Going to Georgetown, advice?

Ultraposh · Jan 20, 2014

Its good to name what you are nervous or concerned about or else you might be unsatisfied with the answers. For example I was going to advise you get a headstart on advances pathophysio or chemistry and physics for nurse anesthesia but who knows if you're great at sciences? I personally am studying pathophysio now as well as physics and chemistry I also have some anesthesia books. I hear Dukes "Anesthesia Secrets" is an awesome book and great for knowing clinical questions that you get grilled on in clinicals, sometimes questions not taught in class. Are you able to take any classes prior to the program? Some people have benefited taking adv pathophysio and adv pharm before the program to lesson the workload. I know Drexel and Rutgers is like this, not sure about Georgetown. So basically if I was you I'd be studying at least adv pathophysio and adv pharm right now. As well as some chemistry and physics for nurse anesthesia. Also skimming some anesthesia books. Have you gotten a booklist?

manusko · Jan 20, 2014

Going to Georgetown in August any advice??[/quote']
Enjoy life before you start school. Take a vacation, spend time with family, and do all those things you like doing that will be hindered during school.

Mrhanddiya · Jan 20, 2014

I graduated from GU and it is hard. Very hard. Program is front-loaded so most of my advice is based on that. Don't know if this is what you want to hear but here are some pro tips:

#1) Don't complain. You will have plenty of reasons to complain, but there will be 5 people ahead of you already doing plenty of it. Just get in, do what they ask, and get out. One thing I learned there, is that they will never let the inmates run the asylum.

In what little say you do have, make sure you elect a good class president-someone who is likeable and honest. He/She will be your class voice to the faculty. If you get somebody who is a pushover or won't represent the class accurately, you will be taking back-to-back-to-back exams in a week amongst other major inconveniences.

#2a) You will have a research project that will follow you the whole 27+ months. Most people match up with "friends" they make in the first couple weeks. By the end of the first semester most people have migrated to different friends or study groups. Some groups can't even stand each other by the end of first semester. Make sure you group up with smart and reasonable people. 2b) One piece of advice that a senior told me was to pick a research subject that was simple and reasonable. You don't even have to like the topic-just make it simple. By the time this project wraps up in the 2nd to last semester you will want to wring your hands of it. So many groups in my class started off with grandiose topics but ended up with a HUGE headache.

#3) Pre-studying, or whatever it is called, is useless in my opinion. I didn't pick up a single book. The only thing that may benefit you now is to learn to DRAW the brachial plexus. Go on youtube and watch the "draw in 10 seconds" or however short they've gotten it down to. Other than that, once classes start you will be digging further and deeper into A&P than any prestudying may do.

#4) One of the most detrimental mentalities is to think "oh I didn't study that much for this exam and there really isn't much time. I'll just wing it and make up for it on the next exam". You cannot get behind. Don't ever get to this mentality or you will not make it. Exams and semesters get progressively harder, not easier. With that being said if you are an "A Student", be prepared to get a few B's. I remember a classmate in borderline tears after an exam saying "I don't get B's!!!" Haha, welcome to GU!

#5) Some of your classmate will come with a superiority complex, and maybe even you. They will get humbled, and will continually get humbled. Just chill out and be like Fonzie...cool. You will be liked and life will be easier.

Good luck!!!! PM me if you want more specifics.

Ultraposh · Jan 20, 2014

Well I guess if a GU graduate says pre studying is "useless" I guess follow their advice. I just wasn't sure if GU let you take classes ahead of time like Drexel and Rutgers. The fact that some programs offer you to get classes out the way so that you lessen your workload has me believe prestudying is in fact not useless. I personally would prestudy but I'm not a straight A student you may feel different. I don't know what kind of student you are and a single teacher doesn't always get through to every student that is why i find it wise to dip in now. A person can read 2 books on the same topic and not understand something in one book until reaching the other or realizing if they hadn't read one book first then they wouldn't have understood the second. I personally believe in prestudy and in fact I'm getting a 2+ year head start because I feel that is what I have to do. Keep seeking advice and try to discern which advice applies to you and which will not and follow through accordingly. I do agree that spending time with your family is a really great decision!

manusko · Jan 20, 2014

Well I guess if a GU graduate says pre studying is "useless" I guess follow their advice. I just wasn't sure if GU let you take classes ahead of time like Drexel and Rutgers. The fact that some programs offer you to get classes out the way so that you lessen your workload has me believe prestudying is in fact not useless. I personally would prestudy but I'm not a straight A student you may feel different. I don't know what kind of student you are and a single teacher doesn't always get through to every student that is why i find it wise to dip in now. A person can read 2 books on the same topic and not understand something in one book until reaching the other or realizing if they hadn't read one book first then they wouldn't have understood the second. I personally believe in prestudy and in fact I'm getting a 2+ year head start because I feel that is what I have to do. Keep seeking advice and try to discern which advice applies to you and which will not and follow through accordingly. I do agree that spending time with your family is a really great decision!

