McMaster Nursing? Is it worth it?

my bedroom · Apr 3, 2008

i graduated from mcmaster program last year. i did not like their program but it’s just me and doesn't mean u will have the same experience. it depends what you want. mcmaster program is based on problem base learning that means most work loads are on students and tutors are there to just guide you. they split people to the small groups and you got to work with group member all the time in this way you have to learn to work within the group and how to use your leadership skills, critical thinking and sometimes solve group conflict. mc program has lots of essay and presentations . a lottttttttttt , you have to be ready to write many papers which many of them seem very useless hahaha

i advice you to take mohawk-mcmaster program i heard their tutors are less strict than mcmaster program itself .

first year , you don’t have hospital , you will have your science courses and lots of lab practice. from the second year you'll go to the hospital. you'll have both surgical and medicine.

third year you can pick your own placement either surgical, medicine, maternity, mental health, public health nurse.

i don't know what else to tell you , post message and let m know if you have more questions.

hi,
i was wondering how the mcmaster nursing (bscn) program is? i've heard through different people that it is a difficult program to get into. the other thing is that mcmaster has teamed up with mohawk college to bring the bscn program as well (2 years at mohawk college/ 2 years at mcmaster university). this program is quite popular and difficult to gain admission, because of a restriction associated with it. the thing is, if your out of high school for 2 years, they want you to do their " prehealth science"- a 1 year intensive biology, chemistry, physics and english, before applying and actually being considered for admission to the bscn program. you have to be in the top 1/3 of your class, 80% higher to be considered
what my question is, "is this an amazing program at mcmaster that i should go ahead and do the pre-health science certificate? just to be considered?
what's all the hype surrounding mcmaster and their supposidly amazing program? aren't most of the bscn programs in the greater toronto area the same, or some what the same?
please help a person considering a degree in nursing!

lalaxton · Apr 4, 2008

You should investigate other programs as well to compare what their entrance requirements would be. Doing a full 'pre-health' year after only being out of school for two years seems excessive to me.

AirforceRN, RN · Apr 6, 2008

I graduated from Mac with a BSc (low to mid 80s in marks) and then applied to go back for nursing...got denied. It is very restrictive for mature students if I remember correctly. That said, I enjoyed my time at Mac immensly but can't speak for their nursing program.

cocoa9065 · Apr 10, 2008

Mac's nursing program is definately grueling. I just graduated from Mac this year and personally found the program to be very very different. If you're the type of person that loves working in small groups, writing endless papers, and learning things on your own and at your own pace, you might like it; but if you feel you need some structure and direction like lectures and such, when it comes to how you're taught , it doesn't necessarily cater to those students.

Although it does take a different approach to the learning process its still a very good program. Try your luck, apply to both Mac and Mohawk, and see what happens, both sites are basically identical, the only differences are that if you get into Mohawk the majority of your electives will be taken there, and you'll have mostly Mohawk professors ( college professors are definately more lenient).......Just remember that once you're done all students from both sites are regarded as equal, you both graduate with the same degree....I hope that helps

oooo and about the extra courses they are asking you to take, don't do it if you don't have to, see if any another school will let you get right into their program.

nikki_nurse · May 27, 2008

I am currently in the McMaster program and I think we have 10 mature students out of 110. In the Mohawk-McMaster program, there appears to be more mature students, so that is another way to go. When I first applied to universities, I applied to Mac and some other universities, but then applied to the colleges because I wanted to apply to the Mohawk program. The education at Mohawk is exactly the same and everyone's final degree says the exact same thing.

thegoose · Jun 27, 2008

I just came accross this thread and thought i'd add my 2 cents.

I graduated from McMaster Nursing 2 years ago. I know alot of people have criticisms of the program - it's certainly not perfect, but i have to say I enjoyed it immensly. The problem based learning is difficult to get used to in first year, however when I meet up with my MAC nursing girlfirends 2-3 times a year, we all comment on how much PBL (problem based learning) has been one of the greatests assesst in our careers even though we are all in different areas of nursing.

One of the things i enjoyed most at MAC was the smaller classes, I got to know alot of professors well and even have coffee with them occasionally to catch up and discuss experiences. It was also helpful, espcially in fourth year to have one on one time with your 'tutor'/professor to discuss issues that come up in clinical. I found most of the professors to be extreemly supportive academically, and also we all got to know eachother personally a bit, which you probably won't find in other larger class settings.

If I were you, I'd go to the admissions office at mcmaster and mohawk and speak with someone direcly to find out if there is anyway around that 1 year science thing- it seems a bit much really. however I know there are not alot of spots for mature students generally speaking. Could you do some of the required electives instead during that one year? that would save you time down the road...?

Could you enroll in annother program and then swtich to nursing after a year? I know some people that did that when they realised they wanted to be in nursing instead.

anyways, best of luck.

Encyfency · Aug 12, 2008

hi

I just graduated from the program....if you like talking in small groups and have good conversational skills then this program is great for you.. .working in small groups can be great learning experience, but it can be frustrating if you have to solve problems on ur own and the tutor just sits there...i enjoyed the last yr of problem based tutorials...as far as writing lots of papers...yes it can be a bit too much but it also prepares for further studies...

MlodaPielegniarka · Apr 17, 2009

how's the student life at McMaster? Also for the nursing program is it all just on a pass/fail (ie. 50%) basis or do you need to achieve high marks?

thegoose · Apr 17, 2009

only clinical is pass/fail.... but i wouln't say that makes it any less challenging than any other class.

All the rest of the classes are graded, and yes you do need to do well, especially if you have a preference for your last year of study. THey only give ER/ICU placements to people with high grades in the sicences.

Student life is what you make of it... what are you interested in specificaly? The area is nice, often reffered to as 'the bubble' as so many students live in and around campus.

MlodaPielegniarka · Apr 18, 2009

so if you dont have high marks, you can never be an NICU nurse for example because you've never had those ICU placements?

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Apr 18, 2009

so if you dont have high marks, you can never be an NICU nurse for example because you've never had those ICU placements?

Not true. You might not be able to have a clinical placement in NICU while in school if you don't have high marks, but there are lots and lots of NICU nurses who didn't do a clinical placement in NICU during school. And there are lots too who weren't the shiniest stars in their schools.