On April 17, GWUOHS students convened for an in-person meetup at George Washington University’s (GWU) School of Nursing in Ashburn, Virginia.
The meetup gave students a chance to meet each other in-person while getting to learn about GWU’s nursing program.
Science teacher Whitney Keaton, who organized the event, emphasized the benefits that in-person events like this can have for online students.
“One advantage of in-person events is the collaboration that can happen among students,” Keaton said. “At this event, students were able to benefit from each other’s questions, try new things together, and learn from one another.”
The event first featured a tour of the School of Nursing facilities and ended with an opportunity to engage with a panel of current nursing students. The panel elaborated on their experiences and advice with regard to GWU Nursing.
Junior Abby O. found that her favorite part of the meetup was engaging with the student panel.
“It was fascinating to hear directly from students who are currently working in the healthcare industry, especially because I plan to attend medical school,” she said.
Junior Dominic F. expressed similar feelings.
“My favorite activity was listening to three nursing students talk about their nursing journey. It was really inspiring for me.”
Senior Reem A. also highlighted how in-person meetups can provide a much-needed element to online interactions.
“Being able to interact face-to-face helped me build a stronger connection with people and made those relationships feel more real compared to just communicating online,” she said.
Not only did this event benefit the attendees by providing a platform for valuable interaction, but it also allowed them to learn new things.
“I learned a lot about how nursing school works, including the different pathways, specialties, and opportunities available in the field,” Reem said.
Another component of this meetup was a physical simulation of the job of a nurse. Students found themselves gaining a preview of the duties and tasks real nurses have.
“We got to explore a mock hospital setting and listen to different heartbeats, lung sounds, and rhythms. It was really interesting and gave me a hands-on glimpse into what healthcare training looks like,” Reem said.
