Gaining clinical experience before applying - suggestions needed

[glasscandie]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum. I am graduating in May with a bachelors of science in psychology and biology, and will be applying for a fall 2011 start to direct-entry BSN-NP programs. There are three in my area, and I know they're very competitive (for good reason). I am also looking at a Physician's Assistant program, where I would have the opportunity to get my masters while I'm getting the PA certificate. Bear with this long post!

When I started college, I thought I would really want to work in a lab for my career, but after having done 2 internships in research facilities, and 1 internship working with people at a psychiatric rehab. facility, I feel that working as a NP would offer me more of what I'd want to do. I do love research, and I'm good at it, but it's missing an important component.

Many of the programs I am applying to would like to see some clinical experience (especially the PA program emphasized this), and I was hoping some experienced people on here could give me suggestions as to what good clinical experience would entail, and where.

As I mentioned earlier, I've done a clinical internship at a psychiatric rehabilitation facility (clinical as in clinical psychology, not medical care). I was there for 9 months, and was very involved - I coordinated their evidence-based practice programs, led recreational groups (I taught employment, and art), and was involved in their weekly team meetings to discuss patient care. However, I'm not sure this is the type of clinical experience the programs I am looking at are looking for. Although, nurses-in-training came through once/week every semester for their psych. rotation, so possibly it would be considered experience?

The other two internships I did were purely research-based. Both were at the top two prestigious research institutes in Maryland, and both focused on the behavioral pharmacology of substance abuse. I have a publication in an undergraduate psych. journal, and am an author on another publication from one of my internships that we just submitted to a scientific journal.

Long, long story short - where should I be looking for clinical experience, and am I really behind the curve on what other direct-entry applicants will be bringing to the table?

Thanks, I appreciate any responses!

[westcoastgirl]

the best thing to do is to ask the admissions people of those programs. You can also consider getting becoming a certified nurse aide which takes about a quarter or less to do, to boost your clinical experience as quickly as you can. volunteering at hospitals is always an option too.