I thought that it might be time to do a quick summary of the quarter, both the things that went well and the things that I need to improve on next quarter.
Positives/Things I Learned:
1. From my nursing theory class I have learned that theories are both a good foundation for nursing research and also a good outcome of research.
2.I'm still no fan of most nursing theories, BUT, the Theory of Emancipated Decision-Making is a nursing theory that may be potentially useful to me.
3. I love qualitative research. I love it the same way I love literature and music and wine. It is a desperate kind of unrequited love.
4. I have a better grasp of the methods that are used to do good quantitative research. My grasp isn't *great* yet, but I can at least read a quantitative article and ask appropriate questions.
5. I know what scientific philosophy guides my view of science. I am a scientific realist! Isn't that cool? Oh, I need to add a caveat: I am a scientific realist UNLESS we're talking about reproductive health. Them I'm a radical feminist postmodernist....
6. All healthcare can be looked at from a policy perspective.
7. Write papers early! I did this and it gave me time to both reflect on the papers and make multiple drafts.
Negatives:
1. I still don't know what my specific research question is going to be. I only know my area of interest.
2. My newly found love of qualitative research has only muddied the waters.
3. I have to figure out how to coordinate school and some semblance of non-school stuff. Like eating regularly. Or sleeping. Or going for a jog. (Drinking wine while reading research studies does NOT count.)
4. Endnote is a crappy piece of software. But I bought it, so now I have to use it. Blah.
5. I won't have my final grades until immediately prior to the start of the next quarter. I need the feedback to be certain that my good habits worked....
6. I think that I'm going to have to buy a filing cabinet to store all the articles I seem to be collecting.
 |
| Finally, a chance to rest. |
PS - Extra points to anyone who can name where the quote came from without googling it!
Hi Dr Nurse/Calinp :-)
ReplyDeleteOkay, so first of all, am super excited to find you again. I was following the phd thread on allnurse.com and you gave me great advice on my posting about application prep and gre. I went back looking for more of your postings and i came across the link to your blog...and here i am...stalking you....sorta :-)
Second, i want to thank you for all the helpful tips and information you have blogged. 'I have been marathoning' thru them all morning. I just 'locked in' my application to the phd program today (2:35pm to be exact) and hence the reason i went looking for you again. Congrats so far for completing your first quarter! Reading your blog intensified by exact sentiments at this time: apprehension and excitement. First am scared of rejection, come admission time, then am wondering if i am making the right decision. There is no doubt in my mind that i want to do this but am uncertain if i have 'what it takes' to deliver ie writing skills, research experience, perseverance etc. Am also getting from a BSN-Phd, which makes it even harder.I could go on and on but i will respect your time and ask a few specific questions here:
-Is it possible to work part-time (say weekends) as i go to school
-Do i need to take some classes before admission eg grad-level writing/research etc in prep for the program?
-how long after u submitted your application did you hear from UCSF
-what nursing dep't are you in?
-how long are the breaks btn quarters?
-Did you ever apply to other schools? I really want to go to UCSF so much that i am not considering applying to other school and have to move from the East Bay. But if i failed to get in, what would be your suggestion of other schools as good as UCSF or better?
Again, i can't thank you enough for having started this blog. I was also having a hard time finding info for prospective nursing doctoral students. Am sorry for overwhelming you with this long 'comment'! Happy holidays to you, and i hope we can meet some day if am admitted. Good luck with your studies too!
Scola
Hi Schola!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on finishing your application! The application process is time-consuming and intimidating and then you have to wait for what feels like FOREVER before you hear anything. So Yay! And also, ugh, now the wait starts.
So let me attempt to address your questions:
BSN-PhD - You can do it! In my cohort we have (I think) 3 people who are BSN to PhD students. That may not seem like that many, but as there are only 17 of us, it is actually a pretty good number. They are also, flat-out, the smartest of all of us. (Don't tell everybody else in my cohort that I said that...). The school is also very supportive of this route to a PhD. The only thing to be aware of is that since it isn't the most common route, you will sense or notice that some of the profs. and other students will assume that you have your master's and may express some hesitancy about your experience. Ignore it, or graciously make them aware of their assumptions, and correct them.
