AKalaskabound

labries, PHS does offer bonuses for nurses, 20,000 for 4 years I think. But if you are wanting money to pay off school, IHS has the best deal; Loan repayment program up to $40,000 for to year obligation with the option to extend for a year (another $20k). Also, as a psych NP you can work for the DoD and VA being commissioned with PHS. Advanced mental health professionals who are commissioned with PHS are the only ones that are able to be detailed to DoD and VA. It is an amazing opportunity. Hope this helps! Website for IHS LRP: IHS Loan Repayment Program (LRP) - Home

Hey Penn... I am currently a Corps Officer and I work with the BOP as a nurse. I don't know if you have had any luck as of now but... my best advice is: You have to learn to be patient This is a long process and frustrating (at times) even after they lift the freeze. I am not sure when it will be lifted. I think they are currently trying to streamline the application process however it has taken some close to 1 1/2 years to become commissioned (and yes, these are people that have started a job at the BOP and then became commissioned). A Nurse Practitioner is an O-4 billet; however you will most likely come in as an O-3. At your current facility are there any offiicers that work there? I hope this helps? If you have any other questions, I would be happy to answer!

I haven't worked in CA, but there are mostly prisons where you would be working. 1. Once you get into your facility/agency, you could technically stay there until retirement but the goal of a USPHS officer is to move up and around. You have to apply to a job in order to move they will not automatically move you. 2. Yes you can be deployed to disasters throughout the US and overseas (i.e. haiti, japan) but you have to have supervisor approval. 3. The lowest degree required is a Bachelor's. 4. Rank, pay, uniform, customs, benefits (medical, dental, leave, gi bill etc) exactly the same as the military, the difference is your job is not necessarily on base and you work along side a lot of civil service some who may be your supervisors. 5. Basic training is 2 weeks held in Maryland where you learn about military customs and courtesy and diaster response. it is not bad at all but a lot of work. 6. I have been an RN since May 2012 and my sister in law has been a nurse for about 6 years and there is a $300 difference between our salaries. But with promotion and cost of living increases I will surpass her in the next year or two. 7. Time and experience plus you have to make certain benchmarks to go up in rank which equals increase in pay. 8. We are the 7th Uniformed Service therefore I wear my uniform everyday (ODU's which is what the coast guard wears) but if you work in the prison, no khaki. Otherwise, particular uniforms for certain occiasions. 9. You have a rank/grade which denotes what you are pay but for example an O-2 (LTJG) = about GS/L-9. Hope this helps! Let me know if you have more questions!

River, Yes there are some areas you will have to drive to, but that depends on where your clinical placement is. For example, I went to Paoli for OB, Delaware for Peds, and had Med/surg, Tele and critical care was at Jeff (so I walked about a block from my house). I was the one that drove most of the time and people car pooled with me. It is usually pretty easy to have someone to ride with but as for driving in the city it isn't as hard as it may seem. I moved to Philly just for the program and I was used to easier driving but I found that I was incredibly nervous the first time I drove in the city but after that it was ok. Plus you have to realize you are leaving the city when it is relatively dead (about 5:30am) so it is a piece of cake. Jobs... I know people from my class that found jobs decently easy, others are still looking as we speak. I think it is really hard to get a job in Philly, you would have to look outside the city to have a better chance. The other thing is get to know the unit managers during clinicals, these people are your in when looking for jobs and also it helps to get an externship, which they will tell you about when you start the program. I personally had a job about 8 months before graduating because I did a scholarship program through USPHS Commissioned Corps, this helped me because I was getting a salary and housing allowance while in school (this helped not to have to get a part time job) and I owe them time after I graduated which is about 1 month of pay while in school = 2 months time I owe them. So long story short, there are a lot of different avenues to get jobs, you can't get descouraged and hang in there. Thank you my job is different but good and I haven't made it to Alaska yet but I think that is my next duty station, hopefully.

Hey River! I am not sure how it is going to be commuting from NYC, that seems a little rough but as far as you being able to have kids in the program; I have 3 kids who were older while in the program and my husband took care of most of the family stuff while I was in the program. So my advice yes you can do it, but only if you have help with your son. That person has to be reliable and very flexible. The summer is going to be the worst for you as far as seeing your son, not horrible but it is the busiest time and there is so much information and just trying to get used to nursing stuff in general. After the summer your time seems to free up quite a bit. I had a good amount of time with my family almost like a normal job but with wackier hours. As far as a breakdown of the schedule, in the first few weeks, you are in class and lab Monday- Friday. Once clinical starts you will do two 12 hour days and then classes Thursday and Friday 8-5pm. For the whole year class time is Thursday-Friday the difference is the amount of time in that class. Clinical times you will find out a couple of weeks before they start, that's the hardest part with kids. I would suggest letting the professors know you are a single parent but do not be fooled some will not really care but most are sympathetic. If you have any other questions let me know. Sorry, for being all over the place I just got off work and I am a little tired.

