I just wanted to make a post as we enter the new academic year, and more importantly the next admission cycle. Hopefully through this post we can all share our admission experiences, concerns, and achievements.
To begin with, I am currently a University of Toronto student completing my final year! I am hoping to apply to UBC, UofT, Nipissing, Western, and Trent. Just waiting on applications to open up! I am slightly worried I may not get in because admission is so competitive, and seeing those with 3.9+ not get in can be very scary.
How about you? Are you excited for the new school year? Any concerns for the admission process? Let's get through this together
Weighing in here although I didn’t apply and tbh didn’t know this program existed until this week.. so feel free to disregard everything I say! But, from what I understand there are quite a few more placements and I guess you’d have to study to complement your learning during these placements? My partner is a nurse and found that she learned how to be a “real nurse” in her placements and when she started working. I’d bet that you’d get a sense of what you need to learn from your preceptors and experiences during placement the learn the theory, in a self-directed way, as you go along. Definitely a different approach than most schools LOL but it seems like it’s do-able for people in the program? Where I could see this being a challenge is for when you have to write the NCLEX, which is more theory-based, as I understand it. I know my partner relied heavily on her textbooks and course materials to study. But they do have NCLEX prep courses which could help. Anyways, could be completely wrong about what I’m assuming the program is like, but if to provide some comfort if nothing else, if students have been successful in this program, then there must be a way for you to navigate it too! Thanks for reading for my probably irrelevant and absolutely non-authoritative take.
Yes I think you're right!! I asked the current students on the facebook group about the NCLEX pass rate/how they prepare if it's self-learning and it seems like it's not an issue. I mean if you think about it, for a 4-year program you learn all the basics in first 1 or 2 years of the program, and then in the final two years you're in clinical, and then you write NCLEX. A lot of people in SPP have done their anatomy/physiology prereq in the last 1 or 2 years before applying so it's kind of similar timing. Plus, pharmacology isn't a difficult course to learn ? I did it as my undergrad program and really the basics are just understanding the movement of the drug throughout the body and memorizing mechanisms LOL. Definitely something that can be self-taught. I don't think we have anything to worry about!!
The more I read about the Spp program on fb group the more scared I am to attend that program if accepted . Like how tf do they expect us to study everything without any assigned textbooks, readings, lectures. why even charge us the tution equivalent to other traditional nursing programs if you are not gonna teach us like them. Like at least tell us what to focus on!!
They given you 'recommendations' for textbooks, that way you can pick a textbook that works for you. The group even has a dropbox full of digital textbooks so you don't have to buy them if you don't want to. I chose to get a basic nursing textbook, a pediatric textbook, an assessment textbook, a psychiatric nursing textbook, a patho textbook, and a pharm one. I also have the pocket drug guide, Saunders NCLEX, and access to UWorld. They will tell you a lot of what you need to study. During the three weeks of inquiry you will have assigned readings, assignments (usually small group presentations), and lectures. I can't say enough about the practicum phase though. In my first placement I was teaching students at the same level as me, from other schools. I recently had a lab with a consolidating student (I don't start consolidation until May) and I was again in a teaching/supporting role because I already had experience doing those skills. A lot of us feel like we are all ready working as nurses, with our own patient load. No other nursing program gives you that experience. So you have to decide how best you learn - do you really love the routine of formal schooling with lectures and tests to tell you how you are doing? Or would you rather learn by experience and take control of your own learning by asking questions, looking up answers, reading on your own time? The program focusses a lot on the soft skills which are really important in nursing - communication, caring, clinical judgement - things that are very hard to teach from a textbook. I have already been offered jobs at every single placement I've had because they can see the value. It does go against the grain, and they like to tell us to 'trust the process' because it is different from any program you have ever done. Some people don't like it and I do think it would be nicer to have a little bit more structure, but the tradeoff is worth it, in my opinion.
They given you 'recommendations' for textbooks, that way you can pick a textbook that works for you. The group even has a dropbox full of digital textbooks so you don't have to buy them if you don't want to. I chose to get a basic nursing textbook, a pediatric textbook, an assessment textbook, a psychiatric nursing textbook, a patho textbook, and a pharm one. I also have the pocket drug guide, Saunders NCLEX, and access to UWorld. They will tell you a lot of what you need to study. During the three weeks of inquiry you will have assigned readings, assignments (usually small group presentations), and lectures. I can't say enough about the practicum phase though. In my first placement I was teaching students at the same level as me, from other schools. I recently had a lab with a consolidating student (I don't start consolidation until May) and I was again in a teaching/supporting role because I already had experience doing those skills. A lot of us feel like we are all ready working as nurses, with our own patient load. No other nursing program gives you that experience. So you have to decide how best you learn - do you really love the routine of formal schooling with lectures and tests to tell you how you are doing? Or would you rather learn by experience and take control of your own learning by asking questions, looking up answers, reading on your own time? The program focusses a lot on the soft skills which are really important in nursing - communication, caring, clinical judgement - things that are very hard to teach from a textbook. I have already been offered jobs at every single placement I've had because they can see the value. It does go against the grain, and they like to tell us to 'trust the process' because it is different from any program you have ever done. Some people don't like it and I do think it would be nicer to have a little bit more structure, but the tradeoff is worth it, in my opinion.
