Help a med school dropout

[smon79993]

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[wolfvgang22]

I doubt anyone is going to look down on you. Med school pressure isn't for everyone, and that's ok. Obviously you are intelligent and capable and I'm sure you will be an excellent PMHNP, whether you get into Vanderbilt or somewhere else. You got into med school and through 2 semesters plus of that, so you can do it. In regards to the program itself, we aren't going to know much about nursing programs in the psych forum. Maybe check on nursing forum?

 

[DrNotaDr]

Hi everyone,

I just made this account but I've been active on this forum for over 8 years. I withdrew from med during 3rd semester due to anxiety (W's for that semester but ~B average for med school overall). While in med school I saw friends fail things like Step 1, Step 2 CS, or not match and have to SOAP. In med school I had trouble sleeping occasionally. Then during my 3rd semester the trouble sleeping became severe anxiety as I kept having unwanted thoughts of not matching.

I think one of the main causes of my anxiety was the fear of just accumulating all this debt with there being a possibility of not matching. I know this is a very neurotic way of thinking and at the time of my panic (kept ruminating over not matching) I KNEW that my thoughts were irrational. However, it caused me such great anxiety that I was unable to study and focus. I spoke with school admins, a therapist and family and decided that it was best to withdraw. Since then I saw a psychiatrist but my anxiety has subsided since leaving school.

Now I am doing an ABSN and I would like to be a PMHNP. The thing about nursing is that there are no HUGE tests that your career depends on. The NCLEX is something most nurses easily pass so my anxiety here is very low. My grades in my program are good right now (above a 3.8). I know you guys are mostly residents, that probably don't know much about nursing, but out of desperation I am looking for some advice on my chances of being a PMHNP. I'm assuming you guys might know something about getting into PMHNP programs. I remember SDN was a huge asset when I applied to med school.

If I do well in my ABSN will I have a good shot of getting into a PMHNP program? I know as a pre-med/med student I always looked down on nursing programs being super easy to get into. I hope that is the case for PMHNP. However, from looking at the grades of PMHNP students at Vanderbilt (my #1 pick cuz its only 1 year for the MSN), it seems competitive. Will they look down on me/reject me for being a former med student?

Likely they will look up to you and come to you with questions knowing that you were in med school. I can't imagine you being looked down on. Nursing school is as much about socialization as education, embrace that aspect and you will excel. Likely the more success you have in the nursing route, the less anxiety you will have. Knowing that you can retake your boards will help quite a bit. PMHNP make good money and have a good quality of life. Good luck.

 

[pamac]

You’ll do fine. With the knowlege you bring with you from the portion of medical school that you attended, you’ll probably find you have a lot more insight than many of your peers. Even without that, I’m sure you’d do well. Just get through nursing school, and then get your first nursing job in psyche. Nursing school sucks because nursing instructors tend to be a bit neurotic. They treat it like boot camp vs making it an academic pursuit. Once you get through your BsN, all that nonsense is behind you. PMHNP school will be a lot better and more respectful towards you. Not a lot of mind games unless you are unlucky and find a rare professor that is a punk. I probably had one and a half of those kinds of folks in all of grad school.

Being a PMHNP is great. Money is good. The workload isn’t bad. The debt wasn’t terrible. The work can be fun depending on how you approach it. If a PMHNP hates the job itself, then a lot of that comes down to how they handle themselves. I’m very satisfied with my career, and I’m fairly new to it. I practice in an independent practice state, and don’t have a supervising physician, although I work alongside doctors. I’ve never encountered any disrespect, but I’ve also never looked for it. I go to work, go to my meetings, see my patients, and mind my own business.

 

[smon79993]

You’ll do fine. With the knowlege you bring with you from the portion of medical school that you attended, you’ll probably find you have a lot more insight than many of your peers. Even without that, I’m sure you’d do well. Just get through nursing school, and then get your first nursing job in psyche. Nursing school sucks because nursing instructors tend to be a bit neurotic. They treat it like boot camp vs making it an academic pursuit. Once you get through your BsN, all that nonsense is behind you. PMHNP school will be a lot better and more respectful towards you. Not a lot of mind games unless you are unlucky and find a rare professor that is a punk. I probably had one and a half of those kinds of folks in all of grad school.

Being a PMHNP is great. Money is good. The workload isn’t bad. The debt wasn’t terrible. The work can be fun depending on how you approach it. If a PMHNP hates the job itself, then a lot of that comes down to how they handle themselves. I’m very satisfied with my career, and I’m fairly new to it. I practice in an independent practice state, and don’t have a supervising physician, although I work alongside doctors. I’ve never encountered any disrespect, but I’ve also never looked for it. I go to work, go to my meetings, see my patients, and mind my own business.

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[Splenda88]

I think most brick and mortar schools will at least require 1-yr experience in psych... If you are not up to that and you don't want to relocate, you can look for online schools.

 

[deleted480308]

I don’t know the odds but wish you well.

