YALE GEPN 2022

livvylove021 · Jan 30, 2023

Hi! I'm a GEPN student. So the schedule will be slightly different year to year (I'm guessing) but for the fall semester we had all day classes on Mondays and Thursdays (10am-5pm) and a 4 hour didactic on Fridays from 8-12. You would also have a 2 hour lab either Monday or Thursday morning or evening each week. Starting on October you have clinical rotations wither 1 day a week (12 hrs day) or 2 6hr days. You'll be able to indicate your preference on a survey they send out but ultimately you don't have a ton of control over it. Halfway through the semester a 7 week class was added in that met Friday's from 1-3ish. For the Spring we are in class from 10-1:15 on Mondays and are here all day Tuesday for classes. We also have clinical one day a week. There are also sim lab times and other one-time things that happen periodically. Zoom links are available but they really reserve them for illness or emergencies, although you may be able to talk to individual professors about your commute situation. The farthest away someone lives in this cohort is like 1.5 hours or so and they commute for class days. All this being said, class is not mandatory so if you feel like you're good at a subject or that professors slides are good, it's completely feasible to not come to some classes. I don't know yet what the Summer schedule looks like but I know the credit load is around 9 credits which is significantly less than the fall and Spring terms. So you definitely won't have to be around 5 days a week, but there are weeks with sim labs where we are here 4 days, but usually it's not more than 3.

mmCA · Jan 30, 2023

livvylove021 said:

Hi! I'm a GEPN student. So the schedule will be slightly different year to year (I'm guessing) but for the fall semester we had all day classes on Mondays and Thursdays (10am-5pm) and a 4 hour didactic on Fridays from 8-12. You would also have a 2 hour lab either Monday or Thursday morning or evening each week. Starting on October you have clinical rotations wither 1 day a week (12 hrs day) or 2 6hr days. You'll be able to indicate your preference on a survey they send out but ultimately you don't have a ton of control over it. Halfway through the semester a 7 week class was added in that met Friday's from 1-3ish. For the Spring we are in class from 10-1:15 on Mondays and are here all day Tuesday for classes. We also have clinical one day a week. There are also sim lab times and other one-time things that happen periodically. Zoom links are available but they really reserve them for illness or emergencies, although you may be able to talk to individual professors about your commute situation. The farthest away someone lives in this cohort is like 1.5 hours or so and they commute for class days. All this being said, class is not mandatory so if you feel like you're good at a subject or that professors slides are good, it's completely feasible to not come to some classes. I don't know yet what the Summer schedule looks like but I know the credit load is around 9 credits which is significantly less than the fall and Spring terms. So you definitely won't have to be around 5 days a week, but there are weeks with sim labs where we are here 4 days, but usually it's not more than 3.

Thank you so much @livvylove021! This is an incredibly helpful overview of what the schedule might look like. I appreciate you!

Udevine · Jan 30, 2023

Hi,

I'm in my first year so I can only give insight to that. I commute around 30ish minutes which isn't very far so definitely doable. The fall semester was much busier. For my fall I had classes 8am-5:30 Monday, 10:30-5:30 on Thursday, and 8am- noon on Friday. Tuesday and Wednesdays I had 6 hours clinical (some people have one day a week for 12 hours).

this schedule may seem very daunting but attendance is only required for lab (which was two hours on Mondays) and clinical. Then obviously during exams and stuff you had to be there. Technically, you weren't required to go to the other classes- I'm not sure if this will ever change. Only one of them was recorded. When the semester started, everyone was there every day but as it went on some people did not go to as many classes.

This semester we only have classes Monday's (10-1:15) and Tuesday's (10-5:15) and one day of clinical 6:30am-5pm.

I will also say there's small things like SIM lane and stuff that can be inconvenient for commuting my because they're only an hour and required. If you're committed to communing and plan to go to classes everyday you can also hang out at campus and do work and stuff too.