I just graduated from the FACT program in 2012! There are good and bad with any university you go to, believe me when I say this becuase Jeff was my 8th university (I have a BS in Psychology)Overall I feel that Jeff was a really good school and basically had their stuff together. As far as your questions, your GPA is cumulative meaning all your pre-reqs and bachelor degree is considered, this may or may not help your GPA. They probably will not switch out your gpa just because your school has a whacky grading (I went to a school like that and they did not switch it for me, of course I didn't ask). Also, when they are choosing people I really think they are looking for more than you gpa, I would say it is an overall application package. The professors were overall pretty good, there were a couple that I really disliked and had horrible attitudes, played favorites, and were just unprofessional. But there are much more that are helpful and really believe in your success as a student. The financial aid department I personally did not have any issues with, my package was accepted and I got my money deposited on time. There were some things that didn't make sense like kdrose above was mentioning the running around to get signatures. As far as losing information and stuff like that after graduation if you move, when you are done with everything and do your exit counseling they give you paperwork that shows exactly when your payment starts (so those students whose credit was ruined, I am sorry but that is their fault for not paying attention to their paperwork). But you have to be diligent in changing your address in the schools system so they know where you will be. I have recieved a bunch of reminders in the mail about my loans already. Was the program disorganized? yes at times it seemed like no body knew what was happening but in the schools defense for 2011-2012, we were guinea pigs for everything; first iPad users and switching from HESI to Kaplan. The set up of the program was pretty good compared to other schools I had looked into, no going to the hospital the night before clinical to get a detailed report on your patient before coming in the next day, the pharm, patho, and management are taught together so it flows pretty well, and once the summer session is up your time frees up quite a bit. Also, at the beginning of the program and many times throughout our class was told "do not plan weddings, birthdays, etc." because things will and can change. Many of the students got so mad becuase the professors were rude or whatever but they were probably just irritated that they kept having to tell people they were not rearranging their clinical schedules just to accomadate someone's wedding. My advice, you chose this school and program knowing that you would not have time for much so don't get mad when something doesn't work out, just get over it and move on. My last thing, I lived on campus and for me this was a huge mistake, I had the worst experience and many of my issues stemmed from the property management company Jeff hired. I think it may be better now that they fired the manager and got a new one but that happened about a month before I left so I can not attest to the building now. Needless to say I would never live there again and would not reccommend anyone else to live there. Any other questions just let me know? Good luck

Atomic Woman, Thank you for the information, sadly we still have to wear those aweful pants you are talking about. I had asked because I was a CNA a couple of years ago and we were provided uniforms and those were the pants and yes they are the most uncomfortable things ever. Thanks for the heads up on that and the smart phone situation. Also, good to know about the shoes, at least you didn't drop the lady. Quick question: You said a smart phone is the best; do you know if it was a problem as far as some instructors not wanting you to use a phone or was this a non issue? Thanks again for the information!

Here's a thread I started a long time ago about things to get out of the way before you start school: Things to get out of the way NOW if you are starting in the Spring - Nursing for Nurses AW, I looked at your link above and it is exetremely helpful, but if you don't mind can I ask some of the things that you used personally. The shoes you wear (easy spirit), are they all leather or cloth; does TJU have a preference? Also on older post (from past years) I noticed there were people not getting the pants that are on the order form, can you get different pants, as long as it is the same color or do you have to get what is on the form? Thanks for your help!

RX, I met Tibby as well, and he was telling me about the same thing, I have been weighing out the options in my own head and this is what I have come up with... The Itouch is expensive (I am looking at the $300 one) but as far as a smartphone you have to pay almost an extra $30 a month including what I normally spend on cell service (around $80 with lowest family plan), so there I would have paid for the Itouch in about 10 months of having the smart phone service. I was a Mortgage Loan Officer and had a blackberry then, although nice I never really used all the extra features except for email, so now I don't use a smart phone or any of that. Also the Itouch has practically no buttons, since we will be using it in a clinical setting with the germs and pathogens, this would be easier to clean, then a phone. If I use a phone, even though the cost is a little more this will be helpful to have when I am a "new grad" for the sake of not having to carry a handful of electronics everywhere I go. I am sure the drug book are going to be an enormous help, and I would like to keep up with that information after school. I am a stickler about simplicity so this is why it is such a debate in my head. Also, the cost of the phone will be a lot cheaper than the Itouch because I have the new every 2 thing that gives me a credit of like $200 to get a new phone, I have been holding off until I figure out the best devide to use. So... even though reading over this it looks like I have my mind set, I really want to get the opinions of those who have been using it, so that I can make a more informed decision. As for being Alaska bound-- yes I am, it is a goal to live in Alaska, I think it is beautiful there and I want to have that experience at least for a few years, if I love I will stay and settle there. If it is not for me I will stay for a few years and then find another place. Either way I am excited. My mom actually called me the other day and said she heard back from Anchorage, AK on a position she applied for and she is a top contender! (she is a nurse as well) I look forward to meeting you soon!

For those of you that are currently in the Fact program or have graduated recently (MPH and AW), I have been debating on what type of electronics is best to get for the program; my thoughts are Itouch or to get a smart phone (I am up for the new every two from VZ). Is one better or worse? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciate it? Thanks all. P.S. Congratulations to all that have been accepted so far and good luck to those who are waiting!

From what I have been looking at you can get a loan from the government up to 12,500 max. and then from there you can get private loans, the school has a list of preferred lenders and when I was looking at the suntrust website it looks like I could potentially get about $60,000 but I will need a cosigner. Those two together should cover my expenses. Because I will need living and school expenses paid as well. So I don't know, I hate thinking about this part of it.

Hey all! I was already accepted to TJU, I called the Financial aid office because I am going to have to get enough loans to pay for all this, they told me that I need to wait to apply until next Jan. but I really want to get started with the process because I am nervous of the process and bumps that come with having student loans. These will be the first loans I have ever had so I am a little new to this. When are you that are getting student loans going to start applying and is anyone else going to have to get private loans?

Congrats Gianna L!

CPinPhilly: I used academic references but I would look on the website or call the admissions office and ask them about whether or not you can use academic or professional references.

I am... but I have called TJU to ask about loans and things and I have to wait until Jan. or Feb. before I can do anything