoming a CRNA?
“I grew up in Northern Kentucky, just outside of Cincinnati, and went to Northern Kentucky University for nursing school. I worked at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville after graduation and completed their ICU training program, where I worked in the Neurology/Trauma/Neurosurgery ICU.”

Cooney’s interest in nurse anesthesia began early—after shadowing a CRNA in high school, he knew he wanted to follow a similar path.

“My aunt is a general surgeon in the area, and when I told her, ‘I think I wanted to go into nursing,’ she recommended I shadow a buddy of hers who was a CRNA where she worked. I was a high school senior, so at that point, I focused everything on how and where I would attend CRNA school.”

What made MUSC the right fit for your nurse anesthesia education?
“I had been an ICU nurse for about two years when I felt like I had gathered the skills and knowledge to be able to apply and interview for CRNA schools. I was excited to apply to MUSC because of its historical top national rankings for programs.”

That excitement paid off. From the very beginning, Cooney says the program’s rigor was matched by its sense of community.

“I couldn’t have picked a better place to do my training. It was challenging, but I was able to meet students like myself from all across the country. We came together as a strong class to help each other get through each day until graduation came three years later. I could not have asked for a better class to go through that experience with, and I still stay in communication with a lot of them even though some of us have moved away from Charleston back home or to a new adventure.”

Were there any experiences in the program that had a lasting impact on you?
“The simulation lab definitely had a big impact on my training. This immersive environment gave us the opportunity to feel uncomfortable in situations that would develop in the operating room and a head start into what it would be like to be a CRNA.”

In addition to his academic and clinical experiences, Cooney shared that he got married during his first semester—and credits his wife as a steady source of strength throughout the program.

“My wife was my rock during the entire experience. While we were on rotations for the last 18 months of training, there would be times where I would be gone for the entire month at various clinical sites. She would even have gatherings with my classmates and their significant others while we were out of town to keep everyone close.”

How did the program help shape you into the provider you are today?
“The program did a wonderful job of creating a well-rounded provider. I think it’s had a great impact on my current practice, whether it’s an assignment change, an emergency case coming in, or helping out in some other way, I think just learning to roll with it came from my training at MUSC.”

Cooney also takes the lessons he learned from his own preceptors and pays them forward.

“I remember what it feels like to be a nurse anesthesia student (SRNA) so I’ve transformed that into a teaching model for my current SRNAs. I want SRNAs to be comfortable but confident in their learning, so I took some important lessons we learned throughout the program and try to relay them when I have the opportunity to be the preceptor in the OR.”

What advice would you give someone considering MUSC’s DNAP program?
“Becoming a CRNA has been one of the best decisions I have made. Go to info sessions and find out more about what you would be getting into. The CRNA school experience is incredible, and challenging, and will push you further than you ever expected.”

Is there anything else you’d like to share with prospective students or fellow alumni?
“To those future students out there who are considering MUSC, I couldn’t have picked a better place to do my training. From the campus feeling like a medical Netflix series with all the students walking around studying different things to the great friendships you create with colleagues from all over the country, you learn a lot about yourself. MUSC was the perfect choice.”