Don't believe everything you read

As a graduate from WCUI, who is a successful sonographer, really makes me upset to read comments made by those who say they graduated (laurel) from my school stating that it is not a good school. I am very thankful and happy that I chose to attend West Coast Ultrasound Institute. When I graduated I was never promised anything and I knew that I had to put effort into finding a job and at the same time, they were always there to help me. I was told that it is a very competitive field. I too was the top of my class and I am able to show that because I WAS ABLE TO FIND A JOB!!! Try re evaluating yourself laurel, maybe its you or your bad attitude or maybe the truth is, you really can't scan. All I have to say is everones experience is different and the difference has to do with the student themself.

Of course you would back the school..you are one of a few who have found work. I stand by my comments...you can throw your childish comments around about maybe it is me and I really can't scan. Yes, I would have to say I am not too happy..if I was a slacker in school and my clinical, didn't attend class, made lousy grades, of course I would have to reevaluate myself, but what I have done is reevalutae the school that I too thought was oh so great...and see when I did go to them for advice, I was treated as though I was wasting their time. Hmmmm...maybe is because they are so swamped with students going into clinicals and nowhere to put them they are having to reevaluate THEMSELVES. As I have said, there are other grads on here, not just me...I have every right to come on here, as you, to give my opinion so that others that are thinking of going into this field weigh all of their options - and not just settle for schools such as this by what the school tells them..I certainly would have attended another school-an accredited school - no if, and or buts...they are respected, you can take your boards-PERIOD and a heck of lot cheaper...if WCUI cared about their students, they would become accredited. And frankly, I don't care what you think of me...I wanted to share my experience in hopes that others are not caught in this dillema - it is fact, there are many students past and present that are not fans.

I do x-ray and plan to attend an ultrasound program and after talking with ultrasound techs at my hospital(and knowing what my hospital expects) they have told me to absolutely not go to an unaccredited school. that more and more employers are becoming more strict on that so you may have a job now? who knows how your school will be viewed in the future in future employment.coming on here and reading thru just makes it even more clear that accredited schools are the way to go.the older techs where I work think these schools are ridiculous.why is west coast not accredited?

^West Coast is like Hohokus and any other vocational school and I am so surprise that sonography is still being taught in that kind of environment, and worst of all most vocational schools are not accredited. They take god knows how many students and when they have clinicals during their school program, their patients are their classmates. I guarantee you most your classmates are stenic type of patients with no pathology! So how the hell are you going to get used and have experience to help the radiologist dx those pictures. A very good sonographer who was once a Chief Tech in a Level 1 Trauma Hospital and also once supervise THE RESIDENTS told me 9/10 times the sonographer is correct of diagnosing the patient through their scans. Yes, sonographers do not officially diagnose but they are the ears and eyes of the doctor same as an x ray tech, nuclear medicine tech and blah blah blah. If you don't see anything, the radiologist won't see anything and the MD seriously need your INPUT! Furthermore, the externship that the vocational schools put you through is a joke honestly especially to the perspective of good sonographers out there. Once you graduate from that vocational school, you are your OWN. If you mess up, who also gets liable, the institution who chooses to give you the opportunity to do the externship and NOT YOUR SCHOOL! Besides in your externship, there are no clinical instructors like in an accredited school such as Bergen Community College who will supervise you in your COMPS AND ASK YOU A THOUSAND QUESTIONS WHATS THIS, WHATS THAT, ooooo WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS IS, WHATS THE PT'S HISTORY BLAH BLAH BLAH. Yes in accredited good sonography schools have the students do their comps and complete a certain amount of hours in order to graduate not only GO WORK FOR A YEAR AFTER THE SCHOOL IS OVER. Oh those clinical instructors are brutal and might not even give you the comp because the pt is too easy and blah blah bs reasons from them but you know whaT IT MAKES YOU

CONTINUED>>> A BETTER TECH. Yeah I am an x ray tech but it also happens to us when I was student too just to make us BETTER THAN WE ARE NOW ESP IN THE LONG RUN. In all honesty, we need a new president in the ARRT or the ARDMS because they keep saying, we need a change to improve our profession so you know what they did they make more rules just for us to PAY UP MONEY AND STUPID POLICIES THAT MAKE US TAKE THE TEST EVERY 10 YEARS AFTER 2010! If they really want to improve our profession as a whole in the radiology field, they should seriously change the protocols how to become a sonographer and an mri tech also and make this secluded to ONLY US WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO GO TO OTHER MODALITIES! This is one of the big reasons why there are no jobs or just jobs hard to find along with people who made this topic that keep telling LIES; AS A RESULT, NOTHING CHANGES FOR THE BETTER FOR THE MARKET OR OUR FIELD. Congrats to you for having to find a job and its true you need to do any means necessary to find it but what about your other classmates who couldn't. It doesn't help that you give praise such schools who pump so many students and are not accredited. It lowers your wages instead of getting what you deserve to get paid. Sorry to tell you yeah you don't officially diagnose but that's a bunch of BS YOU ARE DX AND A LOT OF GOOD SONOGRAPHERS OUT THERE KNOWS THAT.

