the reality of transition from MD to RN

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Hello!

I am a new person here. I would like to get some help. I am a nursing student doing well at Excelsior college. I wonder is it real to graduate from Excelsior, being a foreign MD? I have many years of practising internal medicine in Russia and I was a very successful in my field, but it looks like it means nothing here. The scary stories about failing CNPE made me frustrated. Any inspiration would be a big help for me.

Thank you.

Irina.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

Hello Irina!

If you are doing well with EC, them you will have no problems at all following their instructions, provided in the CPNE study guide. I tell everyone, who are shaken by the failures of others, to take their failures as a what-not-to-do during your CPNE weekend. I've found it rare to hear of someone who describes ALL of the things that caused them to fail the entire exam. The truth is, you can fail every single thing that they test you on once and still pass the weekend. So it is best to prepare based on the study guide, learn those critical elements, and most importantly, forget all that you know about assessments for the sake of passing EC's exam. It has to be done according to Excelsior College. After all, it is their exam. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Good luck to you!

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Hi Irina! Welcome to the forum. :) There is a long thread with EC grads and their accomplishments that is a "sticky" at the bottom of the forum: https://allnurses.com/excelsior-college-online/excelsior-grads-where-217472.html

Lynda is dead-on about the CPNE -- she is a smart cookie. Don't worry about what others have done -- it doesn't affect your CPNE. Make that weekend your own!

I have met several foreign-trained physicians who tell me that it is very difficult to obtain a license in the United States due to not being offered a residency, even after passing language exams and the USMLE. But your years of internal medicine will mean something in that you should have no problems passing EC's tests! Best of luck to you. How many exams do you have left?

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Thank you very much!

It is wonderful to meet supportive people here. I was afraid to write because I saw some negative comments about foreign nurses and their incorrect English. Yes, we all speak with an accent and our writing is not perfect. I think that the biggest fear for me is that examiners will make fun of me and my self-esteem will just drown to the bottom of the ocean. I want my family to be proud of me but I have so many doubts and concerns. Another part is the practical part of examination with all these skills observing with a timer.

It is not too much left-2 GE and 3 NE and FCCA. So it is getting closer to the final step.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

You will have plenty of time to practice before your CPNE. Once you get the skills down and critical elements learned, then you will be able to practice and gain your speed/proficiency with each task. You're not expected to know this at this point. That's why EC gives you a study guide when you become eligible. That guide will tell you exactly how they want it done. Don't worry...everything will fall into place for you as you progress. Relax in knowing that you don't have to take the CPNE until YOU are ready. I know of students who studied for the CPNE for one month and those who studied for one year. And there are CPNE workshops to simulate what you can expect to encounter during the exam. As far as the examiners, they are very professional, yet they are just ordinary people like you and me. Until you are actually introduced to them, you have no way of knowing if they are the examiners or visitors/family members of patients. So, take your time, relax, and try not to worry....

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Thank you very much!

It is wonderful to meet supportive people here. I was afraid to write because I saw some negative comments about foreign nurses and their incorrect English. Yes, we all speak with an accent and our writing is not perfect. I think that the biggest fear for me is that examiners will make fun of me and my self-esteem will just drown to the bottom of the ocean. I want my family to be proud of me but I have so many doubts and concerns. Another part is the practical part of examination with all these skills observing with a timer.

It is not too much left-2 GE and 3 NE and FCCA. So it is getting closer to the final step.

Welcome to AN! The largest online nursing community!

Listen to Lunah! She knows what she is talking about! Beleive in yourself! Remember if someone is happy about something they might tell one persona outside of their family...if they are unhappy or mad they will tell everyone they possibly can including strangers at the check out line!!!!

I have heard how hard it is for foreign educated MD's to come to this country.

Don't let the small minded people keep you on the sidelines...I think MANY members forget that we host members from all over the world. I think people who have to put other people down to feel better don't feel very good about themselves. Here at allnurses we have a ZERO tolerance here against personal attacks....as per the Terms of Service......

Our first priority is to the members that have come here because of the flame-free atmosphere we provide. There is a zero-tolerance policy here against personal attacks. We will not tolerate anyone insulting other's opinion nor name calling.

If you ever feel personally attacked.....just press that little yellow report triangle in the bottom left hand corner of EVERY POST and we will take care of it.

