Clinical/shadowing experience?

[gdavge2003]

I'm currently an undergraduate student at a university that does not offer nursing in a bachelor's program. I'm planning on obtaining my degree in this non-nursing field, and applying for an accelerated master's program. I'm hoping to be a NP; specialty is dependent on the program that are available in the nursing schools that accept me.

As of now, besides hitting those pre-reqs, I was wondering what I should do to get some experience and extracurriculars that will boost my chances of getting into the nursing programs I'm aiming for. I'm really hoping to go to UCSF...

But besides that purpose, I also want to know honestly what nurses/NPs do. I've done a lot of research into it, but I honestly would love some shadowing experience where I can observe the everyday tasks nurse go through.

I'm currently:

- Doing nutritional research. Laboratory work. A bit unrelated, but there are tons of pre-med students that work alongside me.

- Volunteering at a local hospital. I'm currently forced to volunteer in the gift shop as a receptionist, but after 100 hours, I will be able to go into some sort of nursing unit.

What are some extracurricular activities I can get myself involved in that will be beneficial towards my understanding of the occupation and my rate of acceptance?

I have an older friend who had fantastic extracurricular activities and pretty good academic marks, but was rejected after an interview for a master's program in NP. The reason was because all his extracurriculars were more suited for him to be a CNS rather than a NP. I surely hope I can avoid something like this..!

[EMT89]

Volunteer rescue gives you a lot of experience with patient contact.