Academic calendar
Summer Term 2026 runs Jul 6, 2026 – Sep 27, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Spring Term 2026
- Summer Term 2026Relevant now
- Fall Term 2026
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 28 of 28 terms
A
- ADN
- Associate Degree in Nursing, the two-year program leading to RN licensure.
- ATI
- Assessment Technologies Institute, the comprehensive testing and remediation platform used for NCLEX preparation.
B
- Blue Card
- The essential clearance card issued by the Texas Board of Nursing after a successful background check.
- BSN
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing, the four-year degree program.
C
- Check-offs
- Practical skills assessments where students must demonstrate competency in specific nursing tasks to an instructor.
- Clinical
- Off-campus shifts at local healthcare facilities where students gain real-world experience.
- Clinicals
- Off-campus rotations at local healthcare facilities where students gain real-world patient care experience.
G
- Galen Blue
- The specific shade of blue scrubs required as the mandatory uniform for all students.
- GNSA
- Galen Nursing Student Association, the primary student organization for professional development and community service.
N
- NCLEX
- The National Council Licensure Examination, the high-stakes board exam students take after graduation.
- NSNA
- National Student Nurses' Association, the professional body Galen students are encouraged to join.
O
- Off-Campus
- The standard living situation as Galen San Antonio is a commuter-only campus with no university-owned housing.
P
- Pewter
- The specific, mandatory color of the Galen-branded scrubs that students must wear.
Q
- Quarterly
- Refers to the fast-paced 12-week academic term structure used by the college.
S
- SNA
- Student Nurses' Association, the primary professional organization for nursing students on campus.
- Student Resource Center
- A central hub that includes lounge seating for breaks and study sessions between classes.
T
- The A2
- The HESI Admission Assessment exam often required for entry into the nursing programs.
- The Board
- Refers to the Texas Board of Nursing or the NCLEX-RN/PN licensure exam.
- The Boards
- The NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN licensure examination taken after graduation.
- The Breakroom
- The primary designated area for students to eat, equipped with vending machines and microwaves, as there is no traditional cafeteria.
- The Bridge
- The LPN/LVN to ADN Bridge Option, an accelerated program for licensed vocational nurses to become registered nurses.
- The Commons
- The designated student lounge and gathering area where students typically eat brought or delivered meals.
- The Exit
- The ATI Comprehensive Predictor exam, a high-stakes test taken at the end of the program to determine graduation readiness.
- The HESI
- The comprehensive exit exam used to determine readiness for the nursing licensure board exam.
- The Lounge
- The designated student break area equipped with vending machines and seating for meals between classes.
- The Med Center
- The surrounding South Texas Medical Center area where students go for off-campus food options between classes.
- TSNA
- Texas Student Nurses' Association, the state-level chapter that Galen students participate in.
V
- VN
- Vocational Nursing, the program for students pursuing an LVN license.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- All Access
- Galen's proprietary digital library containing skills videos, study guides, and supplemental learning resources.
- Badge
- The mandatory student identification card that must be worn and visible at all times on campus and at clinical sites.
- Canvas
- The Learning Management System (LMS) used to access course syllabi, assignments, and grades.
- Clinical Compliance
- The rigorous process of submitting immunizations and background checks required before starting hospital rotations.
- Clinical Lab
- The Clinical Learning Lab, used for practicing specific technical nursing skills and procedures.
- Clinical Packet
- The collection of health records, background checks, and drug screens required before a student can start hospital rotations.
- Clinical Sites
- Local hospital partners, such as Methodist Healthcare or Baptist Health System, where students are placed for rotations.
- Clinical Uniform
- The strictly regulated dress code consisting of specific Galen-branded scrubs and patches required for lab and clinical days.
- Clocking In
- The logistical requirement of using a badge or app to record the exact start and end times of clinical shifts.
- Eastern Time
- The default time zone for class listings in the Self-Service portal, requiring San Antonio students to manually adjust for Central Time.
- ExamSoft
- The secure testing software used for all major course examinations and proctored tests.
- Galen Scrubs
- The specific branded uniform required for all on-campus labs and off-campus clinical rotations.
- John Smith
- The main campus facility located at 7411 John Smith Drive in the San Antonio Medical Center area.
- LRC
- Learning Resources Center; the campus library and study hub.
- Parking Decal
- The required permit for students to park in the designated campus lots at the San Antonio facility.
- Parking Permit
- The required decal for students to park in designated lots at the John Smith Drive campus.
- Quarterly
- Refers to Galen's academic calendar, which operates on four 12-week terms per year rather than traditional semesters.
- Quarterly System
- The 12-week academic term structure used by Galen, which differs from the traditional 16-week semester system.
- San Antonio Campus
- The primary multi-story educational facility located at 7411 John Smith Drive.
- Self-Service
- The student portal used for course registration, checking final grades, and managing financial aid.
- Service Central
- The HCA-managed IT support portal for resolving technical issues with student accounts or portals.
- Sim Lab
- The Clinical Learning Laboratory where students perform hands-on simulation and skills practice.
- Student Resource Center
- The campus facility housing quiet study areas, testing rooms, and printing services.
- StudentCheck
- The PreCheck-powered compliance portal used to upload and track immunizations and background check documents.
- The 7411 Building
- The specific address shorthand for the main San Antonio campus facility.
- The Badge
- The mandatory student ID card that must be visible at all times for building entry and clinical site access.
- The Lab
- The Clinical Learning Laboratory where students perform hands-on skills practice.
- The Portal
- The Galen Student Portal used for administrative tasks like registration, financial aid, and viewing transcripts.
- The San Antonio Campus
- The main facility located at 7411 John Smith Drive.
- The Sim
- The high-fidelity Simulation Lab used for realistic clinical scenario training.
- The Sim Lab
- The Clinical Learning Laboratory where students practice nursing skills in a simulated hospital environment.
- The Uniform
- Strict dress code requiring specific Galen-branded scrubs (typically teal or pewter) and the student ID badge visible at all times.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Summer Term 2026 runs Jul 6, 2026 – Sep 27, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 28 approved campus terms and 32 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.