CONCLUSION: i dont care how desperate you are to find a school to accept you, do not go to an UNACCREDITED SCHOOL, NOT ONLY YOU ARE NOT DOING YOURSELF A FAVOR BUT EVERYONE ELSE IN THE FIELD JUST BECAUSE THIS IS NOT IONIZING RADIATION DOESNT MEAN YOU CANNOT HARM THE PATIENT!!!!!!!!!! Damn I can't wait for that Care Bill to pass and when it does, it better damn well eliminate those stupid schools.

Just like you, I also have a right to come in here and give my opinion. If you choose to come in here and state your COMMENTS trying to bash the school, then I too will come in here and state my comments and back up to school. Im not the only success story coming out of WCUI. There are alot of other graduates who have found jobs as well as been able to sit for the ARDMS, which I myself am planning on sitting for it soon. If you took all the time and energy that it takes you to try and down grade WCUI, into trying to find a job, you too could be employed. You could have also completed a BA degree from a prestigious univerisity, but that too won't guarentee you employment. The school did what they were suppose to do, they educated you with the skills of ultrasound. Now its your responsibility to take that skill and turn it into a career.

You are right...you should give your opinion because that is what this board is about. That is what brought me here - to seek advice - and then I saw many posts about this school as well as other unaccredited schools and saw that there are many ultrasound techs out there in the same situation. It's funny...I have three sites..that want to hire me but want me to be registered first-that is what made me really take a look at this school and to look back at what was presented to me when I met with the admissions rep - it was never mentioned that I would have a hard time finding a job without registry-so if that is slamming the school, so be it..they should present all facts - and yes, I do partly put the blame on myself for not coming to boards like this before signing up with an unaccredited school. It's not that I do not have job prospects, but they cannot take me without registry! If I just would have gone to an accredited school, I would be gearing up to take one of those jobs...and as I have said as well, I have friends that are still in school and that are very frustrated because the school is stalling on clinicals...it just solidifies even further that these schools are all about the money. A lot of techs view these schools as an easy way into the field...believe me, I learned firsthand in my clinical and thru being around techs at the hospital my friend works at For potential students, why pay 30k or more for an unaccredited program??? I mean, I now know I should have asked..why is it so expensive?? All I heard was, "plenty of jobs"...and of course I thought 30k would pay off in the end..now it is just accumulating interest while I wait on the hundreds of resumes I have sent out...hell yes, I hold the school partly accountable! Why don't you call up to the school, Bella and see what they got going on now - and see how fair that is to the students...see what's going on with students going into clinicals...see what their clinicals consist of now...

as someone who is going into an ultrasound program, I can totally see your pointIcontacted the ARDMS and did ask their opinion on these types of schools that charge that much-they did not have good things to say-I think it says it all right there-they basically kind of said the same things-why pay that much for something that is not even recognized by the most important organization for ultrasound-the ARDMS. it does make sense to go a public school-I can't believe they get away with charging that much and are not accredited-i'll be paying around $9000 and their students start their clinicals thru school-thru different facilities-i can't imagine how these students feel that are waiting on clinicals-that's pretty much a rip off.

Hello, I have been reading the posts that are on this site trying to find out as much info as possbile. I am looking into starting West Coast Ultrasound in July and am wondering if it is a good idea. I currently hold a BA so can sit for the test as soon as I graduate. My cousin is currently a tech and has been for 5 years. She went to an unaccredited school (Maric) and found a job right away... again this was 5 years ago. She said that most techs today are not registered with the ADRMS is this true? She also told me that she has seen good, great, and bad techs come from accredited and unaccredited programs. In her opnion, it is all what you make of it.... if you can scan you will have no problem finding a job. Any information regarding West Coast Ultrasound either good or bad would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!!