As of right now, nothing is virtual and I don't see this changing. Some classes are on zoom but I think this is only for sickness. I personally think it's doable but it depends on why you're choosing to commute and if you would consider relocating. How far are you?

hope this helps a little and feel free to ask any other follow ups!

mmCA · Jan 30, 2023

Udevine said:

Hi,

I'm in my first year so I can only give insight to that. I commute around 30ish minutes which isn't very far so definitely doable. The fall semester was much busier. For my fall I had classes 8am-5:30 Monday, 10:30-5:30 on Thursday, and 8am- noon on Friday. Tuesday and Wednesdays I had 6 hours clinical (some people have one day a week for 12 hours).

this schedule may seem very daunting but attendance is only required for lab on Mondays and clinicals. Technically, you weren't required to go to the other classes- I'm not sure if this will ever change. Only one of them was recorded. When the semester started, everyone was there every day but as it went on some people did not go to as many classes.

This semester we only have classes Monday's (10-1:15) and Tuesday's (10-5:15) and one day of clinical 6:30am-5pm.

As of right now, nothing is virtual and I don't see this changing. I personally think it's doable but it depends on why you're choosing to commute and if you would consider relocating. How far are you?

hope this helps a little and feel free to ask any other follow ups!

Thank you, @Udevine! I am truly so grateful for this community and your willingness to answer detailed questions. It means a lot as I navigate this process.

So, no labs at all this/Spring semester?

It sounds like, for clinicals, students can express a preference about their schedule. Is that only with respect to 12 vs. 6 hour shifts or is there also some student input about which days they prefer to have clinicals?

Do you view being in class as helpful (somewhat, very, not at all?) to doing well in courses? Or do you think it's possible to master the didactic material by studying the text closely and studying hard? I would really like to be in all the classes, ideally, either in-person or via a zoom link if any faculty would accommodate that. I have a super strong work ethic, but I'm approaching this with humility and trying to realistically assess whether I could do well in classes without attending lectures. I'm contemplating commuting by plane, being on campus as many days as absolutely necessary, then flying home hopefully for 3-4+ days to spend as much time with my kids and husband as possible. I have three young kids in school and my husband is suddenly in a job transition, and he really does not want to move our whole family across the country. I am trying to think through any possible way I could make this dream become reality.

Are exams all in person? Are exams on weekdays during class time or are they scheduled outside of class time? Are any exams virtual or do you need to be on campus with a professor/proctor?

Thank you!

secondtimer14 · Jan 30, 2023

mmCA said:

Thank you, @Udevine! I am truly so grateful for this community and your willingness to answer detailed questions. It means a lot as I navigate this process.

So, no labs at all this/Spring semester?

It sounds like, for clinicals, students can express a preference about their schedule. Is that only with respect to 12 vs. 6 hour shifts or is there also some student input about which days they prefer to have clinicals?

Do you view being in class as helpful (somewhat, very, not at all?) to doing well in courses? Or do you think it's possible to master the didactic material by studying the text closely and studying hard? I would really like to be in all the classes, ideally, either in-person or via a zoom link if any faculty would accommodate that. I have a super strong work ethic, but I'm approaching this with humility and trying to realistically assess whether I could do well in classes without attending lectures. I'm contemplating commuting by plane, being on campus as many days as absolutely necessary, then flying home hopefully for 3-4+ days to spend as much time with my kids and husband as possible. I have three young kids in school and my husband is suddenly in a job transition, and he really does not want to move our whole family across the country. I am trying to think through any possible way I could make this dream become reality.

Are exams all in person? Are exams on weekdays during class time or are they scheduled outside of class time? Are any exams virtual or do you need to be on campus with a professor/proctor?

Thank you!

Hello. Second year student here. Have to be honest, it's not all that feasible. Especially during GEPN year. Professors do not allow you to zoom unless you have covid. Yes, you are allowed to skip class. But you are not allowed to skip labs or clinical, which are scattered throughout the week, and all exams are in person during class time.

I knew two people in my class who were both moms and tried to commute from far, one from NYC and one from New Hampshire. The one in NYC ended up renting a place in New Haven by 6 weeks in. The one from New Hampshire dropped out by 6 weeks in. ? The school was not accommodating; it's meant to be a full time, in person program.

There is more flexibility in the masters years, because they cluster things more so you can work part time. Class is Monday Tuesday. If you don't have clinical you only need to be here two days a week. But clinical sites are hard to find, so if the only site they can find you is on a Thursday, you're going to need to make it work. You could probably fly home for long weekends, and breaks.

on the flip side, Connecticut is a lovely place to live and great for kids. Lots of great public schools in all the suburbs surrounding New Haven (including Orange). If you can relocate, it's lovely.