 

[psychnurse]

Just adding...I don't think any program will look down on you. It takes a great deal of courage to call it quits knowing that keep forcing forward will only be detrimental to your mental health. As long as you keep your GPA high and have a solid rationale for pursuing PMHNP, you will be a competitive candidate.

 

[Makati2008]

Hi everyone,

I just made this account but I've been active on this forum for over 8 years. I withdrew from med during 3rd semester due to anxiety (W's for that semester but ~B average for med school overall). While in med school I saw friends fail things like Step 1, Step 2 CS, or not match and have to SOAP. In med school I had trouble sleeping occasionally. Then during my 3rd semester the trouble sleeping became severe anxiety as I kept having unwanted thoughts of not matching.

I think one of the main causes of my anxiety was the fear of just accumulating all this debt with there being a possibility of not matching. I know this is a very neurotic way of thinking and at the time of my panic (kept ruminating over not matching) I KNEW that my thoughts were irrational. However, it caused me such great anxiety that I was unable to study and focus. I spoke with school admins, a therapist and family and decided that it was best to withdraw. Since then I saw a psychiatrist but my anxiety has subsided since leaving school.

Now I am doing an ABSN and I would like to be a PMHNP. The thing about nursing is that there are no HUGE tests that your career depends on. The NCLEX is something most nurses easily pass so my anxiety here is very low. My grades in my program are good right now (above a 3.8). I know you guys are mostly residents, that probably don't know much about nursing, but out of desperation I am looking for some advice on my chances of being a PMHNP. I'm assuming you guys might know something about getting into PMHNP programs. I remember SDN was a huge asset when I applied to med school.

If I do well in my ABSN will I have a good shot of getting into a PMHNP program? I know as a pre-med/med student I always looked down on nursing programs being super easy to get into. I hope that is the case for PMHNP. However, from looking at the grades of PMHNP students at Vanderbilt (my #1 pick cuz its only 1 year for the MSN), it seems competitive. Will they look down on me/reject me for being a former med student?

I’m in shock you quit with a B average during your 3rd semester. After fourth semester medical school gets significantly easier? I’m going to go against the grain and say if Vandy finds out you decided to drop out of medical school you will be peppered with questions.
Also don’t NPs take standardized tests to get their certs?

 

[Splenda88]

I’m in shock you quit with a B average during your 3rd semester. After fourth semester medical school gets significantly easier? I’m going to go against the grain and say if Vandy finds out you decided to drop out of medical school you will be peppered with questions.
Also don’t NPs take standardized tests to get their certs?

But their standardized test is like 1+1 when you compare it to Step1/2.

Here are a few sample questions:

1. Which drug is associated with increased lipoprotein levels?

Furosemide (Lasix).
Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ).
Spironolactone (Aldactone).
Triamterene (Dyrenium).

2. What is the main reason for administering a progestational medication to perimenopausal women who use estrogen?

Preventing hot flashes.
Preventing osteoporosis.
Promoting growth of the uterine lining.
Decrease the risk of endometrial hyperplasia.

3. The family nurse practitioner asks a patient to perform rapid, alternating movements of the hands to evaluate:

cerebellar functioning.
cognitive functioning.
reflex arc functioning.
stereognostic functioning.

4. A 38-year-old patient who is Vietnamese tells the family nurse practitioner that his or her parent died in his or her 40s from liver cancer. The nurse practitioner assesses that the patient is at risk for:

hepatitis B.
malaria.
tularemia.
tyrosinemia.

5. A 55-year-old male patient who is Chinese has a follow-up appointment after cardiac bypass surgery. The patient brings his father with him into the examination room. The family nurse practitioner provides culturally sensitive care by:

asking the patient's father if he has any questions regarding his son's care.
asking the patient's father to leave the room due to confidentiality issues.
performing the examination without commenting to the patient's father.
performing the examination, then telling the patient's father the examination findings.

6. A difficult aspect of determining occupational exposure to disease is the:

confidentiality of the information within company records.
inaccuracy of occupational disease reporting.
long latency period between exposure and disease development.
reliance on workers' memories.

7. The family nurse practitioner exhibits professional leadership by:

adding clinical protocols to the nurse practitioner scope of practice.
comparing the workplace roles of the registered nurse and the nurse practitioner.
creating a task force to address scope-of-practice concerns.
lobbying to eliminate continuing education requirements.

8. To comply with regulations for third-party payor reimbursement and documentation, a family nurse practitioner correlates:

evaluation and management code with history, examination and medical decision making.
health outcomes with physical examination findings and plan of care.
medication orders and treatment plan with electronic billing.
patient privacy with informed consent.

9. The family nurse practitioner examines a patient who has sustained a non-work-related injury that interferes with the patient's ability to perform his or her job. The patient does not qualify for medical disability and has a reasonable chance of engaging in a suitable occupation with proper therapy. The nurse practitioner recommends that the patient apply for:

Family and Medical Leave Act benefits.
home health services.
Social Security benefits.
vocational rehabilitation services.

