UMET @ Interamerican- Fall 2014

Jen_Jen88 · Feb 12, 2014

Agreed! I have a friend who was in nursing school in FL and there were certain professors who would basically talk down to her because of her cerebral palsy (mild case). All of my professors wanted me to excel and if they got upset at us it only because they want the best of us and they will do anything to get it from us. Plus if your Spanish is rusty like mine was, you'll get so much better at it and they are not afraid to correct your spanish lol don't take it offensive when they do. They know and understand and just want you to use the correct terminology. (BTW you'll love your clinicals at the VA if you get the chance. The Vets are amazing!)

resilientnurse · Feb 12, 2014

Yeah, the VA was by far my favorite clinical site. Practically all my professors were from UMET. They were picking up extra work by working at la Inter. I miss Puerto Rico, but I lived in such abject poverty there. BSN nurses earn $13/hr.

resilientnurse · Feb 12, 2014

Oh, one other thing . . . I don't know about you Jen_Jen88, but I graduated with no nursing school debt unlike many of my colleagues. My tuition was $150 per credit. The degree cost me less than $12K and it has paid for itself 100xs over. Best thing I could have ever done was study nursing in PR!

Jen_Jen88 · Feb 12, 2014

Yea it's so sad how much the nurses make there. I believe now they make 2,500 a month. I was a VALOR student at the VA and made almost as much as a BSN RN in Puerto Rico. I met some amazing nurse and I met some horrible ones too who told me to google the answer when I asked them a clinical question but not all are like this. I don't want to keep bragging about the VA but since it a teaching hospital all the nurses were student friendly and were willing to teach and let you do a lot. I got to administer blood products (after they double verified) put in lots of IV, draw blood, give meds IV, PO, SubQ and via NGT.

Jen_Jen88 · Feb 12, 2014

Well I just graduated so I have federal loans to pay since I had a previous Bachelors in Sociology. I have about 20k in loans because I took out a little extra for cost of living BUT UMET recently received a scholarship from HRSA where I got two checks of almost 10k and I don't have to pay it back in any other way. I don't know if they gave the money all away already because they started giving it Dec. 2012 so for those of you who go to UMET you can ask about the HRSA scholarship. I had to get my loans deferred until I get a job. How long did it take you to find one?

resilientnurse · Feb 12, 2014

Wow, that was a wonderful opportunity! How blessed you are. I might have gotten $500 in scholarships. Otherwise, I had to pay the whole thing in cash. As far as working after graduation, I did not work in a hospital/clinical setting right away. I had a Fogerty scholarship to do HIV nursing research in Africa and went directly there after graduation.

Jen_Jen88 · Feb 12, 2014

Oh wow that seems like it was an awesome experience! I interviewed for the Versant Program for new grads at Baptist a few days ago so now I'm just waiting to see. It sucks because even with the VA experience they are not calling me either but I'm keeping positive. It's hard for new grads in South Florida.

dzcafe · Feb 13, 2014

Thanks Jen for all your posts, on UMET. I am really leaning that way, I haven't heard for La Intera for a few weeks, and even though I have been accepted in an accelerated program in the states, its way to expensive. Covering another topic, I have worked for Kindred LTAC for the last 7 years as an RT/Director they have an excellent new nurse training program( I would perform the respiratory training) Kindred is the largest LTAC in the nation. I know they hire lots of new grads in Texas.

Graduation2016 · Feb 15, 2014

Jen Jen, I go to Turabo in Orando which is in the same system as UMET as you may know. We have lots if issues with classes over here. The nursing program is fairly new here in Orlando so I get there are a lot of things that still they are working on. I wonder if in PR it's the same thing. I will never move back to PR, but I can't help but wonder. For example I was told that the group that is already a year into the program will not have any nursing classes because my group starts nursing classes in May, which makes NO sense. Of this is true that means that by this time next year my group will not have nursing classes so the first group can catch up. Meaning my group will lose pretty much more than a semester (just as the first group) before either one can graduate. This might be a deal breaker for many.

Jen_Jen88 · Feb 16, 2014

Well the program has been in PR a lot longer. At first we did have problems but I believe they've worked the problems out again luckily I knew Spanish to take classes,

shinie_star10 · Feb 21, 2014

Hello all! Does anyone know what else needs to be sent to Inter other than an online application and official transcripts? Do course catalogs need to be sent too? Thanks!

resilientnurse · Feb 22, 2014

If you need catalogs, the admissions official will let you know. Also, do you know someone already there? That is truly the best way to follow the progress of your application. Puerto Rico is very "hands on". It is hard to accomplish the simplest things there over the phone. If you know someone there already, write a letter (I do not think it needs to be notarized) noting all your important demographics and a statement giving Jane Doe permission to inquire, receive and give information regarding your admissions and registration (just in case). The fax it AND mail it to the admission's office. Unfortunately, Jane will be able to get way more information just walking in than you will be able to get over the phone.