jaywolves

Congrats.

Way to go! Congrats... many congratulations. Truly an accomplishment.

They absolutely do not have an option of saying no. In addition, much of the gear used by our servicemen/women is old surplus from previous wars. I know that when I was in the Marines, our gas masks dated back to the Korean Conflict, some of our rifles back to Viet Nam. While we whine about our family responsibilities and our desire to care for elderly parents, our servicemen/women are ducking bullets, out-gunned, out-armed and doing it with crap equipment. Seems selfish that we would even toy with the idea of not service the public in an industry we CHOSE to be a part of in their most desperate time of need. It seems comparable to professional athletes working their whole life to play the superbowl or the world series and then refusing to play on the day of the big game.

You could always adopt... during a pandemic there's bound to be some children left without parents. Just sayin'.

Yes. Sorry... I know it seems stupid to post it here, but we do kinda start this summer. Orientation is June 5th. It officially starts in September.

No one does. I'm sure there are many military personnel that wouldn't want their kids to grow up in foster care, either. They don't even have the option to say they won't go where they are ordered so that we have the opportunity to even have this debate. If and when there is a pandemic - I'll be on point, on my shift. Likely with family members volunteering to pick up where the ball has been dropped by many of my medical peers who have decided that their personal situation is more important than the welfare of the public.

I have also had to discuss this with my wife. She agreed that I have an obligation to go to work during a pandemic. If I were not going to be allowed to leave, she'd volunteer to help out. That's the way it should be. To say you won't work is to suggest that maybe you should have picked a different career. You work in public health. To abandon the public in times of the greatest need is admittance that health care is not for you!

GOT THE LETTER LAST THURSDAY!!! WOOHOOO!!!! Totally Sweet! A year of busting butt and I'm finally in. Feel great. To those still waiting - KEEP YOUR HEAD UP! Don't give up. The wait will be worth it.

I lean with those who would go to work. I chose to work in this field. We are exposed - everyday to infections and microorganisms for which there are no vaccines. We are tested yearly for TB and inoculated for potential disease transmission and we are still asked to give blood tests to Hep C patients, play with needles, wrestle the insane - sometimes criminally insane. We chose this field - some of us obviously - to help people. To stay home because there is an illness that is particularly scary seems quite selfish. This isn't the first flu that has claimed lives and it won't be the last. It's not the first virus that has proven itself difficult - if not impossible - to defeat. I'll be there doing my job to the best of my ability for as long as I can. Holing up in a neighborhood over run with children isn't going to be keep me safe from potential infection. May as well do my job and care for as many people as possible. If you wanted a safe job you shouldn't have chosen healthcare!

We won't know at TVCC until two weeks into May. Application has been in since January. The anticipation is killing me. Moreso now that I have been laid off from work. Working towards this goal for over a year has been incredible... OOOOOH to get that acceptance letter. Congrats to all of you who are getting yours. Make us proud!

Strong. Very nicely done.

Well said and well played.

Having hit the 99th percentile, I would echo what jaeldanielle had to say. If your school offers a review class, take it. Read that book cover to cover. Do EVERY sample test in pencil, erase your answers and do it again. Be prepared to be blown away by how difficult this test really is. It is probably one of the hardest exams I have ever taken in my life. You will walk out of that test room feeling like you have been hit by a truck. When you take the sample tests, time yourself. It is a timed test and they are SERIOUS about the time limit. I ran out of time on Math (not my strongest subject) and had to pencil in answers for about 5 of the questions in the remaining minute of the test. Don't spend too much time on questions you can't figure out. The vocabulary is incredibly challenging as is the science. Again, I would echo what jaeldanielle had to say. READ EVERYTHING YOU CAN GET YOUR HANDS ON. The older the book, the better since a lot of the vocabulary included words that have not been part of common conversational English in about 100 years. Look up things you don't know and know more than one meaning for them, the vocabulary does not always utilize the first definition of the word. It is a very hard test. Do not underestimate the ass-kicking ability of the PAX. Once you take it, reward yourself. It will take two weeks to get your scores back and remember that you can take it over if you score too low. A lot of students at my school chose to take the exam early and give themselves plenty of time for a retake if they scored too low. MANY of them scored low. jaeldanielle and I are exceptions to the rule. Not many people score in the high 90's - definitely not on their first try. Be prepared to be surprised by the difficulty of this exam.

I know a lot of guys that have the same goals of getting into the nursing program who believe that the smallest amount of effort that will get them into the program is the best philosophy. In a major outside of healthcare and medicine, I might be tempted to agree. However, when the educational pursuit is focused towards providing care for a human being, I have a hard time accepting this philosophy. Sure it's fine for business or marketing. It's simply not okay for someone who will literally hold someone else's life in their hands. If you can pull B+ and A- scores without putting forth an effort, you owe it to your future patients to pull the A. You owe it to your future career to give everything you've got, everyday. The exhaustion, the frustration of not seeing your friends and not having a social life are all parts of it. The sleepless nights, weekends spent immersed in a text, classroom presentations that captivate your peers because of your attention to detail. This is all part of the training experience. The ground work for a career where you may have to sacrifice dinner plans because a co-worker called in sick and you have to work a double. It is the foundation for a career where your compassion will mean MORE than your intellect. Where your ability to give 110% ALWAYS, isn't going to be asked of you, but expected. I see your point and yes, some of us are gifted students. A lazy approach to school isn't going to benefit your patients, I don't care what kind of grades you pull. Your desire to be the best, to work with the best, and to provide the best possible care are the only things that will matter. I am a bit concerned for you when you make comments that "you still have to have a life" or that "Just because you didn't get the A doesn't mean you tried to get it, Not trying and geting the A- or B+ is much more rewarding." It won't be rewarding to a patient's family when you "could have worked for it" and saved a life, but chose to "have a life instead." Personally, nothing quite irritates me more than a student who could have been the top student but didn't want to apply themselves. If it works for you - terrific. Don't think for a second you'll coast through your career with that attitude.

Somehow, I totally understand the lower grades. I'm just messing with you at this point. Don't take it seriously.