Anyone applying to 2008 UW MEPN Program?

lc3 · Oct 19, 2007

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fibergirl · Dec 4, 2007

hey stella,

i applied to the UW program -- but i thought they really try to weed people out with that application, so many hoops to jump through! i'm waiting to hear about interview invites, although i have good news (one of the ref. readers called one of my references to thank him for his "exceptional" letter) and bad news (they're not going to accept the anatomy class I took) -- so I'm kind of stuck. In a hypothetical situation, if they were to offer me admission, i'd have to take anatomy AND o-chem again before classes start in June. Lame. I took o-chem my first year of college (ten years ago when i was 17) and I got a B-... which isn't good enough. although I took tons of other chem and was actually an orgo lab assistant my junior year... *shrugs* I guess I'll just keep waiting and see what happens...

i applied for geriatrics, my background is in working with the elderly as well as in an ED at a major hospital here in Boston. What about you?

lc3 · Dec 5, 2007

hey stella,
i applied to the UW program -- but i thought they really try to weed people out with that application, so many hoops to jump through! i'm waiting to hear about interview invites, although i have good news (one of the ref. readers called one of my references to thank him for his "exceptional" letter) and bad news (they're not going to accept the anatomy class I took) -- so I'm kind of stuck. In a hypothetical situation, if they were to offer me admission, i'd have to take anatomy AND o-chem again before classes start in June. Lame. I took o-chem my first year of college (ten years ago when i was 17) and I got a B-... which isn't good enough. although I took tons of other chem and was actually an orgo lab assistant my junior year... *shrugs* I guess I'll just keep waiting and see what happens...
i applied for geriatrics, my background is in working with the elderly as well as in an ED at a major hospital here in Boston. What about you?

Wow, that must have been some amazing letter! None of my classmates mentioned the school actually calling their references. It sounds like you are a shoe in for the interview. I do not believe the geriatric focal area has an additional individual interview. I remember the interviews were a pain in the butt! Well, interview invitations will be out soon.

I definitely would wait to take those classes in spring quarter (if you are on the quarter system). You will not know about acceptance until mid to late january or even early Feb. I must agree with you, the application process was a pain in the butt too, but if they called your references then it means your application was not automatically thrown out. I know a lot of people have their apps thrown out and not even looked at if it is incomplete, but they don't tell you that until invitations get sent out. So, it sucks that they have to wait. Last year, they notified us by email for interviews.

Good Luck!

stellasaurus · Dec 11, 2007

Fibergirl,

That is incredible that they contacted your reference! Have you received a letter inviting you to an interview? I'm still waiting... patiently.... another program that I applied to is questioning my nutrition prereq--which was taken many moons ago, so I have no syllabus. I loved that class and wouldn't mind doing it again except for the $. Sigh. I am biting my nails! :uhoh3:

I applied to the infectious disease and clinical nurse leader sections.

lc3 · Dec 11, 2007

Fibergirl,
That is incredible that they contacted your reference! Have you received a letter inviting you to an interview? I'm still waiting... patiently.... another program that I applied to is questioning my nutrition prereq--which was taken many moons ago, so I have no syllabus. I loved that class and wouldn't mind doing it again except for the $. Sigh. I am biting my nails!
I applied to the infectious disease and clinical nurse leader sections.

That is great you applied for the infectious disease track! That was my second choice last year. I got into my first choice and so I did not have to interview for infectious diseases. Did you choose the NP or CNS track for infectious diseases? One of my classmates is doing the NP track. We actually only have one person in infectious disease right now. Although, another classmate is planning on switching into infectious diseases track. She has to reapply and is basically competing with the incoming apps.

The website is actually a bit confusing about the difference between infectious disease NP track vs. the CNS track. The NP track you work more in direct patient care and you have prescription authority whereas CNS you are in an educator role. The CNS track is more focused on working with hospital staff and education. Hopefully, the website is better in explaining this distinction this year because it would be a pain in the butt to switch later. I only mention this because this was very unclear last year and many of my classmates are stuck in tracks that they don't want to do.

Well good luck to you too! I know last year they invited the top 50 candidates to interview and accepted the top 24 from that group. I don't know this year because they have more spots available. The invitations are not out yet and I think they notify everyone at the same time.

Here is the link to MEPN update page: http://www.son.washington.edu/eo/admissions-update-mepn-2008.asp

stellasaurus · Dec 11, 2007

Thanks for all of the great info! I applied for the CNS track--I'm all about education and care management. (Sometimes I wonder if that sounds lame to the NP folks--who I am in awe of, by the way.) Good to know that the letters have not yet gone out. I'm going to go sit by my mailbox now.

fibergirl · Dec 11, 2007

hey all,

no emails or anything yet! it would be just my luck to not get an interview after all that... thanks for all your input, lc3. are you happy with the program so far? what is your specialty?

stella, ID is really interesting stuff. And I think CNS's are awesome -- the ones here at the hospital (esp. in the ED) really know their sh*t -- they're who we frantically page when things get crazy. i think it's a fascinating role to have within nursing.

what other schools did you two apply to? i was just reading the UCSF thread over the last two years and it's pretty intimidating. :uhoh21:

cheers,

fg

fibergirl · Dec 14, 2007

well, they finally sent out an update, letters got mailed yesterday afternoon. i'm guessing that i won't get mine until Monday at the earliest, being on the East Coast. good luck, stella!

fibergirl · Dec 15, 2007

lc3, help! i got an interview! :) but now, of course, i have another dilemma. they offered me the opportunity to take a phone interview (i'm on the east coast), and i originally said no way, i don't want that working against me in a very competitive pool of applicants. but i also was assuming that the interview was a bigger thing, like a full day, - meet with some faculty, tour the school, get tons more info... but the administrator told me it's only about a half hour interview, and that they don't have any options for free lodging on-campus. i'm not sure it's worth flying all the way to seattle and $400+ for a half hour, although i would very much like to see the school and the city. and if it will hurt my chances of admission NOT to go, obviously I'll suck it up and do it. do you have any thoughts? do you know people that got in from a phone interview? any advice would be helpful.

in an ideal world, i'd also get an invite for UCSF, and then I'd have to come out there and could do them both in one trip!

lc3 · Dec 16, 2007

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opalapo · Dec 17, 2007

I too applied and am interviewing - in person. Thanks for all of the great information on this thread, it was reassuring to find others - Stella and Fibergirl - as anxious as myself (congrats Fibergirl)! As it was to find others willing to share so much of their experience - lc3! I wish that I had found this forum a long time ago instead of last week! Better late than never they say ...

Anyhow, it is my understanding that the interviews are meant to be super stressful situations with several candidates interviewing together and completing a group scenario (?) ... but lc3, you mentioned "individual interview" and Fibergirl has mentioned a phone interview. I guess that I am confused a little as to the interview's purpose and layout?

Of course, any and all feedback, suggestions or experience would be helpful and appreciated!

opal :idea: