Advice for a transitioning nursing student

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
ladybug1122

ladybug1122

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2011
Messages
116
Reaction score
18
I was wondering if anybody had advice concerning transitioning from nursing to medical school. I am 18, and in my first semester of nursing school. I have always been a very determined person and when I want something, I go for it. I currently have a 4.0 gpa and have completed my english, biology, general chemistry 1, and statistics requirements for medical school. My GPA so far is a 4.0 and I pray it remains that way through out. My plan is to finish nursing school, complete my medical school requirements and work for 2 years to gain experience. Then, I will apply. I just have the big details covered, but if any one has any advice (like volunteering, shadowing, research, or opportunities to gain experience), your advice will be appreciated. Thanks for taking the time out to read my post.
And by the way, nursing school has confirmed to me that becoming a doctor is my destiny. I love nurses, and I am learning compassion and understanding for helpless people, but I love the "solving the puzzle" aspect of medicine that nurses cannot perform. In nursing school, we have to write "Risk for" in front of certain nurses diagnoses because only the doctor is allowed to medically diagnose patients and that is what I desire to do.
Members don't see this ad.
 
There are a number of active threads right now in the non-trad forum discussing RN-to-MD transitions that would possible answer a number of your questions and concerns. Go over there and take a look and come back or post there follow-on questions. As always, the search function is also your friend. We've got a number of active members that have or will be making the transition and are on the ball with the process. jl lin haunts the non-trad forum and is a great source (as much as me and her are at odds at times.)
 
Thanks! I'm new to SDN so it might take me a while to navigate around. :)
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Oh boy, where do I begin?

You are basically going down the road I was planning out for myself when I was 18 (three years ago). My plan was:


  • Nursing + Psych minor during the school year, basic premed courses over the summer
  • Graduate with at least a 3.6-3.7 with my BSN, take the NCLEX, maybe work for a year or two, then apply for med school.
How it actually turned out:

  • Nursing + Psych minor during the school year, basic premed courses (Gen Chem I+II, with labs; Ochem I+II, with lab I only; I took Physics I with lab last semester, and finishing Physics II with lab this semester. The biologies were mostly taken care of during my Nursing and Prenursing years).
  • Get a cGPA of 3.2, sGPA of 3.4. Nursing classes really brought my GPA down. I switched from Nursing to Exercise Science (and maybe double major in Psychology) over this winter break, I was in Nursing for 1.5-2 years.
So my recommendation:

  • Write a list comparing what you know about nurses and what you know about doctors.
...and I'll be back with more but I have to go for now. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me or just post here. Will update tomorrow.
 
I dunno why don't u just concentrate on being a premed student from now on
 
If I did that, what would I get a degree in?
 
change major to other science (chem, bio, biochem, neurobio, genetics) and do some research
 
Save yourself the trouble and just major in something more traditional if you know you want to be a doctor. Going into nursing school with full intentions of applying to medical school after just 2 years in practice means you're effectively taking a seat from someone who could be in nursing practice for a full career. Doing a more traditional major will give you more time to develop quality EC's and make you a more well-rounded applicant to medical school. For clinical experience, you can still volunteer or work as a nursing aide, orderly, or whatever else.

Being in nursing school without actually planning on a career in nursing is a waste of both the school's and your time and money.
 
wlee43 said:
change major to other science (chem, bio, biochem, neurobio, genetics) and do some research
Click to expand...

Do you absolutely need research in order to get accepted to a medical school?
 
no but most well rounded applicants do have some sort of research experience. Plus I think you would like to since you did say you like solving the puzzle of medicine
 
bucks2010 said:
Save yourself the trouble and just major in something more traditional if you know you want to be a doctor. Going into nursing school with full intentions of applying to medical school after just 2 years in practice means you're effectively taking a seat from someone who could be in nursing practice for a full career. Doing a more traditional major will give you more time to develop quality EC's and make you a more well-rounded applicant to medical school. For clinical experience, you can still volunteer or work as a nursing aide, orderly, or whatever else.

Being in nursing school without actually planning on a career in nursing is a waste of both the school's and your time and money.
Click to expand...


I actually enjoy the exposure I get from majoring in nursing. I get to meet doctor's daily, view the patient's chart and make connections in my head about various diseases, drugs, and S&S. This is all experience that I will not get anywhere else. Nursing might not delve into much detail about disease processes, but that is where I conduct my own research and learn.
Also, I don't believe I took a spot from someone that would have made a career out of it. Simply, when people get rejected, they make adjustments and apply again.
Also, my choosing nursing versus majoring in biology was also an economical decision. If I went with a biology degree and medical school did not work out, I would not have a job because biology degree holders do not get the job. Since I went with a nursing degree, if medical school does not work out, I will have a job, and even better, I could advance myself (nurse practitioner) and do almost what a doctor does. I am a pretty positive person and I know medical school will work out, but it is always good to have some cushioning in case that thing called "life" happens.
I hope I did not come across as mean; just voicing my opinions.:love:
 
wlee43 said:
no but most well rounded applicants do have some sort of research experience. Plus I think you would like to since you did say you like solving the puzzle of medicine
Click to expand...

thank you:)
 
Members don't see this ad :)
ladybug1122 said:
I actually enjoy the exposure I get from majoring in nursing. I get to meet doctor's daily, view the patient's chart and make connections in my head about various diseases, drugs, and S&S. This is all experience that I will not get anywhere else. Nursing might not delve into much detail about disease processes, but that is where I conduct my own research and learn.
Also, I don't believe I took a spot from someone that would have made a career out of it. Simply, when people get rejected, they make adjustments and apply again.
Also, my choosing nursing versus majoring in biology was also an economical decision. If I went with a biology degree and medical school did not work out, I would not have a job because biology degree holders do not get the job. Since I went with a nursing degree, if medical school does not work out, I will have a job, and even better, I could advance myself (nurse practitioner) and do almost what a doctor does. I am a pretty positive person and I know medical school will work out, but it is always good to have some cushioning in case that thing called "life" happens.
I hope I did not come across as mean; just voicing my opinions.:love:
Click to expand...


This is basically my thought too about this whole pre med process. Except I plan on majoring in clinical lab science and I'm really interested in it.
But right now after talking to some folks on here i'm not quite sure about choice anymore :/ they pointed out alot of good points.

Edit: I believe there some ways you can get a job with bio degree.
 
To OP: I would be careful about what you are doing here. If you are confident that doctor is what you want to become, then you should pursue simply on the road to premed. I do not think it's a good explanation for someone to become a nurse first and then apply to a doctor based on clinical exposures. Whatever you see in the training for nurses is for the way to nurses to see medicine; in other words, you may get to see some things, but not all will be relevant as say, shadowing a physician in OR. I think that if the issue is clinical exposure, it's better to volunteer in hospital or work in clinical setting as a part-time (there are various options that do not require formal training like nursing).

Also, you should really realize that while back-up option is nice, going through nurse program is a lot more work than just doing a simple bachelor's degree. So, in the end, if you want to become a doctor, do what is needed for a doctor. Don't try to stretch yourself.
 
There seems to be a lot of nurses deciding to switch over to medicine. :whistle:
I was actually in your position when I was halfway through nursing school. I was inches away from throwing in the towel, but I told myself screw it. There are MANY people out there who are itching to take my spot, I will finish this and see if I do have a change of heart. After a year, I've come to realize that medicine is the path I've been yearning for. My peers are telling me to take the NP or CRNA route because they will soon replace PCP's and Anesthesiologist's. A few of us nurses disagree with that idea, that's why we signed up to this forum. We can be deemed as "sellouts", but WE ARE also the one's who believe that there are no substitution's for medical education. You should post in the Non-Trad section, there are many RN's who transitioned to MD/DO. Good luck with your goals. :)
 
It's important to consider how your choice of going to nursing schools will look to adcoms when you explain that you had intentions of going to medical school all along anyways. Taking a spot from someone in a pre-professional program when you're not planning on using it, is a waste. It's good that you enjoy it, but nursing school is meant for those who want to become nurses... not just to have fun. If you were 2 semesters away from graduating, the situation would be different, but since you're just a freshman, there's no need to continue in getting a nursing degree if you're not going to use it.

If you're as confident as you say you are in your first post, you will probably have no problem getting into medical school. No need for having to worry about a backup plan. JMO.
 
bucks2010 said:
It's important to consider how your choice of going to nursing schools will look to adcoms when you explain that you had intentions of going to medical school all along anyways. Taking a spot from someone in a pre-professional program when you're not planning on using it, is a waste. It's good that you enjoy it, but nursing school is meant for those who want to become nurses... not just to have fun. If you were 2 semesters away from graduating, the situation would be different, but since you're just a freshman, there's no need to continue in getting a nursing degree if you're not going to use it.

If you're as confident as you say you are in your first post, you will probably have no problem getting into medical school. No need for having to worry about a backup plan. JMO.
Click to expand...
This. It's important to have a backup plan, but there are tons of sucessful pre-meds who go the traditional route. Even if you don't get in your first cycle, you probably won't be very willing to throw in the towel right away and just start working as a nurse anyway.
 
NoTownPreMed said:
There seems to be a lot of nurses deciding to switch over to medicine. :whistle:
I was actually in your position when I was halfway through nursing school. I was inches away from throwing in the towel, but I told myself screw it. There are MANY people out there who are itching to take my spot, I will finish this and see if I do have a change of heart. After a year, I've come to realize that medicine is the path I've been yearning for. My peers are telling me to take the NP or CRNA route because they will soon replace PCP's and Anesthesiologist's. A few of us nurses disagree with that idea, that's why we signed up to this forum. We can be deemed as "sellouts", but WE ARE also the one's who believe that there are no substitution's for medical education. You should post in the Non-Trad section, there are many RN's who transitioned to MD/DO. Good luck with your goals. :)
Click to expand...

Hey, thanks for the positivity. How far are you with your med school plans? Good luck with your goals as well!:love:
 
AsianPersuasion said:
This is basically my thought too about this whole pre med process. Except I plan on majoring in clinical lab science and I'm really interested in it.
But right now after talking to some folks on here i'm not quite sure about choice anymore :/ they pointed out alot of good points.

Edit: I believe there some ways you can get a job with bio degree.
Click to expand...

I am learning a lot here as well. I believe the most important thing is to stay true to yourself as you try to reach your goals. Good luck!!!:love:
 
Chops369 said:
This. It's important to have a backup plan, but there are tons of sucessful pre-meds who go the traditional route. Even if you don't get in your first cycle, you probably won't be very willing to throw in the towel right away and just start working as a nurse anyway.
Click to expand...

You are right. I wouldn't give up if I didn't get in the first time. thanks for the advice!
 
Ultimately this is your choice and you'll do as you see fit. But if you continue with your current plans you will at least need to recognize that once you get to the point of applying to med school that they may question as to why you went nursing and worked in the field for a couple years when you wanted to go into medicine all along.

Not that it's automatically a deal breaker, but I would personally think some would find it a little odd and not the "norm".
 
nlax30 said:
Ultimately this is your choice and you'll do as you see fit. But if you continue with your current plans you will at least need to recognize that once you get to the point of applying to med school that they may question as to why you went nursing and worked in the field for a couple years when you wanted to go into medicine all along.

Not that it's automatically a deal breaker, but I would personally think some would find it a little odd and not the "norm".
Click to expand...

There are so many different variables as to why a non-trad would switch to medicine. It can be that it is for financial stability or clinical exposure. Based on the answer it can either help you or hurt you. I believe that the "norm" thing will go away in due time. Not many freshmen in college nowadays are deciding to do medicine right away. They get wasted, go to parties, and majoring in something just because their buddies were doing it ;) . Once all of that is out of their system, they would soon to realize what is important and that's when maturity kicks in.
 
