A day in life of front-loaded program

[srna2008]

There is a great thread about a day in the life of SRNA during clinicals, but does anyone in a frontloaded program have time to post their typical daily routine.

[nurselizk]

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

[ready4crna?]

Just finished my didactic year. Class mon-fri, typically 6-8hrs a day. Study for an additional 3-6 hours per day and then all day saturday and the occasional sunday as well. The last block was not as much lecture, but the volume remains the same. I would describe CRNA didactics as "drinking from the firehose"- It's not that the information is impossible (we all drink water), it's that the volume is so great.

Vich- All our tests in my program are cumulative in regards to information, but grades are only for the block. Bomb one and there is no ability to pull up an average.

We were consistently tested on subjects and concepts that were only addressed in the first couple of months. So, in order to stay current, most of my classmates gave up weekends and holidays to refresh our memories, try to read ahead and really be ready for the next exam.

Army- I would be interested to know if your exams are cumulative in nature, as some anesthesia concepts are going to have to be hammered home. I would put money on it that they are, even if they are "smaller". One of the hardest tests I took this year was in nervous system- total of about 67 questions, mostly essay-type, over four hours and cumulative for four months of information (histology/neurochem/differential diagnosis/etc.) And I think my program is at least based in spirit on the army program.

[armynse]

Yes, all of my exams are cumulative in nature. However, we are tested on smaller blocks of instruction so that our professors can be sure that we have a sound grasp of the material before we progress to the next concept which builds upon the first. Simply put, if you didn't learn A you will not understand B, C, etc.

Good luck in your clinical rotations...

Army, SRNA