Please do your homework before deciding on this particular program so that you know what you are getting into. There is no doubt in my mind that UAB is an excellent school, but with many good schools there are problems.. I think the bottom line is you have to find a school that works for you and your family. Keep in mind; this is a state school, so they are not really going to cater to the needs of the students. They offer classes on the ability of faculty and the layout of the program. So, if you fail a class or you decide that you need a mental break, just know you will be behind and you will delay your graduation. This school is hard on passing rate for the state boards exam so there are many, many, many, many (timed) exams. There is also a ton of group assignments. In one class alone, I think I had 5 assignments and 4 of them were group assignments. Also, you don't get many breaks throughout the school year. They are set up on a 14 week session unlike many other schools. So if your life is crazy that semester and you want to sit out a semester to get your life in order, you CAN'T! You have to stay on your (plan of study). There is no part time program. The classes are already scheduled for you and you have to take them when they say you have to take them. It is a tough program and they don't have lectures. It's very much self taught program and you have to use other resources outside of the school to understand the material. They will tell you it's your responsibility to learn the work even if you have to use outside resources.
Please look around before just deciding to go to UAB. It is a good school, but there are many things they need to fix. Sometimes I feel like I'm just another number out of 550 students in one class. Good luck
I'm glad you re-read the post and considered it with an open mind.
I guess we will disagree on that point. I am not able to relocate for my education. I'm the step-dad to two teenage boys who want to be in the same town as their father, so no matter what my family lives here, in a small rural town that does not have a NP (or a PA, MD, or DO) program. So basically if your proposal was in effect my choices would be miss my boy's teenage years, or don't become an FNP. But because our profession has determined it is ok for me to get an education from a distance, I do not have to make that choice. I do not have to be out of my children's lives for their teen years.
I think one of the big stated goals for NP education is to support rural providers. There is significant evidence that shows people who are able to obtain their education in their rural setting, stay in that rural setting at a much higher rate than those who go to a city to obtain their education. This is the second reason, I believe it is actually beneficial to the profession to make our educational system be designed so that future providers can obtain their education while remaining in their rural hometown. I don't think that leads to market saturation, I think watered down admissions and an excessive number of programs due to poor oversight and easy accreditation might lead to market saturation, but I think that is an issue for another thread.
I would also question if the standards are actually lowered by allowing a person to achieve their degree on a different timeline, but I'm going to leave that for others, as I believe someone else already posted on that.
I will agree with you wholeheartedly that improvements can be made to the NP education model. As someone who is in the middle of it, I believe that changes could be made to the curriculum that would improve it. I have not completed the program, and had 5 years of practice, so I will wait and make those suggestions after I have enough experience to back up my beliefs. Several people tell me that there are issues with preceptor management by many programs. I am not experiencing that at my program, so I will take their word for it that other programs have these issues. I do not believe the model is a failure, I believe it can be improved incrementally and will provide me and others going through it a solid base upon which to enter the profession.
I support your need to go to an online program, and I think in rural areas allowing online NP programs is great...but there needs to be limits in place. It's kind of disheartening when nurses living in towns with 4 or 5 brick and mortar schools choose to attend Walden instead. If you can't even drive across town to get your education, what does that say about your commitment? I think in very rural areas they should have online programs set up with that states public NP programs to offer it to students. Students should have to live in certain counties as designated by the schools themselves. If you have a plethora of options in your own backyard, you should not be allowed to attend an online program. Too many people are taking the easy way out and it is embarrassing to the profession.
I support your need to go to an online program, and I think in rural areas allowing online NP programs is great...but there needs to be limits in place. It's kind of disheartening when nurses living in towns with 4 or 5 brick and mortar schools choose to attend Walden instead. If you can't even drive across town to get your education, what does that say about your commitment? I think in very rural areas they should have online programs set up with that states public NP programs to offer it to students. Students should have to live in certain counties as designated by the schools themselves. If you have a plethora of options in your own backyard, you should not be allowed to attend an online program. Too many people are taking the easy way out and it is embarrassing to the profession.
From a philosophical standpoint that seems like a nice suggestion, although I'm not sure that would be the best approach if implemented. Based on program rankings that would mean I would have to go to an inferior program to what I'm attending, and as several in NC have pointed out, limiting them to programs approved by the state school has made the approval process for online programs become a joke because the school that is suppose to approve the other programs has no incentive to approve competition.
