Bail on the CRNA route and apply to DO schools?

[loykastj]

Long story short:
Thought about pre-med for a while. Pre-recs done, 3/4 of studying for MCAT done and doing well on practice tests, shadowed some awesome MDs and DOs who are more than willing to crank out some great letters for me.
What pulled me away from that and to the CRNA route is the thought of my wife and I having children before 30 (in fact, being done with having children by 30), 2.5 years of school vs 4+4 residency, awesome CRNA salary, etc, etc. In fact I've already submitted apps to a couple CRNA schools and am waiting to hear back.
But, in the back of my mind, I keep dreaming of actually knowing how all the steroid based drugs pass through the cell membrane, why I choose my pre-op antibiotic for specific reasons (not, CRNA 101 textbook told me this is the best choice for a burr hole procedure), ya know, real medicine and why we do what we do in the hospital.

I have great clinical experience as an MCICU RN in a level 1 trauma center, volunteer with the Red Cross disaster response, have an ~3.4 science GPA w/ strong upward trend, 3.5 GPA overall for my BSN w/ biology minor, good CV, and have yet to take the MCAT.

My interest pretty much rests with DO schools. When I shadowed a FP D.O. I was impressed with his clinical exam skills (not saying MDs are bad at this, I just know the university hospital where I work, CT scans and MRIs are ordered like a cheap beer on a Friday night). Also with my non-trad background and my GPA, I think my chances of success into a D.O. program are pretty good.

So basically with my background, does it sound like its worth a shot to cancel applying to CRNA programs and finish up what I started and get applications into D.O. programs opening day of the AACOMAS next summer?

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[BassCaster]

Of course, depending on your MCAT score, I'd say you are in Great shape to apply next summer based on everything else! Good luck!

 

[basupran]

Well, think about the time investment. Not making ANY money for 4 years followed by 3-4 years of a low wage with little time to see your kids followed by making LESS money than a CRNA as an FP attending while working more hours. Think long and hard about your wife's position as well- there is nothing like a broke significant other who is never there to cause marital discord.

Best of luck.

 

[Grey Wind]

Long story short:
Thought about pre-med for a while. Pre-recs done, 3/4 of studying for MCAT done and doing well on practice tests, shadowed some awesome MDs and DOs who are more than willing to crank out some great letters for me.
What pulled me away from that and to the CRNA route is the thought of my wife and I having children before 30 (in fact, being done with having children by 30), 2.5 years of school vs 4+4 residency, awesome CRNA salary, etc, etc. In fact I've already submitted apps to a couple CRNA schools and am waiting to hear back.
But, in the back of my mind, I keep dreaming of actually knowing how all the steroid based drugs pass through the cell membrane, why I choose my pre-op antibiotic for specific reasons (not, CRNA 101 textbook told me this is the best choice for a burr hole procedure), ya know, real medicine and why we do what we do in the hospital.

I have great clinical experience as an MCICU RN in a level 1 trauma center, volunteer with the Red Cross disaster response, have an ~3.4 science GPA w/ strong upward trend, 3.5 GPA overall for my BSN w/ biology minor, good CV, and have yet to take the MCAT.

My interest pretty much rests with DO schools. When I shadowed a FP D.O. I was impressed with his clinical exam skills (not saying MDs are bad at this, I just know the university hospital where I work, CT scans and MRIs are ordered like a cheap beer on a Friday night). Also with my non-trad background and my GPA, I think my chances of success into a D.O. program are pretty good.

So basically with my background, does it sound like its worth a shot to cancel applying to CRNA programs and finish up what I started and get applications into D.O. programs opening day of the AACOMAS next summer?

how old are you?

im a 27 yr old RN - have 2.5 years exp in ED at a lvl 1 trauma center. i considered the CRNA route as well for many of the same reasons you did - im married, want to have kids before too long etc etc etc

but what you need to consider is the big picture. life doesnt come to a halt just because you are in med school. you will still be able to have kids and do the things that you want to do.

i opted against the CRNA route for several reasons. i didnt want to be pigeonholed in a field. i like how i will get to learn about different areas of medicine and make my decision later on what i want to specialize in. i didnt want to have career dissatisfaction later in life because i became a CRNA instead of a physician. i wanted a deeper knowledge base and deeper training than CRNA school would provide me. lastly, i want to move away from nursing and get into medicine.

