Current nursing student now realizing M.D. is the right path, where to go from here?

[Sdonal]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I am currently in an associate degree nursing program at my local CC, where I have a 3.5 GPA. Long story short, I messed up my first semester (got into a bad car accident and stop going to classes because I was scared to drive) and had a 1.8 GPA, which still is bringing down my GPA that without that semester should be between a 3.7-3.85. In that first semester, I had considered being a bio major and then medical school, but I had not done well in high school- skipped classes, NEVER did anything, and because of that, I did not have confidence in my academic abilities. After a semester of taking classes, putting effort in and seeing my true abilities, I started to think about where I wanted to go. I knew I had a natural knack for science (even through my high school days of not caring and little effort I still was in honors chem and physics with A's in both) and an interest in how the body worked. I always found myself wanting to know the "why" and "how" of our body functions and I thought nursing school could whet my appetite for that, so I decided to go in that direction. Now, I am two semesters away from graduating. My clinicals are at a teaching hospital, so there are a lot of residents, and I always find myself trying to listen into their conversations and rounds. I look at them and think "that is what I want to do". I find myself in school always wanting to go deeper into the information then nursing goes. I want to know exactly how a medication works on the body, not just that it lowers bp, but how. Why is this bp med good for this patient as opposed to another one? Why are we using this antibiotic as opposed to another one? I just want a deeper understanding of everything that nursing school won't provide, and I think my thought processes tend to be more toward the medical model and not the nursing model. I now have the confidence in myself to say that I could do well as a medical student. So my question to all of you is, where do I go from here? There are so many posts here about how nursing is not a preferred major for medical school admissions, did I screw myself by going the nursing route first?

I am thinking of possibly finishing my BSN in an RN-BSN program, while taking the pre-med courses, so my schedule would look something like this:
fall 16:nursing course + chem 1
summer 17: statistics + chem 2
fall 17: nursing BSN courses + bio 1 + another math
spring 18 : nursing BSN courses + bio 2 + physics 1
summer 18: nursing BSN courses + physics 2

Hospitals by me do not hire associate degree nurses without being enrolled in an RN-BSN program, so this would allow me to work at a hospital and make some money to put aside for school while I am taking these courses.
OR would it be better if I just get my associates, then switch over to a Bio or Chem Bachelor's degree?
I guess that would look something like:
summer 17: statistics, chem 1, bio 1, history
fall 17:another math, chem 2, physics 1, language class
spring 18: bio 2, physics 2, second language class

I am looking for your opinion on what would look better from an admissions standpoint, thank you for your time! Also, just for reference I am a 20 year old female.

 

[esob]

The problem I see is that usually health profession degree plans include health profession classes (BSN) and university core (history x2, govt x2, etc). So, in order to get your BSN you will already be taking a full load and generally the premed prereqs like physics/chem/bio are not part of either the university core nor the health profession track; otherwise, everyone would be silly to not just take a health profession track as a premed option so you have something to fall back on.

So for example. your class schedule would be more like:

Fall 16: 2x BSN courses, 2x university core requirements (SPAN 1020 and POLI 1050 for example) AND chem 1.

Now you are looking at taking 5 - 6 classes per semester plus checking boxes (shadowing, volunteering, etc) plus working and you have already admitted you are not a rockstar student under normal circumstances, so this schedule is sure to crush your gpa. Premed is really an all or nothing venture; you're either all in or your not. If you truly want your BSN first, you had better plan on doing a post bac.

 

[FCMike11]

Admissions standpoint? They don't care (for the most part). The experience will be fantastic working as a nurse. Just rock your pre-reqs and you MCAT and they will not question your decision (worked for me). Have a good reason why you are leaving one healthcare profession for another(my reasons are very similar to yours).

I dont see orgo or biochemistry in your classes, but you will need them.

