Thought I would start a Columbia thread for all of us who were eagerly waiting for that acceptance letter in the mail last week. Guess you can call this the meet-n-greet and maybe wear like a sticker with our screen names so we can recognize each other during the Visiting Day (ok, might look a bit goofy) but hey, what a way to start off our nursing careers together at Columbia.
I was estactic when i opened that letter, seemed like a thin envelope and was prepared for the worst, and then read the first line! I can't wait and indeed it was a life changing letter for both me and my wife, who also got accepted!! I also got into my first choice of specialty, Nurse Anesthesia, and getting into that program without ICU experience (besides being a nursing assistant in the ER and neurosurg unit as an undergrad) is just simply overwhelming. It took the whole weekend to sink in, and now, I'm psyched! I look forward to meeting all of you and enduring the next 12 months of craziness starting in June together.
Hmmm...we are all posting in reference to the "DIRECT-ENTRY" programs, and so NOBODY has years of nursing experience because that is not really who the program is for...
So, to answer you question...I have been accepted to the midwifery program and I do not have any L&D/OB experience. In fact, I don't have any nursing experience at all - I am graduating with an English degree in May!
Hello everyone! Wow, I missed a lot of discussion!!
NurseAtColumbia, how was your experience switching from neo-natal to midwifery? What made it so difficult? I was accepted into Women's Health and now feel I should do a dual program of WH and Midwifery, so I'm curious to hear why it was such a struggle for you.
I agree with Elizabells that NY is not all glamour. It's not a perfect city. I'm from Iowa and it took me almost a full 3 years to actually get used to the city. I still can't say that I love it, but I also only go to the places I like to. Like I avoid Times Square like the plague because it's always crowded; and I enjoy going to the parks and museums. What other city has so much culture? NYC is far from aesthetically beautiful, it's crowded and you'll get sick of the neverending cement, but it really has everything. Plus, if the school is good, who cares about the city?
However, it sounds like people are suggesting that the school actually isn't good and that we won't be prepared to enter the real world as nurses. I honestly don't expect to feel prepared when I'm done with school. Nursing classes are just classes, not real experience. It takes time in the nursing field to start feeling comfortable with patients and responsibility, to start applying what you've learned. That's partly why I want working experience my 2nd and/or 3rd year (if I am permitted to do the dual degree). For example, I learned how to do Pulmonary Function Tests on the job, but it took me about 6 months of doing them every day to finally feel comfortable and really understand what I was looking at. I don't think a school can really prepare you for nursing in that respect, which is why a part-time job the second year will. A school provides the materials to learn, the job actually gives you the opportunity to apply what you've learned.
I'm also of the opinion that with so many excited and intelligent people around you, you will learn. The students make the class, not just the teachers. It's great to have knowledgable teachers, but if the class pushes forward together, how can you NOT learn? The student to teacher ratio is usually 8 students per teacher, or at least that's what I read on Columbia's nursing school website. And even if that's not true, at least you know there are other students in your field of study. So why not work hard together as colleagues? How much of your education do you place on yourself? I know I'm a fighter and I tend to be that one person that sits there and says, "yeah ok... but WHY?" If you're surrounded by intelligent people, why can't you have a good quality education? If the teacher's are bad, what's wrong with the books you are supposed to read? Isn't all the information you need in the books? School is a struggle, but if were easy, everyone would do it. What makes people stand out is that they WANT to be there and they WANT to learn. School provides the materials and teachers are just one aspect of learning. I suspect most schools have this experience, that students feel they aren't getting full attention or that they feel unprepared. But in fields like nursing, how can they possibly prepare you except to give you knowledge and then throw you out into the field? Only time in the field can give you the experience you need to feel comfortable and confident in your field. Nursing is so hands-on that it's impossible to teach everything in class. But I assumed that's what clinicals are for and that your first job would give you the experience you need to feel comfortable.
I'm not sure what to say about the financial aid guy. That totally sucks.. But then again, I can't say I'm surprised. I used to work for Columbia and the reason I quit was because I was promoted and didn't receive my pay increase for 6-7 months. They supposedly lost my paperwork. I got the money retroactively, but I'd already had a bitter taste from the experience. In any case, it's a good warning if this sort of thing happens in other departments than the one I worked in. I'll be sure to call him 3 times a day to make sure my ducks are all in a row.
Bics, I'm not sure, but I thought I read that you're accepted to the Midwifery program. I'd love to hear your thoughts about CNM versus WHNP. I've been having a tough time between the two. I like the idea of helping young women in clinic who aren't pregnant, but I don't want to limit myself and exclude Labor and Delivery (L+D). What made you choose Midwifery?
Any others out there in Women's Health or Midwifery?
I suppose I'm one of those exceptions then that has some experience in patient care. I didn't have a lot of experience, but I spent a year working as a Certified Nurse Assistant, shadowed an NP in the MICU, and have been working 3 years in the pulmonary labs doing pulmonary function tests.
