Anyone going to Modesto Junior College?

dvas00 · Sep 16, 2008

I decided to PM my answer to F4Mom instead :)

dvas00 · Sep 16, 2008

Thank you again, JMoney! This information is gold to me :) I really appreciate you sharing your experiences with us!

I work for Sutter Gould as a medical transcriptionist. I work from home and have a very flexible schedule, so hopefully I can keep working at least part time.

dvas00 · Sep 16, 2008

JMoney, another question: How long are the school and clinical days?

Thanks :)

F4Mom · Sep 16, 2008

AAAaaaahh-Thats a yell-a happy yell incase you are wondering :-) I can certainly deal with 1 day a week! Flexibility is ok-I realize that will be required. I was uncertain of 6:30am 4-5 days/week.

Let's get this party started!! :w00t:

Thank you JMoney! You're awesome!

Thank you dvas00 too!!

F4M

JMoney · Sep 16, 2008

Assuming they don't change anything:

1st semester you are at school a lot: Mondays for skills, Wednesday & Thursday for theory & pharmacology. Your clinical (one day per week) will be either Tuesday or Friday.

2nd semester, which I am in is Monday & Tuesday either 8:30 to 12 or 1pm to 4:15 (depending on which you sign up for) + 1 clinical day. Now, in 2nd, they are about 4 extra days that you have to be somewhere (OR day, orientation), so be prepared for that. They try to give you your clinical schedule the 1st week of school.

3rd semester is Mon/Tues 12-3 + 1 clinical day. Not sure about extra days, but I can only assume they exist.

Now, 4th semester, you are in school for the first 8 weeks (not sure what days) and then, once you pass your final, you precept for the remainder of the semester.

EROSE22 · Sep 17, 2008

Hi DVAS00!

I'm 31 and went back to school at MJC this sememster and taking my prereqs for nursing, which are of course the science classes. Therere I still have to take BIO111, ANAT, MICRO, CHEM, and PHYSIO. I probably won't be able to apply for the ADN until 2011! I wish there's a faster way to do it. I was thinking of completing some of those science classes over the summer rather than 1 science class a semester. So how long did it take you to finally be able to apply into the nursing program at MJC?

JMoney · Sep 18, 2008

HI. I had already taken most of my prereqs previously, so I had to take Micro 101 in the summer and then Speech 102. I applied to the program last August and got in on my first application - rare! I love the program, even tho it is extremely demanding.

Yes, take summer classes if you can. The science classes @ MJC are so packed and difficult to get into. You could also look into other schools, like CSU Stanislaus.

F4Mom · Sep 18, 2008

JMoney; Thank you for the details!! It really helps to have details to help you/family plan.

I am trying to understand the meaning of your sentence: "Now, in 2nd, they are about 4 extra days that you have to be somewhere (OR day, orientation), so be prepared for that." What does that mean. You have be somewhere else 4 days a week/semester ?? Am I missing something?

F4M

JMoney · Sep 21, 2008

There are 4 extra days in the entire semester that will be in addition to school and clinical. You have school 2 days per week and 1 clincal day per week during the 2nd semester. However, there are a few additional days in the entire semester that you have to be someplace. Mine are an OR day, a hospital orientation day, a Pediatric orientation day and an OB orientation day. I am just saying that in addition to your class & clinical schedule, there are a few extra days that you are required to be someplace and you will have to make job/family adjustments.

Make sense yet?

F4Mom · Sep 21, 2008

Thanks. You have been a wonderful help :thankya:

Have a great, hopefully relaxing, weekend.

F4M

dvas00 · Sep 21, 2008

EROSE22, I had most of my prereqs done, too. I had done chemistry, biology, anatomy and a lot of other college units done 10 or so years ago. All I had to do at MJC was micro and physiology. The only warning I've heard about trying to take too much at one time or taking fast-paced summer classes is to make sure you can handle it so you do well. I took anatomy and chemistry at the same time (while working full time) -- big mistake! I did okay, but not as well as I would have liked. It isn't easy to get classes, especially if you registration date isn't early. Go to classes and try to get added. Good luck!

JMoney: More questions if you don't mind :) How long are the clinical days? Also, is there anything you would recommend someone waiting around until they get into the program do to help prepare -- read something in particular perhaps? I got a book about medical math (an older edition of Calculate with Confidence), hoping to get a head start on learning some of that. I see people on the boards here talk about dosage calculation tests that they have to get 100% on or get kicked out of the program (I understand why, but yikes!). Does MJC do that? And if they do, are they good about helping you prepare for such a high stakes test?

JMoney · Sep 21, 2008

dvas00: clinical days are 1 day per week and are from 6:30 am to 3:30 pm.

Regarding the medication-calc exam, you take it each semester and you have to get 90% to pass. If you don't get 90% on the first test each semester, they make you do mandatory tutoring and let you take it again 1 week later. If you fail it the 2nd time, you are dismissed from the program and can apply to start up again the next semester.

It's brutal, but they want RNs to not make mistakes when calulating drug dosages.

If you are good at math at all, it's really not that hard, but the stress gearing up to it makes some ppl not peform well. I am now in 2nd semester and everyone passed.

In terms of what to do to prep: learn medical terminology. Study pathophysiology of the circulatory (heart & lungs), digestive, urinary systems, learn about fluid & electrolytes (that's a biggie, so now your values and what happens if you are high or low in sodium, potassium, etc.).

The big thing about NS is not just to memorize things, but to really think things thru. For example, you are dehydrated. Ok, but how does that affect the rest of the body and what happens if it gets worse? Just a sample.