Just read thru the posts under ultrasound - see how many techs who have been in the field say go to an accredited school! For one, why spend 30k as opposed to a lot less and go to a school that is respected by the ARDMS? I don't know of one tech that I know - many who have been in the field for a long time - who think it is a good idea to go to an unaccredited school and are disgusted by these schools just out to make a buck(which is what they do-why raise tuition 3 times past the public school tuition....it is true, there are bad techs from accredited schools as well, but the point is, why waste your time on schools such as this? Read how many techs are having a tough time finding work - not just from this school - but this is what I know from talking with a couple of friends still at West Coast waiting on clinicals...they do not have enough clinicals for the students...so clinical hours are spent up at the school..not in a hospital or clinic...that is just so unfair to the students...BUT...make your own judgement and take your chance with the school if you want to be 30k in the hole and hope by your clinical that you will be in a hospital/clinic and not in a classroom.

And don't even listen to me...look at the comments by S.D. Sonographer in San Diego and other experienced techs on other posts...look at their comments and how they make is VERY clear to go to an accredited school...

bananaa in Los Angeles, California said: Hello, I have been reading the posts that are on this site trying to find out as much info as possbile. I am looking into starting West Coast Ultrasound in July and am wondering if it is a good idea. I currently hold a BA so can sit for the test as soon as I graduate. My cousin is currently a tech and has been for 5 years. She went to an unaccredited school (Maric) and found a job right away... again this was 5 years ago. She said that most techs today are not registered with the ADRMS is this true? She also told me that she has seen good, great, and bad techs come from accredited and unaccredited programs. In her opnion, it is all what you make of it.... if you can scan you will have no problem finding a job. Any information regarding West Coast Ultrasound either good or bad would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!!

I am currently attending the school and have had nothing but great success and learning out of it. I can't wait to graduate. I myself have talked to many sites and none have a problem with the school's name. Yes there are those students that somehow float by and leave us with a reputation to clear up but all in all teh teachers are great and the scanning instructors all give you a piece of the "real" world of scanning as well as the book world. The school is accredited...look on the website, the accredidation is there (and the link). They are not accredited by CAAHEP but that is in the works as well. They do get government funding and would not be able to get that if they were not accredited. It might help to know that I am a student at the Ontario campus. Don't believe everything you read here; see for yourself...stop by the classesask the students. There is always 2 sides to every story. Yes, it is pricy, but in 21months your off and making $. Public schhols...well, prereqs alone can take up to 2yrs....only you can decide what's best for you.

I have friends at that campus who contradict what you say - in Ontario - and they are excellent students who are now very confused - some are trying to find clinicals(because the school does not have enough) and they were told to stop calling!(Kaiser being one) That accreditation means nothing..call the ARDMS and just ask them the difference between what WCUI is accredited by and the CAAHEP! Why do you think most jobs have-must be accredited by the CAAHEP? Just a fluke?? Don't rely on this board or what your schools says-WCUI has made no filing with the ARDMS to become accredited-you can go to to the website and see what schools have...go straight to the source in making your decision. The ARDMS will also give you an earful of how these schools say it is all about government funding while pumping the price for the investors' gain. And no, they certainly do not think of us as students that float by - they will tell you straight out - you should have invested in an accredited school from the beginning but a lot of incoming students are just not educated enough about the ARDMS or the CAAHEP to know that! Hopefully everything will work out for you, but get your facts straight about this school...they ARE NOT accredited!! Post after post tells you how important that is - because this field is not how it was even 3 years ago!

Laurel Collins in Los Angeles, California said: I have friends at that campus who contradict what you say - in Ontario - and they are excellent students who are now very confused - some are trying to find clinicals(because the school does not have enough) and they were told to stop calling!(Kaiser being one) That accreditation means nothing..call the ARDMS and just ask them the difference between what WCUI is accredited by and the CAAHEP! Why do you think most jobs have-must be accredited by the CAAHEP? Just a fluke?? Don't rely on this board or what your schools says-WCUI has made no filing with the ARDMS to become accredited-you can go to to the website and see what schools have...go straight to the source in making your decision. The ARDMS will also give you an earful of how these schools say it is all about government funding while pumping the price for the investors' gain. And no, they certainly do not think of us as students that float by - they will tell you straight out - you should have invested in an accredited school from the beginning but a lot of incoming students are just not educated enough about the ARDMS or the CAAHEP to know that! Hopefully everything will work out for you, but get your facts straight about this school...they ARE NOT accredited!! Post after post tells you how important that is - because this field is not how it was even 3 years ago!

