Career Change from nursing need help!

[hopefulRN1]

Hello,
I am a 23 year old male not a underrepresented minority who completed the BSN program in a state university in the Midwest. I am not really happy with nursing and I am thinking of going to medical field. There are lots of reasons I want to change to medicine. I love the medical field. I have nothing against nursing, but I do not think it is for me. I feel like I can endure the career, but if I do not go for medicine while I am still young, I will regret it. I graduated with a relatively low GPA considering medical school. Cumulative GPA of 3.35. With a little drop at 3rd year because of nursing school, new location, and couple family problems. However, I do really well in science courses and have a 3.6sGPA (I only have basic chemistry, anatomy and physiology, and basic microbiology.
1. I hope to get a job as a RN first to work and provide for my self. I am open to lots of places few places I have been thinking about is California(my home, but not lots of new grad RN jobs), Texas, Missouri, Illinois, Florida, Washington. Then, I hope to do DIY post bacc and get the rest of my pre requisite done in 4 year university in about year or two. Hopefully this will raise my cGPA to around 3.5 and do well in MCAT. What do you guys think of this plan? Is formal post bacc a better plan? (Do I even have a chance for post bacc programs?)
2. Do I have a chance with my story and chance? worried about my cGPA.
3. I am still new to DIY post bacc. Do I go to a 4 year university as a non degree seeking student? Can I even get classes or take more than 8 credit? or do I apply for second bachelor and not finish the degree?
4. What would you do in my situation?
5. any nurses who went to medical field?

Thank you so much for your input!

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[RNthenDoc]

I was in a similar spot.

All you need to do is ace your prerequisite courses and nail the MCAT.

Your GPA needs to skyrocket... My advice would be to work and take the perquisites as slowly as you need, ensuring you get all A's.

Find a nursing job you love or can at least tolerate... Pay off all debt and save money for medical school.

At least, that's where I'm at (I start med in 2018).

 

[hopefulRN1]

Thank you so much for your input! Did you do the DIY method instead of a traditional formal post bacc? I know I am really hoping that the GPA does, but I am definitely better and enjoy science more than a lot of my nursing courses. I like many people tend to do so much better when I enjoy the course. Also, how long did it take you to go from RN to medical school? Really love to see another nurse going to become a doctor!
Thank you!!!

 

[RNthenDoc]

I did DIY because of a lack of local postbacc, and because there is a very good University nearby that has a great premed setup. Took a couple of years to knock out all of the classes, but I wanted to have a certain amount of years of nursing before moving on.

<2 years of nursing is really not even enough to draw on experience, and I didn't even begin to feel confident until >5 years. Obviously everyone is different, and a lot depends on where you are practicing, but I wanted to go slow and be sure I was making the correct decision. I was also able to save a decent amount of money to help pay for medical school, and my job provided a little bit of tuition assistance. In my state, premed also counts as RN CEUs, so that was nice.

I am very excited to start didactic medical school as well!

If you already know for sure that this is what you want then you may want to go faster, but I am very glad that I was methodical and slow in my process. I feel ready now, and I did *not* as a new grad. Medical school is too big a commitment to enter lightly.

And... Being an RN is a monumental task. Learning to do so artfully is invaluable, and I credit my abilities as a nurse for my 4 II's/ability to interview/confidence in my future. After running enough ACLS codes, code strokes, deaths, rapid responses.... Eventually you gain a little perspective and for me it was a big help.

Your mileage may vary, and you may be a lot smarter than I and able to take Physics/Ochem/Biochem all at once. That wouldn't have been a good idea for me in conjunction with work.

 

[wholeheartedly]

Hi, welcome. There are a lot people on the nurse to MD/DO path in the nontrad forum. There are also a lot of threads with helpful info on the topic if you do a search and look around a bit.

Here's one example:
RN to MD Progress/Support Thread

I'm not a nurse so I don't have a ton to offer except that if you're flexible about where you live, Texasis a really good place to be a resident of if you're applying to medical school. They have lots of schools, low tuition and their own state application system.

 

[calivianya]

I'm not a nurse so I don't have a ton to offer except that if you're flexible about where you live, Texasis a really good place to be a resident of if you're applying to medical school. They have lots of schools, low tuition and their own state application system.

Texas is also a good place to be a nurse. Decent pay for the cost of living, according to several nurse friends who live there.

I see Florida is on your list - many places in Florida have low wages and high ratios. It's generally considered to be a bad place to work as a nurse. However, Florida has many med schools, six of which are public/state schools and tend to have an in-state bias. It's a lucky place to be applying to med school as a resident.

California is a fantastic place to work as a nurse, if you can get a job. They are the only state in the US with legally mandated nurse/patient ratios. Working in California would be so, so much better than working anywhere else... assuming you can get a job, and that's a big hurdle. However, it's a bad place to be a resident of when applying to med schools. Most of its med schools take a lot of OOS students.

I don't know much about your other states, but of the three above, Texas would probably be your best bet for both a good nursing career with a decent ability to save money and an edge with getting into med school. Florida would be a close second, and I'd avoid California altogether.

 

[Blanky]

Can you work for a year to set up instate for Texas, then sign up as a bio major take the prereqs and then drop the major?
Florida isnt usually considered a lucky state from posts ive read.

 

[rbnsafsadgf]

Why not do NP? You say you have nothing against nursing.

 

[hopefulRN1]

I did DIY because of a lack of local postbacc, and because there is a very good University nearby that has a great premed setup. Took a couple of years to knock out all of the classes, but I wanted to have a certain amount of years of nursing before moving on.

<2 years of nursing is really not even enough to draw on experience, and I didn't even begin to feel confident until >5 years. Obviously everyone is different, and a lot depends on where you are practicing, but I wanted to go slow and be sure I was making the correct decision. I was also able to save a decent amount of money to help pay for medical school, and my job provided a little bit of tuition assistance. In my state, premed also counts as RN CEUs, so that was nice.

I am very excited to start didactic medical school as well!

If you already know for sure that this is what you want then you may want to go faster, but I am very glad that I was methodical and slow in my process. I feel ready now, and I did *not* as a new grad. Medical school is too big a commitment to enter lightly.

And... Being an RN is a monumental task. Learning to do so artfully is invaluable, and I credit my abilities as a nurse for my 4 II's/ability to interview/confidence in my future. After running enough ACLS codes, code strokes, deaths, rapid responses.... Eventually you gain a little perspective and for me it was a big help.

Your mileage may vary, and you may be a lot smarter than I and able to take Physics/Ochem/Biochem all at once. That wouldn't have been a good idea for me in conjunction with work.

Thank you again for your post! Congratulations on getting accepted into medical school after such a hard time working and schooling in the nursing world! I do agree going slow is an option. Thanks again if you have any other suggestions please let me know!

 

[hopefulRN1]

Hi, welcome. There are a lot people on the nurse to MD/DO path in the nontrad forum. There are also a lot of threads with helpful info on the topic if you do a search and look around a bit.

Here's one example:
RN to MD Progress/Support Thread

I'm not a nurse so I don't have a ton to offer except that if you're flexible about where you live, Texasis a really good place to be a resident of if you're applying to medical school. They have lots of schools, low tuition and their own state application system.

Thank you so much for that thread that helps me so much! I have seen that as Texas is a great place for me I am looking into that state as I replay! If you have any other suggestions please let me know anything about the GPA will help so much! Thank you!

 

[hopefulRN1]

Texas is also a good place to be a nurse. Decent pay for the cost of living, according to several nurse friends who live there.

I see Florida is on your list - many places in Florida have low wages and high ratios. It's generally considered to be a bad place to work as a nurse. However, Florida has many med schools, six of which are public/state schools and tend to have an in-state bias. It's a lucky place to be applying to med school as a resident.

California is a fantastic place to work as a nurse, if you can get a job. They are the only state in the US with legally mandated nurse/patient ratios. Working in California would be so, so much better than working anywhere else... assuming you can get a job, and that's a big hurdle. However, it's a bad place to be a resident of when applying to med schools. Most of its med schools take a lot of OOS students.

I don't know much about your other states, but of the three above, Texas would probably be your best bet for both a good nursing career with a decent ability to save money and an edge with getting into med school. Florida would be a close second, and I'd avoid California altogether.

Yes I see what you mean. I am very aware of the situation of California and I do not think I will be going in there despite my eagerness to go home for my hopeful medical career. I think I will look into Florida. I as a new grad nurse am hopeful I will get a job somewhere in Texas, Florida, or Midwest states who favor in state application for my future hopeful medical career as that is my number one priority at this moment.
Thank you so much for your reply any more suggestions would be appreciated especially anything about my GPA or my plan in general if I am reaching or not, or any suggestions for DIY or post bacc in my current situation .

 

[hopefulRN1]

Can you work for a year to set up instate for Texas, then sign up as a bio major take the prereqs and then drop the major?
Florida isnt usually considered a lucky state from posts ive read.

Thank you so much for your reply! I am planning on doing that regardless of the state I am going to be working in! I do have Texas as one of my top choices. Do you think that is the best choice? The DIY method instead of formal post bacc? Any other suggestions would be appreciated especially anything about my GPA. thank you!

 

[calivianya]

Yes I see what you mean. I am very aware of the situation of California and I do not think I will be going in there despite my eagerness to go home for my hopeful medical career. I think I will look into Florida. I as a new grad nurse am hopeful I will get a job somewhere in Texas, Florida, or Midwest states who favor in state application for my future hopeful medical career as that is my number one priority at this moment.
Thank you so much for your reply any more suggestions would be appreciated especially anything about my GPA or my plan in general if I am reaching or not, or any suggestions for DIY or post bacc in my current situation .

You know the GPA needs work, and your plan sounds good.

The only things I'd add are make sure you do research during your post-bacc and do some community service, starting right now, so you'll have significant hours by the time you apply. A lot of adcoms look at nursing like any other job, it seems, and even if you work 60+ hours a week and make it a point to be extra compassionate and hold people's hands while they're dying, the adcoms are still going to ask you where your community service is. Make sure you have some... don't just get lost in working and going to school.

 

[hopefulRN1]

Why not do NP? You say you have nothing against nursing.

Thank you so much for your reply! I have been considering NP as well as PA. However, I like the scope of practice which doctors have. Also, the fact that doctors have so much more knowledge(not saying NPs have none) and I just think doctor is a better fit for me. I like the autonomy, science, as well as the benefit regarding the science instead of so much art in nursing. However, I am still considering NP and PA because of my background. any other suggestions would be so much helpful!
Thank you again!

 

[rbnsafsadgf]

Thank you so much for your reply! I have been considering NP as well as PA. However, I like the scope of practice which doctors have. Also, the fact that doctors have so much more knowledge(not saying NPs have none) and I just think doctor is a better fit for me. I like the autonomy, science, as well as the benefit regarding the science instead of so much art in nursing. However, I am still considering NP and PA because of my background. any other suggestions would be so much helpful!
Thank you again!

There's a big opportunity cost of going to medical school and residency, even after the pre-reqs. With NP, you probably already have most of the pre-reqs, and could working during school as a RN. You can do a lot with NP. Just saying that giving up 5ish years of a three figure NP salary is high cost because of "like" and "fit" to do med school and residency. Do you like the practice of medicine $500k worth? this isn't even counting the debt.

 

[Blanky]

Thank you so much for your reply! I am planning on doing that regardless of the state I am going to be working in! I do have Texas as one of my top choices. Do you think that is the best choice? The DIY method instead of formal post bacc? Any other suggestions would be appreciated especially anything about my GPA. thank you!

Texas schools prefer Texas applicants AND they have scary cheap tuition prices which could save you mountains of debt in the long run.

 

[flightnurse2MD]

Hello,
I am a 23 year old male not a underrepresented minority who completed the BSN program in a state university in the Midwest. I am not really happy with nursing and I am thinking of going to medical field. There are lots of reasons I want to change to medicine. I love the medical field. I have nothing against nursing, but I do not think it is for me. I feel like I can endure the career, but if I do not go for medicine while I am still young, I will regret it. I graduated with a relatively low GPA considering medical school. Cumulative GPA of 3.35. With a little drop at 3rd year because of nursing school, new location, and couple family problems. However, I do really well in science courses and have a 3.6sGPA (I only have basic chemistry, anatomy and physiology, and basic microbiology.
1. I hope to get a job as a RN first to work and provide for my self. I am open to lots of places few places I have been thinking about is California(my home, but not lots of new grad RN jobs), Texas, Missouri, Illinois, Florida, Washington. Then, I hope to do DIY post bacc and get the rest of my pre requisite done in 4 year university in about year or two. Hopefully this will raise my cGPA to around 3.5 and do well in MCAT. What do you guys think of this plan? Is formal post bacc a better plan? (Do I even have a chance for post bacc programs?)
2. Do I have a chance with my story and chance? worried about my cGPA.
3. I am still new to DIY post bacc. Do I go to a 4 year university as a non degree seeking student? Can I even get classes or take more than 8 credit? or do I apply for second bachelor and not finish the degree?
4. What would you do in my situation?
5. any nurses who went to medical field?

Thank you so much for your input!

Here is a link to a youtube video I did awhile back detailing what I did to set myself up for a medical school application. Good luck!