Let’s Talk About McMaster Nursing
Although many of us pre-med students enter our final year of high school taking the same science and math courses including physics, calculus, chemistry, biology, advanced functions, and so on, beyond those six courses are endless opportunities and undergraduate programs that we are able to apply to. Every student’s last year of high school can be stressful for many reasons, however, choosing the right undergraduate program, in my opinion, requires the most research and time and can seem very overwhelming. Especially for us premed students, there are so many different undergraduate programs to choose from to help us reach our goal of becoming a medical/healthcare professional whether that be a physician, a dentist, a nurse, and the list goes on. Besides the standard life science and health science, undergraduate programs that many pre-med students often take, there are specialty programs that help students destined to graduate with a professional title, achieve that goal through their undergraduate studies. In this continuation of the Exploring Undergraduate Programs series, we will take a more in-depth look into McMaster University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and will cover its admission process, coursework, the different possible streams, and career pathways.
About McMaster University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program
McMaster University’s Nursing program was founded in 1946, and in 1974 the School of Nursing became a part of the prestigious Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University. In 1946, the program was founded by Gladys Sharp and her extensive knowledge of nursing education made her a perfect fit to develop the foundation for the entire program including constructing the curriculum and hiring the training staff and faculty. Over the years, the program has developed a reputation for allowing students to gain extensive skills and background knowledge to enter the workforce upon graduation ranking third overall in Canada and fifteenth worldwide! With only 120 spots, the program has an acceptance rate of only 8% and has become one of the most well-known nursing programs in all of Canada. Something that makes the Nursing program at McMaster University stand out is the value they place on specific character traits, one being innovation. Being an innovative student is something that the program and admissions officers really value as part of their core values and is one of the main components of their style of learning. This program centers its curriculum around problem-based learning and works to instill leadership responsibilities into all students who graduate so that they can excel in the healthcare industry as a nurse.
The Admissions Process
As we continue to take a closer look into the Nursing program at McMaster University, I’m sure all you readers are wanting to know about one thing… the admissions process. As much of a competitive program as this program is, it is surprising to say that there is no supplementary application required for admissions. However, there is another test required that all students applying to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program must take which is called the CASPer test. The competitive nature of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program has brought on the addition of another application piece in order to further condense the applicant pool and choose the best-suited students for the limited number of positions. Similar to the Bachelor of Health Science program at McMaster University, the high averages that are consistently being presented by students are not enough to decide whether or not you have gained acceptance which was one of the main reasons why the CASPer test was introduced as part of the application process. Interestingly enough, the CASPer test was designed by McMaster University and was first introduced to the McMaster School of Medicine to assist with medical school applications and is now a required part of many Canadian medical school applications.
The CASPer Test
For any of you reading this and wanting to become a student in the Nursing program at McMaster, be ready to take this 90-minute test that assesses your personality traits and personal characteristics. The CASPer test stands for Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics and is used to evaluate your key characteristics in order to determine whether you possess the necessary traits to succeed as a nurse in the healthcare industry. The test consists of video and word-based scenarios with three open-ended questions to each, and each set of questions is given five minutes for you to respond. Although it may seem as if this test will determine your fate of getting accepted into the program, the score that you achieve on the CASPer test is actually only worth 20% of your overall application and the other 80% is solely based on your GPA. Another good thing about the CASPer test is that each section is marked by a different person whether that be a fourth-year student, a faculty member, a professor, or an admissions officer. The common themes that are assessed on the CASPer test are ethics, communication, collaboration, resiliency, and advocacy. With every test, a big question that many students ask is how much they should study for it, however, for this test, no studying is required! It is not to say that you shouldn’t prepare and practice questions before your test date, however, this test is a non-cognitive test and there aren’t any specific things that you should know before writing the test. If you would like an in-depth review and guide to the CASPer test, click here to watch a video that outlines some important tips to know before writing the test.
