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- Feb 13, 2007
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Hi I'm currently a first year medical student and I'm wondering how many people out there have considered going from med school to nursing?
Med school is fine. Some days I'm wowed about cool stuff we are learning, and other days I wonder about the number of hours I spend studying/in school and how contrasts with how I think I want to spend my life (more balanced). I am doing well in my courses, but the feeling of being in school/training for the next 7 years or so fills me with dread. I definitely want to be in healthcare and I also have research interests (particularly public health and health education/communication).
Right now I am considering taking a year off from med school to decide what the next step is. I am thinking nursing because its a finite amount of time and a marketable skill set, I can be working in 2 years, continue on to get a masters (NP) and possibly do research in projects that may interest me. The key for me really is the fact that I will be able to work sooner, in a field that is in demand pretty much everywhere and have better hours for the long term which would be more conducive to having kids and taking care of a family. ( I know that I will want to be a more hands-on mom).
The more insight into medicine I get, the more I am valuing the notion of ~40 hours a week and "no call" and even the flexibility of shift work.
I know I can do "the med school thing", it is not a matter of ability (maybe I am lazy?) and I enjoy the intellectual challenge it presents, but i wonder about the immense sacrifice in terms of time and money. I know that no one can tell me what to do, but for those in both professions - nursing and medicine, and perhaps those who have experience in both, is there anything that I am missing? what other factors should I take into consideration as I ponder my future?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions/advice.
Med school is fine. Some days I'm wowed about cool stuff we are learning, and other days I wonder about the number of hours I spend studying/in school and how contrasts with how I think I want to spend my life (more balanced). I am doing well in my courses, but the feeling of being in school/training for the next 7 years or so fills me with dread. I definitely want to be in healthcare and I also have research interests (particularly public health and health education/communication).
Right now I am considering taking a year off from med school to decide what the next step is. I am thinking nursing because its a finite amount of time and a marketable skill set, I can be working in 2 years, continue on to get a masters (NP) and possibly do research in projects that may interest me. The key for me really is the fact that I will be able to work sooner, in a field that is in demand pretty much everywhere and have better hours for the long term which would be more conducive to having kids and taking care of a family. ( I know that I will want to be a more hands-on mom).
The more insight into medicine I get, the more I am valuing the notion of ~40 hours a week and "no call" and even the flexibility of shift work.
I know I can do "the med school thing", it is not a matter of ability (maybe I am lazy?) and I enjoy the intellectual challenge it presents, but i wonder about the immense sacrifice in terms of time and money. I know that no one can tell me what to do, but for those in both professions - nursing and medicine, and perhaps those who have experience in both, is there anything that I am missing? what other factors should I take into consideration as I ponder my future?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions/advice.