First semester at The University of Memphis

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Can anyone who has attended The University of Memphis nursing program give me an idea of how the program was? How was the faculty, classes, and general experience?

Just wanted to get an idea of what the first semester was like-as far as schedules, lectures, and tests.

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I replied to a similar thread a couple of months ago so I will just repost what I wrote...

I attend the University of Memphis right now so I can tell u a little bit about it. 1st semester you will take Intro to Med/Surg, Skills lab, Pharmacology, Patho, Health Assessment, Health Assessment lab, and a clinical. Yes this is a large load and was probably one of the worst semesters for me because you are new and are thrown into it. I think all of these classes are to basically weed people out because a lot of these classes are preq's at Baptist! The schedule was Patho on Tuesdays', Health Assessment on Wednesday's, Pharm on Thursday's and Intro to Med/Surg on Friday's. Each class was 3 hours long and everyone also had their two labs and clinical at some point during the week.

edit:I think things have a changed a little bit and from what I've heard 1st semester students no longer go to clinical every week, but every other week is a clinical day and the week not at clinical you do a simulation in the lab.

2nd semester there are less classes but the material seems to get a little bit harder. You will take Med/Surg I, Nursing psych, skills lab, and 2 clinicals (1 for Med/Surg and 1 for Psych). Classes were still 3 hours long but if I remember correctly they were on 2 diff days.

3rd semester you will focus on O.B. and Pediatrics. I loved this semester and I thought it was a breeze. I actually had time to have a social life on the weekends! We take O.B., Peds, Geriatrics (online class), plus 2 clinicals (O.B. and Peds). They also at the last minute added in Ethics so I had to take that 3rd semester as well.

4th semester....This is the semester I am in now and it focuses on Critical care. We are in the ICU. We take Med/Surg II, Community nursing, Research (online class) plus 2 clinicals (ICU and community).

5th semester is Leadership. You will work with a preceptor and make your own schedule. The classes are Leadership, Issues and Trends and then Leadership the clinical. You are required to complete 100 and something hours prior to graduation.

Over all I think it is a good program. It is hard, but I do feel like I learn alot in the end. I think the passing rate is 98% last time I checked. They also offer a NCLEX review/practice class that you can take 5th semester. Clinicals are fun, we get to do more and more each semester as we pass check off's. We can chart our own assessments and give medications. The only thing I hate are the care plans because they take forever! But that you can't escape no matter what nursing school you go to so you better get used to it!:nurse:

Ohh, also to answer the other part of your question you pretty much have a test every week. For example, the first test will be Med/Surg then the next week you will have a Patho test, and the week after that a Pharmacology test, ect until you have had your 1st round of tests for each class and then it starts over. Then during those weeks you also have tests in clinical and in skills lab (1st/2nd semester) over whatever skill you are supposed to be learning. All of our exams are taken on the computer and you can only see one question at a time, and you also can not go back and change your answers (the screen only lets u move forward). The teachers are okay, some I cant stand because they are kind of discouraging, while others I love.

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Wow! Thank you for taking the time out to answer my question in great detail. I just hope I am not broke and crazy before I graduate. I also hope it is possible to make a decent GPA. Good luck to you. I feel you will get a great job after you are done.

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Specializes in N/A.

Hey guys!!! What was your GPA getting in the nursing program at uofm? Do they focus more on cumulative or prerequisite GPA???

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, Psych.

Hi guys, I'm starting on the 16th and I'm sooo nervous/anxious to experience my 1st year of nursing school. Can anyone else share their experience at the UofM???

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Hi guys, I'm starting on the 16th and I'm sooo nervous/anxious to experience my 1st year of nursing school. Can anyone else share their experience at the UofM???

I thought you were going to BCHS? What was the deciding factor for you choosing UofM over BCHS?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, Psych.
I thought you were going to BCHS? What was the deciding factor for you choosing UofM over BCHS?

I chose Memphis over Baptist bc I didn't want to lose any of my credits. And bc I'm more familiar with the UofM due to my previous degree. I believe both programs are great. I just have history there!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, Psych.

@Colemab2BNurse, have you bought your shoes yet? If so, how much did you spend???

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