Since this is my first blog, I shall give a brief introduction of myself. I’m 24 years old and originally from South Carolina. I went to Clemson University and graduated with a BA in Philosophy (useful, I know…) in 2007. Right after I graduated, I moved to Washington, DC and worked for a small non-profit doing geriatric health policy for three years. I came to a crossroads in my life and decided that a career in nursing would make the best use of my skills, personality, and my interest in promoting the general health and well being of the population. Also, nursing is a bit of a family career; I’ll be a third generation nurse once I graduate from this program. Ok, that’s me, now onto the point of this blog post…
So you may be scouring the internets this summer, comparing various nursing programs across the country, taking your prerequisite classes, and wondering to yourself, “is this whole accelerated program right for me?” and “why should I apply to Johns Hopkins?” Well, as I sit at my apartment doing some studying to kick off finals week for my summer semester, I think I may have some reasons that doing the accelerated program at Hopkins is a good choice. Actually, I have 5 reasons:
1. Baltimore – Woah, Kyle, seriously?! You’re going to list Baltimore as one of the top 5 reasons to consider the ABSN program at Hopkins. Yes, I am. But isn’t Baltimore grimy, dirty, sketchy, crazy, etc. etc.? The answer to that question is yes. It is. BUT, it’s also an incredibly fun city. There is, believe it or not, lots of great culture, art, food, music, and overall fun to be had in Charm City. It’s an easygoing, historic city that’s filled with great people and good times. For real. Don’t knock it till you try it.
2. The format/pace of the program – Some of my classmates might disagree with me at this point as we finish up our rollercoaster ride of a summer semester, but yes, the program is set up well and paced appropriately. It moves quick and it requires a tremendous amount of dedication and studying, but you will find that you make huge strides in your knowledge base as each week passes, and once you get acclimated to the crazy schedule and lack of sleep, you’ll do just fine.
3. The opportunities – JHUSON is full of opportunities for bright-eyed and bushy tailed nursing students. While doing the ABSN, you have the option of working and getting some quality experience in some truly amazing community outreach projects or public health organizations. If you’re into the whole maternal health / childbirth aspect of nursing, you can even become a doula. How cool is that?
4. The faculty – They are top notch. The instructors I’ve had so far at JHUSON are fascinating people that have both a wealth of nursing experience and a passion for teaching. They also have a knack for keeping us upbeat when stress levels get high during busy weeks.
5. The people that you’ll meet – My fellow ABSN 11’ classmates are all fantastic people from a variety of backgrounds. Each person in my class has come to nursing school with a different set of skills and experiences. I continue to be both amazed and inspired by each and every one of my peers. There are good people all around, and they truly are integral to my nursing school experience.
There you have it. How could you not want to apply to Hopkins after reading that? Ok, enough chatter and back to studying. Actually, a nap sounds better right about now..