Academics
In addition to writing the CASPer test, your academics play a very important role in your acceptance to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at McMaster University so it is very important that you are taking the correct prerequisite courses and that you achieve good marks in each course. The program’s official website states that you must have a minimum average of 85% to be considered for admission; however, the average GPA of most students who are accepted is between 90% — 93% according to past students. To view all the required admissions information, click here. Similar to many other science undergraduates programs, there are prerequisites that are necessary to be considered as a future student including the following:
- English U (ENG 4U)
- Biology U (SBI 4U)
- Chemistry U (SCH4U)
- One of Mathematics of Data Management, U (MDM4U), Advanced Functions U (MHF4U) or Calculus and Vectors U (MCV4U)
- Two additional Grade 12 U or M courses
One Degree, Three Streams
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at McMaster University is very unique for the three possible streams and pathways that a student may achieve their degree through and become a registered nurse. It gives students with different educational backgrounds the chance to complete their degree and work as a nurse after graduation.
1. Basic Stream
The most common stream and the one that all of you high school students will be applying to is the basic stream which is the standard four-year undergraduate program. This stream incorporates many different aspects that are associated with studying nursing including, but not limited to, humanities, psychology, and sociology. Alongside these social science courses, you will definitely be studying your typical biology, chemistry, and physics courses and are also open to studying the health science courses which are strictly designed for health science students. The basic stream emphasizes person-centered learning with problem-based learning approaches as well as tutorials and student-directed learning to help instill determination and innovation in all students. This stream is also unique in that it is offered at three distinctive locations including the main McMaster site, Mohawk college, and Conestoga college which allows for students all across Ontario to participate and study in the program.
2. Accelerated Stream
Alongside the four-year traditional undergraduate program, is the accelerated stream. The accelerated stream consists of five consecutive terms; Fall, Winter, Spring/Summer, Fall, Winter, and is designed for students who have already completed a science degree at a post-secondary institution and are looking to further their education to become registered nurses.
3. Post RPN Stream
The final stream available to students which allows them to achieve their Bachelor of Science in Nursing at McMaster University is the Post Registered Practical Nurse stream. This stream is a three-year integrated program of study for students who have earned a Registered Practice Nurse diploma and are looking to enhance their education and become full-time registered nurses.
Although many of you aspiring nurses will be applying to the basic stream for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at McMaster University, it is always good to know that if you choose an alternate pathway initially, you can always enter the program at any time during your undergraduate study and it is never too late to become a registered nurse at McMaster provided the many different routes available to students of diverse educational background!
Coursework
The four years that you will spend studying in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is definitely filled with many opportunities and different learning approaches, and the curriculum in this program is set up to allow students to maximize their exposure in the healthcare industry before setting out on their own after graduation. The four years are filled with many clinical experiences as well as traditional lecture and book-style studying because although it may be tedious, lectures and PowerPoint slides are inevitable and are the best way to be prepared before any form of in-person experience. The first year that you will spend studying at McMaster in the Nursing program will allow you to focus on the foundations of health and social sciences and the program is structured in such a way that allows for you to choose a variety of electives so that you can explore with different fields of study because there are plenty of science courses to feed your eager science-seeking brain throughout the program! A typical first-year schedule may include the following courses:
- Human Anatomy and Physiology I (HTHSCI 1H06 A)
- Human Anatomy and Physiology I (HTHSCI 1H06 B)
- Human Biochemistry I (HTHSCI 1LL3)
- Introduction to the Social Determinants of Health (HTHSCI 1RR3)
- Introduction to Nursing and Health I (NURSING 1F03)
- Introduction to Nursing and Health II (NURSING 1G03)
- Introduction to Nursing Practice (NURSING 1I02)
- Professional Nursing Practice I (NURSING 1J02)
- Community Engagement and Citizenship (NURSING 1K02)
- Introduction to Psychology (PSYCH 1X03)
- Foundation of Psychology (PSYCH 1XX3)
- Introduction to Health and Safety (WHMIS 1A00)
