BSN vs. Biomedical Sciences

[Chrism611]

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I am currently a high school senior planning on going to the University of South Alabama in the Fall.

I have volunteered and shadowed in many different specialties and am going to pursue a career in medicine. I like the nursing role in medicine, but I do not like the privilege difference. My goal is to become a physician.

I have been accepted to USA's Pre acceptance nursing program. I was wondering if I should do that and use it as my undergrad for medical school, with med school prerequisites of course, or just do Biomedical Sciences? I have enjoyed my experience in the medical field so far, and thought that with my background I would possibly enjoy the nursing route more because I would probably get more hands on experience than I would with Biomedical sciences.

Which of the two would prepare me better for med school acceptance?

Thank you for your time.

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

Okay, so I have a BS in Biomedical Sciences, and it included every single prereq for med school. A BSN does not cover the courses that a biomed degree does, however, it gets you a better paying job and clinical experience if you don't go to med school straight out of college. My personal opinion is if you can make the BSN work and add in the required prereqs do that, the job potential is waaaay better if you take a year or two off...

 

[CeeEstee0]

Only qualm about the BSN: LizzyM has said that Nurses are (percentage wise) the least likely profession to be accepted into medical school. I would go for BioMedical Science.

 

[LizzyM]

Nurses don't have the best track record when it comes to being admitted to medical school.

Some of the reasons that being a nursing major and pre-med at the same time is a bad idea:

1. The courses nurses take in biology and chemistry are not always as rigorous as the classes that pre-meds take in those subjects
2. Nursing courses include many "nursing labs" that can be a time sink.
3. Nursing classes can be graded harshly and kill your gpa.
4. The way nurses are taught to think about patients and illness are different than medicine and can be frustrating (or infuriating) for someone attracted to medicine as a career.

If you want to alleviate a patient's symptoms and keep them comfortable as they heal, then be a nurse. If you want to know why a patient is having symptoms and want to direct the treatment plan, become a doctor.

If you have some doubts about your ability to become a physician (keep in mind that less than 50% of those who apply are admitted) and if you want to receive training that will lead to a job after college graduation, then nursing may be a good choice. If you graduated at the top of your class in HS, have good study habits and time management skills and think that you could manage a A- average in college, then major in anything you find interesting and add in the pre-med requirements.

You'll get plenty of hands on training on the road to being a physician, you'll just get it years later than you would in nursing school. Can you delay the gratification of working directly with patients for the "status" of being a physician rather than a nurse?

 

[Chrism611]

I think I will do Biomedical no question then. I thought I could work out the pre reqs in nursing, but since they are the least likely to be accepted to medical school I think I will go the Biomedical route.

Thank you for the helpful information and answers.