i am unaware of any np program that is delivered 100% "online". (corrections would be appreciated, not insulted). our coursework at texas tech does deliver the classroom didactic(classroom/lecture) portion online, however the clinical rotations are real clinical rotations in the various settings, not online case studies or retrospective studies. we actually see patients, not just charts. if the problem is with the perception of how we receive our didactic (bookwork) , i too lament the direct contact with the professor. the point is whether one sits at a desk and listens to lecture or sits at a computer and watches that very same lecture, we are responsible for processing, integrating, and regurgitating that very same knowledge when test time comes.
as for collaborations, in undergrad traditional school, we spent very little time at school discussing matters and more on the phone and via e-mail. i do not see this differing from my graduate studies.
of note, there are at least two md online programs as well.
when it comes down to it, i think what matters most is how well we affect the health of our patients. in the end, the model of education is not more important than how the knowledge gained is applied to our patients. also, when we take our proficiency exams, there is not one for partial online and one for brick and mortar schools. you either know the answers or you fail.