With an undergrad degree in (almost) anything you can take a year or two more and qualify to sit for the RN exam (and in some cases walk away with an MSN, too). So, make that your back-up if you are worried about being employable if you don't make it in medicine.

Keep in mind that while you enjoy being around doctors and seeing patients' charts and the like, medical school is nothing like that for the first 2 years and much of the "trick" of getting into medical school is showing that you have the academic strength to do well in the basic science classes. You are in for a long slog -- if you might be just as happy (or more happy) as an RN with the possibility of climbing that career ladder to advanced practice nursing and so forth, consider that as a plan rather than a fall back.
 
ladybug1122 said:
I actually enjoy the exposure I get from majoring in nursing. I get to meet doctor's daily, view the patient's chart and make connections in my head about various diseases, drugs, and S&S. This is all experience that I will not get anywhere else. Nursing might not delve into much detail about disease processes, but that is where I conduct my own research and learn.
Click to expand...
It does offer you a leg up on the competition knowing this.

Also, I don't believe I took a spot from someone that would have made a career out of it. Simply, when people get rejected, they make adjustments and apply again.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't worry about that. I'd worry about the ultimate question you have to answer - why medicine/being a physician vs being a nurse. What you said now won't cut it, honestly. Solving puzzles isn't what doctors do 100% of the time.
Also, my choosing nursing versus majoring in biology was also an economical decision. If I went with a biology degree and medical school did not work out, I would not have a job because biology degree holders do not get the job. Since I went with a nursing degree, if medical school does not work out, I will have a job, and even better, I could advance myself (nurse practitioner) and do almost what a doctor does. I am a pretty positive person and I know medical school will work out, but it is always good to have some cushioning in case that thing called "life" happens.
Click to expand...
That's not true. It basically boils down to - people who have biology degrees but don't prepare themselves for the job market that's available. I guess I played my cards right and had something to show when I applied for jobs in pharmaceuticals so that I could get a job if I didn't get into med school my first time (which ultimately happened). But I definitely held a nice job. From what I've seen - lots of people only apply nearby and don't take risks into looking for jobs outside of where they live/want to live. Your loss, imo, because that's a risk you take for jobs nowadays.

I hope I did not come across as mean; just voicing my opinions.:love:
Click to expand...

IMMA REPORT YOU! :laugh:
 
I want to become a doctor instead of a nurse for various reasons. First of all, nurses can only do so much to treat the patients. I want to be able to actually treat the disease, and not their symptoms. I want to give the patient more than "everything is going to get better." I feel like as a nurse your hands are tied as to what you can do for your patient. I have this burning desire to get patients up and moving again. I have this patient that I have monitored for the past six weeks. She was on the med surg floor then she went down to ICU and I got to see this patient in a very deteriorated condition. She had the whole nine yards- traech, rectal tube, foley, wound drainage..., you name it, she had it. The next week I was there, this patient was better. One could see the change in her. Her family was telling me how they want to sit down with a doctor and map out a plan for her healing and discharge. I want to be that doctor. It is amazing to see the healing process in action. I have seen sacral wounds that you could insert your whole arm through, and weeks later it is a quarter of the original size. I am fascinated by the body and the way the body heals itself, and I want to be that mediator. The things I want to do can only be accomplished by being a doctor.

Also, I want to be able to bring quality health care to underprivileged people here in the states that cannot afford it. I am keeping an open mind to the "missions" aspect of being a doctor and will follow wherever that leads. You see, as a nurse you cannot diagnose patients and follow up with them to ensure that they are getting better. You have to continuously follow doctor's orders.

