Looking for Orlando ..

[rubyrn36]

Will be relocating at the VERY end of December...First of january...
would love to find a place from the group here...anyone know anything??!!

[fyrace]

Well it depends. FHCHS is actually in the City of Winter Park which is a nice area, but a little pricey...however with the economy, things are way down. Orlando is hit or miss, depending on where you go. If you stay near East Orlando, you will find a lot of places to rent because you are close to UCF and it is highly college oriented. You may even be able to look north in Seminole County, like Altamonte Springs (which is okay) or Maitland (North Orange County). Those areas aren't to far off I4 and are nice areas. Hope that helps. If you find something PM me and I will see if I can help you with more information. I used to work for Rural Metro ambulance in Orange County and alot of friends in Orange County and know the areas fairly well. Hope that helps.

I will be trying to get into FHCHS in the near future, actually my primary school now. Can you post what you had to get in so I have an idea to shoot for?

[rubyrn36]

well they say they want a min of 1 yr ICU...
3.0 -BSN
MAT 50% or greater
GRE 900 or greater
good references...
the usual

Now I waited a long time..so my stuff was a little diff
MY BSN was a 3.92
They want ALL college ever taken for your cumulative GPA,
so mine was a 3.69 (3.75 will let you waiver testing)..so I took the MAT.......my score was the 87%
I have been in ICU 10 years with 20 total years as a nurse...(I worked my way up the food chain and have been in formal health care since 18.
I have worked at Hospitals that rank in the top 10 in the nation

IE: Duke Surgical Trauma ICU
UCSF Nuero/Trauma ICU
also large teaching OHSU CMICU

also little places that make you work with sharp sticks...did alot of travel and was renewed repeatedly..(reflecting a good employee, as well as a flexible person)
I think this also reflected the ability to be humble and fit in where necessary.
I also worked in High Acuity ED

My references where from the requisite CRNA (who actually teaches and runs his own group)
A Trauma Surgeon who was also board certified in Emergency med..(this is where I worked with him)
and a Clinical Manager...of an ER/ICU I worked for..
as well as One of my instructors from MY BSN program...
I had things happen to me that showed I was a person that was goal oriented..maybe even driven..(like flying from San Diego to Chicago round trip every week to finish my BSN where I started it!)
My BSN was from a VERY reputable school...
and last but not least my essay was very personal..
it did not talk about all my nursing experience..I felt my resume..and the interview could do that...
It talked about me..and my desire to be a CRNA..it spoke about my character..and my actual goals...

I hope that info helps...
you going to apply to this next rotation?

[fyrace]

No, I still have a little time left under my belt, but live here locally so I would like to have FHCHS or Barry as top choices but it is good to know what they are taking at the school. Since it is so new there is not much info out there. I hope it goes well. You are going to be the second class, right? Anyways, you have a very impressive dossier and wish you well!

Thanks for the information and if you need anymore information about relocation, just ask!

I am hoping more stats develop about the school. I would like to know more about attrition, overall accpetance rates/scores, and board pass rates, but that will take time to be produced. I like this forum and hopefully others will post more information as well so I can be well prepared.

Thanks again for your time.

[assilem]

Wolford has a clinical site at Davenport

[rubyrn36]

No, I still have a little time left under my belt, but live here locally so I would like to have FHCHS or Barry as top choices but it is good to know what they are taking at the school. Since it is so new there is not much info out there. I hope it goes well. You are going to be the second class, right? Anyways, you have a very impressive dossier and wish you well!

Thanks for the information and if you need anymore information about relocation, just ask!

I am hoping more stats develop about the school. I would like to know more about attrition, overall accpetance rates/scores, and board pass rates, but that will take time to be produced. I like this forum and hopefully others will post more information as well so I can be well prepared.

Thanks again for your time.

I will be in the third class...
they have said they lost 2 from the first class that graduates in end of April 2010..
and one from the April 2011 class..
I understand one of them re-entered...
they have taken between 22-24 people the previous two classes..
said they where going to look at taking 24 this time..
they interviewed like 54 for this round..

and they have dipped into the alternates each class...
so alternate status is not a bad thing...
they are not that expensive...
while it is a new program..look at LSU 's previous statistics..
Dr Kathleen Wren is the program director of FHCHS and she was the previous progrma director of LSU...
my understanding is she had a VERY excellent/successful program and track record there..
I cannot imagine her new program will be any different..so those numbers should be pretty reflective of the numbers FHCHS will most likely produce..
I also have been told by insiders..once you are in..
it is like you are family..VERY supportive..really wanting to impower you to succeed and be successful!

Hope that info helps...R

[fyrace]

Thanks for that. I have talked to Dr Wren on several occasions and she seemed very professional however others have said she was not. I liked talking to her and she has replied to all I have asked.

You have provided more than any thing else I have read...and so I should now guess that I shouldn't tell her that I am a HUGE Gator Fan!

Down with the Tigers! Ha!

[rubyrn36]

No problem...
Dr Wren seems Ultra professional to me.. but yet she seemed nice enough..
When I was asked why i wanted to go to FHCHS..I honestly answered because of her...
I worked with and became friends with people from Lousiana..LSU alumni...*S*...
they are looking at becoming CRNA's in the future and have friends that have gone thru the program.
They have said she runs a tight ship...
Also that when Katrina came she made sure that everyone of herr students where placed and everyone graduated on time...(this is what i have heard..now if that happened by pulling in personal favors..or her reputation is such that the other PD where happy to accomdate..i cannot say...
When i said this in general terms they wanted to know who...LOL..
So I said..kind of a friend of a friend knew and it was communicated to me by CRNA wanna be's..LOL..
I did not want to say..also thwere is infor out there about you..LOL...
But I did also say...
That the program requires an intense commitment from me..
and that i wanted to go somewhere that equally had the same committment to my success...
I will give it everything I have...
But I want Quality in return...
I feel I will get it @ FHCHS...
I could not have picked a program much further from my home...
I am in Washington State...
but the program was less than 1/2 price of the closest program to me.......
and I just have such a better vibe...
that and I did alot of praying...*S*...I do not belive in coincidence..
and I learned about this program...in such a way that it felt right..
there are a few others from the program on this board..
but they seem really busy...LOL..
you can check the archives though....