2013 UCSF MEPN Applicants

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Hi everyone,

I'm planning to apply for the 2013 cycle of MEPN at UCSF (application date would be September 1 of this year). I'll be applying for psych/mental health, and it will be my first time applying to this program. I was wondering if anyone else is out there who is applying for the 2013 cycle. I'm hoping we could share encouragement and tips!

Also, there's a thread for 2012 applicants- definitely check that out too. :)

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I am planning on applying as well! I am hoping to get into the Nurse-Midwifery/Women's Health specialty. Let the obsessive forum reading begin

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Also, is anyone going to the March 20th information session?

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I am! I'll see you there tonight?

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Hi everyone, if I don't get into the UIC program, then I'll be applying to UCSF as well....stay tuned.

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I was visiting my family out of town so I had to miss the informations session :( how was it? There are still no new dates posted on the website.

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I'm planning on attending the information session at UCSF tomorrow night. Is anyone else going? If you're out of state or cant make an information session before you apply, let me know if you have any specific questions. I will try and get some answers for you tomorrow!

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I got in on my second try to the nurse-midwifery specialty. Here are some stats...My GPA was around 3.8, my GRE math/verbal scores were low (I think combined around 1050 or 1100?-- i took it twice). However, I think my writing was high around a 5 or 5.5-- I am just not the best standardized test taker. I had well-rounded volunteer work, both birth and non-birth related, local and international. I also made the step toward working full-time in the birth community by establishing my own business and have attended a good number of births. I had a good and honest goal statement and personal history statement. Year 1 of my personal history statement talked about life's hardships (but next time I decided nobody wants to hear too many boo-hoo stories...so I tried a different strategy for year 2 and talked about positive things in my life that lead me toward midwifery). In my goal statement I discussed why I wanted to be a NURSE first and foremost.

Some advice:

1) Keep moving in a forward direction with your volunteer work... take on more of a leadership role. For example, I didn't just do a few volunteer births as a doula, I wrote curriculum for doula trainings, taught classes, etc.... when your leadership skills are being evaluated, show them that you are a leader and the steps that you take in your volunteer work is just one way to do that

2) If you are going to keep applying if you don't get in, show that you are doing more and diverse things and truly re-evaluate your goal statement vs. just regurgitating the same information

3) If you don't get in or you get wait-listed and UCSF really is your top choice, write them a letter and let them know that you are serious about attending their school. Also, have community members send additional letters of support separate from your other letters. You want to stand out and you want your name known

4) Keep your goal statement and personal history statement short and sweet and to the point! Don't repeat information.

I am happy to provide more info around interview time or if anyone wants to PM me. Because of my diverse volunteer experience I had a lot of anecdotal stories to share about nursing when it came time to interview and I found this very helpful in being able to provide concrete examples. Good luck!

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I'm a member of the entering class of 2012 as well. I got in after my first try. I guess one thing that I think is really important is to make sure you have a coherent narrative. All the volunteer work in the world isn't going to help you if you can't explain why you want to be a nurse, why you have chosen your specialty, how this all relates to your career goals (be explicit about what your career goals are and how nursing will get you there!), why you have chosen UCSF, how your background relates to these goals, etc, etc. Make sure you can speak intelligently about nursing as a field, changes in healthcare, etc, etc. I asked my interviewers for their opinions on the DNP, healthcare reform and how they think it will affect nursing, etc. Just show them that you want this for a good reason and have thought it through. They want you to know what you're talking about. When you say "I want to work with underserved populations" you really need to be able to back that up with anecdotes/experiences with these populations, because they will ask about that (they did during my interview, at least).

Also, yes, keep your personal statement brief and cogent. I literally started mine with "My goal is to provide comprehensive psychiatric care to individuals, families, and communities... blahblahblah". Be very direct. Good luck!

Oh and my stats were as follows: 3.8 undergrad GPA, 4.0 prereqs, 1370 GRE... a lot of academic/research and clinical experience in the psych field, a bit of volunteering in a hospital.

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I am a little hesitant to be joining this conversation, for fear of obsessive checking of posts...but here I am!

I am also a hopeful MEPN for 2013. I will be applying to the Mental Health/Psych track.

I finished my undergraduate degree one year ago and have not had much luck on the job front. Turns out that a degree in Biology is not good for much unless you either a.) have a Master's of some sort or b.) have some solid connections. I have been doing a good bit of volunteer work, but I am still worried that not having a paid job for the past year will reflect poorly on me as a candidate. Any thoughts?

Myelin: it seems like you are in the Mental Health program...any recommendations for applying to the program in particular? Also, how did you get your clinical experience in the psych field? Thanks!

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It turns out that I'm not going to have my BS in time to apply. What a disappointment :( I might make an appointment with the assistant dean and see if they can make an exception since I only have one class left, but my hopes aren't high. Anyways, good luck everyone!

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I am also applying this September to the MEPN Advanced Practice Pediatric Nursing Program.. I am both excited and nervous!

Two questions:

1) hollysf, I live in Oregon and therefore can't attend any info sessions before I apply..is there any important info you can pass along (anything that is not on the website)?

2) What is all this talk about a 1-2 paragraph Personal History Statement in addition to the Goal Statement (which is listed online)?

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