10. A 45-year-old patient who is an opera singer reports progressive hoarseness for the last four weeks. The hoarseness began after a three-hour opera performance. The patient does not smoke and reports no weight loss, upper respiratory infection, dysphagia, or shortness of breath. The family nurse practitioner manages this patient by:

ordering a computed tomography scan of the head.
ordering an immediate lateral neck x-ray.
prescribing systemic antibiotics and cool mist inhalations.
requesting a referral for evaluation of the larynx.

11. Routine immunization guidelines recommend administering the hepatitis B vaccine at birth and repeating doses at:

one month and six months.
one month and two months.
four months and two years.
six months and 12 months.

12. A patient who sustained a myocardial infarction comes to the clinic for a refill of atorvastatin (Lipitor). The family nurse practitioner explains that the medication is prescribed for:

cancer prevention.
primary prevention.
secondary prevention.
tertiary prevention.

13. Which health promotion strategy is most appropriate for adolescents who are obese?

 

[deleted480308]

But their standardized test is like 1+1 when you compare it to Step1/2.

Here are a few sample questions:

1. Which drug is associated with increased lipoprotein levels?

Furosemide (Lasix).
Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ).
Spironolactone (Aldactone).
Triamterene (Dyrenium).

2. What is the main reason for administering a progestational medication to perimenopausal women who use estrogen?

Preventing hot flashes.
Preventing osteoporosis.
Promoting growth of the uterine lining.
Decrease the risk of endometrial hyperplasia.

3. The family nurse practitioner asks a patient to perform rapid, alternating movements of the hands to evaluate:

cerebellar functioning.
cognitive functioning.
reflex arc functioning.
stereognostic functioning.

4. A 38-year-old patient who is Vietnamese tells the family nurse practitioner that his or her parent died in his or her 40s from liver cancer. The nurse practitioner assesses that the patient is at risk for:

hepatitis B.
malaria.
tularemia.
tyrosinemia.

5. A 55-year-old male patient who is Chinese has a follow-up appointment after cardiac bypass surgery. The patient brings his father with him into the examination room. The family nurse practitioner provides culturally sensitive care by:

asking the patient's father if he has any questions regarding his son's care.
asking the patient's father to leave the room due to confidentiality issues.
performing the examination without commenting to the patient's father.
performing the examination, then telling the patient's father the examination findings.

6. A difficult aspect of determining occupational exposure to disease is the:

confidentiality of the information within company records.
inaccuracy of occupational disease reporting.
long latency period between exposure and disease development.
reliance on workers' memories.

7. The family nurse practitioner exhibits professional leadership by:

adding clinical protocols to the nurse practitioner scope of practice.
comparing the workplace roles of the registered nurse and the nurse practitioner.
creating a task force to address scope-of-practice concerns.
lobbying to eliminate continuing education requirements.

8. To comply with regulations for third-party payor reimbursement and documentation, a family nurse practitioner correlates:

evaluation and management code with history, examination and medical decision making.
health outcomes with physical examination findings and plan of care.
medication orders and treatment plan with electronic billing.
patient privacy with informed consent.

9. The family nurse practitioner examines a patient who has sustained a non-work-related injury that interferes with the patient's ability to perform his or her job. The patient does not qualify for medical disability and has a reasonable chance of engaging in a suitable occupation with proper therapy. The nurse practitioner recommends that the patient apply for:

Family and Medical Leave Act benefits.
home health services.
Social Security benefits.
vocational rehabilitation services.

10. A 45-year-old patient who is an opera singer reports progressive hoarseness for the last four weeks. The hoarseness began after a three-hour opera performance. The patient does not smoke and reports no weight loss, upper respiratory infection, dysphagia, or shortness of breath. The family nurse practitioner manages this patient by:

ordering a computed tomography scan of the head.
ordering an immediate lateral neck x-ray.
prescribing systemic antibiotics and cool mist inhalations.
requesting a referral for evaluation of the larynx.

11. Routine immunization guidelines recommend administering the hepatitis B vaccine at birth and repeating doses at:

one month and six months.
one month and two months.
four months and two years.
six months and 12 months.

12. A patient who sustained a myocardial infarction comes to the clinic for a refill of atorvastatin (Lipitor). The family nurse practitioner explains that the medication is prescribed for:

cancer prevention.
primary prevention.
secondary prevention.
tertiary prevention.

13. Which health promotion strategy is most appropriate for adolescents who are obese?

Meanwhile step exams:

Patient says they have belly pain, what is the treatment for the fourth most likely complication of the third line treatment for the second most likely diagnosis for this presentation?!?!?

 

[risus_sardonicus]

But their standardized test is like 1+1 when you compare it to Step1/2.

Here are a few sample questions:

1. Which drug is associated with increased lipoprotein levels?

Furosemide (Lasix).
Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ).
Spironolactone (Aldactone).
Triamterene (Dyrenium).

