As far as the classes, it's tough to get into the program but once you're in, they want to keep you! That said, I was nearly a straight A student coming into the UF CON but I soon learned to accept and be happy with B's. Sometimes I'm working hard for B's but I do feel extremely prepared for the NCLEX. C=RN after all! I cannot speak highly enough of our professors. They are some of the kindest, most supportive, knowledgeable people in the whole university, in my opinion. I've had clinical experiences at Shands, the VA, and North Florida Regional Medical Center and I've been impressed by all of them, though Shands is my favorite.
Schedule wise- the first two semesters were very busy. We had lab once a week, 8 hours of clinical once a week, and classes the other 3 days. We also had community clinicals where we had to go volunteer in a community location once a week, usually the day of our lab. The 3rd semester (the one that I'm finishing up now) hasn't been as bad. We had classes Mondays and Tuesdays, Community clinical Wednesdays, hospital clinical Thursdays, and actually had a day off Friday! And the 3rd semester your only community activity is helping with the Flumist vaccination program in Alachua County, and that's pretty much over by early November.
For next semester, the first half is three days of class per week and two 8 hour clinical days. and the second half of the semester is just "transition to professional practice" where we get assigned a preceptor and have 7 weeks to complete 225 hours with them.
