Is there anyone lurking who is planning to apply to the 2011 program?
I have spent the last 12 years in financial marketing/communications and am excited to try and change paths into nursing. I am currently taking my prerequisite courses at city college- stats and anatomy/physiology- and going in for the GRE Saturday. I'm volunteering at a children's hospital, which is causing me to consider the pediatric nurse practitioner track... I know UCSF is very competitive and it's a long-shot for someone like me to get in, but I feel like I have to try! If it doesn't happen next year, then I'll just keep building my volunteer experience and re-apply. Also on my mind is that if for some miracle I were to get in how I would pay for it.
But enough about me... what are some other candidates' takes on preperation, interests, anxieties, etc?
During the info session we were told taking A&P together with no lab meets the minimum requirements. I'm not sure if they will favor students who do the classes individually, they did not mention that (except that they view the applicant as a whole).
Thanks so much for your responses! I just heard from UCSF and they said: "As long it is an accredited post-secondary institution and the combined courses are worth four semester units or six quarter units, it will be sufficient."
I'm VERY late to the party, but I also applied to the 2011 MEPN program - for the psychiatric mental health track. I'm glad to hear I am not only one superstitiously checking my app status as if it will all the sudden say "ACCEPTED!" ~ that would be nice =0. Anyone else out there apply for the adult psych track?
Also, thank you so much for all of the useful info you guys posted about the application process, interview process, etc. Although this is my 1st posting, I have been reading the thread behind the scenes!
Hi Tanya- I applied to the adult psych track... I too am checking my application every day to only read "Under Review" What other schools did you apply to?
Hi Envisage! Nice to hear from someone with the same interests. I also applied to Yale, VCU, USD (they don't allow a specialty, but I am applying because I live in San Diego), OHSU, Rochester, and Boston University - whew! What about you?
Tanya- I only applied to UCSF this year, it is my top choice and if I do not get in this year, I will apply next year, and then possibly consider applying to other programs. I also live in San Diego right now, and I will be moving up to San Francisco in May whether I get into UCSF or not. I plan on being in SF for quite some time, so I will apply to this program again, and try to see if there are any other similar programs in the area. Did you go to UCSD or State? What type of volunteer/clinical work have you done? Why did you decide to apply to the Adult mental health track?
Envisage - What a small world! I went to UCSD, graduated in 2005, and have been working at UCSD/VA Hospital since. Did you go there as well?
My employment has basically been my clinical experience since my research office is located in the department of psychiatry at the VA Hospital. I have been working in a research lab investigating the metabolic effects of antipsychotic meidcations in schizophrenia patients since I graduated, so have been working very closely with mentally ill patients for almost 5 years now. Working so closely with thsese patients has really given me a personal understanding of mental illness and the stigma many mentally ill people face, and overall motivated me to make a positive difference in their lives and educate the public about mental illness (wow I feel like I'm writing my goal statement all over again!). I realize not a lot of people want to work with these patients and that actually motivates me even more. As for volunteer experience, I have been taking prerequisites for nursing at Mira Costa for the past year and have been president of the Allied Health Occupations Club there for almost that whole time. We have participated in numerous local volunteer events. I have also been tutoring microbiology and physiology at MC since the beginning of this semester.
I honestly feel weak about my volunteer experience and am much more confident in my work/healthcare experience since I have been working with my target population for so long. UCSF is by far my top choice as well
but I know how amazing they are (and hence how difficult they are to get into), so I didn't want to put all of my eggs in one basket and applied to other schools as well.
SurgicalNP
68 Posts
During the info session we were told taking A&P together with no lab meets the minimum requirements. I'm not sure if they will favor students who do the classes individually, they did not mention that (except that they view the applicant as a whole).