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I attend the IHP. I came into the direct-entry program and am in my last semester. Overall, I feel like I've gotten a good education. However, I've had my frustrations. The BS program of the portion left a lot to be desired. The 1/2 half (NP portion) has been better. However, clinical placements have been an issue for all tracks but more so for people in primary care (peds, adult, family). People get placed but can be far away from Boston. I've traveled an hour each way to clinical twice a week for the past year. I think part of the problem is the huge expansion in class size over the past few years. They don't have the resources to support the volume of students they take. Given the high cost of attendance if I had to do it all over again I probably wouldn't chose the IHP but I'll come up a competent NP with good experiences and references.

I'm just getting into nursing after being a dietitian for 9 years. I know that feeling of frustration and burn out with patients not listening. The diabetic patient who has ulcers and yells at me because he wants extra sweets even though his blood sugars are >200 or the cardiac patient who's had 2 MIs and rolls his eyes when I introduce myself as the dietitian. There are days when I wonder why I bother. I know that feeling isn't going away with a career change into nursing. For me it helps to for me to get a good workout or a long run in before going to work helps me go into the day with a sense of calm (pound all that frustration energy into the pavement). Also, I keep a letter I received from a patient posted on my fridge. I left the interaction with that particular patient not thinking it was signficant or like I had any real impression but somehow I did. The idea of once in a while you have a greater impact than you are aware of makes me think maybe we create more change then we are realize? :) I think too sometimes we bring each other down and to that place of not caring. Many places where I've worked people bond by ******** and complaining about patients, management or the politics of the organization. Trying not to get caught up in all that helps. Better to care for people that are mean or non-compliant and rude than to be that person.

Does MGH allow deferrals? I'm back to freaking out about the $$$! That may be a good option for me as well. Thanks!

I honestly wouldn't think where you get your degree is going to matter than much. It's not like we are business people deciding whether to get an MBA at Harvard or U Mass. With some fields/careers reputation and connections are a good portion of what you are paying for. Makes total sense not to get to MGH if you are interested in another program that's half the cost. Why even consider MGH? You can work as an RN to earn money after the first 18 months at MGH. We have 4 months off each Summer as a break so after it's possible to earn money between the 2nd and 3rd years with MGH as well. Potentially could work some through out the program depending on the work load and other life issues. I worked with a fellow dietitian who went through the MGH program and she worked as a RD 1 day a week and 1 weekend per month until she got her RN and then spent her time doing that. These are stressful decisions but at least we got options! :)

I'm going to go. Can't imagine doing what I'm doing now for another 30 years.

I'm wondering if it's an age thing. I've noticed there are a number of students in their early to mid 20s. Not that any of us are even close to old but as you get older and have more life experiences you start to realize that there are trade offs in life and unexpected things happen. That wasn't on my radar until I hit 30. I got this link from the program about a month ago http://www.mghihp.edu/v3. There's a ton of info on there (our schedule, uniform requirements, etc) and a discussion board would people can ask questions. Someone asked that and the student service person said we'd get more info over the Summer but orientation is 9/1 and mandatory. So, you're going too despite the scary factor?

Hi! I took the first test and the first 6 quizzes. He might have corrected the errors because they seemed to fit with the material in the book. I haven't actually even viewed the tutor so maybe that's helping me if there are mistakes in it. :) He hasn't graded any of my lab work yet but I'd agree it is a little confusing being we aren't actually breaking out any Bunsen burners. Thanks for the heads up!

Just as an fyi for the Science Summer if anyone happens to be in the same boat I was in. Chemistry was all I had left to take this Summer and I'm currently not living in Boston. I couldn't find any local classes (LA) that fit the description of what the MGH requirments were and then found out that the Science Summer chem class wasn't on-line, So, I ended up finding an on-line chem class with general, biochem and organic components (Weber Univeristy) that was accepted by the program (DEN). It's around $1100 including books. I started it early (prof is really flexible) because I wanted to have a break before September. Chem doesn't not come easy for me but so far it really hasn't been too bad.

