University of Miami

jerrylundergard · Jan 3, 2009

I pretty much summed up my experience so far in the bsn accelerated at UM in your other thread. I started last may and have completed 2 of the 3 semesters. We are awaiting our final semester that begins jan 21 or whatever. I remember seeing the guys that graduated last may on our first few days of class as they took a nclex review or something. If I pass everything this semester I will be one of those people you see. I say "if" because this program is hard, very hard and requires extreme dedication. I have around a 3.3 GPA so far but had a 4.0 in the prereqs and a undergrad of 3.3. I did not try very hard in undergrad or even that hard in the prereqs but have tried my hardest in this program and still only manage a 3.3 (which isnt that bad but still). I already explained that we started with 70 and around 45 made it to second semester. We also lost a few more in this last semester.

Ill tell you about the scholarship cause it ****** some students off. First off the scholarship at UM was only given to 17 or so students out of the 48 that finished the application process in time. Some students were mad about that because they felt it should of been better stated that everyone doesnt automatically get a slot. If you plan on applying make sure you get all your documents in order and have them ready for the first day of class in may. They did interviews the first day and again a couple weeks later. Some of my friends never got an interview because the scholarship lady never ansers emails or calls and they didnt know what to do. Some of the people that didnt get it told the interview panel they wanted to be icu nurses and crna or whatever and had bad success.

Powerpoints and notes and books and practice questions works for me. In pharm you may be allowed to use a cheat sheet for the exams (they make you hand write it). Make sure you write small and get all important info from power points on cheat sheet, especially if you have ms. K, she likes the pp.

If you have any other questions ask away!

ice2015 · Jan 3, 2009

thank you so much. Where are you living? Are you from Miami or did you have to get a place? Does the nursing schedule follow the university schedule? Are there two summer sessions or is everything grouped into one for the nursing? I have a lot of questions!! Would you mind if we talked on the phone?

jerrylundergard · Jan 3, 2009

I am not from Miami. I arrived last April and found a place on the internet, maybe craigslist or something. The prices of condos have come down alot so you should get a better deal this time. Most of our class was from outside florida (from all over the country really) and there were only a handfull of folks from miami or florida. Prolly gonna be similar for your class.

Summer nursing schedule last summer had its own schedule. We began on May 15 I believe. We then ran straight threw to Aug 1 when we had our last hesi. Summer is just 1 combined semester 10weeks or something. So we had a wonderfull break till school started again last week of Aug. with regular schedule. For fall and spring its regular schedule.

Oh ya, bring your scholarship documents with you to orientation, that was when they had the first interview, not the first day of classes. They dont send out notifications for a month or so into the program but its good to get it out of the way if you are looking for it.

Ask all the questions you want, I was extremely curious my self this time last year and know what its like.

ice2015 · Jan 4, 2009

Thanks again!! Can u tell me what a typical week is like in the summer? In the fall? What are the class days and hours? What classes did you take in the summer and in the fall?

jerrylundergard · Jan 4, 2009

Summer: 4 classes, patho, pharm, assesment, adult health 1. Monday was 2 lecture classes. Pathophysiology from 8-12 then adult health 1 from 1-4. Sometimes the teacher would let us out a little early but its nothing to count on. Tuesday was clinical at either baptist, jackson, miami childrens and somewhere else but those are the main ones. We got to pick our clinical site in the summer and fall but this spring they are keeping us in the dark as to where we will go at time of sign up. Clinical was from 6:30-2:30. Wed was lab stuff, you had to wear your scrubs for that day too and you work on harvey the manaquin and listen to heart sounds and all sorts of stuff. It was from 8-12 and 1-5. Towards the end of the semester we got out a bit early but not much. Thursday was pharmacology 8-12 and health assesment 1-4. Friday, saturday, and sunday ar OFF! Dont be fooled though, you will need every minute of those 3 days for your readings and studys. You will have atleast 1 exam a week and sometimes 2. Figure 4 exams per class per semester so its tuff. That is pretty rough by it self but you also have 2 quizes to do in assesment. Those weekly quizs add up to 15% of your grade and you can take them as many times as you like until you get a score you want. I often had to spend 2-4 hours per quiz on the weekend to get 100%.

Fall is adult health 2, special populations (OB,Peds), research. Its 3 days clinical 0630 - 230. 2 days in class about 3 hours per class and lab of 3 hours.

Pharm is the killer in summer and adult health 2 is the killer in fall.

ice2015 · Jan 4, 2009

Thank you so much for taking the time for me. I found out the day the college closed for winter break so I feel like I have no idea what to expect!! Now, at least I have some understanding. Did you get a roommate when you moved down? Do you live close to campus?

alibell254 · Jan 24, 2009

Thank you so much ice2015 and jerrylundergard for all the information I learned about the accelerated bsn program at um from your posts. I just found out last week that I was accepted to this program for May and felt like I didn't know much about this program before. You've been a great help. If anyone else has applied or been accepted also, please post. I'd like to talk.

BH8844 · Jan 24, 2009

Congrats alibell... Now we finally have a newbie to talk to.. What are your living plans?

alibell254 · Jan 26, 2009

Hi, my name is Ali. I live in Homestead, FL right now but are planning to move closer to UM, maybe in Kendall or somewhere closer.

lnzywilson · Jan 27, 2009

I would recommend doing a 3-4 month summer lease if you are unsure where you want to live. That way, by the time your lease is up, you will have made some really close friends and can decide if you want to move...etc. Then you can decide to stay on your own, move out- whatever, because it's easy to like someone on email and then not like living with them.

Alot of houses in Coral Gables (2 miles from UM, 4 miles from South Miami Hospital, 9-12 minutes from Jackson Memorial at 630am) have an Efficiency type setup where they converted their garage into a cottage and rent it out. The gables are very safe for the most part. If you do this, I would only recommend something that is separate from the house.

The nightlife that isn't South Beach is located in Coconut Grove, and it can be very useful to have a place in that area (but you need to travel there first to see where the safer parts are, you will understand when you drive through it...you drive through a predominantly lower SES black neighborhood and then there is the bar/restaurants and on the other side are bmw's).

I wouldn't recommend living closer to one hospital only, becuase UM doesn't guarantee locations to ANYONE.

I am in my last semester, so any questions, feel free to ask me as well!

alibell254 · Jan 27, 2009

Hi, thanks for the helpful tips. So how is the program? I have so many questions about it. I know its a very intense program that takes a lot of dedication. I've been out of school now for 5 years now and can't wait to get back, but know its going to be hard. I have a three year old little girl and hope that I can still give the attention she needs while I'm in this program. How is the schedule like everyday? What about the tuition? If you don't mind me asking did you get a scholarship or do you have federal or private loans? Thanks for the info.