I think raising the bar for the minimum approval needed for all programs might be easier than trying to get each state to designate areas where online programs are allowed/not allowed. But I will agree, that there will always be folks who pick the path of least resistance regardless of the quality of their education.
Ms.Kay, how far along are you in the program if you don't mind answering?
I applied to UAB for their FNP program and got in which I was extremely grateful for. They were my number one choice and their reputation proceeds itself. I'm part of the cohort that will be starting this May. I attended their Feb orientation and I was really impressed with the staff. It does seem like a tough program from the information they gave us but they made it clear that each applicant goes under a rigorous review before the right one is selected. Basically, if you have been offered a spot they feel like you will be able to handle the program. They have a 98-99% passing rate on the board.
One of the instructors mentioned that a common complaint they get from students is the amount of reading. She states they cannot lecture on EVERYTHING you are suppose to know but they do try to apply that knowledge in various ways such as case studies, video conferencing, etc. The impression I got was that the instructors are very much involved. They have some online lectures posted, they do weekly video conferences to discuss the topic for that week, etc. If you are not able to attend the live session then it is archived to view for later. Are these resources not part of your class? I don't do well with group assignments because there is always one person that doesn't do their part and that could get frustrating for me also. I guess I will find out more about that once I start in May.
Also, this program is ONLY part time. 2 classes a semester is considered part time study.There is no full time option available and like you mentioned you have to stick to the program of study. If you fail a class or if you have to skip a semester then it sets you behind because not all classes are offered every semester. I know they've already started implementing some new changes. For example, all of our exams will now be proctored. Do you plan on transferring somewhere else or staying with UAB? Hope to hear from you soon. I'm very excited to start the program and I just wanted some input from someone already going through the program.
Please do your homework before deciding on this particular program so that you know what you are getting into. There is no doubt in my mind that UAB is an excellent school, but with many good schools there are problems.. I think the bottom line is you have to find a school that works for you and your family. Keep in mind; this is a state school, so they are not really going to cater to the needs of the students. They offer classes on the ability of faculty and the layout of the program. So, if you fail a class or you decide that you need a mental break, just know you will be behind and you will delay your graduation. This school is hard on passing rate for the state boards exam so there are many, many, many, many (timed) exams. There is also a ton of group assignments. In one class alone, I think I had 5 assignments and 4 of them were group assignments. Also, you don't get many breaks throughout the school year. They are set up on a 14 week session unlike many other schools. So if your life is crazy that semester and you want to sit out a semester to get your life in order, you CAN'T! You have to stay on your (plan of study). There is no part time program. The classes are already scheduled for you and you have to take them when they say you have to take them. It is a tough program and they don't have lectures. It's very much self taught program and you have to use other resources outside of the school to understand the material. They will tell you it's your responsibility to learn the work even if you have to use outside resources.
Please look around before just deciding to go to UAB. It is a good school, but there are many things they need to fix. Sometimes I feel like I'm just another number out of 550 students in one class. Good luck
I am in the FNP program at UAB and I have started clinicals this semester. I can say that UAB's program is a good one. Its not easy as no graduate program should be, especially an NP program. This semester we have had some live video classroom lectures, where one can ask questions and participate. And as the previous poster said they will start online proctoring of exams in the summer.
I have applied to UAB FNP Program for Summer 2016. I do not live in Alabama but chose UAB because many of my coworkers attended the program. They say it is difficult but they all passed their exam to be certified and were really prepared to be an NP. I have already talked with the head of the FNP program and she was wonderful and spend a lot of time talking to me.
futureeastcoastNP
533 Posts
I support your need to go to an online program, and I think in rural areas allowing online NP programs is great...but there needs to be limits in place. It's kind of disheartening when nurses living in towns with 4 or 5 brick and mortar schools choose to attend Walden instead. If you can't even drive across town to get your education, what does that say about your commitment? I think in very rural areas they should have online programs set up with that states public NP programs to offer it to students. Students should have to live in certain counties as designated by the schools themselves. If you have a plethora of options in your own backyard, you should not be allowed to attend an online program. Too many people are taking the easy way out and it is embarrassing to the profession.