A day in life of front-loaded program

Wakeup at 6:30. Eat breakfast out the door by 7:30. Drive for an hour. Sit in class for 3 hours. Study at the library for 2-3 hours. If exam for 5 hours. Then go home relax and study more. We had about 3-4 quizzes a week and an exam every week as well.

All in all not that bad. Weekends would relax do some work go to the beach...

Wakeup at 6:30. Eat breakfast out the door by 7:30. Drive for an hour. Sit in class for 3 hours. Study at the library for 2-3 hours. If exam for 5 hours. Then go home relax and study more. We had about 3-4 quizzes a week and an exam every week as well.

All in all not that bad. Weekends would relax do some work go to the beach...

Vich,

Thanks for the info, you give me hope that there will be life after all !!!!

Well, in my program we have class monday-wednesday. Thursdays are test days. Class on monday is from 9-12. Go home eat lunch, work out, and then study. Tuesday is class from 9-330. Come home and attempt to study/eat then go to bed. Wednesday is class from 9-215. Come home workout/eat/study. Thursdays are test days every other week on average. Fridays are spent trying to relax for one day of the week where I try not to do much anesthesia related. It definately helps with the sanity. Next semester we have 16 credits, so it will be a bit more busy. Hope this helps you with what you were asking.

Just started a front-loaded program on Monday. Class begins at 0830 and ends around 1500. According to six-week schedule(subject to change), I will be taking 2 tests each week with written papers due also. I haven't wasted any time, first class was Physiology which we were told is the class the weeds out the most students. I'm studying 2-3 hrs each night, will increase study time when Anatomy starts next week. My other courses for the summer are Organic/Biochem and Statistics. It's gonna be a wild ride...the best advice that I have for my classmates is not to fall behind in Physiology, there is little chance of playing catch up successfully. Got my BSN at LSUHSC and Physiology was taught by the med school professors. Well, I'm currently suffering a touch of PTSD because, once again, Physiology is being taught by the medical science department!!

BTW, my program has a 20-25% attrition rate. Good luck to all...

Army

Forgot to mention that my class schedule is 5 days a week. For the 12 months of didactic there are 96 scheduled exams. Yes, we were given this bit of info on day one.

Army, SRNA

USAGPAN/Northeastern University

Forgot to mention that my class schedule is 5 days a week. For the 12 months of didactic there are 96 scheduled exams. Yes, we were given this bit of info on day one.

Army, SRNA

USAGPAN/Northeastern University

Army-

Do you mean Northeastern in Boston? Probably a dumb question. I am considering applying there but WHEW 96 exams scares me!! Knowing that makes the challenge of CRNA school even more realistic and scary. Thanks, I think?!? :chuckle

Don't be intimidated by the high volume of exams. That just means that you have less information on an exam. I attend a front loaded program. It's great except for those times when you just need to see something to learn it. Class 3-4 hours per day Monday-Thursday. I put in about 6 hours per day outside of class (Including Saturday). I take it off or light on Sunday. We have 3 exams per class per semester. The problem with that is that there is SO MUCH information on an exam. I'm making it though. This week marks my halfway point for my didactic year. I'm headed to the OR in January after a much needed 3 week break for Christmas.

More tests is better. Gives you a chance to increase your grade if you bombed one.

I am considering applying there but WHEW 96 exams scares me!!

The way I look at it, you have to know all of that material. You might as well get tested on it. It keeps you on your toes, and it guides your study time.

Yes, I am concurrently enrolled at Northeastern University in Boston. The Army's CRNA program is partnered with NEU. However, all classes are held in San Antonio at Fort Sam Houston.

Northeastern's SRNAs will not matriculate until August. As a result, the Army, Air Force, and VA nurses will graduate in December 2010 and the NEU students will graduate in May 2011.

Army, SRNA

I agree with you about the amt of material per test. I initially thought ok this is cool, but I have paranoid classmates who are terrified by this fact. Their argument is that a 50-question test will be extremely difficult because it covers so little material.

I think our exams are set up in such a way that we will have to critically think. Rote memorization just won't cut it. I'm sure the patients will appreciate it.

Army, SRNA

I say, the more questions the better. Bring 'em on!