Accelerated BSN to MD/DO

[Fomicry]

I just wanted to ask some advice for those who had went through a second degree undergraduate program such as an accelerated BSN program and then later on got accepted into medical school to become a MD/DO? I am currently in that predicament. I graduated with a Bachelor's in Biology with a gpa of 3.1 and have not taken the MCAT yet. I am currently working as a EMT. Also, I have 2 years of research experience, over 1000 hours of volunteering hours, 200 patient contact hours so far, and I have one scientific journal on the way of being published this year. Despite of this, I am worried that I will not be able to get into a medical school with my current gpa.

I understand that I could still get in if I score really well on the MCAT or the next route would be to do a post-bac program or a graduate program to get into medical school. However, financially, I do not think this is the best option. As of right now, I want to get into a career that I can financially support myself in as well as even a potential family, still be able to help people and give back, and nursing seems like it would be the best option. There are also other reasons I have chosen to do nursing rather than going to do a post-bac or graduate program is that I do enjoy the strong patient-care focus and the flexibility of specialties, and I honestly think those aspects can strongly help me to decide which specialty of medicine I would like to go if I get into medical school. Also, if medical school does not work at then at least I have a satisfying career to fall back on. Also, I did not decide on this hastily. I have shadowed a nurse and looked into careers that nursing can get into and it is quite appealing to me to see so many options.

I did get accepted into an accelerated bsn and I am excited about it. I just honestly wanted to know about someone else' experience of pursuing a accelerated BSN and then applying to medical school afterwards? Is this a good route to pursue? Did you apply after getting nursing experience or not? If so, for how long? Was it a positive or negative experience? Did it all work out and you got in?

I have heard that the ADCOMs may look down on applicants who go through this and may have something to say towards it. I do not understand that even my pre-health advisors were the same way, saying either a post-bac or graduate program would be a option despite of it being costly. I know a ABSN will be costly, but I feel that it would guarantee a job after and be more geared towards clinical/hospital setting like I want rather than a lab-based setting. If you can offer your feedback or advice, it would be most appreciated!

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[LizzyM]

If you want to be a nurse, and perhaps to go on to be an advanced practice nurse or nurse-midwife then do that. It is a fine pathway for people who are interested in patient care, want some job security and are concerned about not having anything to fall back on if med school applications don't work out. You applied, you got in, go for it. Live long and prosper. It is a great career and gives you the opportunity to balance work and family.

If you want to go to medical school, and, frankly, your GPA suggests that the likelihood that you will be admitted to medical school is far below average likelihood, then you need to prove to medical school admissions committees that you have what it takes to succeed in the medical school curriculum.The accelerated BSN is not the right way to do that anymore than moving the contents of your house in paper grocery bags is sensible. Is it possible that someone has done this successfully? Perhaps, but there are far more effective ways to do so.

 

[Fomicry]

If you want to be a nurse, and perhaps to go on to be an advanced practice nurse or nurse-midwife then do that. It is a fine pathway for people who are interested in patient care, want some job security and are concerned about not having anything to fall back on if med school applications don't work out. You applied, you got in, go for it. Live long and prosper. It is a great career and gives you the opportunity to balance work and family.

If you want to go to medical school, and, frankly, your GPA suggests that the likelihood that you will be admitted to medical school is far below average likelihood, then you need to prove to medical school admissions committees that you have what it takes to succeed in the medical school curriculum.The accelerated BSN is not the right way to do that anymore than moving the contents of your house in paper grocery bags is sensible. Is it possible that someone has done this successfully? Perhaps, but there are far more effective ways to do so.

I am still set towards MD/DO. I know there are many nurses that pursue a NP, but I do not want to be pushed towards that route of becoming a NP. I just do not understand why a accelerated BSN is sometimes discouraged by medical school ADCOMS. What are the effective ways? If you can provide some that would be really helpful!

 

[bornunderatree]

I believe what LizzyM intended on saying was that a BSN program will perhaps help your cumulative GPA, but not your science GPA, which most schools care about.

It's probably easier to do a post baccalaureate program to inflate your GPA, prepare you for the MCAT and achieve your goal.

That being said, sometimes the easiest path isn't for you. Leaders take the path less traveled. RN to MD is arduous, but possible. Do what you feel is right.

Good luck!

 

[gyngyn]

Nursing programs are not designed to prepare you for medical school.
Any non-vocational major in which you can excel, while simultaneously taking the science courses that provide content on the MCAT, is recommended for medical school.

 

[floatingrib]

I'm an undergrad nursing major doing pre med as well and u've done bio so u're prob aware of pre med requirements, but why add 2 extra yrs for no reason? I'm primarily doing it as a fall back myself but unless ur scores are stellar the nursing degree (or so i've been told from a multitude of ppl is valuable when you have experience, which would put u into the application cycle around 3-4 yrs from now. Also it might raise some red flags in the sense that u're attaining another degree instead of medicine when u've been exposed to the health care field and that'll be harder to explain (telling nursing schools and med schools that u're doing so as a fall back does not go over well lol) and if you do use that it helped u pick specialties in med school like it's quite hard to be placed outside basic med-surg or geriatrics as ur first job (i got to a top 10% nursing program btw), so to actually have time to claim exposure as your reasoning could take years.

Why don't you apply to med school (after a post-bacc) and if not accepted then the BSN? the BSN gpa will count but it's not going to count towards you're sGPA since nursing classes don't count towards it, so to raise that you'll have to take high level sciences anyways which probably isn't the best when trying to maintain a stellar gpa in an accelerated bsn program. Don't let it discourage you though if you feel it's the best path for u + if you have ur reasoning, just don't expect too much help or positive reinforcement from advisors or other allied health professionals.

 

[TeaDog]

I first pursued a second degree BSN (after getting a an average BS for my first degree). I really enjoyed the BSN and worked in research after graduation while doing a post-back program. I don't regret getting the degree (I did well GPA wise) but it has set me back a few years. This is not a negative if you have a few years to burn. I've been accepted to 1 D.O. school so far and still interviewing/waiting on feedback from several MD and DO schools. I would have pursued the MD/DO first but lacked confidence and role models so for me the BSN was a logical "first" step in healthcare. For what it's worth the 2 DO schools where I interviewed so far did not look down on this. I think you should plan to do some sort of nursing and/or research work after your BSN and prior to applying to med school if you go this route. Feel free to PM me with any questions.