I'm sure there are lots of opinions about Columbia out there. I've heard quite a few! However, I'm not convinced that Columbia prepares you less than any other nursing school. Besides, how many of you write letters of praise to places you've been to? How about glowing words for an employee somewhere who goes out of his/her way to find something for you, like a shirt in your size? How many times have complained to a manager or written an admonishing letter? I think people are more likely to voice unhappy opinions than happy ones. I'm sure that Columbia has let many people down, like many institutions. But is that everyone's experience?
lol Gretchen. No worries about the wordy post. I agree with most of your points. From reading various threads on this site, it seems that no one ever feels truly prepared to be a nurse, you learn when you start working. This is the case for most fields though especially the medical field.
Personally, I'm just looking forward to being back in school even though I know it will be challenging. I've been sitting in a cubicle for 3 years now and I've had enough!
I agree with you 100% about having intellegent and motivated people around you making all the difference. I am not surprised that some people are not happy with the school because that happens everywhere. I am ready to throw myself head first into this program and work my tail off to learn all that I can, but I also know that the real learning will come with experience. I know that we will feel unprepared at first, but I have felt that way in almost every job I have ever started. In time, though, things should become second nature.
I think that we will all be fine if we stick together. Me, you and your husband will hold our own classes if we feel we are not getting enough out of the real ones...
As for the city - no city is glamourous. I live in New Haven and there really is nothing wonderful about it. It is very dirty in some areas and has crime, just like any big city. There is a lot to explore, but you have to take the initiative to find those things. Having a lot of things close by is nice, though. I have lived in suburbs and cities and they both have their pros and cons. A couple of years could be fun and at least we'll have a lot of people visit...
I am still really excited and can't wait to meet you both on March 7th.
I hope someone with a positive experience posts on this site...
I am going into midwifery, but I haven't yet...I may still be able to give my 2cents of advice...if you can do midiwfery and women's health, I say GO FOR IT! But also, midwives ALSO do some WOMEN'S HEALTH, not only L&D! Many midwives work in Planned Parenthoods, or clinics where folks do NOT go to deliver babies, so even as a CNM you could still work in the exact same environments as WHNP! I guess the PRO to WHNP is the range of ages you can attend to, and the PRO to midwifery is L&D...
Thanks Lovingpecola! I'd really like to do the dual degree because I think it'll give me greater flexibility later, I just have to figure out if I have the energy!! haha!! My best friend is going for midwifery at University of Illinois Chicago and she loves it. I've been doing some job searches to see what employers are looking for and which type they prefer for certain jobs, and I'm not really getting any answers. A lot of the WHNP jobs are also available for CNMs, and vice versa. CNM are much more trained in L+D though, I've seen the curriculum! I just don't want to limit myself later because of a limiting choice now. I suppose I'll be asking a lot of questions on orientation day!!
Have a good day and thanks for your thoughts! If you have more, do share!
OMGosh! I was going to apply to UIC if I didn't get into Yale! It is a top-ranked program for women's health and midwifery! The drawback was that it costs just as much to go to UIC (if you're a non-resident) as it does to go to Yale...LOL
I also was not impressed with the school when I went to the information day (it sucked) but they assured me that it wasn't the typical info day because it was an abnormally large group of folks there...
Specializes in Perioperative Orthopaedics - scrub/circ.
Hi all,
I cant begin to describe how awesome it was to receive the acceptance letter for Columbia school of Nursing! I'm specializing in oncology and wondering if anyone out there is also. I'm also wondering how many other guys are entering Columbia this summer.
WOW, this will cost a LOT. How are ya'll (yup, I'm from Texas) paying for it? I know about the school of nursing scholarships, but are there additional suggestions?
Also, is anyone else out there terrified? I know I'm ready for this... but the whole idea of attending one of the PREMIER institutions for our profession, honestly freaks me out. I know it will be intense, and there will be many sleep deprived nights of studying, but wow... I dont even know what to expect!!
Anyway, I'm glad this forum is here!!! I look forward to working with all of you... see ya'll (sorry, its a habit and considered proper in Texas) March 7!!!
Congratulations on your acceptance HyperactiveTTU!! and welcome to the forum. Yeah, I'm also curious in knowing how many guys will be in our class. Well for now, it's just us two. It was an exhilarating head rush when i opened my letter too, and the excitement hasn't quite worn off yet, so give yourself some time to recuperate. Look forward in meeting you and see you on Visiting Day.
welcome hyperactivettu and congratulations!! :cheers:
i know how you feel about the excitement/anxiety of starting the program!! i too was so overwhelmed when i read that i was accepted! i will be in the aesthesia track with nycacoustic, but we all get to spend the first year together!
the cost is crazy!! i will be taking out the sallie mae signiture loan to pay for most of the year. i did receive some money in scholarship, but i need a lot more to cover the full cost.
see you on the 7th!! i am looking forward to meeting all of you (i mean y'all!!) :chuckle the y'all reminds me of my 3 years spent in missouri - i love it!!
lovingpecola
283 Posts
Hmmm...we are all posting in reference to the "DIRECT-ENTRY" programs, and so NOBODY has years of nursing experience because that is not really who the program is for...
So, to answer you question...I have been accepted to the midwifery program and I do not have any L&D/OB experience. In fact, I don't have any nursing experience at all - I am graduating with an English degree in May!
HTH,
LovingPecola