Heartbroken over externship

I am sorry to read that you did not get your first choice of a summer experience and I understand your disappointment and worry. But life is full of set-backs like that and other people have overcome much more serious challenges: you can too if you keep plugging away. It may just take a little longer for you than it will for some people -- but you can still get there.

For the moment, you should be concentrating on being the best student you can be while maintaining your mental health. Graduate strong and healthy. If you can find a few opportunities along the way that will get you some extra clinical skills (part time job, extra clinical experience, student practicum, student independent study, etc.) ... then take advantage of that opportunity. But don't ruin your mental health over it. That won't help anything.

I suggest talking with your academic advisor and seeing if he/she can help you come up with some ideas that would be workable within your school structure. For example, I know of one student who regreted the externship she chose and wishes she had done it at my hospital instead. So, she is now doing an independent study here for school and will get a little extra exposure here that might help her get a job here after graduation. See if such a possibility exists at your school.

Another option would be to become a volunteer at the hosptial of your choice. It may not help directly with your clinical skills, but it might help you land a job there after graduation. You could work your way into the positions of your dreams once you have your foot in the door.

Take it one step at a time. Your life and your career is not ruined because you didn't get the externship you wanted. It's just a set-back --- one of many you will have in life. Remember, "It's not what happens to us in life that defines us. Over that, we often have no control. It's how we react to what happens that determines who we are." React well to this and you will be fine -- perhaps even a better person because of it. Don't let one set-back ruin your outlook and/or sanity. Don't sabatage your future success by obsessing about it.

After getting the bad news, I met with the career services people at my school (again), to talk about my resume, but I was still devastated, especially because I felt I was one of the more qualified individuals among my classmates.

First, I'm sorry that you did not get picked for an externship. I know that you are are disappointed.

Second...how do you know you were one of the more qualified candidates? Or more accurately, how do you know for certain that your classmates were less qualified than you? Yes, you have the best GPA, but as I've learned myself, the cherry doesn't automatically go to the one with the highest marks...and that can be crushing to one's ego. I've felt your pain.

Perhaps your classmates had something you didn't. It could have been more pertinent work experience, more relevant organizational memberships, a resume that better presented their abilities, better interviewing skills, better networking, better clinical experiences, better timing, more flexibility...who knows?

I agree: talk to your academic advisor to brainstorm new ideas and opportunities for you. Also take a hard look at your resume and see how it can be improved. If you don't like what career services told you, you could always post your resume here for feedback. Ask a couple of your classmates who did get externships if you could see copies of their resume, so you can get an idea of what they had on them.

And definitely don't keep beating yourself over it. You can't undo what's happened, so you need to focus on what you can do for the future. Like llg said, you may not land in your dream job right away, but just keep pushing forward. IMO any experience you get along the way can only help you--even if it doesn't directly help you get into the ICU or grad school, it can help you grow and develop both as a person and as a nurse.

Best of luck with the rest of your studies!

Definitely take a good look at your resume and interviewing skills. Read up on how to dress, act, etc.

Also be aware it is often as much who you know outside of your resume that determines who actually sees it. I believe strongly in the medical field that networking is often the key to success. Utilize your clinical time this semester to definitely be building those relationships. Every contact a nursing student has in the medical sector should be looked at as an informal job interview in its own right.