How many hours a week do you average?

meep meeps · Apr 21, 2012

I'm just finishing my 2nd semester, so I'll give you my normal week schedule.

Monday: Clinical, wake up at 5am, be in the OR by 6am, leave around 3pm. Go home, relax a little, do my management plan for the following days cases, eat dinner, pack a lunch, pack my bag. Study if I have to (test weeks). In bed by 9:30.

Tuesday: Clinical, same hours. Go home, relax a little, prepare for class the next day. If I have a test I'll study until bed.

Wednesday: Anesthesia class 10-3, Pharm class 4-7 PM. Go home, eat dinner, pack a lunch, prepare a management plan for the next day in the OR, try to be in bed by 9:30 (usually doesn't happen).

Thursday: Clinical, same times, 6am-3pm. Hustle back to school for class from 4-6pm. Go home and drink a glass of wine and pass out.

Friday: Sleep in, to try to catch up and study all day. Usually 8 hours of studying.

Saturday: Take care of life, run errands, cook food, clean house. Study at least 6 hours.

Sunday: Study, etc. I probably study 6-8 hours on Sundays. Prepare for clinical and do a management plan.

On the weeks where I have exams, I will literally study all day over the weekend and after clinical if I can stay alert enough. I'll also study at clinical during my breaks. I have a phone app to do flash cards while I ride the bus to school if need be. You just study as much as you have to. The potential fear of failing an exam always hangs overhead, no matter how many times you don't fail.

Oh and don't forget to add training sessions, conferences, mentoring workshops, volunteering, fundraising, etc to the list of things you have to do!

My advice: get an amazon prime account so you don't have to waste time buying things in stores, buy a month worth of underwear, and fill your freezer to the brim with pre-cooked homemade food.

Recap:

Clinical: 30 hours a week

Class time: 12 hours a week

Studying: at least 24 hours a week

Management Plans: 3 hours a week

Getting to school/clinical each day: at least an hour a day spent waiting for the bus, parking, getting to class a little early etc.

Zaphod, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2012

wow..thats sounds chill compared to my program..Clinicals tuesday to friday 6-5PM, class Monday 12-7PM and tuesday 3-7PM..

so clincal about 40 hours and class 11 hours..

sfmarina · Apr 22, 2012

zaphod-how many hrs do you put in studying after class and clinicals?

sfmarina · Apr 22, 2012

Thank you for the details meep meeps, that sounds intense and stressful. I have guessed you guys put in 60 hours but it sounds like closer to 70 if you hae exams etc. Amazing what we are capable of when we have a goal, awesome for you guys!

Zaphod, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2012

as much as I need to..or until I drop:) usually 2 hours on light days upward to 16 hours before exams

meep meeps · Apr 22, 2012

I'm in an integrated program, so we get more and more into clinical as the semesters go by. Once I'm closer to graduating I'll switch to clinicals 4 days a week and then 5 for the last semester. When we do our rotations through Children's Hospital, we are scheduled 5am-5pm. When we do our specialty rotations (neuro, CT surg, OB) we are frequently there 12-14 hours a day. So, it will get worse, but I believe the classwork starts to lighten up by then. Semesters 1-3 have the hardest and most intense course work. At least, so I'm told.

sfmarina · Apr 22, 2012

Yeah, I am applying primarily in north carolina and the programs here are mostly front-loaded. Seems brutal to start but gets better, like your program. At least, I hope that for you!