Working - Yes. Many people in my program worked part-time. A couple even tried to work full-time, though I would not recommend it. The reality is that the PhD classes are already a ton of work. But classes are only scheduled for two days a week. So, it depends on how organized you are and what your other commitments are. I will say that I could not have worked more than 1 shift a week and done well the first quarter.
Writing Skills - This is a great question. The advice that they give to all incoming students is to judge your needs based on the grades from your first papers. To me this seems like a hard way to learn that lesson. If you are uncertain, schedule an appointment with the writing center on campus early in the quarter and have them evaluate you. If you have time after being admitted but before starting, to take a writing class, maybe you should.
On a personal note, I was worried about this too. In my nursing school we didn't do a ton of writing, we took a lot of tests. And in my master's program, we did some writing certainly, but still not anywhere near as much as for the doctoral program. In the end, my skills have been fine, but as every class grade was almost completely dependent on papers, you have a reason to ask the question!
Timing/Department - I received notice that I had been accepted in early March. I know that in some years it has been a bit later than that. I'm in the family department.
Breaks - The summer break is really long! School doesn't start until late September. Winter break is most of December. The break between winter quarter and spring quarter is only about a week.
Other Schools - I did apply to other schools, three in fact, though I withdrew my application to one after I got admitted to my top-choice schools. I even applied to one program in another discipline.
Here are some things to consider:
1. What are you interested in studying? Start looking for who the leaders in your area of interest are and what schools they are at. Those are the programs that you start with.
2. Where are you willing to or where can you live? I prefer big cities near water and mountains, and my husband just got a new job in California, which sort of limited me to the West Coast!
3. Non-nursing programs is my next point. Many nursing professors currently teaching received their doctorates in disciplines like sociology or public health. Nursing PhD programs are fairly recent. Getting a doctorate in a related field is not unknown in nursing. I applied to a global health PhD program as my fourth application...
4. Money is also and important consideration if you look for other schools.(Duh, right?!) The rumor (and I can not substantiate it) is that if you get accepted to a private university's PhD program out east, they often offer complete tuition and stipends. State schools are strapped right now. If you can get a free ride someplace else, that might be something to consider. Once again though, it's only a rumor!
Thanks for reading!
Hi Dr Nurse;
ReplyDeleteAm glad you enjoyed your holiday/winter break.
Thanks for all the great tips and responses to my questions...very insightful!! Nice to know that you are in the Family department since i am interested in this particular area.
Anyhow, the waiting is going well....i have this feeling that i need to be doing 'something' regarding the process..u know? So while in limbo, i am looking into funding options and also looking into ways i could strengthen my application (in case i don't get in the first time around). I am also toying with the idea of attending some nursing conferences to get a different perspective on things...any ideas on this?
But of course i don't have the same motivation for all this since i don't necessarily have a deadline to meet or homework assignments. I definitely realize that this is another area that i need to work on if am to adopt to the self-driven nature of grad school that my mentor, and now you, emphasize. I am hoping to learn and i welcome the challenge though!
BTW, how do i sign up to be notified when you or someone else posts here or comments to a post?
Thanks again, and please keep the blogs coming!! I hope more folks join in and share their experiences as generously as you do :-)
Hi Scola!
ReplyDeleteI think going to conferences is a great way to prepare. When I was first admitted in the program, one of my mentors sent me to two conferences almost immediately. When I go to them now, I focus on two things. First, I try to get a sense of what the theme or direction of the research is. Is there a new technique or view on the specialty that is emerging and who is leading that movement? Secondly, I have been spending a lot of my time at the poster and abstract presentations. We want to do these presentations during the doctoral program, so I want to look at other people's work for ideas. Now, I also stop to talk with the poster presenters. Before, I was always a little intimidated, but now I want their contact information and I want to discuss their research.
The self-motivation comes when you start school. I promise. For me, it was initially motivated by a fear of failure. But I can only panic for so long, and as my panic subsided, I realized that the self-motivation had become a habit!
Also, about your technical question: I don't know the answer. I was wondering it myself, because I read some other blogs on blogger, and notifications would be nice. I get notifications for one blog that I read, but it isn't published through blogger... If you figure out a way, will you let us know?
Thanks for commenting!
Hi;
ReplyDeleteThanks again for your response!! Also your "week two update" was great since i have always wondered how long it takes to actually establish a research question. Will keep you updated on my progress :-)
Please keep us updated! I love to hear how the process is going for other people!
ReplyDelete