University of Southern Indiana (USI) PMHNP - Current/Prospective Students?

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UPDATE: Changes: New Log In Requirement

I have enrolled in the University of Southern Indiana's online Psych NP Program beginning in January. It looks like a good program and everyone I've talked to has been very helpful. Really have no idea what to expect for the workload, though, hoping that it's both high quality and doable with a challenging work and family life... Anyone else on here a current/former/prospective student? Would love to hear about your experience and connect.  

About me: Mostly ER experience in California, so while lots of psych not a psych unit. Especially interested in the burgeoning field of psychedelics in psychiatry and psychology for treatment of resistant mental illnesses. 

Mergirlc said:

@iamKiraHow has it been going so far?

 

@Mergirlc we are on the 11th week of the program, and it is manageable. High standard and no BS papers. You have to do well on exam to pass and average 83%, otherwise you will fail the course. No spoon feeding. It forces you to study and really know the materials. We have recorded lectures on PMHNP course, but not on the psychopharm- some videos from previous lectures. I would say, it is a very rigorous and competitive. I would highly recommend, but not walk in the park. Good luck!

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Yes it's going very well. As a former educator myself, I am impressed with the organized style of communication and the exams as written. They are not trying to trick us but you definitely need to know the material. Some of the recorded lectures are hard to take, as is the nature of all classes I'm sure. Professors seem to have high integrity and value top quality education for their students. Very high volume, but it could be worse for sure. I'm super happy I've joined this program and we are over the halfway mark in this class! How are your classes going? I think that's where I will be next fall. Is it two classes and clinicals?

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acblds5 said:

Yes it's going very well. As a former educator myself, I am impressed with the organized style of communication and the exams as written. They are not trying to trick us but you definitely need to know the material. Some of the recorded lectures are hard to take, as is the nature of all classes I'm sure. Professors seem to have high integrity and value top quality education for their students. Very high volume, but it could be worse for sure. I'm super happy I've joined this program and we are over the halfway mark in this class! How are your classes going? I think that's where I will be next fall. Is it two classes and clinicals?

@acblds5 yes, I am on the postmaster's track, PMC-PMHNP, and doing Psychopharm and PMHNP I (theory + clinical). I have really enjoyed the topics and the recorded lectures so far. We also have four 2-hour mandatory Zoom Live Lectures/discussions. The psychopharm is challenging since no recorded lectures, but it has been organized enough that is easy to follow weekly topics. I am allocating significant time in psychopharm and really understanding the art of psycho-pharmacotherapy since I feel 80-90% of what we do revolves in prescribing, so you really have to know how each SSRI differs from one another, up to antipsychotics, and other psychotropics.

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iamKira said:

@Mergirlc we are on the 11th week of the program, and it is manageable. High standard and no BS papers. You have to do well on exam to pass and average 83%, otherwise you will fail the course. No spoon feeding. It forces you to study and really know the materials. We have recorded lectures on PMHNP course, but not on the psychopharm- some videos from previous lectures. I would say, it is a very rigorous and competitive. I would highly recommend, but not walk in the park. Good luck!

@iamKira Thank you for the update!  I appreciate it and, I"m sure, others will too who are interested in this program.  I'm still a few years away from pursuing a post-master's PMHNP, but I want to make sure I choose a program that is well-rounded and interested in actually educating providers and not just half-a$$ing it for money from students.   

Good luck to you and, again, many thanks for the update!   If you can remember, please try to update again in a few months so we can hear about your progress!

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Honestly, If you can pick a different program do it. This program is NOT a walk in the park. It is VERY hard and rigourous. I did an Accelerated BSN in the past and never shed a single tear until I started NP school at USI. I wish I could go back and chose a different school. 

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Carla White said:

Honestly, If you can pick a different program do it. This program is NOT a walk in the park. It is VERY hard and rigourous. I did an accelerated BSN in the past and never shed a single tear until I started NP school at USI. I wish I could go back and chose a different school. 

Rigorous because it's good and they teach a lot?  Or rigorous due to busy work?  I think most programs aren't a walk in the park, and nor should they just be easy so that you can kick back and pass it without really studying.  But if it's rigorous because they give a lot of garbage assignments and things to read, then yes, completely agree.

@Carla White  could you please share what you know?  As I mentioned prior, since this is a subject about USI, other people come in here to see other students'  experiences and it helps everybody to decide whether this program can work or not for them.  

I know sometimes, there are schools out there that just give a lot of busy work that, unfortunately, is not meant to really teach one very well.  Please let us know if USI is one of these types of schools. 

So sorry, if the experience was bad for you.  Bad experiences always make it so hard to learn, and NP school is hard enough as it is.

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