Accepted to U Penn!! Now in need of syllabus

love-d-OR · Aug 10, 2011

Approach this like a marathon not a sprint... steady! People that have been there and done that, usually know what they're talking about.

Confirm your spot, wait for your package and complete it, register for classes, buy your books, and then if you really feel the need to study a year in advance then do so then. Trust me, the first month after admission notification you WILL be super elated and excited, but as school day approaches, you will wish you had those free days to just hang out... Congratulations on admission, Penn is a great school

BxRN0808 · Aug 13, 2011

:yeah: I have an interveiew with them next month. Any pointers? Congrats on getting accepted.

I_See_You_RN · Aug 13, 2011

approach this like a marathon not a sprint... steady! people that have been there and done that, usually know what they're talking about.
confirm your spot, wait for your package and complete it, register for classes, buy your books, and then if you really feel the need to study a year in advance then do so then. trust me, the first month after admission notification you will be super elated and excited, but as school day approaches, you will wish you had those free days to just hang out... congratulations on admission, penn is a great school

i suppose it all comes down to perspective, and trust me, i do see the merits of both side. studying early is my "marathon" and my way of avoiding the "sprint" effect. to me, if i spend time getting a basic grasp of concepts then when the time comes for the intro classes i will be focusing on the nuances of factual information instead of grappling with the basics. i am a quick learner in terms of passing a test, but there is a certain refinement that can only be acheived with longer and broader periods of study. i don't plan on spending long hours at the library studying this but i have already started bringing around a binder to work with me with into anesthesia pharm.

this is a quote that i live by and has kept me moving forward in life with much success:

the heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upwards in the night.

henry wadsworth longfellow

thanks though,... i'll make sure to enjoy my time off because emotional preparedness is also important.

I_See_You_RN · Aug 13, 2011

I have an interveiew with them next month. Any pointers? Congrats on getting accepted.

congrats on getting the interview! firstly, if you are female please do wear appropriate shoes because the walk from the suggested parking to the nursing building is ATROCIOUS. or bring flats-to-go to wear for the walk :idea: That being said,.. if you plan to be 30 minutes early, plan to park your car 45minutes to 1 hour early.

As for the interview,.. i initially attempted practicing answering questions but personally, that was an utter fail because the more i practiced, the more I stuttered and overthought everything. So I gave that up lol. I said to myself that the truth always flows easily and therefore I have nothing to worry about. What I do suggest is to have a clear view of your job role and the patients that you take care of, the medications that you use, and the procedures that you frequently do. I think that most of us do soooo many things so often that we start to think of them as trite and not important and therefore might not mention it.

I was interviewed by three people in a quaint office. The interview started right away. There was a mix of et-to-know-you (not very fluffy though) and clinical questions. Be confident, but be humble.

good luck!! i hope u get in!!

lunarjuice · Aug 15, 2011

Congrats. I graduated from UPENN last year (2010). Great school. My suggestion would be to start taking your MSN classes now if you can. I did not take any classes early, and I was UBER jealous of those who did. It made for a very stressful 2 years doing all the classes together. Anyway, if you can't take classes now and want to start learning anesthesia, get "Clinical Anesthesiology" by Morgan, Mikhail, & Murray. It's a required text and my favorite for putting things plain and simple. Also, make sure you have a decent grasp on pathophys. The pharm will come with time, so don't stress it.

Let me know if I can answer any other questions. :) Congrats, again!!

BxRN0808 · Aug 15, 2011

Thank you so much for replying to my msg. It is my first school I applied to and I am nervous. Once again, congratulations!

lunarjuice · Aug 15, 2011

Do you know what classes students took in advance?

Pathophys, assessment, social policy (N540), pharm (N508), research. there's an "acute care" class & a pain class (required for anesthesia)... those two are the only ones i'm not sure on. but, i think the others will keep you occupied!! :)

Do you believe the program was priced at value?

very difficult to answer. i could have gone to any other CRNA school, paid less, and still graduated and passed boards. once you've graduated, NO ONE cares where you went to school. that being said, i had some really good clinical experiences that made me very prepared in my practice. hard to say if they were better than anyone else's because i have nothing to compare them with. i can say that i felt very prepared (but still scared ********) the first couple of months as a CRNA. my current employer seems to think i was prepared.

that being said, was it worth 90K?!? Looking at my monthly student loan payments now, I'd say maybe not. i have friends who paid less tuition and are/were still prepared when they graduated. UPENN is a good school, but it's all about the Ivy League name... and it shows in everything they do...

do i think it's a good school? absolutely. i had some fantastic clinical experiences (i'm a clinical learner, so that was SUPER important to me). i was taught by people who wrote the textbooks. could i get a similar/cheaper education elsewhere? probably.... but without the "big names." weigh the pros/cons for yourself. if you're a clinical learner like me, it just might be worth the experience.

Were you originally from the PA area, and if not, did you find relocating difficult? What area did you live in and were rent prices reasonable?

I'm originally from UT, moved to PA for school only. Moved back west the day after graduation. I found that I have west-coast mentality. A little more relaxed and friendly out here. :)

Of course it was difficult to relocate that far. I had one trip to PA to find an apt and got stood up by the real estate agent. Welcome to the world of great customer service (can you sense the sarcasm?) I found something online that I didn't lay eyes on until I got there with my uhaul full of stuff. It wasn't great, but the rent was cheap (relatively speaking), so I stayed for 2 years (besides, I didn't want to move again, so I sucked it up!) I lived on the border of University City and West Philly (don't go much farther west than 44th)... 6 blocks from UPENN. Rent prices varied. Studio apt in my bldg for appx $400/month, my one bedroom was $825. The closer to center city you got, the more $$$ you paid. You can find something in any price range... just depends on what amenities you can live with/without.

Did you find the program generally organized?

LOL. Yeah. We got syllabi at the beginning of each semester, but it tended to change... as with anything. Speakers rescheduled, etc. It felt like organized chaos. I think it was just overwhelming. I'm glad I did a 24-month program, but something I discovered at the time: it's really a 27-month program without the breaks!!

Lastly, as far as review packets & syllabi... You don't really want the syllabi. It's just a "calendar of events". Read this. Turn in this paper on this day. Etc...

Yes, I have review material. Once I'm an "official" member, I can send it to you. However, all the info you seek is in the "M&M" book I referenced earlier... Clinical Anesthesiology/Morgan, Mikhail, & Murray.

BxRN0808 · Aug 15, 2011

Even though I did not ask the questions, thank u lunarjuice for answering them in great detail. I do feel even more prepared and it is helping my anxiety.

I_See_You_RN · Aug 16, 2011

Thank you sooooooooooo much for answering these questions!!

BxRN0808 · Sep 3, 2011

Did anyone wear a skirt suit? I plan on wearing on and was wondering if it was a bit too much? 4 days till my interview and I am so anxious. I wanted to thank you guys for the help. This thread has been a godsend.

love-d-OR · Sep 4, 2011

I did, but it was just above the knee.