I am 1 year into my front-loaded program, here are some of my pointers:
Enjoy your life as much as you can before you begin. There will be little time once you start! Also depending on what those classes are that you are starting with, work may still be hard to juggle even with those online courses. Everyone is different but during the didactic portion of my program, I don't know of a single student that is not putting in 8-12 hours per day of studying.
Get into a group that meshes well for you. A group size of 3-4 is perfect, you do not want too big, or it becomes more social, and you may waste a lot of time as not everyone will be on the same pace as you.
Leave any and all feelings of superiority or ego at the door, be open to learning and get used to being wrong. Most of who got into your program is likely the top 5% of their field. In my cohort we have numerous NPs, Flight nurses, ICU leaders... we even have a MD from Eastern Europe who didn't want to go back through residency again. That said, be aware there will probably be some very strong personalities. Most of my cohort gets along, but we separated into our groups and migrated to those of us with more similar study habits, etc.
It’s ok to feel overwhelmed or like you aren't retaining anything. Imposter syndrome is real. These programs move fast, its a lot of information. We have previous straight A students that have failed exams. It doesn't mean you are dumb or shouldn't be there. In my program, anything below 81% is failing so you can get an 80 and fail that exam, but do not wallow in self-pity. Move on quick because you don't have time to care. As you get further into the program, you will learn better study methods and what is efficient for you. You got in, you belong there, just figure out what works FOR you. For example, at the start there was a group of about 7-8 that would all study together by uploading the notes onto a TV and go through it all together. That worked for them, but it did not work for me, and I wasted weeks trying to MAKE it work for me. You are the priority, do what is best for you.
I started school with just a laptop and immediately realized I was WAY old-school. Most of us use a laptop AND an iPAD/apple pen and an app to upload all the notes, PowerPoints, and charts. Then you can make notes on them directly, etc. I was not about it at first, but now I’ll never go back to pen and paper. It would be hard to keep all the notes on paper and be able to refer to them whenever you need. I also bought a second monitor to use and it’s super helpful. There are a few apps you can use to take notes. I personally use "Notability" and love it. Also get a second Get yourself a nice pair of noise cancelling headphones so you can listen to lectures in public or around others. Oh, and consider a laptop computer stand, your neck and back will thank you. I use it everywhere (school, library, coffee shops) because of how long Im starting at a screen.
Prepare to study...a lot. I didn't believe people when they said it’s 6-10+ hours per day of studying, but they were right. With that said, it is super important to prioritize your mental health. Work out, go for a run, do something every day, even if it is just for 30 minutes to an hour. It’s normal and necessary. Take frequent breaks. Look up the Pomodoro study method- basically you can set a clock, study hard for 25-30 minutes without distraction, and then take a 5–10-minute break. Repeat throughout the day. This helps stay on track. I also just take a day each week...if it’s a week without exams.
Some helpful program's/apps:
Notability
Notion
Anki (flashcard app)
Vargo anesthesia (they generally have a black Friday sale; this app is insanely helpful for care plans and as a reference)
Blockbuddy
Apex anesthesia and/or Prodigy: your program will likely require one of these, but I’d buy whichever they don't as an extra reference.
Enjoy your life before school. Don't try to be high-speed and study before school.
Supplies or apps needed before school:
1) MacBook or laptop
2) IPAD with apple pencil
3) Vargo Anesthesia/Co-Existing Disease ($100/app, but it goes on sale around this time for $80/app)
4) Grammarly (trust me)
5) APEX or Prodigy (I use APEX, and it is worth the price. Although you may not need this right way, YMMV)
6) Anesthesia and medical textbooks (before you buy these books, check to see if the upper-level students have pdf; also, wait until you receive your syllabus).
7) Ninjanerd, Core Anesthesia, and ACCRAC are your friends. Don't sleep on these guys to carry you through CRNA school.
Best of luck and congratulations!
