Dawnelle

Returning to school for a PMH degree held the promise of being able to do more with patients. I have mainly practiced on inpatient psychiatric units and worked with patients for just short time periods. A graduate degree seemed a way to practice in outpatient settings where one works with patients for a longer period of time. Searching around for programs, I contacted several. Rush was organized in their response. The faculty was clear on a probable program of study. Also the online classes offered the flexibility I needed.

How do I balance work, school and my life? It’s hard. Online classes help, they allow you to work when you can and at the point in the day that you like to study. They also require a bit more discipline. You also have to keep invested in posting and in discussions or it can become rote and not creative.

After graduation I plan on working with the severely mentally ill with a focus on medication management. It would be great to combine that with clinical teaching or maybe precepting other PMH-NP students.