USA AG ACNP- Looking for perspective

Aitris, BSN · May 20, 2021

Any takers? = )

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · May 28, 2021

On 5/8/2021 at 12:56 PM, Aitris said:

Hello!

I am starting University of South Alabama's AG ACNP program this August. For anyone who is attending or has graduated, I am looking for perspective, advice on what to expect, etc.

Thanks! = )

I just finished the dual role ACNP/FNP program. What questions do you have?

Aitris, BSN · May 29, 2021

Hi! Thanks for your response!

What do you wish you had known before you started the program? What were the most challenging elements? Most difficult classes to be prepared for?

Were you allowed to precept at your own hospital for AGACNP clinicals?

Approximately what was the cost at the end of the program, after all of the hidden fees?

Any words of wisdom appreciated. Thank you so much!

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · May 29, 2021

6 hours ago, Aitris said:

Hi! Thanks for your response!

What do you wish you had known before you started the program? What were the most challenging elements? Most difficult classes to be prepared for?

Were you allowed to precept at your own hospital for AGACNP clinicals?

Approximately what was the cost at the end of the program, after all of the hidden fees?

Any words of wisdom appreciated. Thank you so much!

I wish I would have known that many of the books for the foundation courses aren't necessary to purchase as we never used them during the course. I feel like I wasted money on them (courses like leadership, research, underpinnings, etc.). The courses that were worth the book fees were: pathophysiology, pharmacology, physical assessment and the didactic courses.

There weren't any hidden fees. The price is what they list on the website for graduate student web course for healthcare. They also list the fees that are assessed each semester. I wasn't hit with anything unexpected.

I will say, I had no idea that financial aid is only disbursed during Fall & Spring, so you have to save the left over from fall & Spring to pay your Summer tuition fees. I've never used student loans until now, so I was shocked when I had to pay out of pocket for my first Summer semester.

You will be required to go to campus twice for dual role. Once prior to FNP clinicals and again the following Summer before ACNP clinicals. It's frustrating to plan ahead for this because the school takes so long to publish the dates for skills intensives. My hospital requires us to request vacation time months in advance, so it was cutting it close to getting my time off approved. Not sure about your place of work, so just a heads-up there, if that may be an issue.

Lock down your preceptors as soon as you can. Unfortunately, you can't submit clinical contracts greater than 6 months in advance. However, it's good to at least get the verbal agreement from the preceptors you've chosen. COVID threw a monkey wrench into our clinical time so many places have an over-abundance of students right now.

When I first started the program, my hospital already had an affiliation agreement with USA. If yours doesn't, get that process started ASAP because it can take 6 months to a year to get a full affiliation agreement in place. You can be a student in the hospital where you work, just as long as your preceptor is not a current co-worker in your unit.

Before you start didactics & clinicals, everything will be papers & discussion posts. The 3 P's have exams. You are literally on your own to learn the material. I highly recommend the Youtube channel "Dirty Medicine". It's geared for MD students, but it's excellent information. He gives you great ways to remember difficult material.

Once you start didactics, you get recorded lectures, which are helpful to prep for the exams. Take advantage of the free access to UpToDate through the USA Biomedical Library while you're a student. It's very helpful, especially when you're in clinicals.

Aitris, BSN · Jun 4, 2021

Thank you so much for your response! That is all immensely helpful! Hoping for the best as I head into it!