Madison Dikdan is a 2020 Cal Poly Graduate currently studying at Johns Hopkins to become a Nurse Practitioner! We have included her journey of being pre-nursing at Cal Poly and current experiences at Johns Hopkins.
Madison would love to answer any questions about nursing for Cal Poly students so feel free to reach out to her by email: mldikdan@gmail.com
What year did you graduate from Cal Poly?
Graduated 2020 in Animal Science
What health profession are you pursuing?
Nursing (MSN) - Nurse Practitioner
Which health professional school are you attending?
Johns Hopkins
What year are you in your program?
Year 1
Did you take any gap years?
I took two gap years! During this time, I worked as a CNA as well as a waitress and research assistant to save up money for my programs and gain some life experience
What made you interested in applying to your current school?
The pursuit of excellence similar to Cal Poly and their diversity
What grade scale is your program on?
Graded (ABCDF)
How many students are in your class?
180
What classes at Cal Poly helped you prepare for your program?
Animal physiology, biochemistry, chemistry (some ochem), women's health, animal science 101, almost all of them!
If any, which Cal Poly classes did you wish you had taken?
Human anatomy and physiology, Biostatistics
What is the curriculum like at your school? What types of classes do you take? How much time are you spending in class vs. clinical/rotation hours?
The curriculum is rigorous yet doable and interesting. I’m in classes like foundations of nursing, Pathophysiology, health assessment, professionalism in nursing, and integrated common health assessment. I spend about 70 hours a week with my classes, class work and clinical (20 hrs class, 10 hrs clinical, 40 hrs hw).
What research opportunities exist/have you participated in at your school?
Currently applying for a fuld fellowship research program as well as research honors society. I just applied to the research policy fellowship which allows nurses to help create policy and laws in healthcare. I also am applying to the birth companions opportunity which allows me to help women in my community (in Baltimore) have assistance when going through a pregnancy.
How does your time and study management compare to your experience at Cal Poly?
Very similar, takes a little more effort especially self studying and prepping for class but Cal Poly was very beneficial in preparing me for the rigors of this program and engrained important study and critical thinking skills that have made my transition fluid.
What is your daily schedule like?
Monday: class 8am-3pm take a break exercise go for a walk then study from about 5pm-9pm.
Tuesday: clinical hours from 6am-4pm come home take care of my plants, exercise, watch netflix. Maybe study 6pm-10pm
Wednesday: go for a run early, study 9am-noon. Meet with friends, class 2pm-4pm, study 5pm-10pm
Thursday: class 10am-4pm study 5-7pm go to trivia with friends
Friday: class 9am-noon, meet with instructors 12:15-2pm study 3pm-6pm. Hang out with friends, exercise, walk to the park yoga Saturdays and sundays are usually spent studying due to the flipped classroom teaching at Johns Hopkins but I still have time to see friends and go hiking
What kinds of extracurricular activities are you involved in?
Trivia, hiking, knitting, puzzles, learning more about fungus for research purposes. The first semester at this program is really intense so I’ve been advised to wait until second semester to do more extra curricular activities!
How much free time do you have (for exercise, social activities, etc)?
I have about two hours on weekdays for exercise and friends and I have about 10 hours on weekends!
How many academic breaks do you receive/year?
4
If you do have breaks, what do you do during those times? (community service, internships, research, personal time, etc.)
I will be doing research as well as going back to California to spend personal time with family and friends. Next semester I will be working and doing research most of these breaks!
Is there anything else you think students should know about graduate/professional study in your area or your school/program in particular? Or are there any other words of advice you have for aspiring applicants?
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