I wish you the best!

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Again, thank you!

Yes, there is a lots of problems for foreign doctors in America. We are like in the middle of nowhere. It is almost impossible to get a residency here so it wasn't the choice for me. My family and my child came first. But I couldn't even get permission to pass an examination to become a certified medical assistant. I was told that I graduated too long time ago. Yes, I didn't spend many years of thinking about my career and become MD at 23. I was working very hard all my life. And now I feel like everything what I have achieved and was proud of was in past. So may be I should just plant my beautiful garden and enjoy warm weather at the beach?

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Irina - prep according to Excelsior rules for CPNE (and I mean literally to the dot!) and you'll be fine. You knowledge from med school will serve you well - mine did :)

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Irina - prep according to Excelsior rules for CPNE (and I mean literally to the dot!) and you'll be fine. You knowledge from med school will serve you well - mine did :)

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Mark, I am an immigrant too, with degree in other field and 7 years experience as a Lpn, I plan to take this program too, also worry about the CPNE; any materials I can get to help with CPNE? Thanks

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
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Mark, I am an immigrant too, with degree in other field and 7 years experience as a Lpn, I plan to take this program too, also worry about the CPNE; any materials I can get to help with CPNE? Thanks

EC will provide you with a free CPNE study guide when you are CPNE-eligible. Obtaining one now would not be wise, as they regularly update the guide. If it takes you a year or more to become eligible for the CPNE, then wasting time reviewing a guide that someone gives you today will not benefit you at all. EC issues the most current version of the guide when you are found CPNE-eligible. They also sell the materials to help you prepare for the your lab stations and students are always selling or giving those away after they complete their CPNE. As you near that point in your education, you will begin to hear about various CPNE workshops that are intended to help you prepare for that weekend. Also, the CPNE application is a process that has to been done thoroughly, but cannot be done until you are CPNE-eligible because there are certain things that they require that must be done within a specified amount of time and if those things are not done within the timeframe, you will have to pay to have those things repeated.

Now, the road to the CPNE can be as more difficult and stressful than the CPNE itself, depending on how focused you are. I would suggest forgetting about the CPNE; at LEAST until you become eligible for the 8-week FCCA. If you have not started your journey with EC yet but plan to do so, you have more pressing matters than the CPNE on the table right now. So, I would begin there. I know because I was an LPN when I did EC's program. I loved the experience, the people that I 'met' online, and the knowledge that I gained. But I will tell you that Excelsior College is NOT giving away degrees. Once you receive yours, you will definitely have EARNED it.

Good luck!!!

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EC will provide you with a free CPNE study guide when you are CPNE-eligible. Obtaining one now would not be wise, as they regularly update the guide. If it takes you a year or more to become eligible for the CPNE, then wasting time reviewing a guide that someone gives you today will not benefit you at all. EC issues the most current version of the guide when you are found CPNE-eligible. They also sell the materials to help you prepare for the your lab stations and students are always selling or giving those away after they complete their CPNE. As you near that point in your education, you will begin to hear about various CPNE workshops that are intended to help you prepare for that weekend. Also, the CPNE application is a process that has to been done thoroughly, but cannot be done until you are CPNE-eligible because there are certain things that they require that must be done within a specified amount of time and if those things are not done within the timeframe, you will have to pay to have those things repeated.

Now, the road to the CPNE can be as more difficult and stressful than the CPNE itself, depending on how focused you are. I would suggest forgetting about the CPNE; at LEAST until you become eligible for the 8-week FCCA. If you have not started your journey with EC yet but plan to do so, you have more pressing matters than the CPNE on the table right now. So, I would begin there. I know because I was an LPN when I did EC's program. I loved the experience, the people that I 'met' online, and the knowledge that I gained. But I will tell you that Excelsior College is NOT giving away degrees. Once you receive yours, you will definitely have EARNED it.

Good luck!!!

Lundaa, thanks very much for ur kind reply;

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
Lundaa, thanks very much for ur kind reply;

You are most welcome!! Just hoping to save you some time and effort. I jumped the gun on the criminal background check by having it done too soon. It was just a few days outside of the required range. But they considered it to be not recent enough. It was totally my fault, though, because i didnt follow their instructions. I was too eager and it cost me. So I had to pay another $65+ to have it repeated! Little things like that add up in the long haul!

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