Hello everyone, I am trying to find the right thread to post this in, and I think this might be it as some of you are already physicians and have significant others who are nurses. A little bit of a background: top of my class in high school, went straight to UCLA-beginning of second year of undergrad, sister passes away from car accident, dad dies the next year of mi. Grades drop like crazy, especially the premed science grades. Anyway, I gather myself the last two years of UCLA, take LVN night classes during that time thinking my md days are over, become an LVN, get my BS in neuroscience, then go on to a year of RN. Become an RN, work, open my own business (home health), go back to school become an Adult NP, work some more, go back to school finish Critical Care NP certification. Here I am, contemplating medical school. I love what I do, I have helped save many lives, but I hunger for the sciences which I feel I didn't get as much in nursing or np school. I find myself going back to the books after an interesting case, reading the microbiology of what happened. But, I want that to be in the back of my mind always, like all MD students have when practicing (I'm assuming). I am considering CRNA (fascinated by anesthesiology since the first rotations in rn school). But, I might still feel inadequate and all my schooling might feel like a waste and leave me depressed wanting for more. I am 33 now, married to a loving, caring Dentist, and we have a 1 year old boy. Am i crazy for wanting medicine at this stage in my life? Will being a crna be mentally challenging and is it as respected as anesthesiology? I know if i go that route, I'll go all the way to dnap. But is that worth it? or should i go back and improve my science grade and give med school a shot. I am at a cross roads in my life, I really need sound guidance from the the tried and true. Thank you.
CRNA or MD?
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Looks like you have a long road either way. Either way your schedule to get where you are heading is going to be rough on you and your family. Have you shadowed CRNAs specifically? I suggest talking with them about job satisfaction and how stimulated they feel if that's what's really important to you.
I was in a similar boat feeling dissatisfied with nursing. It's very task oriented and I knew going on to be an NP would be frustrating bc of the training. I'm stoked I'll be going to med school in August even though I'm leaving a stable career with a good lifestyle.
The big difference is that you have a husband and a kid. So no, becoming a CRNA won't be as challenging and you probably won't be as respected as an anesthesiologist. But you also won't be able to get back those years with your family. I'm not harping on having a family while in school because people do it and make it work. If I were in your shoes, I'd really map out how long it would take to get into med school. To bring up your gpa, study for the MCAT and all that. Line the two routes side by side and have a long talk with your husband. I'm all for chasing your dream but I probably would have stuck with nursing and getting my NP if I already had children.
I was in a similar boat feeling dissatisfied with nursing. It's very task oriented and I knew going on to be an NP would be frustrating bc of the training. I'm stoked I'll be going to med school in August even though I'm leaving a stable career with a good lifestyle.
The big difference is that you have a husband and a kid. So no, becoming a CRNA won't be as challenging and you probably won't be as respected as an anesthesiologist. But you also won't be able to get back those years with your family. I'm not harping on having a family while in school because people do it and make it work. If I were in your shoes, I'd really map out how long it would take to get into med school. To bring up your gpa, study for the MCAT and all that. Line the two routes side by side and have a long talk with your husband. I'm all for chasing your dream but I probably would have stuck with nursing and getting my NP if I already had children.
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Doctor is a more challenging and skilled training than crna...
But you aren't asking that in a vaccum, you are a >30 mom with good income in the family who already has the nursing credentials/prereqs. If you c an handle not being the top dog, crna has some bonuses in terms of good pay by the hour but know the docs are frustrated with crna lobbys and there is tension.
I'm a >30 med student with kids, it's doable. But we had mediocre income prior and I had no health care license. In your situation, i don't know what I would have done but I'd have taken a good hard look at just staying an NP.
But you aren't asking that in a vaccum, you are a >30 mom with good income in the family who already has the nursing credentials/prereqs. If you c an handle not being the top dog, crna has some bonuses in terms of good pay by the hour but know the docs are frustrated with crna lobbys and there is tension.
I'm a >30 med student with kids, it's doable. But we had mediocre income prior and I had no health care license. In your situation, i don't know what I would have done but I'd have taken a good hard look at just staying an NP.
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Tuition only goes higher as the returns go lower. It's a much more risky investment for people, especially if you're starting 10 years later than everyone else. You can still be a fine NP while making sure to stay up on relevant literature
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This is a double-post. The best replies have already been given in the Anesthesia forum.
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