2013 UCSF MEPN Applicants

Nursing Students Post Graduate

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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. :)

@nondelicacy

Nope, this is first time for interviews. Not sure if was impacted by changes in specialties last year.

Hopefully, you will get through interviews this year!

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Senior in college with all the prereqs done before the deadline, but didn't realize had to have completed my degree by deadline. All the other schools I applied to you can still be in college! I am utterly crushed I will not even be considered this year.

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Specializes in FNP.

Oh to look over the posts and relive all those emotions...from being denied, getting an interview.... and to being accepted! Best wishes for those who didn't get an interview... press on!! For those who do have an interview...begin sweating now!! Being a current "MEPN", and oh how I loathe the term, what follow are some of the questions I focused on for my interview, and they paid off!

DO PRACTICE INTERVIEWS is the best bit of advice I can offer. The people who will interview you have a unique ability to read body language, and maybe even look into your soul! Yes, some of the questions are repeats of what you may have said in your goal statement, but do you think the people interviewing you REALLY read your whole application? DOUBT IT! They're busy enough with other things happening at UCSF, you are a very small small part of their task set for the day.....make an impression!

I cannot take total credit for this list, I think I copied and adapted parts of it from another MEPN post somewhere. Here we go.....!

Why did you pick your specialty for the MSN?

What will you bring to the table for the MSN? (What skills/experiences will you bring to UCSF? How will you contribute to the class?)

Why not Med School? Why don't you want to be a doctor?

(At this point they will be looking for confidence, and they want to see that you definitely know this is the career for you. So have a great answer for the med school vs. nursing school)

Why not PA?

What have you done to prepare yourself for nursing school? (Talk about your volunteer work and research you did on the nursing

profession here, not class work, everyone did that.)

What qualities make a good RN?

Why did you apply to UCSF?

Do you like teamwork or to work on your own. (Say both, you like you to take personal responsibility for your actions and

contribution, but enjoy what can be done in teams. Nursing is all about teamwork, with other nurses and the MDs, techs, NPS

etc..)

What do you know about the demands of this program?

What do you do when you don't get along with the nurses on your floor?

What do you do if you do not agree with the nurse who is precepting you?

How will you keep yourself from burning out?

How do you know when you're being a good nurse?

Describe a situation where you've had to prioritize and organize a list of tasks

What do you bring to the profession of nursing?

What do you think the hardest thing about being a NP will be?

How do you handle adversity/challenges?

What do you think it will be like being in a master's program with people who have been working as nurses for years?

How do you handle competition?

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?

Do you plan to do research or earn a PhD?

What do you think will be the most difficult thing about being a nurse?

How will you prioritize your day?

Describe an ethical conflict that you’ve gone through

Describe a frustrating experience at work and how you dealt with it

Describe your strengths and weaknesses.

How do you handle difference? Give an example.

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Specializes in Midwifery/Women's Health.

Wow! Magallanes, this is a great list of questions and I can totally see how these questions are intimidating... and challenging for sure! Thanks so much for the advice and help. UCSF is not kidding with their interviews, definitely won't be a "casual" interview like other schools so far.

What do you like most about the MEPN program? What made you choose this program over others?

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magallanes, you're a star! Thanks so much for the suggestions about the interview. I'm looking forward to it but I definitely want to be well prepared.
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Seriously, this will help a lot! I also heard that it's good to know Spanish because my friend who went through the program actually had a portion of her interview conducted in Spanish. Does that still go on?

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Wow what a great list of questions! I got my rejection letter from UCSF on Tuesday but used this list of questions to prep for my Hopkins interview this morning and then found out I was accepted to the BSN portion or the program and hopefully the will get an acceptance from the MSN portion soon! Good luck to all!

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Spanish? really? ugh. I speak a good amount of Spanish, but it's my second language and I really struggle with it when I'm nervous. So they ask interview questions or just do a mock clinical setting for questions? (The latter would be much easier for me.)

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I think it was like interviewing in Spanish from what I recall my friend saying. It's like an unwritten prerequisite that we know spanish since most of the clinicals are done in Spanish speaking populations.

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Specializes in FNP.
I also heard that it's good to know Spanish because my friend who went through the program actually had a portion of her interview conducted in Spanish. Does that still go on?

It's always good to know Spanish, but nothing was mentioned or spoken of it in my interview. I also was admitted to a specialty that is not offered this year. I would think this would be more important if you are in the FNP track but I sure wouldn't sweat it for your interview.... The languages I most run into my clinicals are Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Spanish... in that order.

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What I heard is that they will speak with you in Spanish (part of the time) IF you have claimed some Spanish language ability. They don't require a proficiency exam like some schools so this is a way to be sure that people are not claiming skills they don't have. This is second-hand information, however. Frankly, I can't recall now who told me. Maybe I read it on an older blog thread. So I can't attest to its accuracy.

I'm a little nervous about it because, as Spanish is a second language for me also, I never feel fluent enough. I'll be brushing up on the ole subjunctivo for the next month.

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Congrats to all those invited for interview! Unfortunately, I didn't make it :-( Still trying to understand what I could've done better. Just curious - Anyone out there invited for interview in psychiatry or mental health track? Anyone invited for interview that is still doing the prerequisites? Thanks for any input! Good luck to all!!

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