Yale GEPN 2021

Nursing Students School Programs

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Hey all! I am reapplying and wanted to create this for everyone applying. I won't be as involved as I was last year, but good luck to everyone! I know they're having seminars and allowing people to schedule one on one consultations for applications.

18 hours ago, FutureFNP-7 said:

@birthworker

Can I ask what makes Yale your priority over Columbia? I've been going back and forth between the two in my mind ?

I’m heavily leaning toward Yale for a few reasons:

1. As someone planning to work as a nurse-midwife at a birth center, I spoke with a number of friends who had positive things to say about the clinical experience I’d receive at Yale, whereas Columbia’s DNP program is better for those who want to have a career in research.

2. My friend who has worked at New York-Presbyterian Hospital for 25 years as a Nurse Informaticist (aka she crunches data), and received her PhD at Columbia recently said that NYP surprisingly does not hire so much from Columbia as NYU and Pace, which again, makes me weary about clinicals.

3. Yale is more reasonably priced.

4. I live 30 min away from Yale whereas I’m 2 hours from Columbia, and have 2 kids, so I have to consider them and my family. Also, I would love to build relationships with preceptors in CT.

5. Some of my favorite midwives came from Yale!

Every specialty and individual is different, but boy do I hope to get in. That said, I will also attend Columbia’s Admitted Students activities next week, and continue to approach this all with an open mind.

I also emailed my interviewer, but didn’t receive a reply. 

2 more weeks before the wait is over!

 

2 Votes

@birthworker Thank you those are all really good points! I think the biggest draw about Columbia for me is the diversity of nyc but the cost and size of their cohorts is a big concern. 

 

Not sure if this has been covered yet but does yale place students in clinical sites or is it up to the students? Also, there is only one masters degree conferred upon graduating right? Meaning we only receive a certificate to become an RN for the GEPN program....

 

2 minutes ago, FutureFNP-7 said:

@birthworker Thank you those are all really good points! I think the biggest draw about Columbia for me is the diversity of nyc but the cost and size of their cohorts is a big concern. 

 

Not sure if this has been covered yet but does yale place students in clinical sites or is it up to the students? Also, there is only one masters degree conferred upon graduating right? Meaning we only receive a certificate to become an RN for the GEPN program....

 

What is the cost if you don't mind me asking? Yale places people for clinical sites and yes, it's becoming an RN for the GEPN part and then one mastees of science in whatever specialty, which you have to take boards for

1 Votes

The total estimated cost for the first MDE year of Columbia is $132,000.

 

I think what's clear is that we all have very different backgrounds, experiences, goals, and motivations for choosing one program/school over another. I've conferred with both masters- and doctorally-prepared APRNs (generalists and those in my chosen specialty), reviewed as much information as I could get my hands on, looked at stats, etc to try and make my decision easier. Ultimately, I'm relying on my personal goals and extensive research (Stanford research background - cannot escape it!) on the programs and nursing profession to make my decision. We can't place too much stock in other people's opinions or perceptions anyway, because if we did, none of us would be here. Many people still don't "get" why direct entry nursing programs exist and are adamant that these programs don't adequately prepare ANY nurses to enter the field, ABSN, MSN, or DNP/PhD. The way I see it, if direct entry programs are developed and delivered by some of the best higher education institutions in the country and world, like Yale and Columbia, it's good enough for me. People's dusty opinions don't have much bearing on my life ?

1 Votes

I’m just putting this comment out for food for throughly, but what made you guys decide against pursuing the MD route. I get that it’s more time and more debt, but the earning potential is much higher. 
 

I say this not to put anyone down or put down the profession, I’m just genuinely curious. 

7 minutes ago, confuseddog said:

I’m just putting this comment out for food for throughly, but what made you guys decide against pursuing the MD route. I get that it’s more time and more debt, but the earning potential is much higher. 
 

I say this not to put anyone down or put down the profession, I’m just genuinely curious. 

Nursing is holistic. I went with some clients to see psychiatrists, I didn't like how the relationship was versus how how I've seen it in nursing. I want to incorporate therapy, which I know is not necessarily the focus even in the program, BUT I feel nursing is so flexible and great that way. You can do so much and create a path if one does not exist already. While earning potential is important for me, the ultimate kind of relationship I want with patients plays a huge factor for me as well. I'm sure there's MDs with good relationships with their patients, not trying to say they don't.  

