Grade 1 View – S2, E20 – How NARA is Building Community for Future CRNAs

Nurse anesthesia school can be demanding, isolating, and humbling, but it does not have to be experienced alone. The Nurse Anesthesiology Resident Association (NARA) is an organization run by residents for residents, and we had the opportunity to sit down with President Dazjia Green and Vice President Omar Durand at the Annual Congress in Boston.

We’ll hear how ​NARA ​serves ​the ​resident ​community and ​what ​our guests ​have ​learned ​from ​balancing ​school, ​leadership,​and ​life. They also share what resident life really feels like, how quickly confidence can swing in clinical, and why building a national community matters for the future of the profession.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🤝 Find Your Community: Residents need people who understand the experience

🎓 Build Leadership Early: NARA offers roles beyond simple membership

🌎 Expand the Network: The organization wants to grow nationwide

💰 Support Residents: Scholarships, giveaways, and events create tangible value

🩺 Normalize the Struggle: Clinical highs and lows happen to everyone

Learn more about the NARA: https://www.naraanesthesia.org/home

Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/grade-1-view/

Visit the AANA Resident Hub: https://www.aana.com/resident-hub/

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