Looking for personalized advice.. ACNP vs MD/DO

[FiremedicMike]

So, I finally wrapped up my bachelors in public safety management and it's time to start evaluating the possibilities in front of me.

Without turning this into a wall of text like most of these posts, the bottom line is that because I'm not an RN, it is 5-6 years from today before my first day working as an ACNP, vs 7-8 years from today before my first year of residency (I would defer a few more years to allow my youngest to graduate in 2020) I am truly not intimidated by residency, so to me it's not likely to be a huge table turner on this decision.

My personality is such that I need to be a part of THE team. I am comfortable as the team leader or team member, as long as my voice is heard.

Thanks for your time.

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[popopopop]

Go to PA school.

 

[FiremedicMike]

I'm staying in Ohio, PAs kinda get the shaft here.

 

[dwgrubbs1s]

Don't know your GPA or anything else but i earned my bachelors of science in nursing and am now going the pre medical route while working. Personal opinion, attempt MD or DO if that's what you truly want to do.

 

[innercellmass]

Have you shadowed any NPs vs. MDs/DOs? Any thoughts about specialties you're interested in? Shadowing would be a good way to really take a look at how the different roles might suit you, if you haven't done that yet. But all else being equal, one thing that stands out to me is your comment about staying in Ohio--if you're committed to (or even just strongly prefer) living in a specific area, take a look at how many med schools vs. BSN and NP programs there are near you and how competitive you are for them. Plus the fact that the residency match would introduce another point where you might have less control over where you end up.

 

[QofQuimica]

Have you shadowed any NPs vs. MDs/DOs? Any thoughts about specialties you're interested in? Shadowing would be a good way to really take a look at how the different roles might suit you, if you haven't done that yet. But all else being equal, one thing that stands out to me is your comment about staying in Ohio--if you're committed to (or even just strongly prefer) living in a specific area, take a look at how many med schools vs. BSN and NP programs there are near you and how competitive you are for them. Plus the fact that the residency match would introduce another point where you might have less control over where you end up.

Good advice here.

OP, medical training is not a great choice for people who are completely inflexible regarding geographic location. If you don't complete a residency, your MD/DO is essentially useless. At some programs (med schools and residencies), you may also be required to do rotations in other locations; one of mine was in HI, and while that wasn't exactly a hardship in terms of the rotation itself (who wouldn't want an all-expense-paid month in HI if they could get away that long?), it also wasn't exactly around the corner from my home state of FL. (I remember changing planes in CA and going, s***, after a six hour flight from the east coast, I'm still only halfway there!) That is obviously on the more extreme side, and I could have had the option to refuse to go if it would have been a huge hardship. Also, some specialties/programs are more flexible than others. But the fact remains that if you go to medical school, you have to be prepared for the possibility that you will be away from OH for prolonged periods of time, and possibly for the entire 7+ years of your training.

 

[FiremedicMike]

Sorry for the incomplete information. I was planning on an additional delay for medical school to allow my youngest children to graduate high school, thus making the potential for travel a realistic understanding.

No, I have not shadowed any NPs but I am working on that right now.

As for specialties, I do have an interest in working in the ICU. When I reflect back on my career in EMS, my most rewarding patients were the ones that were really quite sick/injured and very unstable. ACNP allows me to work with that patient population. As for the physician route, I have interest in anesthesia, orthopedic surgery, and internal medicine. Yes I'm aware that these are very different