19 minutes ago, confuseddog said:

I’m just putting this comment out for food for throughly, but what made you guys decide against pursuing the MD route. I get that it’s more time and more debt, but the earning potential is much higher. 
 

I say this not to put anyone down or put down the profession, I’m just genuinely curious. 

I was pre-med in undergrad and shadowed a few psychiatrists over a couple of years, and while I loved clinical psychopathology, I was ultimately turned off by the fact that the primary focus is on psychopharmacology. APRNs provide comprehensive care. Yes, they prescribe/manage medication, but they also provide psychotherapy, primary care services, etc. It's such a dynamic role. Still, it was really hard to abandon the MD route and pursue nursing because of the lower pay, but I don't regret it. My partner at the time was a corporate attorney who made insanely good money - but he was miserable. Hated his job and would become visibly depressed every Sunday because he knew he'd be back at work the next day. Seeing that gave me the courage to make the switch because I thought - I'd rather make less money than be in a profession that's not for me. 

1 Votes
23 minutes ago, confuseddog said:

I’m just putting this comment out for food for throughly, but what made you guys decide against pursuing the MD route. I get that it’s more time and more debt, but the earning potential is much higher. 
 

I say this not to put anyone down or put down the profession, I’m just genuinely curious. 

I’m going for midwifery so my MD alternative would have been OBGYN. I did seriously consider that route while in undergrad and started off as premed. But on top of it being such a long and expensive path, I only ever heard very negative things about the OBGYN specialty - that the field had basically been ruined by bad policies, inevitable litigation, sky high insurance, terribly grueling schedules, and it supposedly attracts toxic personalities. (I heard this consistently from people in the field, and all saying they wouldn’t go down that route now if they knew). OB was my only medical field of interest so there was no point pursuing med school if that field was a bust. 

Unfortunately I didn’t know about midwifery when I was in college, which is why I wound up in a completely different field, despite always wanting to catch babies for a living. Once I finally learned about midwifery it was like a lightbulb - *this* was the career I’d always wanted. It’s still physically and emotionally draining like OB, but the whole approach to health management and philosophy of care is Totally different (and, in my humble opinion, infinitely better). And I love the idea of being tied to this ancient tradition. I cannot overstate how giddily excited I am at the prospect of having this career. It’s been a dream for so long, but also an endless waiting game to see if the time would ever be the right time for me to actually make it happen. So if I have an offer of admission in my hand to a direct entry midwifery program, it’s finally a reality that I’m *going* to be a midwife, not just hoping to maybe one day pursue it. 

Also, my interviewer mentioned most everyone has a story of “I started off thinking med school then things went sideways...” 

3 Votes
Specializes in Chaplaincy to Nursing.
34 minutes ago, confuseddog said:

I’m just putting this comment out for food for throughly, but what made you guys decide against pursuing the MD route. I get that it’s more time and more debt, but the earning potential is much higher. 
 

I say this not to put anyone down or put down the profession, I’m just genuinely curious. 

So for me, having been a Chaplain before this, I like the caregiving element and want it to remain central. While some doctors have a good bedside manner, it certainly isn't required or central. I feel like doctors are very competent mechanics of the body, and nurses translate that competence into the human caregiving element.

In other words, if a chaplain does care with no science/clinical expertise, and a doctor has the science with care as icing on the cake, the nurse seems like a happy medium.

Other factors: 9 years of prereqs, MD school, and residency is a non starter for me as a 33 year old unmarried male (my girlfriend is very supportive, but she wants to stay with the kids one day which means I need to be working sooner rather than later) that would like a family one day. Also, I am good at natural sciences (4.0 average prereqs, math UG) but have none of the love for them that would be useful in an MD program.

At the end of the day nursing and medicine are VERY different and discernment should be applied as such.

As far as money goes, given my background in church work and enlisted military, an NP (hell, even an RN) salary is more than I will know what to do with before there is a family involved.

1 Votes

anyone else checking their portal everyday just in case they release decisions early?!? I’m dying to know, yale is my dream school

2 Votes
4 minutes ago, futurenp6388 said:

anyone else checking their portal everyday just in case they release decisions early?!? I’m dying to know, yale is my dream school

No, but my interviewer said they’re (faculty) meeting this week to discuss decisions, so it feels like 0 chance of an update this week. I could see popping on occasionally next week though ?

2 Votes
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