AMPatts1190

@FutureRN9992: It is 4 years in total to get the DNP. At the end of year 3, you will be eligible to sit and take your board exam for your NP and try to find a job while you wrap up your DNP project. :)

@futuregoals27 Classes for GEP Prep start usually the second week of August and then transitions into the first semester. ?

Hi @santakali123: At least for the first year, you have two clinical sites. One of which is on campus, the other is 5min down the road from the school. I am pretty sure you can take the bus and get to all sites. ?

@CCProspectiveDNPFNP: I don’t think you will be too forward in asking her as she was more than happy to do that for us last year. It’s too hard to get that level of reach without her help and many people don’t know that these groups/pages exist (like this one). As she admits new people, she can continue to forward them the facebook link. :)

@CCProspectiveDNPFNP: No problem at all! PM me or inform the group of us when you make that facebook page and then I’ll join it too. I’ll let my cohort know too so we can organize events through facebook too.

@ryoung79 they meet with people 1-1 so you might have just been in the waiting room. I recommend if you decide to go back from 2-4 to wait for the entire length of time and eventually you will be entered into the room. I would use your phone and just have them in your ears as you go about your day

Hi @CCProspectiveDNPFNP: Congrats on your recent acceptance! I’ll number my responses to your questions based on your question number. I apologize that this turned into a book. ? 1.) A facebook group I think is the best way to connect with other incoming students. That’s what we did last year (it’s called: UMass Med GSN Incoming class 2020) and then we later created a “social hour” on zoom as a meet and greet. -------------------------- can send an email to all accepted students notifying them of the creation of the facebook group and disseminate zoom links as needed so people can join and connect. I’ll join the facebook group and/or meet and greets as well (if you like) when one of you creates it and I can add first year input as well. I’ll also notify my cohort and have them join to not be the only opinion in the room (LOL). I’m sure they would love to join and help answer questions. 2.) Last year (around Summer time) a Google doc circulated through the above mentioned facebook page for either older students looking for new roommates or new students looking for a roommate. I recommend to start this right as Summer hits (May) to make sure you can find people in time and lock-in a lease. And to gain insight on how to succeed in this program, what went well for us/didn’t go so well, etc. I would recommend to meet with some of us who are in our first or second year on Zoom. If you want to meet with me to ask the non-public questions, we can definitely arrange that, or if you want a small group of us, I can see if I can arrange for you all to zoom meet some people from my class. A different perspective is always good. ? Now to answer @wp650 about matching preceptors to students: The answer is yes. For clinical, they automatically assign you (in groups of 3) to a clinical instructor and location. Unfortunately you can’t pick the time, floor, instructor, etc. For the end of GEP year internship and NP internships (might have been what you meant), they also arrange for us to have a preceptor for the Summer to work with. I guess there were issues in the past with students not doing much by working with their friends who were nurses/NP’s so then they decided to assign people instead. I hope that answered your question. Please tag me and let me know if anyone here needs anything else. ?

I sent them an email but they do take a million years to respond. We got an email from them today and they are hosting office hours Tuesday’s and Thursday’s from 10-11 and 2-4. You might be sent to a waiting room, but a host should be there. If you have any additional trouble next week, let me know and I’ll send you the zoom information to make sure you have the correct one.

@kavauro Good luck tomorrow! You’ll be just fine. I put up some sample interview questions in an above thread that you can see. I’m sure others can chime in with their most recent interview experience. I would also research your faculty so you know with whom you are speaking. It will make the conversation easier. Also have an idea of a potential DNP topic if you are in the DNP track. Keep us updated and let me us know if you have any additional questions! ?

@wp650 yes, they have a formal accepted students day. Ours was virtual (yours probably will be too unless things change). You may not have heard anything yet because they are still accepting students. I think I was accepted at the end of February last year. I think it’s usually early Summer, but ours got postponed to right before GEP Prep. Oh I should probably mention that GEP Prep is the two weeks prior to the formal start of the semester where you meet online (or in person) for 40 hours a week, but they cram a ton of information and content in your head to be prepared for clinical and start of classes. I realized now I was using that term freely. ?

Hi @ryoung79: Each semester varies greatly (and can change with COVID), but I can tell you what my class schedule was last semester. Monday: 9:00-11:30 (Med/Surg), 1:30-3:00 (Biomed) and 3:15-5:15 (concepts) Tuesday: 7am - 7pm Clinical Note: This varies by rotation (you get two, one in the beginning and the other after fall break) and clinical group for either Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. You typically will have the same clinical group for both rotations. Lab also changes with clinical and the reading day is the non clinical or lab day). Unfortunately the dates and times for clinical and lab are not entirely consistent throughout the semester. Formal class times should be the same. Wednesday: Lab (varies) 9:00am - 12:00pm. Thursday: “Reading day” which consists of no formal obligations, but it is expected (and necessary) to do homework, catch up on reading and self-care. Friday: 9:00-11:30 (Med/surg) and 1-3:00 (pharmacology). Also note that some exam times may be placed outside of these class times. So you are a little busier than this. They are pretty flexible though with that. ? The reading day will be your best friend and hopefully they keep it to help prevent major burnout.

Yeah relaxing is what I would recommend the most. Even with the med math packet that you will receive over the Summer, do not... and I repeat DO NOT spend all that time reading the chapters. Just complete the packet and go to GEP Prep with questions or consult with your classmates. I’m willing to say that publicly because I was so glad when someone else told me that so I didn’t expend all my energy all Summer on studying 19 arduous chapters in the text book for one 25 question test that can be retaken (like many others have done to their frustration and dismay). And you get a one hour med math lesson prior to the test. ?

That’s a great question! I would say the biggest pro would be the professors and the timeliness of the program. Getting an RN in one year is awesome and we can work throughout the program as well. The Professors are there to help you as well and support you along the way and the clinical instructors are very good as well. Also, the (roughly) 40 of you will be very close to one another (there is usually 8-10 student per track) and that support system is EVERYTHING. Take advantage of having 40 heads trying to figure out nursing instead of just one. We use the group chat application “Group Me” to correspond with one another to share insights, concerns, questions, etc. that can be accessed through your smartphone. The biggest con is stress (expected) and the disorganization of the program. Covid made it worse so many times you won’t know where your clinical site is until a few days before (hopefully that changes for you all). Also, the program is a lot of work. Figuring out how to manage everything is a struggle at times. I would recommend signing up for a mentor when given the option as our cohort can help guide you all into a successful year. Please continue and feel free to ask any additional questions as they come up. ?

Congratulations to both of you @wp650 and @Niithompson22! That’s so great to hear. ? I’m assuming this school is your first choice, so please let me know if you have any other direct questions that may not be now related to the admissions process. I’ll also be more than happy to provide either of you with any tips for success (that I wish I had) before GEP prep starts this upcoming August. My biggest piece of (public) advice would be to stay as stress free as possible leading up to the start of the semester. The program is stressful and you will need to be 100% mentally prepared to tackle it. But it will be worth it in the end! @Niithompson22: For courses, just finish taking the prerequisite courses that the school mandates if you haven’t already done so (A+P, medical Microbiology, stats, development across the lifespan, and nutrition). Take them at QCC if you live locally since it’s the cheapest. They don’t expect you to have any patient care experience. ?

I’m glad the questions were helpful! I hope you get in!! ? You do get some additional funds for expenses like books, but it is through the grad plus loan, which is separate. You get it after the add/drop period each semester and it is direct deposited into your account (so you would have to reimburse yourself).