My piece of advice: start getting to know professors early on. I didnt do that and got lucky near thr end that the two profs I did just happen to click with said yes to writing my LORs (orgo and biochemistry professor). I dont think you will need to shadow, necessarily (i did maybe 30 hrs total and forgot to list it) as a nurse, ive been accepted. Just make sure you get to know one for a LOR as well (DO wouldnt hurt to cover yourself for both admissions).

Ive worked for 5+ years as an RN and it was been extremely rewarding working with patients. It also has provided a means to supporting my family. I've had some very good conversations with my interviewers about patient experiences that i think have helped.

Just keep your head up and chugging along, I remember being in your exact position...

http://www-forums.studentdoctor.net/index.php?threads/851620/
RN Going to Med school

Sent from my Nexus 6P using SDN mobile

 

[FCMike11]

The problem I see is that usually health profession degree plans include health profession classes (BSN) and university core (history x2, govt x2, etc). So, in order to get your BSN you will already be taking a full load and generally the premed prereqs like physics/chem/bio are not part of either the university core nor the health profession track; otherwise, everyone would be silly to not just take a health profession track as a premed option so you have something to fall back on.

So for example. your class schedule would be more like:

Fall 16: 2x BSN courses, 2x university core requirements (SPAN 1020 and POLI 1050 for example) AND chem 1.

Now you are looking at taking 5 - 6 classes per semester plus checking boxes (shadowing, volunteering, etc) plus working and you have already admitted you are not a rockstar student under normal circumstances, so this schedule is sure to crush your gpa. Premed is really an all or nothing venture; you're either all in or your not. If you truly want your BSN first, you had better plan on doing a post bac.

I completed my BSN at a much later date (just over the past year) and trying mix other classes while doing clinicals/med surg doesn't work (as you've pointed out - the curriculum is set). However, if you do an RN-BSN program after your ADN (as OP is) its incredibly flexible (i took ~6 hrs of nursing a semester and 6-10 hrs of my pre-med sciences). Of course that's depending on the program. Texas Tech's BSN program is definitelt at your pace.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using SDN mobile

 

[Sdonal]

The problem I see is that usually health profession degree plans include health profession classes (BSN) and university core (history x2, govt x2, etc). So, in order to get your BSN you will already be taking a full load and generally the premed prereqs like physics/chem/bio are not part of either the university core nor the health profession track; otherwise, everyone would be silly to not just take a health profession track as a premed option so you have something to fall back on.

So for example. your class schedule would be more like:

Fall 16: 2x BSN courses, 2x university core requirements (SPAN 1020 and POLI 1050 for example) AND chem 1.

Now you are looking at taking 5 - 6 classes per semester plus checking boxes (shadowing, volunteering, etc) plus working and you have already admitted you are not a rockstar student under normal circumstances, so this schedule is sure to crush your gpa. Premed is really an all or nothing venture; you're either all in or your not. If you truly want your BSN first, you had better plan on doing a post bac.

I think you misunderstood what I was saying as far as my academic record, I WAS a less than stellar student, but I do have the potential and have done very well in my classes since then (B+ has been my lowest grade since my first semester) , and my program has a 30% graduation rate, so that is well above the average. I do see what you are saying, I think I did underestimate the amount of classes I would be taking after I graduate and it could be too much at once with me working as well.

 

[Sdonal]

Admissions standpoint? They don't care (for the most part). The experience will be fantastic working as a nurse. Just rock your pre-reqs and you MCAT and they will not question your decision (worked for me). Have a good reason why you are leaving one healthcare profession for another(my reasons are very similar to yours).

I dont see orgo or biochemistry in your classes, but you will need them.

My piece of advice: start getting to know professors early on. I didnt do that and got lucky near thr end that the two profs I did just happen to click with said yes to writing my LORs (orgo and biochemistry professor). I dont think you will need to shadow, necessarily (i did maybe 30 hrs total and forgot to list it) as a nurse, ive been accepted. Just make sure you get to know one for a LOR as well (DO wouldnt hurt to cover yourself for both admissions).