Well, if you are referring to students that just graduated.....half of them haven't finished protocols yet and some still have outstanding balances. You know the price when you enroll and you are right...go straight to the source...CAAHEP. THere are 71 job postings on this sight. Several in the high desert, 12 in IE........none of which require accredited schooling or ARDMS. They do however state that you need to be ARDMS eligible within one year of hire. Spend more time looking for work and less time destroying the school that gave you the tools to be a great tech...

No, I am not referring to any of the students you are talking about...isn't it true that the school is making students come to this for clinical time? I never had to interview for a clinical site either. I know that they are and so do you...I think I am very valid in questioning the integrity of the school. And until you are out in the field yourself and actually applying for those 71 jobs, your comments are not really all that valid...yes, the school teaches you the BASICS..but my true skills were attained in my clinical and even moreso once out of school with friends that are techs that I have shadowed. My problem has never been what I learned while in school...I have stated from the beginning, my problem is that ANY school that is unaccredited does not seem to offer all facts to incoming students..if I was told, "we are not accredited - you may not get a job right away, etc"...then I can understand me going into the program anyway knowing this..but that is not what I was told - I was told, "you will not have any problems finding employment-plenty of jobs, etc" - and that is not the case...and I now have all of the facts and know why...so, it isn't attacking the school..it's saying stay away from these schools and choose schools that are a lot less and are accredited..it is just that simple!

Laurel - I am not disagreeing with the fact that you are not able to get a job, as I do not know you. BUT here's a few things: you should have done your research before enrolling. If you were spending 30K on a car, wouldn't you ask plenty of questions and review the facts? ALSO you say you can't get a job, but we've all taken jobs that you don't necessarily want in order to do what is needed. Why not look at non-hospital settings until you get your 1680 hours? I understand that the pay is not as much, but take what you can get! Do you think that every new political science major gets a job in Congress? No- you have to earn the good jobs by putting in your time. Do you really think that you're going to get any job at one of the major hospitals. I live in the IE and there are many jobs that require you to be registry eligible, meaning you have to get your registry, but you can take your year to get it.

I have stated before that I should have researched more-come to boards such as this for advice, etc-but I also blame the school for not giving out correct information! I did ask questions, but I limited knowledge of the importance of accreditation NOW in the ultrasound field. That is my fault for trusting an admissions advisor when he says, "there are plenty of jobs and you will not have any problems finding one right out of school" and yes, he did say, THEY ARE ACCREDITED-which is a false statement, among others. Regardless, I've come on here to at least give others advice that are thinking about the career-to indeed invest in an accredited school-do not waste your money on overpriced, unaccredited schools for this field. And your comment about taking what I can get - are you a tech yourself? I would take anything I can get! And am applying to whatever jobs I can - I work in a hospital now in a non-clinical role - - I am not some "above it all" tech waiting for the 30+/hr jobs...I will do whatever I can to get my foot in the door - so your analytical ranting is unwarranted.

I agree with Laurel. The school is CRAP. I really want my money back. Out of the 30 students from my class,only 2 or 3 have found jobs. Everybody else had to give up and move on.

Im thinking about going into this field as well. Problem is when researching accredited schools, such as city colleges , none offer a degree pertaining to sonography. Would any of you who are successful sonographers know a field I can go to school in, but once obtaining my degree, become a sonographer?

The only schools catering to sonography through my research are non-accredited schools.

BMalone in San Diego, California said: I do x-ray and plan to attend an ultrasound program and after talking with ultrasound techs at my hospital(and knowing what my hospital expects) they have told me to absolutely not go to an unaccredited school. that more and more employers are becoming more strict on that so you may have a job now? who knows how your school will be viewed in the future in future employment.coming on here and reading thru just makes it even more clear that accredited schools are the way to go.the older techs where I work think these schools are ridiculous.why is west coast not accredited?

My sister currently works as an ultrasound tech and was hired before she sat for her boards. She tested for the boards and failed her first time. A few months later she was told that the school she attended failed to get its accreditation. Thankfully, she had already sat for her boards and was allowed to sit again to become certified. If she had not already sat for the boards before that decision was met, she would have had no other choice but to attend another program all over again at an accredited school. My advice is to only attend an accredited program so that you do not have to go through all of the headaches she went through discussing her problem with her employer.

i am planning on going to HOHOKUS school for my sonography courses.If anyone know this school offer accredited program please let me know.
I am not sure.
thanks

Vanessa Johnson in Saint Johnsville, New York said: Im thinking about going into this field as well. Problem is when researching accredited schools, such as city colleges , none offer a degree pertaining to sonography. Would any of you who are successful sonographers know a field I can go to school in, but once obtaining my degree, become a sonographer?

suny downtown offers a bsc in sonography and nyc an associate degree

water in water, Pennsylvania said: i am planning on going to HOHOKUS school for my sonography courses.If anyone know this school offer accredited program please let me know.
I am not sure.
thanks

no they don't.

