Vanderbilt 2014 MSN- Questions about student research, and general program info

[MarshaRabbit]

Hi everybody! My apologies if there is another thread I should have posted this on; surprisingly I didn't find a strong thread for applicants this year.

Although I really like Vanderbilt, I've found that their website doesn't offer detailed program information, rather gives and overview of the specialties and admission requirements.

My most defined question is: What is research like for an MSN student at Vanderbilt? What resources do they have access to? I found that Vandy has the Center for Research and Development, but it says that this resource is for post-master's certificate seekers and faculty. Do MSN students also have access to this resource? If so, in what capacity?

Do MSN students at Vanderbilt simply assist with faculty research? Or are they encouraged, and able to conduct independent research?

I'm writing my statement of purpose currently, and would like to tie in why vanderbilt would be good for me to continue conducting research, but am not able to find any solid leads for that.

Also, generally speaking, is there anything anyone would like to tell me about the vanderbilt MSN? For example, reasons why this program uniquely prepares better nurses, or what advantages it has compared to other programs.

My chosen specialty is Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

One last question about the statement of purpose: I snuck in a paragraph highlighting my past extracurricular activities. I am hoping this will come across as an explanation of how much I can take on, and inform the reader that I am all about professional expansion, and will continue to be this way. Has anyone else talked about past accomplishments in their statement of purpose?

Any input at all would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time!

[nkw05]

Hi! I also just applied to the MSN program for 2014 with the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care specialty. I have no answers to any of the questions about the Vanderbilt program specifically, since I don't know much about it either besides what's on the website.

When I was writing my statement of purpose and answering the rest of the questions I definitely used past accomplishments and experiences as ways to illustrate what type of person I am and how that would impact the health care setting. So in my opinion, and since I already sent my stuff in and it's too late to go back now, I think it's definitely a good idea to use things in your past that have taught valuable lessons like time management, leadership, etc.

Good luck to you and hopefully some more people will show up on the thread so we can hear more about the program! (I've stalked all the other Vandy threads from previous years, they are interesting to look at if you have time to check them out.)

[mzaur]

You will not be doing much research, aside from writing papers for classes. You can probably get involved on your own, but it won't be required. I applied to PhD programs last year but declined offers because I wanted to be a clinician, and for those I had to write all about my research interests and how they relate to faculty members, etc. But for MSN programs, I didn't mention any of that. These are clinical programs, and you shouldn't go in expecting to do research. If you write about all that in your personal statement, you might make admissions think that you have expectations which the programs will not fulfill. I hear how intense these accelerated programs are (assuming you are also going for direct entry), and I highly doubt you'll have time to do research outside of your classes and clinicals.

You should definitely mention research though, particularly in the interview question that asks about your strengths. It is a huge asset to be able to successfully read and undersatnd scientific literature, and definitely this is a strength for this career which necessitates keeping up with the latest scientific findings and healthcare trends.

BTW I applied to PMHNP as well. Vandy and BC are my top choices, but I also applied to Yale, MGH, and Seattle U. If we weren't applying to the same program(s), I would just send you my personal statement. But I did mention past accomplishments; not directly, but as part of my story where I explained how I got into this situation and how my interests/worldview changed over the years due to different experiences/insights I had. I made my personal statement way more personal than the one I wrote for PhD programs. Since these are direct entry programs, they can't go by GPA/GRE/Recommendations alone. The personal statement allows you to stand out by conveying your values and goals and how that all relates to this career choice. From the people I've spoken with, it is very important to clearly tell admissions who you are and why you're doing this, and your past accomplishments should definitely be woven in as part of that story.

[MarshaRabbit]

Thank you very much, that was helpful! Best of luck on your application!

[alotah]

Hi, mzaur, APRN! nice post! I am applying for MSN program this Fall. Is it possible to look at ur statement of purpose? I scored low on GRE, so I have to write exceptional SOP... Thank you very much!