 

[loykastj]

how old are you?

im a 27 yr old RN - have 2.5 years exp in ED at a lvl 1 trauma center. i considered the CRNA route as well for many of the same reasons you did - im married, want to have kids before too long etc etc etc

but what you need to consider is the big picture. life doesnt come to a halt just because you are in med school. you will still be able to have kids and do the things that you want to do.

i opted against the CRNA route for several reasons. i didnt want to be pigeonholed in a field. i like how i will get to learn about different areas of medicine and make my decision later on what i want to specialize in. i didnt want to have career dissatisfaction later in life because i became a CRNA instead of a physician. i wanted a deeper knowledge base and deeper training than CRNA school would provide me. lastly, i want to move away from nursing and get into medicine.

You pretty much summed up my feelings on it as well. Oh, 24 years old.
I would be stuck in an OR being a mid-level provider the rest of my life wondering, "what if?"
I have a couple friends just start at a DO program and are loving it, and I can't think but how jealous I am of all the medicine they are learning. I'm willing to bet they know more science of healthcare in 1 month of med school than I know as an ICU RN of 15 months. I want that knowledge too.

The wife and I are in discussions about it but she seems to be pretty on board with it, she just wants me to get on and make a final decision already! Oh, and she prefers a school in a sunny state...

 

[MN premed]

I haven't gone through it yet (obviously), but at all my interviews so far students have mentioned that many people in their class have children, they even said that some girls are getting pregnant! I plan on having my children before I'm 30 (and I'm a girl, I think the whole pregnancy/childbirth adds a little more stress than it would for a guy ). But the point being, it doesn't seem like you have to wait until you're done with residency, or even med school, to start having kids! As long as your significant other is on board with the idea and realizes that you will have long hours as a resident.

 

[loykastj]

Oh, and in the interest of not being a hypocrite, if me or my wife are going under the scalpel, I have high hopes that the anesthesia staff on schedule that day is an MDA.
That thought would be in my mind every day that I drive to work and gas people in the OR.

 

[iatros]

people DO make it through medical school with families. it's probably a helluva trip but it does happen all the time.

bottom line- 15 years from now, will you look back on your life and say, "i shoulda...." or "i'm glad i didnt...."

personally, i'm an advocate of the pursuit of dreams.

 

[PunkmedGirl]

people DO make it through medical school with families. it's probably a helluva trip but it does happen all the time.

bottom line- 15 years from now, will you look back on your life and say, "i shoulda...." or "i'm glad i didnt...."

personally, i'm an advocate of the pursuit of dreams.

 

[scpod]

So basically with my background, does it sound like its worth a shot to cancel applying to CRNA programs and finish up what I started and get applications into D.O. programs opening day of the AACOMAS next summer?

Becoming a doctor and becoming a CRNA are many worlds apart. Which one do you want to do? Take the family totally out of consideration and then ask yourself which one you would rather do. Plenty of people have been able to follow both of these paths and have a good family life. You've got to decide what your dreams really are first.

 

[SolanoDoc]

Well, think about the time investment. Not making ANY money for 4 years followed by 3-4 years of a low wage with little time to see your kids followed by making LESS money than a CRNA as an FP attending while working more hours. Think long and hard about your wife's position as well- there is nothing like a broke significant other who is never there to cause marital discord.

Best of luck.

More DOs these days are specializing, at many schools as much as 40 percent of the class specializes, a big contrast from decades ago when over 80 to 90 percent of graduates became primary care physicians. At the DO school I am going to their graduates got into some pretty solid programs at UCSF and USC, even some at Stanford and the Cleveland Clinic, so I believe there is ample opportunity to specialize as a DO and I think less desirable fields will go to foreign MDs.