2. What is the main reason for administering a progestational medication to perimenopausal women who use estrogen?

Preventing hot flashes.
Preventing osteoporosis.
Promoting growth of the uterine lining.
Decrease the risk of endometrial hyperplasia.

3. The family nurse practitioner asks a patient to perform rapid, alternating movements of the hands to evaluate:

cerebellar functioning.
cognitive functioning.
reflex arc functioning.
stereognostic functioning.

4. A 38-year-old patient who is Vietnamese tells the family nurse practitioner that his or her parent died in his or her 40s from liver cancer. The nurse practitioner assesses that the patient is at risk for:

hepatitis B.
malaria.
tularemia.
tyrosinemia.

5. A 55-year-old male patient who is Chinese has a follow-up appointment after cardiac bypass surgery. The patient brings his father with him into the examination room. The family nurse practitioner provides culturally sensitive care by:

asking the patient's father if he has any questions regarding his son's care.
asking the patient's father to leave the room due to confidentiality issues.
performing the examination without commenting to the patient's father.
performing the examination, then telling the patient's father the examination findings.

6. A difficult aspect of determining occupational exposure to disease is the:

confidentiality of the information within company records.
inaccuracy of occupational disease reporting.
long latency period between exposure and disease development.
reliance on workers' memories.

7. The family nurse practitioner exhibits professional leadership by:

adding clinical protocols to the nurse practitioner scope of practice.
comparing the workplace roles of the registered nurse and the nurse practitioner.
creating a task force to address scope-of-practice concerns.
lobbying to eliminate continuing education requirements.

8. To comply with regulations for third-party payor reimbursement and documentation, a family nurse practitioner correlates:

evaluation and management code with history, examination and medical decision making.
health outcomes with physical examination findings and plan of care.
medication orders and treatment plan with electronic billing.
patient privacy with informed consent.

9. The family nurse practitioner examines a patient who has sustained a non-work-related injury that interferes with the patient's ability to perform his or her job. The patient does not qualify for medical disability and has a reasonable chance of engaging in a suitable occupation with proper therapy. The nurse practitioner recommends that the patient apply for:

Family and Medical Leave Act benefits.
home health services.
Social Security benefits.
vocational rehabilitation services.

10. A 45-year-old patient who is an opera singer reports progressive hoarseness for the last four weeks. The hoarseness began after a three-hour opera performance. The patient does not smoke and reports no weight loss, upper respiratory infection, dysphagia, or shortness of breath. The family nurse practitioner manages this patient by:

ordering a computed tomography scan of the head.
ordering an immediate lateral neck x-ray.
prescribing systemic antibiotics and cool mist inhalations.
requesting a referral for evaluation of the larynx.

11. Routine immunization guidelines recommend administering the hepatitis B vaccine at birth and repeating doses at:

one month and six months.
one month and two months.
four months and two years.
six months and 12 months.

12. A patient who sustained a myocardial infarction comes to the clinic for a refill of atorvastatin (Lipitor). The family nurse practitioner explains that the medication is prescribed for:

cancer prevention.
primary prevention.
secondary prevention.
tertiary prevention.

13. Which health promotion strategy is most appropriate for adolescents who are obese?

Jesus these questions are a joke.. people actually fail this?!?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

 

[Ho0v-man]

But their standardized test is like 1+1 when you compare it to Step1/2.

Here are a few sample questions:

1. Which drug is associated with increased lipoprotein levels?

Furosemide (Lasix).
Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ).
Spironolactone (Aldactone).
Triamterene (Dyrenium).

2. What is the main reason for administering a progestational medication to perimenopausal women who use estrogen?

Preventing hot flashes.
Preventing osteoporosis.
Promoting growth of the uterine lining.
Decrease the risk of endometrial hyperplasia.

3. The family nurse practitioner asks a patient to perform rapid, alternating movements of the hands to evaluate:

cerebellar functioning.
cognitive functioning.
reflex arc functioning.
stereognostic functioning.

4. A 38-year-old patient who is Vietnamese tells the family nurse practitioner that his or her parent died in his or her 40s from liver cancer. The nurse practitioner assesses that the patient is at risk for:

hepatitis B.
malaria.
tularemia.
tyrosinemia.

5. A 55-year-old male patient who is Chinese has a follow-up appointment after cardiac bypass surgery. The patient brings his father with him into the examination room. The family nurse practitioner provides culturally sensitive care by:

asking the patient's father if he has any questions regarding his son's care.
asking the patient's father to leave the room due to confidentiality issues.
performing the examination without commenting to the patient's father.
performing the examination, then telling the patient's father the examination findings.

6. A difficult aspect of determining occupational exposure to disease is the:

confidentiality of the information within company records.
inaccuracy of occupational disease reporting.
long latency period between exposure and disease development.
reliance on workers' memories.