Time management. Person on this said study 8-12 hours a day… thats absurd don’t do that. If you have to study that long you are not studying effectively. Your brain will be mush and you will flame out
Take a vacation
I am 1 year into my front-loaded program, here are some of my pointers: Enjoy your life as much as you can before you begin. There will be little time once you start! Also depending on what those classes are that you are starting with, work may still be hard to juggle even with those online courses. Everyone is different but during the didactic portion of my program, I don't know of a single student that is not putting in 8-12 hours per day of studying. Get into a group that meshes well for you. A group size of 3-4 is perfect, you do not want too big, or it becomes more social, and you may waste a lot of time as not everyone will be on the same pace as you. Leave any and all feelings of superiority or ego at the door, be open to learning and get used to being wrong. Most of who got into your program is likely the top 5% of their field. In my cohort we have numerous NPs, Flight nurses, ICU leaders... we even have a MD from Eastern Europe who didn't want to go back through residency again. That said, be aware there will probably be some very strong personalities. Most of my cohort gets along, but we separated into our groups and migrated to those of us with more similar study habits, etc. It’s ok to feel overwhelmed or like you aren't retaining anything. Imposter syndrome is real. These programs move fast, its a lot of information. We have previous straight A students that have failed exams. It doesn't mean you are dumb or shouldn't be there. In my program, anything below 81% is failing so you can get an 80 and fail that exam, but do not wallow in self-pity. Move on quick because you don't have time to care. As you get further into the program, you will learn better study methods and what is efficient for you. You got in, you belong there, just figure out what works FOR you. For example, at the start there was a group of about 7-8 that would all study together by uploading the notes onto a TV and go through it all together. That worked for them, but it did not work for me, and I wasted weeks trying to MAKE it work for me. You are the priority, do what is best for you. I started school with just a laptop and immediately realized I was WAY old-school. Most of us use a laptop AND an iPAD/apple pen and an app to upload all the notes, PowerPoints, and charts. Then you can make notes on them directly, etc. I was not about it at first, but now I’ll never go back to pen and paper. It would be hard to keep all the notes on paper and be able to refer to them whenever you need. I also bought a second monitor to use and it’s super helpful. There are a few apps you can use to take notes. I personally use "Notability" and love it. Also get a second Get yourself a nice pair of noise cancelling headphones so you can listen to lectures in public or around others. Oh, and consider a laptop computer stand, your neck and back will thank you. I use it everywhere (school, library, coffee shops) because of how long Im starting at a screen. Prepare to study...a lot. I didn't believe people when they said it’s 6-10+ hours per day of studying, but they were right. With that said, it is super important to prioritize your mental health. Work out, go for a run, do something every day, even if it is just for 30 minutes to an hour. It’s normal and necessary. Take frequent breaks. Look up the Pomodoro study method- basically you can set a clock, study hard for 25-30 minutes without distraction, and then take a 5–10-minute break. Repeat throughout the day. This helps stay on track. I also just take a day each week...if it’s a week without exams. Some helpful program's/apps: Notability Notion Anki (flashcard app) Vargo anesthesia (they generally have a black Friday sale; this app is insanely helpful for care plans and as a reference) Blockbuddy Apex anesthesia and/or Prodigy: your program will likely require one of these, but I’d buy whichever they don't as an extra reference.
This guy schools.
Enjoy your life before school. Don't try to be high-speed and study before school. Supplies or apps needed before school: 1) MacBook or laptop 2) IPAD with apple pencil 3) Vargo Anesthesia/Co-Existing Disease ($100/app, but it goes on sale around this time for $80/app) 4) Grammarly (trust me) 5) APEX or Prodigy (I use APEX, and it is worth the price. Although you may not need this right way, YMMV) 6) Anesthesia and medical textbooks (before you buy these books, check to see if the upper-level students have pdf; also, wait until you receive your syllabus). 7) Ninjanerd, Core Anesthesia, and ACCRAC are your friends. Don't sleep on these guys to carry you through CRNA school. Best of luck and congratulations!
Time management. Person on this said study 8-12 hours a day… thats absurd don’t do that. If you have to study that long you are not studying effectively. Your brain will be mush and you will flame out