First of all...the AANA _IS_ the CRNA....all officers of the AANA _ARE_ active and practicing CRNAs! They aren't imports from China. These officers, in their everyday lives work in anesthesia practices across the country. So, for you to say "Most MDAs and AAs are not anti-CRNA, but most are anti-AANA" really demonstrates an absence of understanding of the national organization.
As for the training programs, you say "Student NAs are not trained any differently than AA students. In fact, most AAs do more cases and have better training programs (academic based) compared to SRNAs. Again, there is nothing different in the training and education of a CRNA vs. an AA that makes them more capable, Mid-Level providers." WFT???? :-) In three different ways you say there's not difference...then give ways in which there _are_ differences....how can this be..............??????
As to CRNA training and there being nothing that sets CRNAs apart from AAs regarding independent practice.....critical thinking is not something that comes from a text book. Yes, both groups may be using the same text books....but that's where I would think the similarities stop. I work in an all CRNA dept and we have SRNAs from the a University program. We, my CRNA partner and I, via the Aristotelean model, challenge the students with questions thatrequires them to think on their own.
We do this to encourage their independent thinking, in hopes that it will stimulate an interest in moving to rural American to take over for some of us old farts who have had it and wanting to retire.
The difference, then, is that AA students are not likely challenged to the same extent as SRNAs because the need after completion of your formal education is simply not there....so why foster the thinking and encourage thinking outside of area of their intended utilization.
The program I went started in, 35 years ago was run by 'ologists and they didn't encourage independent thinking as they wanted "stool sitters", call me when you've got a problem. I didn't finish at that program, I transferred to another program that had more CRNA instructor input into the curriculum....and it was an entirely different concept. I left the school ata the end of December, began working Jan 1 in a solo shop and I've never looked back.