Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Post-Master's PMHNP Certificate Fall 2023

city_FNP, BSN, MSN, RN, NP · Feb 15

Did you get into the program this year? I got in as well and would like to know which books were used for the program. Seems like a lot of info to learn in 1 year.

FNPRCPR, BSN, MSN, NP · Feb 16

@FNP to PMHNP : regarding textbooks no recs as they are undergoing a review.

@FNP to PMHNP : great question! I wish I quit my job because it is really challenging to do this program while working regular hours and taking care of a young family.

@fnptopmhnp : the interview was like a conversation. just asking what your interests are, reason for applying (I said the ranking, quality of faculty and program and the shorter length). they're practical and no what students do best which are ones with a specific goal(s).

@Mergirlc, MSN, RN : excellent question. oh this program! I have an incredible physician professor that makes the rest of the program amazing despite lack of communication from some or transparency from others. I hear so many non-JHUers complain about their NP programs too but I expected more interactive learning. this was their first year of bridging the PMHNP cert and DNP program and it's been a challenge. Good luck!

I'll update at the end of the semester if I remember but this program is extremely INTENSE and time is limited for all of my classmates as well. if you review the material I suggested you should be entering with a leg up.

Ciao

Starfish111 · Feb 20

I have applied for the post-grad PMHNP cert starting Fall 2024. Hoping I get in, NP interview request yet. Love reading all of the posts.

Above, meant NO interview request yet. Waiting, waiting....

rollypolly17 · Apr 16

I wanted to add to this for anyone planning on starting in 2024. You will be required to find your own clinical placements. I am working with the clinical placement team currently and so far it has been a nightmare so much so that it may impact my decision to move forward with the program.

If you are accepted into the program, no doubt you should be able to excel in the program. Placements will be the challenge. Consider that before making the financial investment, if you are paying out of pocket or taking out loans. Good luck.

city_FNP, BSN, MSN, RN, NP · Apr 16

@rollypolly17 how much time does JHU give you to find a placement?

rollypolly17 · Apr 16

city_FNP said:

@rollypolly17 how much time does JHU give you to find a placement?

Hi,

For this Fall, I was told they would start the process in May or June but would not give an exact date, so it could be late May or late June. However, if you are not in Maryland the process can be difficult especially with obtaining affiliation agreements. I have secured my preceptors; however, the clinical placement team so far will not start the process earlier to ensure that the agreement could be made with the hospital that I would rotate in. The hospital is asking for more time to process this agreement. They are not working me with me, thus far. So potentially I could start the Fall semester and pay for everything and my affiliation agreement would not be in place in time. I would not have placement for the Spring semester. This is student specific but something to think about if you are not in Maryland and in a state where most hospitals will require affiliation with schools in the state which is what I am seeing.

So you could theoretically do all the foot work like I have and beg the placement team to work with you but no guarantee. I literally had to jump through hoops to get the hospital to agree to starting the affiliation.

city_FNP, BSN, MSN, RN, NP · Apr 16

@rollypolly17

thank you so much for your response! I got into the program but am starting to wonder whether it'll be worth going through placement issues.

I was originally out of state, but I will be moving to Montgomery county this August.

Do you think the placements will be easier within MD state?

rollypolly17 · Apr 16

city_FNP said:

@rollypolly17

thank you so much for your response! I got into the program but am starting to wonder whether it'll be worth going through placement issues.

I was originally out of state, but I will be moving to Montgomery county this August.

Do you think the placements will be easier within MD state?

Yes, I do. I am an alum and I moved to Baltimore for my clinical rotations. I still had to look for most of my own clinical placements but def easier. The professors were awesome but a lot of what I learned now as a practitioner is from clinical practice and residency. I am not sure how their mental health program compares to the previous program that I graduated from. May or may not see you this Fall. You can PM if you have anymore questions. Good luck!

Mergirlc, MSN, APRN, NP · Apr 16

rollypolly17 said:

Yes, I do. I am an alum and I moved to Baltimore for my clinical rotations. I still had to look for most of my own clinical placements but def easier. The professors were awesome but a lot of what I learned now as a practitioner is from clinical practice and residency. I am not sure how their mental health program compares to the previous program that I graduated from. May or may not see you this Fall. You can PM if you have anymore questions. Good luck!

Piggybacking on what city_FNP said..... if you are licensed in another state which accepts JHU's program: could you go do clinical rotations in MD for the post-certificate AND does JHU help or have connections for placement in their general area? I wasn't sure if when you mentioned you had to look for most of your clinical placements if that is for this current program or was it for a previous one?

I was just thinking.....for those who might be able to swing it, it might be worth it to move for a year to MD just for clinicals? Of course, this is only if JHU has placements/agreements around town. If not, I guess it's back to square one.

rollypolly17 · Apr 16

Hi,

Yes, I believe you can. For my clinical rotations in my prior program, I needed to have a Maryland RN license and I think that was all. Not sure about the NP license. I informed the program that I would move to do rotations early on. The clinical placement team was more helpful then. In my interview for this program, I was told outright that they would not help with finding our preceptors. So you must secure placement.

They use a program, Exxat, that shows you all of the available sites or sites that have been used in the past by other students. You may already have sites that have been in approved in your home state that other NPs have used. It is easier when there is an affiliation already set up.

FNPRCPR, BSN, MSN, NP · Apr 16

Hello all!

I am in crunch time in the last two weeks of the semester but thought I'd quickly check in on this feed.

This program's main weaknesses are:

1. the lack of assistance with the clinical placement

2. merging the PMHNP w/DNP students so less attention for us Cert students.

3. last minute policy changes for testing and delayed responses from some professors and admin.

I knew where my placements would be prior to starting this program from networking. It is possible yet unnecessarily hard to find a placement. Even with my predetermined placement, it was a bit difficult getting administrators to respond quickly to move the process along.

I am not going to sugar coat it but the placement experience is ridiculously excruciatingly difficult and nearly caused some of my classmates to drop the program in the 2nd semester but at the last minute (literally day of and in one case week after start of Spring semester) it ended up working out and they are flourishing with their sites.

Knowing all I know, I would still choose the program and with all its flaws as I don't know the other options plus if you have a good small group of classmates to lean on it becomes bearable. Plus they have a physician professor that is worth the cost of tuition and frustration as she is incredible.

The main strengths so far:

-the professors and instructors overall do seem to care and try to meet you where you are.

-the quality of the lectures (but they are just the beginning of learning so don't expect too much)

-the ranking of the program

-online convenience.

-3 semesters and done

-there's probably more but I have to get back to my assignments.

Good luck!

Jac_f · Apr 17

Hello,

I will be starting this program soon and due to my husbands job, we may have to move out of the country. It looks like the program is all remote with the exception of clinicals. With clinicals, do they offer remote clinicals? If not I'm assuming I will have to come back to the states to complete these.