7. The family nurse practitioner exhibits professional leadership by:

adding clinical protocols to the nurse practitioner scope of practice.
comparing the workplace roles of the registered nurse and the nurse practitioner.
creating a task force to address scope-of-practice concerns.
lobbying to eliminate continuing education requirements.

8. To comply with regulations for third-party payor reimbursement and documentation, a family nurse practitioner correlates:

evaluation and management code with history, examination and medical decision making.
health outcomes with physical examination findings and plan of care.
medication orders and treatment plan with electronic billing.
patient privacy with informed consent.

9. The family nurse practitioner examines a patient who has sustained a non-work-related injury that interferes with the patient's ability to perform his or her job. The patient does not qualify for medical disability and has a reasonable chance of engaging in a suitable occupation with proper therapy. The nurse practitioner recommends that the patient apply for:

Family and Medical Leave Act benefits.
home health services.
Social Security benefits.
vocational rehabilitation services.

10. A 45-year-old patient who is an opera singer reports progressive hoarseness for the last four weeks. The hoarseness began after a three-hour opera performance. The patient does not smoke and reports no weight loss, upper respiratory infection, dysphagia, or shortness of breath. The family nurse practitioner manages this patient by:

ordering a computed tomography scan of the head.
ordering an immediate lateral neck x-ray.
prescribing systemic antibiotics and cool mist inhalations.
requesting a referral for evaluation of the larynx.

11. Routine immunization guidelines recommend administering the hepatitis B vaccine at birth and repeating doses at:

one month and six months.
one month and two months.
four months and two years.
six months and 12 months.

12. A patient who sustained a myocardial infarction comes to the clinic for a refill of atorvastatin (Lipitor). The family nurse practitioner explains that the medication is prescribed for:

cancer prevention.
primary prevention.
secondary prevention.
tertiary prevention.

13. Which health promotion strategy is most appropriate for adolescents who are obese?

I feel like every RN knows the half of these questions that have any relevance to anything before even going to NP school.

The other half no one should know because they don’t matter.

Are you just cherry-picking the joke questions? I mean even our exams have some low-hanging fruit to be fair.

 

[Splenda88]

I feel like every RN knows the half of these questions that have any relevance to anything before even going to NP school.

The other half no one should know because they don’t matter.

Are you just cherry-picking the joke questions? I mean even our exams have some low-hanging fruit to be fair.

Our low-hanging fruit is probably < 5% of the test pool... Not cherry picking.

 

[DrNotaDr]

Our low-hanging fruit is probably < 5% of the test pool... Not cherry picking.

Is attacking nurses on every thread possible on SDN your full time job? You ever take a vacation from it? Enjoy Netflix while nurses fight the pandemic.

 

[risus_sardonicus]

Is attacking nurses on every thread possible on SDN your full time job? You ever take a vacation from it? Enjoy Netflix while nurses fight the pandemic.

He/she was merely stating an accurate fact...

However the fact that you felt attacked by it and felt obligated to respond in a snarky-defensive manner speaks volumes about your insecurity and all but confirms your feelings of inadequacy surrounding your own training.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

 

[deleted859689]

Is attacking nurses on every thread possible on SDN your full time job? You ever take a vacation from it? Enjoy Netflix while nurses fight the pandemic.

Healthcare is a team. While I don't condone the NP bashing, you should have some class. Physicians are doing their part as well.

 

[DrNotaDr]

He/she was merely stating an accurate fact...

However the fact that you felt attacked by it and felt obligated to respond in a snarky-defensive manner speaks volumes about your insecurity and all but confirms your feelings of inadequacy surrounding your own training.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

Yawn.

Healthcare is a team. While I don't condone the NP bashing, you should have some class. Physicians are doing their part as well.

It’s ok to express an opinion that NP education and testing needs some improvement. That’s not what this cat is doing. He’s just bashing at every concievable opportunity. Follow his posts if you don’t believe me. I’m working like a dog trying to cover this hospital to keep our patients alive, I’m tired of the bashing from this med student who’s safely social isolated.

 

[Splenda88]

Yawn.
It’s ok to express an opinion that NP education and testing needs some improvement. That’s not what this cat is doing. He’s just bashing at every concievable opportunity. Follow his posts if you don’t believe me. I’m working like a dog trying to cover this hospital to keep our patients alive, I’m tired of the bashing from this med student who’s safely social isolated.

FWIW, I am a physician (IM PGY2). I am in the front line just like you (assuming that you are a nurse).

 

[DrNotaDr]

FWIW, I am a physician (IM PGY2). I am in the front line just like you (assuming that you are a nurse).

Then you should know better.

 

[Ho0v-man]

Yawn.
It’s ok to express an opinion that NP education and testing needs some improvement. That’s not what this cat is doing. He’s just bashing at every concievable opportunity. Follow his posts if you don’t believe me. I’m working like a dog trying to cover this hospital to keep our patients alive, I’m tired of the bashing from this med student who’s safely social isolated.

