NP school: Name vs content

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Specializes in Emergency.

I am preparing to attend NP school in the fall and have been accepted into two different NP programs and am struggling to decide between the two. One of the schools is the University of Vanderbilt, which has a recognizable name and great reputation and the other is a small local university (University if Belmont). My gut tells me to pick Vanderbilt because of its massive reputation in healthcare and high ranking MSN program, but Belmont just seems to have a better program. Belmont is fully in person and had nearly double the clinical hours as Vanderbilt does. Vanderbilt does have some advantages, as it offers specialty classes (I.e cardiology, neuro-critical care, etc) that Belmont doesn't, but the program itself is a hybrid format with only a handful of immersive weekend experiences on campus per semester. I'm torn between the name/prestige of a big university or the personal investment that the small school offers. I am hoping to get into cardiology and am planning to attend a cardiology fellowship (likely at another big university, because that seems to be where they predominantly exist), so wonder how much having a big name on a resume could affect that. 

I am also curious is anyone has done a hybrid NP Program, and how it went. I'm very hesitant of online programs, but this format does offer full weekends on campus to practice skills. And both programs do coordinate the clinical placements. 

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I have a friend I work with who graduated from Vanderbilt and graduated last Summer or so. She loved it, the only complaint she had was struggling to find her own preceptors.

I currently attend University of Memphis and it's a great program. It's advertised as part of UofM global and fully online, but it's not. I am in my second semester and have my first on campus visit in one week. It's a whole day lab for health assessment. I know we have to be on campus for OSCE'S and our comprehensive exit exam as well. I don't mind the few visits, personally I like the lay out. It takes lots of independence and commitment. It's easy to forget about s course when it's all on your laptop and you don't have to show up at the crack of dawn to sit at a desk all day. Being a younger generation student I am used to online courses. This will be my 4th degree and I like online learning, but it definitely isn't for everyone. I say go with your gut and your learning style. Do what suits you and don't think about names. If you can, talk to some previous/current students.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Emergency.

Thanks for the response! Do you feel like the in person labs give you enough time to get assessment skills and procedures down?

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Nursenick123 said:

Thanks for the response! Do you feel like the in person labs give you enough time to get assessment skills and procedures down?

So for health assessment we do this thing called shadow health. It's a virtual clinical simulation that we have to complete weekly. We also have weekly zoom meetings to learn how to develop a SOAP note and ask questions, then we follow up with doing a discussion post on a SOAP note. Plus we are required to submit a H2T video using real equipment on a person of our choice (they sign a waiver). Next week will be my first lab. It's an all day 9-5 thing. We were told it's a "poverty simulation". I honestly have no idea what it's about, but afterwards we have to stay  in the lab to practice for our H2T videos on each other. So far, for being a mostly online program it's not too bad.

As far as clinicals (peds, womens, adult, and residency), I just pray that I have a good preceptor in a good facility that allows me to practice my skills as well as learn as much as I can to prepare me to practice on my own.

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Specializes in oncology.
CollegeKid2020 said:

It's a whole day lab for health assessment.

Is this including (hands on)  (return demonstration with observation from an expert...documenting  a review based on elicited findings) from a subject that has a known physical assessment?

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londonflo said:

Is this including (hands on)  (return demonstration with observation from an expert...documenting  a review based on elicited findings) from a subject that has a known physical assessment?

It is a graded on campus activity led by our instructors... so take with that what you will. 

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