There is a certain amount of respect that is handed out in conversations to those people who announce they are part of a pre-med program, and rightly so. The level of intelligence, pressure, responsibility, and hard work that goes into completing such a degree makes it one of the more intimidating and selective programs to go through.

For those individuals who find within themselves the courage and resolve to start that journey, the rewards of a rewarding career, job stability, and healthy paychecks are easy to find with all the demands for medical professionals. While nursing programs and pre-med programs technically set a trajectory for ultimately different medical careers, the material and intensity of a nursing program is just about the same— and for good reason!

A career as a nurse practitioner means that people’s lives will actually be in the hands of those who prove themselves through such programming. Considering that career path?

Here are some demands to be found and expected of while involved in a nurse practitioner program.

Getting Accepted

Is it hard to get accepted to a nurse practitioner program? It depends. As with most schools or programs throughout the country, the name of the school, the type of program, and the field of specialization will always play a part in the acceptance rates between differing places.

Typically, though, a solid average acceptance rate for nurse practitioner programs is around 68%, but the top ten most competitive programs rate is significantly lower: closer to 19%.

As with any program, previous performance markers like GPA and work experience will make difference in acceptance rates, as will interview and essays. Demonstrating a familiarity with current events in combination with competency will increase the likelihood of getting into the ideal program. Putting the right kind of focus in honoring and rounding out all of those categories will help.

Expenses

Every school and program comes with varying levels of cost. Some are reasonable, others are just insanely exorbitant and overinflated, but are attention grabbers that make a resume stand out in an interview because of the name attached to the degree.

In the long run there are always multiple factors that need to be considered before choosing that program that is right for each person, but ignoring cost projects all together is just unrealistic and unwise for a couple of reasons.

First, not everyone has the support of a healthy wealthy family that can pay for them to go through college. As a result, recognizing and preparing for the financial realities before, during, and after potential graduation is important. While the likelihood of getting a job as an NP or FNP (family nurse practitioner) post-graduation is much higher than many industries today, there is still a length of time between graduation and career employment.

Second, many people may have to work while going to school. If that’s the case, then rationally they just can’t spend as much time per day and week solely dedicated to their studies. This in term translates to how long enrollment will be a reality.

Longer enrollment often translates to higher costs. It would be wise to acknowledge these things while still setting enough time aside to work and study while not burning oneself out.

Clinicals

Nurse practitioners are required to complete 500 supervised care with patients. It is wise to spend the time working out with the supervisor hours that will work between classes, studying, working, and clinicals.

Connecting with people in the field who can act as supervisor, and double checking with certification requirements is vital. Once the process is understood, the right type of paperwork needs to be drawn out as an agreement on both sides.

Coursework

A Nurse Practitioner program is an advanced degree, and rightly so. People’s lives will be in graduates’ hands. As a result, that which will be required of students to learn is appropriately challenging in its nuances and specificity. Coursework, assignments, and testing is tough.

So allocating enough study time individually, and in group settings, will be a necessity, and where the previous point of taking the time to consider the cost of a degree will come in handy. Too much pressure without a healthy life balance can cause unnecessary stress throughout the program and be a detriment to success during and after graduation.

Choosing a Specialization

The medical field has hundreds of specialty paths that can be pursued, not just doing coursework, but over a lifetime. Being that there are openings and demands for professionals in nearly every sector of the medical industry, the ability to experiment with which of those niches best suits individual demeanor, personality, and interest is important.

Taking the time to work though those personal proclivities will make a huge difference in the enjoyment levels and success of a career over time. Luckily, shifting from one department or specialty to another is typically not commonly out of the realm of possibility, but understanding how this process works is helpful. Connecting with specialists who are already in that field to chat and train with them will provide the in-depth perspective needed to see if that course is a good fit.

Graduate Requirements

While there is certainly and reasonably a lot of overlapping knowledge from program to program, very school has its own unique set of requirements. The type of coursework, projects, their deadlines, and course hours will generally differ in subtle ways.

Familiarizing oneself with the expectations of each class and program, discussing those requirements with administration and professors ahead of time will ensure a smooth educational experience. No one wants to be caught off guard years into a program.