Thank you for replying! Your response actually gives me some hope that the program is doable and isn’t as bad to manage as I have it in my head. Nipssing was/ is my first choice but I am (or at least until reading your response) having major second thoughts about it simply because of it’s self- teach nature.
But I’d agree it does have high NCLEX passing rate and all the students I have spoken to so far seem quite happy about the program.
You seem to specializing in Paeds. Mind shedding some light on SickKids Interview process -types of questions asked, what are they looking for in their candidates etc.
Thank you for replying! Your response actually gives me some hope that the program is doable and isn’t as bad to manage as I have it in my head. Nipssing was/ is my first choice but I am (or at least until reading your response) having major second thoughts about it simply because of it’s self- teach nature.
But I’d agree it does have high NCLEX passing rate and all the students I have spoken to so far seem quite happy about the program.
You seem to specializing in Paeds. Mind shedding some light on SickKids Interview process -types of questions asked, what are they looking for in their candidates etc.
Honestly, students from all programs use UWorld to study for NCLEX. School gives you the foundation, but you will need other resources for NCLEX.
Because I started the program in 2020, we didn't have any interviews, they selected us based on our grades and our letter. But from what I understand, you meet with two Sick Kids educators, one is a SPP faculty member. They will be looking for people who can relate and communicate well with others and who are passionate about working with children and families. It's important to remember that as a paeds nurse, you won't just be working with children, but with parents as well, and often those parents will be stressed and anxious. How will you deal with stressful situations? How do you relate to children? How will you show compassion? Everything in paeds is a little more intense because of that family dynamic and the fact that we place such a high value on children as a society. You need to be able to navigate that dynamic with compassion and empathy. Also remember that you will be working with a very diverse population, with people from all different cultures. Many people may not speak English. How are you going to remain flexible and compassionate in dealing with cultural differences and language barriers? Just some things to think about. Skills can be taught, but the people who will succeed are those who have a great attitude, can show compassion, and can deal with stressful situations.
Thank you for replying! Your response actually gives me some hope that the program is doable and isn’t as bad to manage as I have it in my head. Nipssing was/ is my first choice but I am (or at least until reading your response) having major second thoughts about it simply because of it’s self- teach nature.
But I’d agree it does have high NCLEX passing rate and all the students I have spoken to so far seem quite happy about the program.
You seem to specializing in Paeds. Mind shedding some light on SickKids Interview process -types of questions asked, what are they looking for in their candidates etc.
Sorry, and one more thing - as far as the self teach part of the program - at the beginning of each semester you will design a learning plan with an overarching goal and three objectives. This is where your self learning will come in. Let's say you have a placement on a orthopaedic floor. You will focus your learning on the different diagnoses, the patho of a spinal cord injury, the common medications used in that population and their mechanism in the body, and perhaps how pain is assessed and managed in that population. Because you are going to placement several days a week, you will see all of these things in action, and then you will look up more information. For instance, if you have a patient with muscular dystrophy, you will go back and read about the condition. You will give medication to that client, so you will look up those meds, learn about how they work, and why they are being given. So self learning really is an organic process that naturally flows out of your experiences in clinical.
I emailed Humber regarding the courses for the compressed nursing program. They gave me a list of the courses for the prep semester (please see attached) and told me at this time they are unable to tell me the other courses but the website will be updated in the upcoming weeks.
Did they change some of the courses? And I never noticed they had "pre-requisite" classes.
Based on last year, they sent them out the second Friday of April, which would be next Friday.
Yes last year it was second week! Although I might still check today, just because they updated their website this year saying that offers go out "late March" which makes it sound like it's this week. I remember last year the offers went out I think early afternoon.
Does UofT begin sending out offers this Friday? Or still too early?
I wanna hope its today but I also believe it'll be next week! last year when I applied to another program they sent out acceptances on April 7th as well
Has anyone heard of UofT sending out conditional offers? I'm still completing a few pre-reqs this semester, so does that mean I have to wait until May/June when they get my final grades ? ?
Has anyone heard of UofT sending out conditional offers? I'm still completing a few pre-reqs this semester, so does that mean I have to wait until May/June when they get my final grades ? ?
I think I’ve heard that they do from others and I also met with one of their program staff and they said for strong candidates they have leeway to make offers before final grades are in!
daniellej
64 Posts
Yes I think you're right!! I asked the current students on the facebook group about the NCLEX pass rate/how they prepare if it's self-learning and it seems like it's not an issue. I mean if you think about it, for a 4-year program you learn all the basics in first 1 or 2 years of the program, and then in the final two years you're in clinical, and then you write NCLEX. A lot of people in SPP have done their anatomy/physiology prereq in the last 1 or 2 years before applying so it's kind of similar timing. Plus, pharmacology isn't a difficult course to learn ? I did it as my undergrad program and really the basics are just understanding the movement of the drug throughout the body and memorizing mechanisms LOL. Definitely something that can be self-taught. I don't think we have anything to worry about!!