Re: JD getting RN -- where to volunteer for Experience? Originally Posted by 2bJDRNRobyn
Hey,
I am graduating from law school this May 2009 and am interested in going to nursing school. I am not sure about where I can take some courses to fill the prerequisites that I need to enter nursing school. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi Robyn,
Best best is to take them at your local community college (I assume most community colleges are state-funded, that way your tuition will be much cheaper if you are a state resident). Most all the prereqs that schools require are courses that are available for students in the first 2 years of college. What you should do FIRST is investigate what exact prereqs are required from the nursing schools you are interested in attending. I found (unlike law schools which require LSAT, bachelor's and that's it) that almost every nursing school requires something different than the other. But I can tell you now that the 3 prereqs they all seem to have in common are Anatomy & Physiology (full year) and Microbiology. So you might want to start with these and then tailor the rest of the courses to what you may need for individual schools.
I assume since you're a law student you already have a bachelor's, the other non-science prereqs some schools require you may have already fulfilled as an undergrad (like English Comp and Psych). The school I am looking to attend wants math & science prereqs completed within the last 7 years, and I'm having to retake some of them because I originally took those courses more than 10 years ago. It's all good - I could use a refresher - the Rule Against Perpetuities has a nasty way of making you forget what bone connects to what muscle
Also know: don't get caught up with the "prestige" of the school where you do your prereqs. I know this is a big issue when you're applying to law school, but does not seem to be an issue with where you do your prereqs if in fact you're doing them post-baccalaureate. As long as the school you attend is
regionally accredited that is the most important thing.
BTW, congrats on your imminent law school graduation! Are you taking that nasty ol' bar exam, too?
Nursing News