Advice needed

[tah06090]

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I am heavily considering medical school as of late. I am 29 almost 30 I have been a paramedic for 10 years I have a AS in emergency management. I started nursing school a year and half ago and am almost done with my ASN. I originally started thinking I wanted to do flight nursing not so sure now, bounced around being an ACNP/CRNA which still interests me. I feel like I would be settling becoming an NP. Should I finish ASN get a BSN with all the med school pre reqs or just get my ASN do the pre reqs and take my chances at getting in with no "back up plan". I hate that term because becoming a physician is what I would much rather do but, trying to be realistic. The only prerequisites I have are AP and English. My overall gpa is around a 3.1 I brought it up to that from a 1.8 (stupid 18 yo college drop out in a previous life). My spouse is supportive of both. We both have decent careers with a comfortable life style. I am afraid this acceptance will change if I got in, our lives would be very much different as a med student. Just looking for some guidance I guess, validation maybe, just not really sure which move I should make.

 

[Wayfinder]

Hi, It will take a while but you can do it. As for you your relationship with your spouse, that is between the two of you.
A few things
Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention
Goro's guide to applying to med school (2018 version) read these post's if you have not, its super helpful.
-I would be open minded to DO and MD.
-Also most medical schools require a bachelors not just pre-reqs. You can major in anything you want, but you want to make sure you get good grades in all of your pre-req courses.
-I would suggest shadowing physicians to make sure this is what you really want to do. You have seen them work through your work as a paramedic, but what does it look like from their viewpoint. Have a clear why you want to be a doctor, and not be a nurse. Both are great professions why are you leaning towards being a doctor?
-Then don't forget you will need some extracurricular's. Shadowing, Clinical and Non-Clinical Volunteering, Research, Leadership. These are things you want to be doing over time in addition to getting a bachelor's.
-Finally food for thought you probably have at least two years before you are ready to apply. Then a year of applying. Four years of school, and then however long residency for what you want to do is. Plenty of people go into medicine at your age, feel free to go to different schools websites to see the demographics. Just be sure you are up for dedicating at least 10 years of your life for the training.
Good Luck!

 

[tah06090]

Yes I should have clarified the ASN and pre reqs. What I meant was BSN+ pre reqs vs ASN+ finish in a science BS. Absolutely open to DO as well. As far as leaning to Dr more I just want to be at the top of the knowledge realm and being able to apply it. I want to be the one running resuscitations and managing really sick people( EM or critical care is goal). As far as leadership I currently am the administrator of an ambulance company and am the district EMS coordinator doing qa/qi, investigations, working with med control docs, and education, etc... Would this be helpful as well in leadership terms? I know being a paramedic helps some but not much. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Wayfinder]

Yes I should have clarified the ASN and pre reqs. What I meant was BSN+ pre reqs vs ASN+ finish in a science BS. Absolutely open to DO as well. As far as leaning to Dr more I just want to be at the top of the knowledge realm and being able to apply it. I want to be the one running resuscitations and managing really sick people( EM or critical care is goal). As far as leadership I currently am the administrator of an ambulance company and am the district EMS coordinator doing qa/qi, investigations, working with med control docs, and education, etc... Would this be helpful as well in leadership terms? I know being a paramedic helps some but not much. Thanks for the advice!

In my opinion that counts as leadership. Leadership can be a lot of different things, tutoring, starting non-for-profits, having a coordinator position, developing a project, board positions in clubs at universities, etc.
The point is were you working well with others on a team? Facilitation of growth of your peers & project, public speaking or outreach, communication skills, flexibility, teamwork, commitment, etc.
I would try to continue some form of leadership as you continue with your EC's. You can be a leader in a research lab, as a lab coordinator. Or you could be a facilitator of some activity for kids at a YMCA. Or tutor disadvantaged middle school students. These are just examples and might not happen all at once, and that's okay. Just make sure you show service and commitment to others.
As for which degree you are between the BSN or the BS in science. I think (not 100% sure) either is okay. If you get the BSN I would assume you would need carefully written primary application, personal statement, and secondary application questions explaining why being a doctor. However people get into medical school with BSN degree's, Music, Art History, French Lit, etc. Do something you are passionate about, and make sure you get good grades.

 

[jarednogeek]

You can definitely do it but make sure that this is what you really want because it will be at least a 10 year journey to your goal. There will be a lot of opportunity to give up along that road so make sure that you are 100% committed now to avoid a costly mistake