Another reason I want to be a doctor is that I want to provide quality, unrushed care to patients. Sometimes, you see doctor's walk in and out of rooms so fast it could give you whip lash. I don't want to make being a doctor about the financial aspect. I don't want my patients to pay a ton of money to see me and then get less than five minutes of my time. (I've had that hapen).
I could go on and on for days as to why I want to become a doctor. I just didn't know that I had to convince posters on here of my reasoning.

I am aware of the amount of hard work and dedication it takes to become a doctor. I have been dedicated all my life and with God's help, I always make it through. I graduated high school at 16, completed my nursing prerequisites in a year and a half, and am now 3 semesters away from becoming a registered nurse. I am convinced that I have the intellectual capability, and just enough luck to become a doctor (yes, you do need luck :). Once again, I didn't think I had to prove myself to the posters on here.
Ultimately, I am going to follow through with my plan. I am doing well in my completed prerequisites so far, and if I get questioned in the interview as to why I choose to go down the nursing track, I will tell them everything I have mentioned on here.

Thank you guys for your comments. I wish all of you the best of luck and as that famous quote goes, "It doesn't matter how you get there, just get there."
 
Sorry, when I read your post I thought you were still a freshman in a 4-year RN,BSN type thing. Now it sounds like you're much farther along with that. In that case, I would retract my advice about picking a different major. No need to change when you're so far along in the nursing major. Don't forget about some EC's and you will be fine. Best of luck.
 
This June I will be getting my RN and next may I will get my BSN in a two year accelerated nursing program. I'm now thinking that medical school is where I want to be. I have a bachelor's already during which I did almost no science courses. So far I have a 4.0 in my nursing classes and am a good candidate for top of the class. In my first undergrad I attended an ivy league school and had a 3.65. Up until now I've been pretty confused with what I want to do with my life. I know whatever I choose I'll do well at, but I'm 24 and not sure I want to make the family sacrifices integral to medical school. I think though it's time to stop going with the flow and grit my teeth and do what I know I will feel satisfied and fulfilled doing in the long run (the pressure of all my friends in med school may also be an influencing factor).

What I'm trying to decide now is do I finish and get my BSN or do I take the ADN exit option and focus on pre-med classes. Any advice? How good are my chances of getting in to an MD program or is DO a better way to go? What can I do to make myself a better candidate. I have a summer + school year internship in the ICU, how can I best use this time to my advantage? Thanks for reading this rather rambling post.
 
shadow shadow shadow, learn as much as you can what a doctor and nurse does. Then if you decide to be a doctor, change major to something useful if you are scared of not getting in, ie chemistry (you seem to be doing well) or microbiology or genetics etc. Then work hard and go that route, don't stay a nursing major that is a different path. Concentrate on your studies and grades for now. Do some research if you are interested. As for ECs do whatever you really enjoy and follow through with it.
 
Adja,
no need to declare another major if you already have a bachelor's degree. The post-bac program was designed for your situation. The BSN is of no value if you already have a bachelors and you already have the RN credential. It would only be of value if you wanted to climb further in a nursing career.

Cut bait, work as a nurse for a short period of time while you figure out what you need to do to start taking the pre-reqs in a formal post-bac program or in a community college program (save $). Continue working as long as it doesn't interfer with your school work. If possible, get connected into a small research study; given your clinical expertise you might be able to be of use as a research assistant in a clinical research study on the job or as a volunteer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

R
Reaching out for advice as a nursing student
Replies
8
Views
523
LunaOri
LunaOri
C
Nursing Student With Severe Regrets and Feeling Discouraged
Replies
34
Views
4K
FiremedicMike
F
Radishguy
Nursing school in place of gap year?
Replies
8
Views
507
LizzyM
LizzyM
twixmoments
Volunteer at Pulmonary Nursing Unit or as a Patient Room Visitor / Welcome Staff? Are either of these clinical experience?
Replies
2
Views
433
SahilMehtaMD
SahilMehtaMD
W
Gap Year Advice - Nursing Assistant (neuro vs trauma?)
Replies
3
Views
833
jojofu
J
Top