How to evaluate different schools

You have weighed the options and decided that you are interested in a career as a nurse or doctor. In order to succeed in a medical field, you will have to obtain the proper education. To do this you will need to find the right school. How can you evaluate different schools with respect to their nursing or medical programs?

Just as with applying to any other kind of program, you want to start with the basics. What is the size of the school where your program is located? Are you interested in a larger or smaller school? What is the makeup of the student body? What is the school's reputation? What is the student to faculty ratio? Look at the average GPA and MCAT scores for students admitted to the program. The higher these scores are, the better the school's reputation is likely to be, but of course, the harder it will be to get into.

The next thing you'll want to consider is academics. Most of the top nursing and medical programs have similar curricula, but some may focus more on clinical studies and case based learning, whereas others may prioritize lectures and traditional coursework.

You also want to think about the resources each school provides. How large is their medical library? What kind of databases and other resources does their library provide access to? What kind of medical equipment is available in their medical center? Do they have the most state of the art equipment and will you have access to it?

In addition to all this, you'll want to be aware what your clinical training opportunities will be. How many hospitals are located near your school and how close are they? What is the relationship between your school and the hospitals? What kind of patient populations can you expect to be working with, and will those patient populations suit your needs and goals as a future health care professional?

Choosing a nursing or medical program can be one of the most important decisions you will ever make. Considering the dimensions above can help you narrow your search down to a few select schools that are right for you. Invest in some books detailing information about the programs that are available, prepare a checklist based on the items above, and compare the schools listed according to your requirements. Once you've narrowed it down, you will probably want to call the schools or even to visit them if it is practical geographically, to gain more information before you make your final decision. Nursing or medical school is a big commitment of both time and effort, and when you are choosing your school, you want to make sure you do it right.

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