To view all the electives you can take in your first year of study, click here and scroll to page 9. In addition to courses required for your first year of study, you will have the opportunity to spend time in a clinic to gain clinical experience with a tutor and a supervisor to strengthen foundation skills. In first year, it is required that all students spend four hours a week in a lab setting to focus on learning important skills including communication, hand-washing, vital signs, and physical assessments. In second year, you will be able to expand your knowledge of the relationship between the patient and yourself and have more hands-on experience when working and caring for patients. During second year, you are required to spend eight hours per week at a clinical placement where you will work with fellow students and will be supervised by one faculty member. You will be able to experience working with different levels of patient care including clinical, surgical, and complex healthcare settings. In third year you will take standard nursing requisite courses and are required to spend 12 hours per week working in acute and varied clinical settings and will be able to explore specialty settings including pediatrics, mental health, maternity wards, and so on. And finally, in fourth year, you will be placed in various healthcare settings where you will spend between 24 to 36 hours of in-person clinical experience to finish and complete your graduate degree to begin working as a registered nurse! You will also have an opportunity to select an international or Canadian outpost placement, for example in England, Chile, Alaska, Australia, British Columbia and many more countries where you will have the opportunity to continue and finish your clinical placement in time for graduation. It is definitely safe to say that the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at McMaster has an endless amount of opportunities for you to explore and gain hands-on experience in many healthcare settings and be ready to take on life as a nurse!
Post-Graduate Pathways
After working hard for four long years, you may seem relieved to finally graduate but the truth is, there is one final exam that you must pass in order to become a fully licensed nurse. In order to become a registered nurse, you will have to complete and pass the examination required by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) however, no need to worry because 96% of graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at McMaster University pass the test and become fully licensed nurses ready to work! If you feel like the four years you spent at McMaster are sufficient enough and you are ready to take on life as a nurse, you will be able to work as a full-time registered nurse at the placement you are accepted too. However, some students decide that they want some advanced educational background and can go back to graduate school to complete a master’s or doctoral degree which opens up more doors and allows you to become a more experienced nurse. There are many different careers open to nurses after graduate school but the three most common careers include a nurse practitioner, a clinical nurse specialist, and a researcher or faculty member. A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse with advanced education who can provide care to a full range of patients including families, children, mental health patients, and more. They work alongside physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to assess, diagnose, and treat a wide range of health problems. A clinical nurse specialist is someone who has a master’s or doctoral degree in nursing and has attained advanced skills in their specialty. They have extensive clinical experience, most likely in the specialty of their preference, and they work alongside physicians to treat patients as well. Some of the areas where these specialists work are in pediatrics, adult long-term care, and in-patient hospital-based clinics. Finally, if being in the hospital or clinic with patients is something that you may not enjoy as much, after completing your nursing degree you can always go back to school to complete your master’s and doctoral degree to conduct research or become a faculty member. As a faculty member, you will be able to become a professor at the University and can teach students about courses in the program of your educational background and educate youth to help them to be the best nurses they can be!
We hope that this overview of McMaster University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program gave you a sense of some essential steps to take before applying to this program, as well as the student life and experience that this program has to offer. We wish everyone who is applying to this program, good luck, and we believe in everyone and their goals! Stay tuned for next weeks Exploring Undergraduate Programs Series post to take a closer look at another amazing program guided to help youth become the next healthcare professionals of the future.
Sources
https://nursing.mcmaster.ca/about-us/overview
https://nursing.mcmaster.ca/prospective-students/admission
https://academiccalendars.romcmaster.ca/preview_program.php?catoid=44&poid=22964
https://npao.org/about-npao/what-is-a-np/
About the Writer: Wynter Sutchy is an incoming first-year undergraduate student at McMaster University studying Life Sciences and is from King City, ON. She is very passionate about the healthcare field and enjoys sharing her volunteering experiences through writing. She plans to pursue a career in medicine in the future and plans to explore the field of healthcare through research and volunteering throughout her undergraduate career. In her free time, you can expect her to be watching her favourite show, Greys Anatomy, teaching children how to swim, or baking some delicious desserts!