I'm sorry that probably isn't what you want to hear ?

TellMeSomethingGood · Jan 31, 2023

Hey there, I have to agree with @secondtimer14 on this one. I was in GEPN last year and also have young children, and I think it's fair to say that this program is not built for caregivers raising families. It was tough for me being local-ish, and I know that the other parents felt it too. There isn't a ton of flexibility in terms of missing things or needing to swap. They'll ask your preference on dates/times, but it's honestly a bit of a crapshoot as to whether you'll get it or not. Things get a bit better in the specialty years, but it's still a big lift. I don't want to be a downer, but before you commit to something this huge, I think it's helpful to have a realistic POV from someone who's in the thick of it. I think it's workable if you have your fam here with you OR if you're willing to be apart from them for the majority of the school year (and we do have nice long breaks, which are a plus). Either way, I wish I'd had a more realistic perspective on what life in GEPN + @ YSN is like from a caregiver's perspective. I'd still have come, but it would have helped to be more mentally & emotionally prepared.

Also, re: the Zoom accessibility, we've had some people ask about that this year, but they're really strict about it being for COVID + students only. There is the rare exception that they'll let someone else Zoom in, but it's more the exception than the rule.

I don't know if you said which specialty you're going for, but I think there's an online PMH track starting next year. If you really wanted to go to Yale, you might be better off getting your RN somewhere else and then doing only the PMH MSN, IF that's what you're hoping to do.

Happy to help with any other questions, as a parent, student, etc.

Good luck!

Udevine · Jan 31, 2023

@mmCA I don't think commuting by plane would be doable or worth it since so many small things come up along the way.

personally, I did not attend class because I learn better independently, so I can't really speak on if "going to classes" is beneficial. I just learn better independently. However, exams are in person and there are random things that I would have to drive to campus for like sim labs so being 30 minutes away made it doable.

This Spring semester we do not have labs. But for example, the first two weeks before clinical we have had in person required lab work shops.

I don't think the professors would allow you to attend on zoom on a regular bases.

Also, there is some flexibility in picking things like your clinical but at the same time it's not whatever fits best into your schedule. You do a survey and then they assign you. Also where would you stay when you came?

With the program, you end up having a lot of potential free time and it is commutable with classes not being required but definitely not a plane ride away. I would say you either need to look into moving here or finding a virtual program that's more accommodating.

mmCA · Jan 31, 2023

@Udevine @TellMeSomethingGood @secondtimer14 I deeply appreciate your candor and insights. I fully agree on the importance of having a clear picture of the program, commitment and realities of competing responsibilities. It is definitely sobering to read your feedback, and I may ultimately need to defer any acceptances until my family is in a position to move. Having more clarity on the schedule and options (and absence of options) is super helpful in thinking through my situation. I can see that I would need to rent an apartment/room in an apartment, at the very least, and plan to be on campus for most if not all of each week. Hearing from parents is also such a gift as I pursue a career change, trying to balance personal goals and family duty. Thank you, thank you! I may ask a few more questions as they arise, if that's alright. You guys are awesome!

mmCA · Feb 3, 2023

@Udevine @TellMeSomethingGood @secondtimer14 I deeply appreciate your candor and insights. I fully agree on the importance of having a clear picture of the program, commitment and realities of competing responsibilities. It is definitely sobering to read your feedback, and I may ultimately need to defer any acceptances until my family is in a position to move. Having more clarity on the schedule and options (and absence of options) is super helpful in thinking through my situation. I can see that I would need to rent an apartment/room in an apartment, at the very least, and plan to be on campus for most if not all of each week (throughout the first fall semester at a minimum).

A couple more questions for you:

1. Do most people need/have a car? Do you need one for the GEPN year, or can you do without it GEPN year as long as you live close to campus?

2. Do you have a sense from specialty year students how many of them work part-time as RNs? I have no desire to try to work during the GEPN year, but would really like to earn money and gain experience during the MSN years. Is it pretty easy to get a per diem/PT job in the area as RN who does not have a BSN? Do you know what the pay looks like for those jobs?

3. Any suggestions for favorite neighborhoods to explore if I'm able to come out for Admitted Students day? Any specific insight into where students with kids/families mostly live would be especially appreciated. I've been to the main Yale campus a couple of times but really do not know the area/CT.