Ive worked for 5+ years as an RN and it was been extremely rewarding working with patients. It also has provided a means to supporting my family. I've had some very good conversations with my interviewers about patient experiences that i think have helped.

Just keep your head up and chugging along, I remember being in your exact position...

http://www-forums.studentdoctor.net/index.php?threads/851620/
RN Going to Med school

Sent from my Nexus 6P using SDN mobile

Thank you for replying. I also found a lot of similarities in your post with the way I have been thinking. The RN-BSN program I would be entering would also be extremely flexible. How long did it take you to finish your med school pre-reqs plus your BSN?

 

[FCMike11]

Thank you for replying. I also found a lot of similarities in your post with the way I have been thinking. The RN-BSN program I would be entering would also be extremely flexible. How long did it take you to finish your med school pre-reqs plus your BSN?

It took me much longer than necessary, but I was prioritizing my kids as well. I graduated my ADN program May 2011 and will matriculate into medical school August 2017. I didn't start gen chem 1/bio1 until Fall 2012.
Took me a bit to come to this conclusion and really commit. Space them simultaneously in my opinion so you (bsn while pre-med) so you finish your bachelor's and take the MCAT at the same time. Dont want to end up waiting to apply because your bachelor's will not be completed.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using SDN mobile

 

[Tardis42]

So whats the consensus here? I'm an RN in my last semester of my BSN in a very similar boat. I have an OK GPA from my initial college experience. Once I switched to nursing my GPA was 3.5+. just a few bad grades prior to that point. I plan on doing a post bacc to continue to bring up my GPA and take the few classes I'm missing

 

[precisiongraphic]

So whats the consensus here? I'm an RN in my last semester of my BSN in a very similar boat. I have an OK GPA from my initial college experience. Once I switched to nursing my GPA was 3.5+. just a few bad grades prior to that point. I plan on doing a post bacc to continue to bring up my GPA and take the few classes I'm missing

If you're in your last semester finish strong. As @Goro and @gonnif have said, med schools don't like RNs who graduate and immediately apply to med school as it implies flightiness.

Next:
1) take and pass NCLEX -
2) get a job
3) start shadowing doctors (if you haven't already) in a different area than your job e.g. ENT clinic if you work ICU or ER
4) start volunteering if you haven't already
5) finish pre-reqs while working - your hospital may even pay your tuition
6) take MCAT - do it once and do it right
7) write your Personal statement
8) apply and prewrite your secondaries
9) continue to work

 

[Tardis42]

If you're in your last semester finish strong. As @Goro and @gonnif have said, med schools don't like RNs who graduate and immediately apply to med school as it implies flightiness.

Next:
1) take and pass NCLEX -
2) get a job
3) start shadowing doctors (if you haven't already) in a different area than your job e.g. ENT clinic if you work ICU or ER
4) start volunteering if you haven't already
5) finish pre-reqs while working - your hospital may even pay your tuition
6) take MCAT - do it once and do it right
7) write your Personal statement
8) apply and prewrite your secondaries
9) continue to work

I already have passed my NCLEX. Went the long way, ADN to BSN. Getting my BSN so that I can get a better paying job, AKA hospital job. Already working in the field, just at a SNF. I already volunteer. I'm a volunteer EMT. Plus a couple other things. Got to do the shadowing and finish up the last few pre reqs then steps 6-9!

 

[precisiongraphic]

I already have passed my NCLEX. Went the long way, ADN to BSN. Getting my BSN so that I can get a better paying job, AKA hospital job. Already working in the field, just at a SNF. I already volunteer. I'm a volunteer EMT. Plus a couple other things. Got to do the shadowing and finish up the last few pre reqs then steps 6-9!

Sorry, reading comprehension failure on my part - I assumed you were in the same position as OP above. When you finish your pre-requisite classes, you'll have a ton of good experience plus volunteering and shadowing. Good luck!