Issue link: http://ncumarketing.uberflip.com/i/923498
As with any program, there have been challenges. For me, the biggest challenge has been keeping myself encouraged during more difficult courses. When I took my first statistics course, I was overwhelmed. It had been nearly a decade since I had taken a course of that nature, and nearly 10 years of clinical practice had not given many occasions to use statistics. What was most helpful was the mentoring I received from the instructor, Dr. White. It felt to me like we were taking the journey together, and I could also hear him rejoice with me when I passed the course. More recently, my biggest frustration is getting comfortable with the new course room and format. Also, I find myself wishing that we had not gone to the electronic textbooks. I find it difficult to access material quickly when I have to scroll through a textbook instead of flipping through a book and seeing the highlighted portions. I am asked often about the common struggles to being in an online class. I have always been academically competitive, but when there is no real cohort or peers, it is hard to hold that competitive edge. A recent post in The Commons highlighted a struggle that many of us feel to stay motivated and encouraged, especially during those more difficult courses. I struggle to remember the advice given to me by another therapist during my post-graduate training. She said, "You have to abandon the pursuit of perfection in order to achieve success." My experience as a student was shaped significantly by a patient death at the end of my first year of classes. I was able to use that experience in class papers to process my feelings. I found that instructors were willing to help me make sense of my reaction. It was a valuable experience that I used just a few months ago when an intern I had been supervising had the same experience. I was able to draw on the example of my mentoring faculty to help my intern through the experience. Again, I saw the strength of our program as I worked with clinical faculty to support the intern who was also an NCU student. If I could offer a piece of advice to other students, it would be to get involved. I have been fortunate to serve as a Student Coordinator for the State of Utah, as well as a Board member of the MFTSA. These opportunities have put me in contact with students who are embarking on a similar journey. Overall, my experience at NCU has been a positive one, and I believe that my decision to study at NCU was a wise one.