Applying as a Nurse

[ibjudo]

Hello all, I would like some advice if anyone knowledgeable wiling to offer. Im a ICU Nurse (currently working on my Critical care registered nurse or CCRN certification) and im thinking of changing careers into medicine. Every day i see residents do rounds and discuss patient care and it seems very very interesting and amazing to me and it feels like i should be there, with them. Not where i currently am, maybe i made a mistake not going sooner, but now i know for sure, and with that in mind i have recently realized that i should dedicate my life to medicine. And with that in mind i have a strong proclivity towards surgery, CT surgery in particular. I know its a very long and arduous process me being 31 years of age is not helping but i know this is what i want to do. However i am not 100% sold on becoming a surgeon maybe ICU pulm/crit is more for me, haven't totally made up my mind but one things for sure i want to go into medicine. Can someone please help? Direct me to a forum where i can read up on the whole application process? Offer some advice? Anything to help me get started? I also was told by my residents that surgery requires a lot of research and paper publications, IM MORE OF A HANDS ON GUY myself so research is not my strong suit, but mechanical skills im up there with the best bar none (nursing wise of course). Any advice or direction would help.

About me
im 31 male
3.1 nursing school gpa didn't really take it seriously just to pass
ICU nurse for 5 years worked through covid
no kids
been a nurse since 2017
i know a lot of doctors in my icu and even chair of medicine in my hospital who know my work and would probably be willing to write me letter of recommendation or attest to my work ethic.

PS. Ive been thinking about this for years, to be honest im a little nervous.

Thank you

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[carw1801]

You have to get through medical school first to become a doctor and, just based on what you wrote, I don't think you are anywhere near understanding what that entails.

My advice at your age, go NP and call it a day. You'll be better off than most.

 

[JAK2-STAT3]

SDN has an RN to MD forum that you should check out. I also found Dr. Ryan Gray's free resources (The Premed Years podcast, Old Premeds podcast, the MCAT podcast, etc.) helpful when I was a premed.

First, shadow physicians (including primary care) to confirm that this is the path you want to go down. People will tell you to just become an NP but I would caution you to think very carefully about all that that entails. As an medical student, I would never in a million years want to be an NP for all sorts of reasons. NP schools are notorious for accepting anyone with a pulse, having poor quality (and often online) coursework, making students arrange their own rotations (which means no oversight of those rotations), and churning out "providers" who may be well-intentioned but have only a sliver of the knowledge, training, and expertise that physicians have. If you want a quick path to being able to diagnose and treat patients without the knowledge of a physician, then consider the NP path. PA school is also an option, and while PA schools tend to be more rigorous and follow a medical model, they have also gotten quite competitive recently. But if you truly want to be an expert at what you do and are willing to spend the next 8-9 years chasing that, you need to go to medical school and not NP or PA school.

If you are 100% sure you want to go to medical school, you will need to take Bio 1+2 plus a couple of advanced bio classes, Gen Chem 1+2, Orgo 1+2, Physics 1+2, and Biochemistry, as well as maybe a psychology or neuroscience class and a writing-intensive class if you don't have one from undergrad. You can accomplish this as with a DIY post-bac (cheaper but without linkage/advising) or a SMP ($$$$ but with advising, maybe MCAT prep, and possible linkage if you do well).

Then you will need to take the MCAT, which realistically involves 2-3 months of full time studying or 6 months of part time studying. It is a career-deciding exam that you only want to take once, so you will need to study hard and take it only when you are ready.

While you clearly have ample clinical experience as a nurse, you will also need at least 200 hours of non-clinical volunteering. Think food banks, homeless shelters, really anything involving serving the less fortunate.

The above will take you realistically at least 2 years. Once you have a good post-bacc GPA, a solid MCAT score, and are ready to apply, you will have to devote a large chunk of time to writing a personal statement and then cranking out secondary essays.

Best of luck!

 

[VelmaBoots]

Do it!!! I’m an RN to NP to MD student!
I’m 43 … so don’t believe that your age stops you from doing whatever you want.

As an NP ”provider”, trust me, it takes more than just a pulse to get accepted into graduate school. I worked hard and did well in school and then continued to work hard following graduation to earn the respect of the many physicians I’ve worked with. NP school is an option and going the NP route can offer a rewarding career. Some states allow independent practice and others don’t. However, it is true that NP education is nowhere as in depth as MD training. If you value independent practice and want the in-depth knowledge of a physician, then don’t waste your time and money by going to NP school.

I’ll share what I did and maybe it will help you. First, I have a family and didn’t want to move. I researched the 3 schools in my state to see what the admission requirements were. 2 schools had required coursework and 1 had suggested courses. I then went to a CC and did a 4 semester part-time DIY post-bacc (gen chem x2 semesters, physics x1, bio x1, trig, applied calculus, biochemistry, handful of psych classes; no ochem as I was working full time as an NP and the class wasn’t offered at a time that fit into my schedule). I bought the Kaplan mcat books and bought a 6 month BluePrint Prep course (and loved it) that also came with a set of books. I bought college textbooks and self studied ochem and the rest of the physics topics I needed. I studied for mcat 9 months on/off while in college and then I buckled down for another solid 3 months prior to my MCAT date and studied every spare minute around my work schedule. I signed up for an AMCAS acct to see what the application looked like and then “googled” what I would need for each activity category. Fortunately my years of nursing (8 RN and 6 NP) & clinical hours from NP school gave me plenty of “experiences” options to choose from when I was completing my application. What I lacked in volunteering and research I made up for in leadership and work experience. I googled examples of personal statements, secondary applications, and mock interviews so that I understood what would be expected. Additionally, I contacted the admissions office of the school I wanted to attend - they gave me guidance and even proof-read my personal statement and offered feedback. I’d call the admissions offices of where you really want to attend and see if they offer any similar services for pre-med students. I found SDN much later but it seems there are many good resources here regarding where to apply based on gpa and mcat scores, how to apply, and even members who offer proofreading services for the personal statements.
This was a 2 year process for me once I made the decision to pursue medical school. However, it has been worth it. I applied to one school in my first cycle (this cycle) and got accepted - I had done my homework and spent these last 2 years making sure I fit what the school was looking for in a medical student.
Congrats on your decision to further your education and good luck!!

 

[IsTheSceneSafe]

Do it!!! I’m an RN to NP to MD student!
I’m 43 … so don’t believe that your age stops you from doing whatever you want.

As an NP ”provider”, trust me, it takes more than just a pulse to get accepted into graduate school. I worked hard and did well in school and then continued to work hard following graduation to earn the respect of the many physicians I’ve worked with. NP school is an option and going the NP route can offer a rewarding career. Some states allow independent practice and others don’t. However, it is true that NP education is nowhere as in depth as MD training. If you value independent practice and want the in-depth knowledge of a physician, then don’t waste your time and money by going to NP school.

I’ll share what I did and maybe it will help you. First, I have a family and didn’t want to move. I researched the 3 schools in my state to see what the admission requirements were. 2 schools had required coursework and 1 had suggested courses. I then went to a CC and did a 4 semester part-time DIY post-bacc (gen chem x2 semesters, physics x1, bio x1, trig, applied calculus, biochemistry, handful of psych classes; no ochem as I was working full time as an NP and the class wasn’t offered at a time that fit into my schedule). I bought the Kaplan mcat books and bought a 6 month BluePrint Prep course (and loved it) that also came with a set of books. I bought college textbooks and self studied ochem and the rest of the physics topics I needed. I studied for mcat 9 months on/off while in college and then I buckled down for another solid 3 months prior to my MCAT date and studied every spare minute around my work schedule. I signed up for an AMCAS acct to see what the application looked like and then “googled” what I would need for each activity category. Fortunately my years of nursing (8 RN and 6 NP) & clinical hours from NP school gave me plenty of “experiences” options to choose from when I was completing my application. What I lacked in volunteering and research I made up for in leadership and work experience. I googled examples of personal statements, secondary applications, and mock interviews so that I understood what would be expected. Additionally, I contacted the admissions office of the school I wanted to attend - they gave me guidance and even proof-read my personal statement and offered feedback. I’d call the admissions offices of where you really want to attend and see if they offer any similar services for pre-med students. I found SDN much later but it seems there are many good resources here regarding where to apply based on gpa and mcat scores, how to apply, and even members who offer proofreading services for the personal statements.
This was a 2 year process for me once I made the decision to pursue medical school. However, it has been worth it. I applied to one school in my first cycle (this cycle) and got accepted - I had done my homework and spent these last 2 years making sure I fit what the school was looking for in a medical student.
Congrats on your decision to further your education and good luck!!

Were you able to get the acceptance without taking ochem 1 + 2 + lab? Ive never seen that before, but it sounds awesome

 

[VelmaBoots]

Were you able to get the acceptance without taking ochem 1 + 2 + lab? Ive never seen that before, but it sounds awesome

Yes. You could look up WVUSoM if you’re curious - they have “suggested courses” for being a successful applicant but no specific class requirements. I paid for MSAR and found a few other med schools that also didn’t have specific pre-reqs (in case I had to reapply next cycle). It may not be common but it’s not unheard of.

 

[Ogbeniwilliams]

Hello all, I would like some advice if anyone knowledgeable wiling to offer. Im a ICU Nurse (currently working on my Critical care registered nurse or CCRN certification) and im thinking of changing careers into medicine. Every day i see residents do rounds and discuss patient care and it seems very very interesting and amazing to me and it feels like i should be there, with them. Not where i currently am, maybe i made a mistake not going sooner, but now i know for sure, and with that in mind i have recently realized that i should dedicate my life to medicine. And with that in mind i have a strong proclivity towards surgery, CT surgery in particular. I know its a very long and arduous process me being 31 years of age is not helping but i know this is what i want to do. However i am not 100% sold on becoming a surgeon maybe ICU pulm/crit is more for me, haven't totally made up my mind but one things for sure i want to go into medicine. Can someone please help? Direct me to a forum where i can read up on the whole application process? Offer some advice? Anything to help me get started? I also was told by my residents that surgery requires a lot of research and paper publications, IM MORE OF A HANDS ON GUY myself so research is not my strong suit, but mechanical skills im up there with the best bar none (nursing wise of course). Any advice or direction would help.

About me
im 31 male
3.1 nursing school gpa didn't really take it seriously just to pass
ICU nurse for 5 years worked through covid
no kids
been a nurse since 2017
i know a lot of doctors in my icu and even chair of medicine in my hospital who know my work and would probably be willing to write me letter of recommendation or attest to my work ethic.

PS. Ive been thinking about this for years, to be honest im a little nervous.

Thank you

Hey buddy,

I currently in the spot as you are except I'm a little younger than you are and already taking post back classes. You can DM me if you want to.