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Looking to pursue MSc in Nursing APRN at the University of Pécs? Hear from our students!

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1 Aprn Nursing

The University of Pécs offers aspiring students the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree program to become an Advanced Practice Nurse in various specialties. The two-year program is conducted in English and offers specializations in the following fields (based on this year’s availability): Intensive Care, Emergency Care, and Primary Care. If you are looking to learn more about studying in Pécs, hear from our current and recently graduated students on their experience. I had the privilege of interviewing Esther Mounde, a current APRN Intensive Care student, who also completed her BSN at the University of Pécs, as well as Nancy Ntinyari, a recent graduate from the same program.

Since Esther was already an alumna of the University of Pécs, I asked her why she chose to continue her studies there. She explained that the intensive care specialization she wanted was not offered at other Hungarian universities like Semmelweis and Debrecen. Additionally, Esther had previously received the Christian Young People Scholarship from the university and won it again for her master’s, which influenced her decision to stay in Pécs. On another note, Nancy was practicing as a registered nurse in Kenya when a colleague encouraged her to apply for the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship to pursue an APRN degree in Hungary. At the time of her application, no APRN programs were available in her home country, which further motivated her to step out of her comfort zone. Compared to other Hungarian universities, the University of Pécs did not require an entrance exam to enroll in the program, making it more accessible to interested students.

When Nancy first arrived in Pécs, she didn’t know anyone, but she found a very supportive international community that helped her adjust. She also got to know the other scholarship recipients through an event organized by the scholarship organization, where they bonded and traveled together, making the transition easier. Meanwhile, Esther found comfort in the familiarity of Pécs after living there for four years prior to pursuing her master’s. Since she had a good grasp of the school system in Pécs, she felt confident in navigating and finding success in the APRN program.

2 Aprn Nursing

The interviewees were asked to reflect on their journey within the program so far, assessing their favorite and most challenging parts. Esther thoroughly enjoyed the clinical practice, gaining hands-on experience with the support of highly qualified English-speaking instructors. She emphasized how patient the doctors and nurses were with the students, especially given the diverse class with varying experience levels. The staff truly took their time to meet the students at their level of understanding. Nancy shared similar sentiments, noting the invaluable hands-on experience with experienced doctors. One of her favorite aspects of the program was organizing their own clinical practice in Budapest, where they had more access to English-speaking instructors and were assigned a patient to look after each day. Nancy would like to give a few of her lecturers a shout out: Dr. Dorina Simon-Pusztai, Vincze Veronica, Dr Noémi Zőld, Dr Kiss Tamas, Dr George Ayerh, Prof Zsófia Verzsar, and Dr Habil Máté Orsolya.

Esther highlighted the challenges of the program, noting that the master’s degree is much more detailed and demanding than the bachelor’s degree. Students must be ready for rigorous coursework. Her class is diverse, with students ranging from 12 years of experience to none, requiring different levels of effort to reach proficiency. She also recommended better timetable scheduling as the frequent changes can be quite confusing. Moreover, Nancy emphasized the need for better communication between the university and hospitals to enhance clinical practice. Effective collaboration allows for more productive use of time and skill development. She stressed the importance of hands-on learning for confidence in handling cases. Investing in experienced English-speaking instructors and practical training will significantly improve the program.

The interviewees advice aspiring APRN students to explore their fields of interest before pursuing the degree. There are many specialties to consider, and it is best to take the time to understand where their passions lie before investing their time and efforts. The program is challenging, but it opens many fulfilling career opportunities.

Roselle Torres

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