This is what needs to happen:
Accepted to EKU for prereq's this fall
4 point all the classes (to make sure I am at the top of the gpas of people applying to the program)
Get into the accelerated program which is VERY competitive (20 out of 100 accepted)
Then on to midwifery school (which i am not worried about because I have so many choices)
Really, the next year determines the path I follow. If I don't get accepted where do I go next? My back up is University of Kentucky. But I really would like to attend EKU. Their accelerated nursing program is one of the top in the state. On top of all this, I have to figure out how I am going to pay for all of this....I have a plan, but yet again a lot rides on it!
There is this Nursing Scholarship Program through the US Department of Health and Human Service which would be the best thing ever! It is a scholarship program that pays for my tuition directly to the school and then provides me with a monthly stipend. In exchange, I have to work for 2 years in a facility with a critical nurse shortage. I find this ideal because 1, I would like to devote all my time to making sure I 4 point the classes, with the monthly stipend, I wouldn't have to stress about working extra to pay bills etc. I also wouldn't have to worry about adding to my student loan balance. 2, I love helping. I feel as if it would be like AmeriCorps, helping where I am really needed. I could use my education and experiences to help the facility grow and become a better place! I would feel that I was making a difference! I never want to let this feeling go. The application hasn't opened up yet, but keep your fingers crossed for when I apply....updates will follow as I apply!
This program is VERY competitive as well. Last year there was about 6,400 applicants and about 480 were selected. I am hoping that I can show them that I would be a perfect candidate and wouldn't let them down if I was selected. I feel that AmeriCorps has really prepared me for this and think that my experiences will help make me a better nurse and appreciate working in a place where there is a shortage of nurses. (Of course, i would be in midwifery school full/part time while fulfilling my 2 year commitment, i think that it would make me a better midwife) The experience of working in an area of need would be so rewarding. At times, I have thought about where I would be working and what it would be like which has been a new and upcoming facility, the best doctors, the best nurses, and the best technology. But then I think about how much of a difference I would be able to make in a place like that, not a lot. I think that I might be able to help more in a place that might be lacking these characteristics and I could use my knowledge and experience to help it become a better place. I shouldn't turn away an opportunity because it doesn't look new or have the newest technology. I can be a part of helping the place turn into an amazing facility. I would be making a difference. This is why I really think that this scholarship program would be amazing for me! It would be reinforcing my goals and ideas about places in need.
I am 23 years old and feel like I am just dipping a toe into life. Going back to school for another 5 years and starting a whole new career is daunting. I thought that I had a grasp on life and where I was going now I am following the path of becoming a nurse-midwife. Now, with so much riding on each thing/step, I'm nervous that it might not come true. But here's to trying my hardest and never giving up. I know that things will not go exactly as planned and that there will be some up and downs on my roller-coaster of life. I am a strong person and will push through the tough times, just as I have in the past! I can't wait to start yet another chapter in the story of my life!
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