Hi guys, this is a heated and complicated subject. Please read me out. Okay, do you know why it is so hard for these private schools to get accredited? Here is a scenario. A private college fills out an application for a very reputable accreditation agency and they send all the necessary paper work (about two cardboard boxes worth, maybe more). The accrediting agency sends a reply back: "the paper work looks great but you are not affiliated with a major hospital".

Okay, they try and try and try, calling these major hospitals all along California asking them to look at their school and possibly accept their externs. The hospital higher-ups reply: "I am sorry you are not accredited, we cannot take your externs".

Do you see one MAJOR problem here? A big, thick, brick wall.

Two more major points: Did I mention that you have to fill out two cardboard boxes worth of paper every two years to re-apply? Oh, one more thing. The hospitals in California that are interested in taking externs (like the techs themselves who want to train people)cannot help because their hospital has signed a contract with a school to take their externs who are in another state (Oregon, Washington)(not kidding) or the opposite end of California?

Believe it or not, I am a student at a private college, not an administrator. I chose a private school because I have two young boys and a husband who works his --- off. I wanted to have a career in high demand to help relieve the pressure off my husband. I have many college credits and didn't feel it was necessary to pay daycare ($800 mo.) and wait for certain classes to become available at the community college and then be put on a waiting list. You don't have to guess it costs the same as a University when it is all said and done.

The demographics for these private schools are people like me. Hard working, family loving individuals. We deserve a chance as well. When you kill the private schools you are killing our hope.

People who don't agree with these private schools like myself are not trying to kill your "hope" for a better life. We are trying to prevent you from spending so much money that in the long run, you won't be able to be given a chance to find a clinical site or a job. However, it is up to you and the rest of you whether you listen to the advice of others. Considering I guarantee you won't believe me, why don't you call your nearby hospital and talk to the Chief Tech for Ultrasound and ask what he/she thinks of these schools SAME AS THE REST OF YOU. I guarantee the majority of them regardless what state highly prefer to hire ARDMS eligible and CAAHEP graduate. Either way, it is your money. If you do find a hospital that does accept these graduates, good for you but hopefully you are the one who gets in when a lot of them do apply for internship or a job.

People in the ultrasound field have problems with private schools for many reasons other than their lack of accredidation. Private schools charge a tremendous amount for tuition ($30.000 plus). And for that amount of money, there are cases where students wait months for clinical placement, sometimes having to find externships on their own. And when they do get placed at clincals by the schools they can be very inadequate, such as at busy private clinics with very little hands on. There have been many complaints on this forum about some private schools being disorganized and the teachers not really being up to the task of teaching.
When a school becomes accredited, it is more than just filling out paperwork. A school's accreditation by CAAHEP ensures students that there will be adequate externship sites and that the school's coursework is sufficient enough to pass the ARDMS registry exams.

I AM GOING ABSOLUTELY CRAZY LOOKING 4 A JOB AND NOBODY GIVES ME A CHANCE. I WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE SCHOOL I WENT TO WAS UNACCREDITED. FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO TAKE AN ARDMS REGISTRY EXAM I MUST BE WORKING 4 ONE YEAR IN ORDER TO SIT 4 THE EXAM. HOW AM I GOING TO DO THAT IF NO ONE GIVES ME A CHANCE. I'M SO FRUSTRATED! I'M GOING THROUGH DEPRESSION FROM THIS ISSUE NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND A JOB IN MY FIELD. I LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE. ADMISSION REPS ARE LIKE SHARKS. FEEDING PEOPLE LIES. WHEN I DO GO BACK TO SCHOOL I'M GOING TO A COMMUNITY COLLEGE. AFTER THIS SOUR EXPERIENCE IT WILL NOT BE 4 ULTRASOUND. SO I URGE EVERY ONE TO GO TO AN ACCREDITED SCHOOL. DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID.

I realize that and take your point very seriously. However, I was trying to make the point about the "brick wall" between the MAJOR hospitals and CAAHEP, ARDMS, etc. It is definately buyer beware. It is too bad that students have been duped and were not aware of what accredidation is and the many types. Fortunately I paid half the price (good for me), the school told me there were no promises and they were not accredited and had externship affiliations. So, at least I knew what I was getting into. I think I was lucky I was told the truth.