I'm freaking out a little over the money too now that MGH is starting to feel more like a reality. It's a lot of money! It's hard to justify. I'm almost 33, so be done at 36 and then own $150,000 plus of debt. Even if I pay $1000/month for the subsequent 15 years I'll be 50 by the time it's paid off. Sounds crazy! I'm single and don't have kids yet so I'm thinking geez what if I'm done and want to have a baby and I have all this debt etc. For a while there I was really considering saying forget it. It does not a smart move. Then, I thought again about why I endured retaking micro, chem etc (I graduated in dietetics in 98' so had to retake a lot of courses) and why I applied in the first place. Getting back to my reasoning behind the decision to apply helped me to reframe how to think about all that debt. Married, single, kids, no kids most of us will spend a lot of our lives and a lot of time working. Not to bring up something else to worry about :) but....I was reading another post where some individuals were saying direct-entry students have a harder time finding employment after graduation. Has anyone heard this? Orginally I was thinking we'll be able to work as RNs once we are half way through the program however if it's true we aren't likely to be hired because we don't have a BSN how's that going to work?

Great question! I'm in the same boat as you. Got into MGH and very excited about it. I'm working now as a dietitian in California and making a good income ~$70,000-75,000 per year. I haven't really enjoyed being a dietitian for a long time, felt like I wasn't living up to what I am capable of. But, it's a job and I probably could stick with it. It's a good career. But, I don't know that I want to feel that way about something I spend so much time doing. I'm almost 33, be done at 36...it's hard to say whether it's worth it or not. To have that much debt at that age. We still have a lot of years left to work. And it's about more than money, it's about career satisfaction, feeling like your making a contribution to society etc. However, I have your same fears and concerns about the cost now that I am accepted and faced with the reality of making the choice to go or not to go. It's tough decision. I am single as well so while I don't have the expensive of kids yet there's no one to off set the expense while I'm in school. I'll be curious to hear what you decide and what others think. This is the first I'm hearing about the lack of difficulity in obtaining employment as a direct-entry students. I was thinking we are able to gain experience through the extensive clinicals and starting to work as RNs half way through the program. I've always read that NP is a growing field and that more MDs are going into speciality areas leaving a shortage of PCPs. Has anyone had the experience of not finding a job because of going through this type of program?

I've heard the trend is going against requiring those types of standardized tests because they don't really reflect a person's ability to do well in school at the graduate level or in a career. A lack of GRE requirement I don't think makes the program less than any other program. It's just one criteria for entry a program can choose to use. If you want to be an NP and like Simmons go for it and feel good about your acceptance there. Simmons is a good school and opportunity. That's awesome!

That's ridiculous! So not worth your effort to re-apply and wait another year to get in! :) The whole NEU thing is crazy to me. Rolling admissions, a variable number of spots, lack of communication, 4 years etc. Who knows if I would have gotten in but I wish I would have known about BC. 2 years straight through and done would be great. I got into MGH, the only other program I applied in Boston was NEU. I'm not living in Boston now so I'm not as in tune with what's going on there but it sounds like a lot of hospitals are having hiring freezes. If there's 100s of us as brand new RNs applying for jobs during the second summer...can we really counting on getting that experience? Maybe I'm just letting spinning on the cost of going to school and what not too much though. It's worked out for other people in previous years right?!

I've yet to hear anything from NEU either. I finally called yesterday and left a message, nothing yet. I had sent an e-mail about a month ago but didn't get a response to that. Interesting..... Do you see advantages of NEU over Simmons and MGH? Mostly the co-op component?

Congrats on Regis! That's a great school. Things have a way of working out as they are suppose to. I totally agree with you about NEU's processes!

Seems like it'd be pretty easy to just acknowledge emails or send out a group response if they are getting many of the same questions from everyone, which I assume they are. I felt like I put in a lot of effort into my application to various programs, getting references, collecting transcripts, writing my letter of intent etc. I don't think it's much to ask for an email of acknowledgement. The person that interviewed me for NEU was very positive, saying things like "I'll see you in class" "You're a great applicant and I hope you choose us" and what not. Then to not hear anything for a few weeks, to receive no response from the program director, no acknowledgement of emails, no letter, nothing. If the person I interviewed with hadn't said those things I'd be fine but having her say those things and then hearing nothing. I feel kind of jerked around of something. MGH is great and I'm excited to have the opportunity there. The NEU thing just annoying and I'm sure they are losing good candidates as a result. Some people probably that would have choosen them but are accepting else where since they haven't heard...that's taking up a space for someone else in a program that maybe was their first choice but they were put on a wait list for. Boston is a small city and I imagine a lot of people applied to many programs in the area. If communication was better with some of these programs maybe more people would end up where they want to be.