Nothing but respect for the RNs and the job they do. But we’re being critical of the inadequacies of NP education. These are two separate things. Their two different jobs. You don’t get to pretend every NP is a hero bc RNs are working hard during this pandemic. That’s like a pathologist saying pathologists are heroes bc of the sacrifices critical care docs and EM docs are making right now.

We all appreciate that you’re moonlighting as an RN through all this. You’re contribution is almost certainly needed. That doesn’t make NP education great for some reason. Just bc you’re a nurse and got offended doesn’t magically make you right.

As an aside, I believe the poster this post complains about is a resident physician and former nurse. So that’s someone also “on the front lines” with considerably more training and less compensation than you.

 

[DrNotaDr]

Nothing but respect for the RNs and the job they do. But we’re being critical of the inadequacies of NP education. These are two separate things. Their two different jobs. You don’t get to pretend every NP is a hero bc RNs are working hard during this pandemic. That’s like a pathologist saying pathologists are heroes bc of the sacrifices critical care docs and EM docs are making right now.

We all appreciate that you’re moonlighting as an RN through all this. You’re contribution is almost certainly needed. That doesn’t make NP education great for some reason. Just bc you’re a nurse and got offended doesn’t magically make you right.

As an aside, I believe the poster this post complains about is a resident physician and former nurse. So that’s someone also “on the front lines” with considerably more training and less compensation than you.

The poster left med school. You have no idea where my training has been.

Like I said, nearly every post this guy comments on In this forum is an attack on nurses. While the residents are standing outside the room watching I’m in there with roc helping to intubate these covids on few days I have free. Maybe he could take a break from his usual routine for awhile. Every nurse on the planet is tired of hearing about it. Seriously, just shut up.

 

[Ho0v-man]

Like I said, nearly every post this guy comments on In this forum is an attack on nurses. While the residents are standing outside the room watching I’m in there with roc intubating these covids on few days I have free. Maybe he could take a break from his usual routine for awhile. Every nurse on the planet is tired of hearing about it. Seriously, just shut up.

And you think doctors aren’t constantly examining these patients? You think they’re not seeing them in ER/opt clinic when they’re completely undifferentiated also getting exposed just like you? You think they’re not on call all night managing every little complication or just concern the nurses have about these patients while blatantly breaking their 80 hour work week restrictions for absolutely no increase in pay? Do you seriously think nurses are the only ones intubation for these patients? Should residents go stand in the room during the intubation and waste more PPE so you feel like they’re making a sacrifice? Did you consider that maybe you were delegated a technical skill they could trust you with because they’ve got stuff to do that you can’t?

I commend you for working as an icu nurse on your off days. But this whole nurses are the only ones working hard and are the only ones who care about patients ruze is annoying and discounts the sacrifices everyone else makes too. Every doctor on the planet is tired of it. Seriously, just shut up.

 

[Splenda88]

The poster left med school. You have no idea where my training has been.

Like I said, nearly every post this guy comments on In this forum is an attack on nurses. While the residents are standing outside the room watching I’m in there with roc helping to intubate these covids on few days I have free. Maybe he could take a break from his usual routine for awhile. Every nurse on the planet is tired of hearing about it. Seriously, just shut up.

I believe @Ho0v-man was talking about me... By the way, I have nothing against nurses. I was a nurse and my spouse is a nurse.

 

[DrNotaDr]

And you think doctors aren’t constantly examining these patients? You think they’re not seeing them in ER/opt clinic when they’re completely undifferentiated also getting exposed just like you? You think they’re not on call all night managing every little complication or just concern the nurses have about these patients while blatantly breaking their 80 hour work week restrictions for absolutely no increase in pay? Do you seriously think nurses are the only ones intubation for these patients? Should residents go stand in the room during the intubation and waste more PPE so you feel like they’re making a sacrifice? Did you consider that maybe you were delegated a technical skill they could trust you with because they’ve got stuff to do that you can’t?

I commend you for working as an icu nurse on your off days. But this whole nurses are the only ones working hard and are the only ones who care about patients ruze is annoying and discounts the sacrifices everyone else makes too. Every doctor on the planet is tired of it. Seriously, just shut up.

Who said that? No one said that. But by all means, continue with your character assassination. Nurses have far more exposure than physicians on the whole. That's not up for debate. I'm not asking for anyone to kiss anyone's a$$, just for a temporary ceasefire on the nurse hate. Is that unreasonable? It appears to be. I wasn't delegated to do anything, this is all pure voluntary overtime. That's some arrogance you're showing.

 

[DrNotaDr]

I believe @Ho0v-man was talking about me... By the way, I have nothing against nurses. I was a nurse and my spouse is a nurse.

