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Guided by our Christ-centered mission to serve others, ×îÐÂÂ鶹ÊÓƵ is answering the call to address Oregon’s healthcare shortage. In many rural communities, patients face delayed or canceled surgeries due to a lack of anesthesia providers. With , the need for highly skilled professionals is urgent. To meet this critical need, we are launching a CRNA program in fall 2025, equipping nurse anesthetists with the expertise and compassion to provide life-saving care where it’s needed most.

Keeping Patients Closer to Home

Access to anesthesia care is a key factor in whether hospitals in rural areas can offer surgical procedures. Patients — especially a growing number of aging Americans and the more than — are often forced to travel long distances for essential medical treatments. 

The George Fox CRNA program seeks to address this gap by partnering with rural healthcare systems. By placing CRNA students in healthcare settings statewide, the university aims to help expand access to routine medical procedures, reduce the burden on rural residents who would otherwise have to travel for essential care like hip replacements or labor and delivery, and ultimately support patients in recovering closer to home. 

A Strategic Partnership with Providence Health Systems

A vital component of the program’s success is our partnership with , which is providing state-of-the-art equipment and technical support for the university’s new simulation center. In addition, students will gain hands-on experience through residency placements at any of the eight Providence hospitals in Oregon, preparing them for real-world challenges in a variety of clinical settings.

High-Tech Training for Future CRNAs

The CRNA program is the first of three specialized healthcare tracks within our newly established Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. To support this initiative, our Portland Center’s medical wing is undergoing an 11,000-square-foot renovation to create a state-of-the-art training environment, featuring:

• Three fully equipped operating rooms
• Two pre-op rooms
• Several debriefing spaces
• An advanced ICU training area

This high-tech, high-touch approach ensures that graduates receive the personalized education and extensive clinical experience needed to become leaders in anesthesia care. Faculty members such as CRNA Director Bill Prosser bring decades of industry expertise, preparing students to meet the growing healthcare demands of Oregon’s rural communities. Prosser’s expertise in anesthesia care and non-opioid pain management will be particularly valuable for CRNAs who serve in rural communities, which have faced higher rates of overdoses in recent years compared to urban areas.

Faith in Action

With a mission to serve, the George Fox CRNA program will train healthcare professionals who not only address disparities in rural anesthesia care but also integrate compassionate, faith-driven service into their practice.

Watch the video to hear firsthand about the vision behind the CRNA program and how donors and community members can make a difference.