Accepted Columbia ETP applicants (and current students: some advice). get-together?

Nursing Students Post Graduate

Published

:welcome: Hi everyone! I thought it might be a good idea to get our own separate thread for those accepted to Columbia ETP! Sure we have a lot to discuss!

I would also like to invite current students to this topic to share your experiences and answer some questions.:idea:

Here is one question that is really bothering me.

I have been working and studying simultaneously for the past 4 years, and to tell the truth I am really tired. Will financial help from Columbia (both scholarship and loans) allow me to only study? In particular, how much money do they give every month for living expenses? If you feel uncomfortable writing about it in public, personal messages are welcome too

Aside from this, - congrats to all those accepted and really looking forward to meeting you! :balloons:

Oh, by the way, I am Women's Health! What about you?;)

Specializes in Global Health Informatics, MNCH.
Another :twocents: on buying supplies. I spoke to a number of med school friends who all urged me to get the best stethoscope I could. They said the cheaper models are fine for basics, but that heart sounds are hard enough even with good equipment.

I actually disagree with this, unless you have hearing problems the cheap scopes are fine. I paid a lot for a Littman and got a free scope from a Pfizer drug rep and the free one was just as good. At least I would recommend not spending a lot of money for your first year, you'll find the minimum and the basics are enough.

Diddle:

Yes, if you go full-time through to the FNP program it only take 2.5 years.

BTW, the month off in August is fantastic. I spent the last 2 summers (after starting ETP and starting FNP) in Mexico doing clinical internships and know others who used that time to go to Ecuador and Thailand. There are a lot of cool things you can do if you plan to take advantage of the time.

0 Votes

Hi dg,

I will be attending the info session. Hopefully the weather will not be too harsh :)

0 Votes
Specializes in L&D.

Lizcakes,

I've been worried about the weather...I'll try to remember an umbrella just in case!

dg

0 Votes

I'll be there, too.

0 Votes
Specializes in Adult/Gerontology ANP Student.

I'll be there too.

0 Votes
Specializes in Emergency.

Thinking of August breaks still... do any of the current ETPers plan on starting a position at a hospital during the August break and then working through their Masters? Do students ever do this?

Thanks!

0 Votes
Specializes in L&D.

BeaconStreet, So glad to see that you'll be there.

And, happy to see that so many people from this thread will be there.

I plan to stay in the dorms this summer so I can really concentrate on school work. Is anyone else planning to do that?

See you all tomorrow!

dg

0 Votes
Specializes in Emergency.

For everyone who attended the information session yesterday, how was it? What did they say?

Thanks!

0 Votes

Hi Cozzy,

The day started with accepted students sitting at tables by specialty. There was a screen and lectern at the front of the room, and many administrators and faculty were introduced and said a few words. Sarah Sheets-Cook, the vice dean, rapped (really). Judy Honig gave a little plug for the DNP degree and said that our class would be able to continue right through into that program (would probably add 1 year of school and 1 year residency). Karen Desjardins, the ETP director, gave a quick overview of the curriculum (it could have been a little longer--I didn't get everything!).

Then we had lunch with our specialty and a faculty member at each table. After lunch, current students took small groups of us on long tours of the campus. This was my favorite part of the day, because my guide was great and spoke frankly about why she chose Columbia (over Penn, MGH, Yale), what student life is like, and what the pros and cons of the program are.

The tour included the singles dorm (Just like college! An older building with not-tiny furnished rooms with big windows, some with river views. There is a kitchen somewhere, but I didn't see it. Hall bathrooms are coed and would probably inspire flip-flop wearing in the shower.), couples housing (Really nice apartments. Anyone want to be my domestic partner?), the student gym (located in the dorm, free to all, has lap pool), the Hammer building (home to big lecture halls, a nice new-looking science library, 24hr. computer lab, and cafe), and the Georgian building (home to nursing school administration, FinAid, skills lab and sim-dummies).

Other random bits of info/advice I got from current students: Don't buy the white pants, they are see-through. Don't feel you have to live in Washington Heights. Most programs are closer to 2 years (plus 1 summer) than three unless you do a dual specialty or work part time. Lots of people work part time in the specialty portion, or go to school part time and work full time. The first summer is the hardest--each semester gets better after that.

That's all I could absorb! I'm sure others who attended will have more to add. :p

0 Votes
Specializes in Emergency.

BeaconStreet,

Thanks for the informative response!

Too bad the information day was yesterday, or else I wouldn't have bought the white pants :)

Did all the specialties have about equal populations of students or do some have more than others? I'm going on the Acute Care track, so I just wanted to get an approximate idea.

Thanks again!

0 Votes

Hi Everyone!

I'm new to the thread but I think it's a great idea! I was at the info session on Friday but feel like everything from that day was such a blur. We got so much information and I can't seem to remember any of it!

Does anyone have any suggestions on the white clinical shoes we need? My tour guide suggested white Danskos and those do seem comfortable but they're pricey.

Thanks!

0 Votes
Specializes in Perioperative Orthopaedics - scrub/circ.
Hi Everyone!

I'm new to the thread but I think it's a great idea! I was at the info session on Friday but feel like everything from that day was such a blur. We got so much information and I can't seem to remember any of it!

Does anyone have any suggestions on the white clinical shoes we need? My tour guide suggested white Danskos and those do seem comfortable but they're pricey.

Thanks!

you're gonna be on your feet a lot in some of the rotations, so make sure that the shoes you pick are comfortable. It really doesn't matter what kind they are, just as long as they are all white (they do uniform check!!!). I just wear New Balance sneakers, but I've seen everything from Nike to Dansko.

-art

ps. I'm just going to vent a lil... but...

... WE JUST FINISHED OUR LAST SIX HOUR CLASS!!!!!! YEEEAAAHHH!!!!!!!

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment