Conflicted over med school or PhD

[jbeau06]

Hi all. I am having a personal conflict right now and I figured getting some fresh new perspective on it from people that don't know me and thus won't have a bias would be helpful.

I currently work as a nurse practitioner in family practice. I have been accepted to a PhD in nursing program to start in the fall, which is great, but I am conflicted over if that is the route I'd want to take rather than completing the rest of my prerequisites and going to med school. I've only been an NP for a year, but I find myself with a strong desire to know more. I have multiple med school textbooks that I've bought and read as I've had many friends in med school and I found their texts engaging.

I guess what it boils down to is time to complete either, and potentially debt. I do have debt from my undergrad and graduate programs that are easily managed on my current salary. I've only completed two semesters of general biology as far as prerequisites go, so I'd have to do the chemistry and physics sequences as well (I've done calculus/statistics already). My graduate GPA was 3.8 or so, and my science GPA is about a 3.7, and I've taken graduate level biology classes and pharmacology.

If I go the med school route, I'd have to take my prerequisites at a community college here in Chicago as UIC does not offer night classes, and other schools are cost prohibitive (I am supporting myself and my partner on my salary). What do you all think? Would it be worth it to start finishing prereqs this summer and apply for 2016 or 2017? I feel like even if I go the PhD route and focus on a physiological area of research, it won't advance me clinically in any way or give me more responsibilities or greater autonomy in practice, and I find myself drawn to things such as surgery/transplant medicine which as an NP are fairly difficult to do. Thoughts?

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[QofQuimica]

I'd suggest specializing as an NP or changing jobs rather than getting a PhD or going to med school. A PhD is only useful if you want to do research or teach, which it doesn't sound like you're looking to do. And you already have the majority of the knowledge you need to be able to practice medicine.

Maybe it's just your specialty or your specific job that has you in a rut. If it's FM you don't like, then see about getting into another specialty. They have NPs on all of the surgery teams at the main hospital where I did my residency, including bariatric, trauma surg, even freaking neurosurgery. Alternatively, even if you stay in FM, consider changing venues and working as an NP at a teaching hospital instead of in the community. In order to teach students and other trainees, you will really be pushed to keep up with and expand your own knowledge base, and you will be working with people who are doing cutting edge research in your area.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

PhD is a waste of time unless you know you want to be some kind of researcher. If I were you, I'd stay with the NP and look at working in an academic center where science is all around you.

If you want to specialize in NP, I assure you it is easier than prerequisites, medical school and then residency.

 

[allojay]

My question is why the change from NP to Medicine? I'm not being negative in anyway, i just want to see your intentions.

 

[wholeheartedly]

Agree with above. You don't need the PhD unless you want to teach or do research. As far as MD, well you don't need the medical degree to be a lifelong learner of medical science, especially when you have a foundation already. If you want access to a different specialty, then try moving that way as Q suggested. You could also try to attend some educational conferences, or do continuing Ed stuff that will give you the chance to learn something new and stretch your brain a bit.

if changing specialties isn't easy, then maybe shifting into another role, or like mentioned, moving to an academic environment, might be the change you need. I work as a clinical lab scientist doing diagnostic testing and was getting a bit bored in my role. I applied for a promotion position, one I hadn't really even had on my radar, and I'm really enjoying it so far. Instead of running tests and fixing analyzers and investigating weird results, I'm working on projects to evaluate and implement new diagnostic tests. I get to dig into the literature, learn more about different disease and treatment processes, do studies on the assays, manage projects, collaborate a ton with other departments, go to research and development forums. It was just the change I needed. I am loving going to work again.

A friend in my lab just became our quality specialist. A friend in my old lab just became an education specialist and gets to oversee the training of students, new employees, and do some stuff with med students and residents.

There are lots of roles for NPs where I am,so I'm sure you could find a way to shift into quality or education if that's an interest. We have some assisting with doing clinical research type stuff, which might be good for someone with your curiosity. Just look around at big places and see what's out there. Sometimes your perfect fit s something you didn't even know existed.

 

[Rocketdog]

Perhaps you are motivated to know as "much as possible" in medicine? With your credentials and previous experience, you would make an excellent MD / DO candidate (barring anything you haven't shared here)

Maybe you want to make more $$? You spoke about time and debt. I wouldn't worry about either. The streets of America aren't filled with wondering bankrupt Doctors who can't afford their tuition payments! Debt is a fact of life for most people in this country. Responsibly handling your debt is what makes a person a decent member of society or a burden.

If you are near 70 years old NOW...I'd say keep doing what you are doing. Less in age?.......GO FOR IT!!!!!.....Doctors that used to be nurses know "both" sides of patient care.
I have no idea if you could handle medical school....only you can answer that question. If you have the aptitude for advanced graduate level medial training then you would be a great addition to the profession.

Just my humble .02

Robert

 

[jbeau06]

Thanks rocketdog for the support.

The notion of specializing as an NP is good in theory, but again, I will only ever be a "perpetual resident" as an NP and never an attending or major decision maker, and that part does not seem appealing to me. While being an NP definitely offers flexibility in terms of specialty, I'd never be able to be anything other than a first assist if I wanted to do surgery, and while you can be a lifelong learner, I'd rather have the rigorous academic preparation that comes with physician education backing up my learning rather than only a background in nursing. Plus, it is not that easy to transition specialties as an NP when most job postings want specific experience in that area and if you lack it, you aren't even considered.

 

[deleted480308]

I interviewed at a med school with a phd faculty. He said he went phd (nuero) when he realized he could only help "x" number of people in surgery since it would be one at a time. He compared that to research where a significant finding could change millions of lives and he went phd.

I'm still going med, but he seemed happy.

 

[QofQuimica]

You do realize, right, that everyone you talk to about this is going to have a bias. Most people on this forum are premeds who are head-over-heels gung-ho about going into medicine and will tell you to go for it. They see you as a fellow traveler on the yellow brick road to physician-dom, even though you really aren't because you're already living in the Emerald City. My bias, as a career-changer who is at the tail end of residency, is that going to med school as an NP is beyond insane. Like, lock you up in a straightjacket, commit you to the inpatient psych ward insane. On some level, you know this, and that's why you're here asking for "advice."

All of that being said, if you've made the decision to pursue insanity, then don't do it half-a**ed. Start slowly, try to get As in each of your prereqs, prepare properly for the MCAT, be ready to explain why you want to make the switch both on your essays and at your interviews, apply early and strategically. It's important to do things right the first time so that you can assemble the most competitive app possible.

And BTW, every time I see/hear someone talk about the "rigor" of medical education, I want to puke. I've been a real scientist. What we learn and do in medicine ain't science. :-/

 

[LupaCupcake]

This one is easy for me to give a reply. What do you WANT? Stop thinking about money, time, what is easier etc etc......forget all of that for a moment. In your heart, what do you really want? What will make you happy and inspire you? If you say med school then that is your answer. Go for it and make it happen.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

I interviewed at a med school with a phd faculty. He said he went phd (nuero) when he realized he could only help "x" number of people in surgery since it would be one at a time. He compared that to research where a significant finding could change millions of lives and he went phd.

I'm still going med, but he seemed happy.

But 99.999% of researchers don't accomplish that whereas 100% of surgeons get to operate and do research on the side if they want to.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

What we learn and do in medicine ain't science. :-/

Elaborate please.

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

And BTW, every time I see/hear someone talk about the "rigor" of medical education, I want to puke. I've been a real scientist. What we learn and do in medicine ain't science. :-/

I personally took his comment to be talking about MS1 and MS2. The basic science stuff that is missing in his nursing background. OP could you clarify?

Edit: Apologies OP

 

[jbeau06]

Well first, I'm a him haha. I was referring to that, yes. Also, the rotations and residency and potentially a fellowship after residency all really appeal to me as well. I've been thinking about it a lot and I know that if I don't at least try the med school route, I am going to be 80 and wondering "what if?"