The University of Memphis

faerygoddess · Sep 14, 2010

I attend the University of Memphis right now so I can tell u a little bit about it. 1st semester you will take Intro to Med/Surg, Skills lab, Pharmacology, Patho, Health Assessment, Health Assessment lab, and a clinical. Yes this is a large load and was probably one of the worst semesters for me because you are new and are thrown into it. I think all of these classes are to basically weed people out because a lot of these classes are preq's at Baptist! The schedule was Patho on Tuesdays', Health Assessment on Wednesday's, Pharm on Thursday's and Intro to Med/Surg on Friday's. Each class was 3 hours long and everyone also had their two labs and clinical at some point during the week.

2nd semester there are less classes but the material seems to get a little bit harder. You will take Med/Surg I, Nursing psych, skills lab, and 2 clinicals (1 for Med/Surg and 1 for Psych). Classes were still 3 hours long but if I remember correctly they were on 2 diff days.

3rd semester you will focus on O.B. and Pediatrics. I loved this semester and I thought it was a breeze. I actually had time to have a social life on the weekends! We take O.B., Peds, Geriatrics (online class), plus 2 clinicals (O.B. and Peds). They also at the last minute added in Ethics so I had to take that 3rd semester as well.

4th semester....This is the semester I am in now and it focuses on Critical care. We are in the ICU. We take Med/Surg II, Community nursing, Research (online class) plus 2 clinicals (ICU and community).

5th semester is Leadership. You will work with a preceptor and make your own schedule. The classes are Leadership, Issues and Trends and then Leadership the clinical. You are required to complete 100 and something hours prior to graduation.

Over all I think it is a good program. It is hard, but I do feel like I learn alot in the end. I think the passing rate is 98% last time I checked. They also offer a NCLEX review/practice class that you can take 5th semester. Clinicals are fun, we get to do more and more each semester as we pass check off's. We can chart our own assessments and give medications. The only thing I hate are the care plans because they take forever! But that you can't escape no matter what nursing school you go to so you better get used to it!

msturn1975 · Sep 15, 2010

I really appreciate all of the information and details you have given me. It sounds like a lot of material but I am up for it. I dropped off my scores today and noticed a group of nursing students in the parking lot smoking away-what has it been, 2 weeks so far? lol

I wish you all the luck and hope you land a great job. What area are you most interested in pursuing?

msturn1975 · Sep 15, 2010

I just thought of 2 more questions that I wanted to ask you.

First, can you take any of the classes in summer-like patho,pharm? I know foundations, and med surg you probably can't.

And secondly, how are the job prospects of new graduates? Is there anything UofM does to help you get a job or into a residency type program?

faerygoddess · Sep 16, 2010

I am interested in Pediatrics! You can't just take specific classes in the summer. If u want to take classes in the summer they make you take the entire semester. But I don't think you can take any of 1st semester classes in the summer. Most of the rest are offered in the summer like Med Surg I, all of 3rd semester, 4th semester and 5th. The only way people have been able to take one class in the summer is if they start that semester (for example 3rd semester you would take O.B, peds, and Gero) and drop a class. Of course if you happen to fail the class when you do retake it then you are out.

So far the job prospects for many of my friends have been okay. Not as good as it was when we all first started nursing school because of the economy. I know people that graduated in May and have just now found jobs, while others had jobs lined up before graduating. Most of the people I know that got hired right away had internships their last year of nursing school or knew someone. Now a days even internships are scarce. Baptist and Methodist are pretty much the only hospitals that offer them. St Jude does too but its really competitive and the Med has one during the summers only.

The last semester of nursing school recruiters come and talk to you about jobs and they will hand out their cards. I think your best bet is to form a good relationship with your clinical teachers so they can put in a good word for you if you happen to apply at their hospital!

msturn1975 · Sep 16, 2010

Thank you again! You have been very helpful. I am trying to get a hold of my friend I graduated college with-she went back to UofM and got her BSN-she graduated with a 4.0! I think she works at the Med right now. Anyways good luck to you!