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.
I'm totally new to this whole site, but was excited to find this thread. I was accepted into Columbia's ETP program (midwifery) as well as to Stonybrook (and am still waiting to hear back from Downstate - ahhh!) so I have been especially interested in hearing what people have to say about the program - and, well really, to know if it's really worth all that money!! Loans or no loans - it's a big chunk! - especially considering the possibility of going to SUNY for 1/10th of the cost! I know a few people had thrown this out there, but no one really picked up on it, so I thought I'd throw it out again - HELP! SUNY or the Ivy League???
This is all based on almost nothing, but if your choice is Stonybrook or Columbia, I'd go with Columbia. I have heard really good things about Downstate, but not enough to know which to choose. The woman who teaches the OB class at Columbia in the first year is phenomenal (don't judge her by her Issues class in the summer, that class is awful no matter who teaches it) and she teaches a lot of the midwifery classes too. She's the one who's got me wavering from my love for neonatal.
It was great!! I really enjoyed the day. I met some great people (faculty, current students and future classmates). I was impressed with the facilities. The hospital campus is huge!! I am so excited to start!!
I wish you would change your mind and join us!! :chuckle
Is it worth the extra? It depends on what is important to you. (I admit to being a total education snob! ) Columbia is the fastest of the three progams, downstate, the cheapest (IIRC). Columbia you don't have to reapply for the masters upon completion of the bachelors, downstate and stoneybrook you do. I think the midwifery faculty at Columbia are wonderful. The prof who teaches OB nursing as Elizabells mentioned is also midwifery faculty and rocks... (btw, EB-- they don't have issues next year till the spring... aren't they lucky!) The head of the dept is a goddess and everyone I've talked to who's graduated in the last 5 or 6 years says she is the absolute highlight of the program. My friends and I are all extremely excited about learning from her. I haven't met the 3rd faculty member, but I've heard good things, and I have her for my case management seminar which starts in a couple of weeks, so I can update then.
Also, something to keep in mind is that there are TONS of loan repayment opportunities for CNMs. Go where you think you are going to get the best education. Student loans can be refinanced and spread out with smaller payments over a longer period, if need be... or deferred in times of unemployment etc. Check out the NHSC and IHS website to get an idea of what is out there for loan repayment.
Good luck with your decision!
LB
PS- hope this isn't too fragmented, I'm exhausted and totally loopy.
Elizabells did you get your integration site yet? Of course mine is about as far from me as I can get, but at least I got L&D. :yelclap:
I got CHONY NICU on nights WOOOOOO!!!!!!! That's where I want to work after grad, so I'm looking at this like a nine-week job interview. Are you at Cornell? That's pretty far from us (which is why I'm assuming you are), but the L&D nurses are cool. Prepare for a 95% epidural rate and to be really annoyed by the mandatory lithotomy position, though.
I got CHONY NICU on nights WOOOOOO!!!!!!! That's where I want to work after grad, so I'm looking at this like a nine-week job interview. Are you at Cornell? That's pretty far from us (which is why I'm assuming you are), but the L&D nurses are cool. Prepare for a 95% epidural rate and to be really annoyed by the mandatory lithotomy position, though.
Yup. I'm at Cornell, days. I had been hoping for Allen, nights... but I feel lucky to have gotten L&D since there were only 10 spots for 16 people. :) Yeah, all those epidurals and lithotomy are going to make me cringe, I'm sure... but at least I'll get lots of experience starting IVs. Glad to hear the nurses there are nice, though. Good luck on the practice NCLEX today. I can't believe I'm awake right now...
ETA: CHONY NICU rocks, what a beautiful place to spend the next 9 weeks. Congrats to you!
Wanted to add that if anyone is interested in a pair of white dansko clogs in good shape, size 38 (7 1/2-8) for clinical, or a pharm book, PM me. I'm selling both at a deep discount. :)
Wanted to add that if anyone is interested in a pair of white dansko clogs in good shape, size 38 (7 1/2-8) for clinical, or a pharm book, PM me. I'm selling both at a deep discount. :)
LB
BWAH!!!!
I'm also selling my junk, er, stuff.
I got the med-surg books, the pathophys book, the book for issues, the book for Science of Nursing Practice, A Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, and the Physical Assessment Book. Oh, and I'll throw in a Littman Lightweight steth. All this can be yours for the low low price of I don't want the mods to boot me so PM me!
And LB, try to get hooked up with the nurse on your floor from India...can't remember her name, thinks it starts with an S, or possibly a P. She was a community midwife in India, and she rocks.
And to Lizzy...I spent last summer at Cornell for a research program and absolutely loved it!!!!!! I don't know much about Weil (I was on the Ithaca campus) but I can say that the school in general was phenomenal and that the grounds were unbelievably beautiful!!!!!!!! Have fun!!!
And LB, try to get hooked up with the nurse on your floor from India...can't remember her name, thinks it starts with an S, or possibly a P. She was a community midwife in India, and she rocks.
Thanks for the info Elizabells, I will definitely try to hook up with her. I just talked to my preceptor and she was sooooo nice. I am super excited!!! :w00t:
LP, I did my medsurg rotation at Cornell, it's a gorgeous hospital... nice, nice place to work, and everyone told me today that the nurses in L&D are great so I am really looking forward to it. :)
Specializes in Perioperative Orthopaedics - scrub/circ.
wow,
visiting day was cool. i wish we took nycacoustic's advice and wore nametags. i didn't want to look like a dork and ask around if anyone were on allnurses.com while refering to myself as my username... lol
anyways, i was the dorky filipino guy in the front (oncology/undecided) table that was taking lots of pics (hey... i'm exited... what do you expect?). i met a couple cool people and am looking forward to working with ya'll.
does anyone know when the "move-in" day is? i know we havent received dorm assignments, but since flights are cheaper now, i'd rather purchase them as soon as i can. so any info will be greatly appreciated!
) Columbia is the fastest of the three progams, downstate, the cheapest (IIRC). Columbia you don't have to reapply for the masters upon completion of the bachelors, downstate and stoneybrook you do. I think the midwifery faculty at Columbia are wonderful. The prof who teaches OB nursing as Elizabells mentioned is also midwifery faculty and rocks... (btw, EB-- they don't have issues next year till the spring... aren't they lucky!) The head of the dept is a goddess 
and everyone I've talked to who's graduated in the last 5 or 6 years says she is the absolute highlight of the program. My friends and I are all extremely excited about learning from her. I haven't met the 3rd faculty member, but I've heard good things, and I have her for my case management seminar which starts in a couple of weeks, so I can update then.
ibambamama
41 Posts
Hello All -
I'm totally new to this whole site, but was excited to find this thread. I was accepted into Columbia's ETP program (midwifery) as well as to Stonybrook (and am still waiting to hear back from Downstate - ahhh!) so I have been especially interested in hearing what people have to say about the program - and, well really, to know if it's really worth all that money!! Loans or no loans - it's a big chunk! - especially considering the possibility of going to SUNY for 1/10th of the cost! I know a few people had thrown this out there, but no one really picked up on it, so I thought I'd throw it out again - HELP! SUNY or the Ivy League???