Back on subject OP, you'll be successful in the nursing world. It's just a different way of thinking, and the NCLEX is a counterintuitive test, but its nothing you can't handle. I can suggest some apps that can get you started early if you are worried about the standardized testing. A 20.00 app is called RN Mentor. You can do practice exams with full rationales. I did an hour every night before I went to bed for 6 months and learned the questions format, rationales, and what the questions were looking for. I passed NCLEX in the min questions in under an hour. You'll be fine in nursing, there's a few of us who can help answer your questions as they come up.

 

[Ho0v-man]

Who said that? No one said that. But by all means, continue with your character assassination. Nurses have far more exposure than physicians on the whole. That's not up for debate. I'm not asking for anyone to kiss anyone's a$$, just for a temporary ceasefire on the nurse hate. Is that unreasonable? It appears to be.

Most of your posts in this thread are basically about all the sacrifices nurses make as if doctors aren’t doing the same. Worst yet, it’s somehow supposed to be a defense for NP education which isn’t even a tangentially related topic. The post where you accused another poster of “attacking nurses” was a critique of NP educational rigor. It has nothing to do with the sacrifices everyone in the hospital is making right now. You’re the one who turned it into that.

 

[deleted859689]

Whatever. Keep justifying your bad behavior. You know nothing about me and your posts are full of assumptions. I'm done with your arrogant guesses that I'm being "delegated to a technical skill" because I "can't be trusted." Piss off, mate.

Can you stop telling people to “shut up” and “piss off?”

 

[DrNotaDr]

Can you stop telling people to “shut up” and “piss off?”

I'll just use nicer words like "delegated to a technical role because I can't be trusted" instead. Will do.

 

[deleted859689]

Did you consider that maybe you were delegated a technical skill they could trust you with

please, just stop

 

[DrNotaDr]

FWIW, I am a physician (IM PGY2). I am in the front line just like you (assuming that you are a nurse).

I'm pretty sure I know who you are now, and this all makes sense now. I hope you don't get banned again. I'll unfollow this convo for everyone's own sanity.

 

[Ho0v-man]

please, just stop

I’m sorry, but I didn’t mean to offend with that statement. NPs are often delegated technical/easier things to do so they free up the docs so they can do other stuff. It’s literally the point of the job.

 

[Splenda88]

I'm pretty sure I know who you are now, and this all makes sense now. I hope you don't get banned again. I'll unfollow this convo for everyone's own sanity.

Huh...

 

[deleted859689]

I’m sorry, but I didn’t mean to offend with that statement. NPs are often delegated technical/easier things to do so they free up the docs so they can do other stuff. It’s literally the point of the job.

wasn't talking to you haha. I think DrNotaDr read that statement wrong

 

[smon79993]

I’m in shock you quit with a B average during your 3rd semester. After fourth semester medical school gets significantly easier? I’m going to go against the grain and say if Vandy finds out you decided to drop out of medical school you will be peppered with questions.
Also don’t NPs take standardized tests to get their certs?

.

 

[psychnurse]

SMON79993-

I don't think you'll be peppered with questions at all. You should address the "med school thing" in the essay, briefly and tactfully. Remember, you will be applying with a BSN in hand, so focus your discussion on your psych clinical and definitely try to do your capstone at an inpatient psych facility. Reach out to Vandy's PMHNP program director to talk about the program if you can, so you can put a face to the application. Be able to articulate why you believe the nursing approach fits you, rather than dwelling on your dropping out of med school. Most likely, they will spend 30 seconds thinking about your med school background and move onto what you've done in the psych field and other aspects of your application.

Nursing, as a career, gets a lot of folks from all walks of life. You aren't the first one who dropped out of med school to go into nursing and won't be the last. What matters is what you can do in the future.

 

[risus_sardonicus]

After reading your comment I have definitely become worried since you are a verified expert and a physician.

The reason I thought that this would be doable is because I personally know both a PA and a CRNA that withdrew from med school and were able to gain acceptance into those professions. The PA just decided he didn't want that long of a route and the CRNA was unable to pass Step 1 on repeated attempts. There is also a well known youtuber (Uncle Mike MD) that dropped out of CRNA school (poor grades) and gained acceptance to a US MD school. Also, I remember like 5 years ago I spoke to someone that failed out of a DO school during first year and gained acceptance to another DO school and he recently finished his FM residency. So I though if all of these ppl could have a second shot (at more competitive programs than being an NP) then I would have a good chance of getting into an NP program since I left med school on good terms. Also, after leaving med school I was able to get into multiple ABSN programs and many of them seemed to view my med school almost as a positive (I was given credit for some of the courses).

My ABSN is in California and the program here allows ABSN students "preference" into our NP programs if we have a high GPA...but obvi preference doesn't mean guarantee.

Also you said "if Vandy finds out". I plan on sending them my medical school transcripts since that is a requirement. The PA and CRNA I mentioned both sent their med school transcripts to their respective programs.

I know you said I'd be peppered with questions, but what should I do?