I researched ARDMS and schools for some time and talked to a couple of Ultrasound Techs. It is too bad these schools weren't all put on a different kind of "watch-dog" list as a step to the ARDMS accredidation process. Someone would be watching them and regulating them to fine-tune them.

There is definately higher learning when it comes to the politics and ensuring a good education. Thanks alot and I appreciate all of your input.

Jamie in Sacramento, California said: I realize that and take your point very seriously. However, I was trying to make the point about the "brick wall" between the MAJOR hospitals and CAAHEP, ARDMS, etc. It is definately buyer beware. It is too bad that students have been duped and were not aware of what accredidation is and the many types. Fortunately I paid half the price (good for me), the school told me there were no promises and they were not accredited and had externship affiliations. So, at least I knew what I was getting into. I think I was lucky I was told the truth.

I researched ARDMS and schools for some time and talked to a couple of Ultrasound Techs. It is too bad these schools weren't all put on a different kind of "watch-dog" list as a step to the ARDMS accredidation process. Someone would be watching them and regulating them to fine-tune them.

There is definately higher learning when it comes to the politics and ensuring a good education. Thanks alot and I appreciate all of your input.

Oh, by the way, I don't think I could ever afford to pay 30 thousand for a school anyway because you have to add so much more to that for other expenses.

Jamie in Sacramento, California said: Oh, by the way, I don't think I could ever afford to pay 30 thousand for a school anyway because you have to add so much more to that for other expenses.

Jamie,
What school do you attend? I have been interested in finding a good school in the Sacramento area. Thanks

Hi. I go to United Medical Institute. The website is www.unitedmedicalinstitute.com. If you talk to an admin tell them Jamie sent you. I think they will know who I am! I have had a good experience there. I like the school because you know everyone by name and they tell you like it is.

My simple solution for this problem of a school not finding an externship would be to sue.I go to a private school and we were not told in any form or fashion that we would have to find our own clinicals.If they cannot furnish what they stated we are paying for that is a problem.And yes it is West Coast ,I am not trying to harm the school but I cannot waste 2 yrs of my life and money for nothing.I was told the school was accredited but not by who and the real agency that mattered in this field was Caahep.

first of all id like to jump in here on these blogs... wcui is a piece of CRAP if u ask me... they dont help u at all what so ever... i was a top student and could scan i did my externship at a hospital but unfortunately they were not hiring at the time and still arent.... i have applied seriously to over like 500 jobs even out of state and not one call back... and then the guy who is supposed to be sending our resumes says oh i sent ur resume out to 1 site this week yea well wtf 1 site uhm hello there, when u have hundreds of students and ur sending all their resumes to one place come on give me a break... the school should be sued... and i am going to seek legal advice because i finished my externship 5 months ago and no luck... DO NOT WASTE UR MONEY AT THIS JACKED UP SCHOOL! I AM ONE FED UP AND PISSED OFF STUDENT!!!!

fedup! in Carson
Please contact me at vramirezjones@yahoo.com.I have about 8 mos to go.Two of my last module and externship but I am hearing so much bad I will probably be in the same boat as many of the students from my school and yes we all need to do something about it

Dear Fedup,

A few stips of advice. Take a Deep Breath. Back off the subject for a week. Then get your resume together if you havn't done so. Be prepared to tweek it at a moments notice.

Start looking for your own internship that might suit you better. Practice what you are going to say before you say it. There are some DMI techs that really want to train you and some that don't. Usually they are answering to higher ups so their hands are tied behind their backs.

I am not kidding, you will get alot of rejections. When you get some hopeful news, embrace it. It will keep you going. After all is said and done you will probably have to accept the schools externship. CAUTION: Don't sign the externship agreement until: You fully understand your schedule, drive time to and from site (gas prices kill...), and expectations when the internship is over. When you get to your site, it will all make more sense. Kick booty, and help them with things they never expected.

You may not have anything going after the externship is over, so, those clinical coordinators that you contacted a few months earlier may have had some changes happen and be more willing to accept you as a trainee. Many of these places don't want anything to do with a school contract but they might take you when your training is all done.

Try to stop focusing on the negative because you are already financially and emotionally dedicated to your program, it is what you chose and stick with it. No one will help us until we have helped ourselves!

Obviously, I am going through the same thing as you. I just got some good news after all my hard work.

Accredidation, no accredidation, at this point you are the underdog for a while. Things will look up when you least expect it. Take this sermon for what it is and best of luck.