Updated June 2026 · 8 min read

CRNA Programs in Idaho

Part of the CRNA Career Hub — browse every related guide in one place.

For years Idaho had no nurse anesthesia program of its own. That changed in 2025: Idaho State University now runs the state's first accredited CRNA program — a brand-new Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice in Meridian, built around the anesthesia needs of a largely rural state.

Idaho State University DNAP — Nurse Anesthesia

Idaho State University's program awards a Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice and is delivered over a three-year, nine-semester curriculum at the Meridian campus near Boise. The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) granted accreditation effective in May 2025, and the program enrolled its first students that fall. As the only accredited nurse anesthesia degree in Idaho, it gives residents a path to the credential without leaving the state for the first time.

Built for Rural Idaho

ISU launched the program for a clear reason: Idaho is a largely rural state with persistent shortages of anesthesia providers in critical-access hospitals and small communities. The curriculum emphasizes preparation for practice in rural and regional settings, where CRNAs frequently serve as the primary anesthesia professionals. For applicants, that mission is worth speaking to directly — a candidate who understands rural anesthesia needs and wants to serve them fits what the program was created to do, and should say so plainly in an application.

Admission Requirements

Idaho State follows the national CRNA template. You will need a BSN (or an equivalent qualifying nursing degree) with a competitive GPA, a minimum of one year of full-time adult critical-care experience, an unencumbered RN license, and current BLS and ACLS certification. The ICU requirement is non-negotiable everywhere, and competitive applicants typically bring more than the minimum — high-acuity experience and the CCRN credential strengthen a file considerably; see the CCRN guide. For the complete checklist, review the general CRNA school requirements.

Application Strategy for Idaho

With one new in-state program, your plan should be regional from day one. Apply to Idaho State — and lean into its rural-health mission in your essay — but build a list that also includes Washington, Oregon, and Utah to give yourself realistic odds across a competitive applicant pool. Strengthen your file with the required ICU year (ideally more), the CCRN, and a sharp personal statement. For realistic expectations, see CRNA acceptance rates.

Bottom Line

Idaho State University in Meridian is the state's first and only accredited CRNA program: a three-year, COA-accredited DNAP that opened in Fall 2025 and is built specifically around Idaho's rural anesthesia needs. It's a genuine milestone for Idaho nurses, but with one young cohort, in-state applicants should still apply regionally to give themselves a fair shot. For the bigger picture, see how to become a CRNA and the CRNA job outlook.