Many concepts will be lost on you if you studying anesthesia text books. You are taught these concepts from someone who understands them. There will be endless days and nights of studying during school. IMO the bookwork really sinks in when you are applying concepts in clinicals.

Ultraposh · Jan 20, 2014

I was actually suggesting she/he brush up on the sciences or see if she/he can take the advanced ones now if she/he would like. Not the anesthesia. Since the sciences will be advanced classes and all ya know? For myself as well im prestudying sciences so i do well when i take these classes at undergraduate and graduate level. I am reading bits of some anesthesia books for fun but not really expecting to jump ahead anywhere except maybe anesthesia pharm

Mrhanddiya · Jan 21, 2014

I was actually suggesting she/he brush up on the sciences or see if she/he can take the advanced ones now if she/he would like. Not the anesthesia. Since the sciences will be advanced classes and all ya know? For myself as well im prestudying sciences so i do well when i take these classes at undergraduate and graduate level. I am reading bits of some anesthesia books for fun but not really expecting to jump ahead anywhere except maybe anesthesia pharm

Just curious, what sciences would you suggest they study up on? And BTW I am not aware of any anesthesia program that allows transferring of science classes. It would be like signing up for the army and asking if you could take a personal training course down at the YMCA and have it count as basic training. Anesthesia school is a different ballgame. Everything is structured towards anesthesia and necessarily so. You are all in the same classes at the same time. You fail one class, you are out. No 2nd chances, ever. No retaking a class in the summer, no trying again elsewhere. At least that is how it was in my program.

I did look at Rutgers and they apparently allow taking some classes before "semester 1". With that noted I haven't ever met anybody in school or graduated from school who said that prestudying was helpful. In fact I was discouraged from doing it by upperclassmen and others. Part of the reason was mentioned above by mansuko, and the other part is that you have no idea what is heavy and what is light. Why waste your time with figuring out how the sensory root of the pterygopalatine ganglion functions when you really need to understand roots, trunks, division, cords, and branches of the brachial plexus. You will never know this until you are in school. To me it just seems inefficient and ultimately the lease effective use of time. With that being said, you can do what you want.

To the OP, there is one thing I forgot to mention. They do allow you to transfer in a Health Policy class from George Mason (or at least they used to). The class is HAP 605. I would do whatever you can to take it. It is cheaper, 1 week long, 2 papers for homework, and an amazing course. I thought I would be bored to death, but it was awesome. I just googled it and it is going from June 2-4. GU will allow you to transfer it in and used to encourage you to take it, but check with them. The only caveat is you don't get to transfer the grade in, just pass or fail (must get a B- to =pass). There were only ~7 people who took it in my class and the rest regretted it.

manusko · Jan 21, 2014

Just curious what sciences would you suggest they study up on? And BTW I am not aware of any anesthesia program that allows transferring of science classes. It would be like signing up for the army and asking if you could take a personal training course down at the YMCA and have it count as basic training. Anesthesia school is a different ballgame. Everything is structured towards anesthesia and necessarily so. You are all in the same classes at the same time. You fail one class, you are out. No 2nd chances, ever. No retaking a class in the summer, no trying again elsewhere. At least that is how it was in my program. I did look at Rutgers and they apparently allow taking some classes before "semester 1". With that noted I haven't ever met anybody in school or graduated from school who said that prestudying was helpful. In fact I was discouraged from doing it by upperclassmen and others. Part of the reason was mentioned above by mansuko, and the other part is that you have no idea what is heavy and what is light. Why waste your time with figuring out how the sensory root of the pterygopalatine ganglion functions when you really need to understand roots, trunks, division, cords, and branches of the brachial plexus. You will never know this until you are in school. To me it just seems inefficient and ultimately the lease effective use of time. With that being said, you can do what you want. To the OP, there is one thing I forgot to mention. They do allow you to transfer in a Health Policy class from George Mason (or at least they used to). The class is HAP 605. I would do whatever you can to take it. It is cheaper, 1 week long, 2 papers for homework, and an amazing course. I thought I would be bored to death, but it was awesome. I just googled it and it is going from June 2-4. GU will allow you to transfer it in and used to encourage you to take it, but check with them. The only caveat is you don't get to transfer the grade in, just pass or fail (must get a B- to =pass). There were only ~7 people who took it in my class and the rest regretted it.[/quote']
My school allowed 2 different class fails. You just took it the following year with the underclass men. Ever school is different. I've heard some allow you to continue but have to reapply with the next class.

Mrhanddiya · Jan 21, 2014

My school allowed 2 different class fails. You just took it the following year with the underclass men. Ever school is different. I've heard some allow you to continue but have to reapply with the next class.

Okay, well unfortunately (or fortunately) GU did not allow it. The categorical point I'm making is that when OP gets to GU there are no 2nd chances if you fail. Maybe some other schools, but not GU.

You (OP) need to bring your A-game from day 1. If you do this you will more than likely succeed and upon graduating will make a great CRNA. Good luck!

Ultraposh · Jan 21, 2014

Just curious, what sciences would you suggest they study up on? And BTW I am not aware of any anesthesia program that allows transferring of science classes. It would be like signing up for the army and asking if you could take a personal training course down at the YMCA and have it count as basic training. Anesthesia school is a different ballgame. Everything is structured towards anesthesia and necessarily so. You are all in the same classes at the same time. You fail one class, you are out. No 2nd chances, ever. No retaking a class in the summer, no trying again elsewhere. At least that is how it was in my program.
I did look at Rutgers and they apparently allow taking some classes before "semester 1". With that noted I haven't ever met anybody in school or graduated from school who said that prestudying was helpful. In fact I was discouraged from doing it by upperclassmen and others. Part of the reason was mentioned above by mansuko, and the other part is that you have no idea what is heavy and what is light. Why waste your time with figuring out how the sensory root of the pterygopalatine ganglion functions when you really need to understand roots, trunks, division, cords, and branches of the brachial plexus. You will never know this until you are in school. To me it just seems inefficient and ultimately the lease effective use of time. With that being said, you can do what you want.
To the OP, there is one thing I forgot to mention. They do allow you to transfer in a Health Policy class from George Mason (or at least they used to). The class is HAP 605. I would do whatever you can to take it. It is cheaper, 1 week long, 2 papers for homework, and an amazing course. I thought I would be bored to death, but it was awesome. I just googled it and it is going from June 2-4. GU will allow you to transfer it in and used to encourage you to take it, but check with them. The only caveat is you don't get to transfer the grade in, just pass or fail (must get a B- to =pass). There were only ~7 people who took it in my class and the rest regretted it.

Drexel and Rutgers allows this. Students specifically have spoken about it im not just guessing. Your army and ymca example is invalid. Ive read how people only have 2 classes as oppose to 4 or 5 due to taking certain prereqs ahead of time. If you have a different opinion on presstudying that is completely fine. I have a different opinion too and I hope the asker goes with whats best for him or her. I know whats best for me and I know what I will do. Advanced classes have prereqs for a reason. You should know certain basics before progressing to the graduate level and if you forgot them then its like taking the class for the first time at the graduate level. I never said they should make sure they know little details about physiology down to whatever that is you mentioned.

davesbride · Jan 21, 2014

I was actually suggesting she/he brush up on the sciences or see if she/he can take the advanced ones now if she/he would like. Not the anesthesia. Since the sciences will be advanced classes and all ya know? For myself as well im prestudying sciences so i do well when i take these classes at undergraduate and graduate level. I am reading bits of some anesthesia books for fun but not really expecting to jump ahead anywhere except maybe anesthesia pharm

So you haven't even completed your undergrad yet and you are offering advice on GU's CRNA program? WOW! Undergrad was a bunch of busy work compared to grad school. I am currently enrolled in GU's FNP program and I know the CRNA program is in a completely different league.I have nothing but respect for anyone who gets into grad school but especially the CRNA programs as they are hard core. I have no advice except enjoy life before you start!