Also, I get that you're in shock that I left with a B average. Idk I guess I just think differently than most ppl which is why I developed anxiety. I couldn't sleep, was constantly in a state of worry about accumulating a mountain of debt, and finally it got to the point where I couldn't even study anymore. Oftentimes I feel like a jerk for leaving but it was almost like I had no option since I straight up was not able to focus due to the anxiety.

There is a student one year older than me that failed Step 2 CS like 4 times iirc due to anxiety. Some ppl just have anxiety and the thought of having 200k+ in debt while holding a bio degree that paid me $32k per year when I finished college is terrifying for me.

So you dropped out of med school and went to nursing school because it appeared more financially responsible?

Dude people in medicine considering the hours they work and the time they put in don’t make squat. Nursing isn’t a field which will make you prosperous. You should have switched careers to another industry because it seems that’s what you really wanted

 

[RomeoNP]

Consider NP or PA school, they are both paths that you may find more rewarding and feasible for you. Also you should probably get therapy as well to help with your anxiety, self care is important.

 

[emergentmd]

Every day I work in the ER, I praise the work the nurses have to do. Nurses/NPs have a much harder job than I do. Sure I know more. Sure I am more capable.

But the stuff they have to put up with is 10x more difficult.

 

[deleted1005514]

OP, my mom is getting her online MPHNP right now with 20 year old grades in nursing school that weren't very good. I suspect you'll have no problems getting into a program. Good luck!

 

[PikminOC]

Every day I work in the ER, I praise the work the nurses have to do. Nurses/NPs have a much harder job than I do. Sure I know more. Sure I am more capable.

But the stuff they have to put up with is 10x more difficult.

Op is referring to a completely different type of nursing

 

[smon79993]

OP, my mom is getting her online MPHNP right now with 20 year old grades in nursing school that weren't very good. I suspect you'll have no problems getting into a program. Good luck!

Thanks! Would you mind sharing which school it is? Also, to clarify, is she in a PMHNP program?

I'm currently at a well known university in California and my GPA is a 3.85

 

[deleted1005514]

Thanks! Would you mind sharing which school it is? Also, to clarify, is she in a PMHNP program?

I'm currently at a well known university in California and my GPA is a 3.85

Nursing Programs

Northwestern State University was the first public institution in Louisiana to establish a baccalaureate program in nursing, welcoming its first students in 1949. The College of Nursing was also the first in the state to offer a master’s degree in nursing. NSU offers an Associate of Science in...

nursing.nsula.edu

It's towards the bottom under Masters Programs, yes it's a PMHNP...2 year online program and it has some kind of internship/clinical portion, but I think you can do it in your area if you find a supervisor. Yeah, her GPA was nowhere near that, and it was 20+ years old.

They also offer PMHNP certification if you already have your MSN.

 

[smon79993]

Nursing Programs

Northwestern State University was the first public institution in Louisiana to establish a baccalaureate program in nursing, welcoming its first students in 1949. The College of Nursing was also the first in the state to offer a master’s degree in nursing. NSU offers an Associate of Science in...

nursing.nsula.edu

It's towards the bottom under Masters Programs, yes it's a PMHNP...2 year online program and it has some kind of internship/clinical portion, but I think you can do it in your area if you find a supervisor. Yeah, her GPA was nowhere near that, and it was 20+ years old.

They also offer PMHNP certification if you already have your MSN.

Thank you. I like looking at other programs to see what they have available but I recently learned that with my GPA I qualify for a spot in my school's PMHNP program which I have accepted. I didn't realize that if I maintained my GPA they would give me a gauranteed spot but I'm really happy about it now. Med school's a great option for many but I'm happy I've found a path of my own that allows me to have a career I enjoy.

 

[psychnurse]

Thank you. I like looking at other programs to see what they have available but I recently learned that with my GPA I qualify for a spot in my school's PMHNP program which I have accepted. I didn't realize that if I maintained my GPA they would give me a gauranteed spot but I'm really happy about it now. Med school's a great option for many but I'm happy I've found a path of my own that allows me to have a career I enjoy.

Congrats! You mentioned that you're at a well-known university in CA, but just make sure that your PMHNP program guarantees clinical placements. A lot of schools (even some flagship state universities) don't provide preceptors, and finding them on your own is a major hassle.

 

[pamac]

Congrats! You mentioned that you're at a well-known university in CA, but just make sure that your PMHNP program guarantees clinical placements. A lot of schools (even some flagship state universities) don't provide preceptors, and finding them on your own is a major hassle.

I read this on a lot of forums and I’ll throw out my contrarian take. The average NP student these days probably would indeed appreciate the burden of networking and hunting for preceptors being lifted. It’s hard if you are cold calling and looking for clinical placement. And many NP students these days haven’t been around the healthcare industry long enough to forge some of the kinds of relationships that naturally lead to good preceptorships. Many aren’t even working in roles that correlate to the degree they are pursuing. But if you’ve invested time in reaching out to providers early on, you can land clinical placements at places that end up hiring you. I wouldn’t have wanted to have given up control over obtaining my clinical sites. I landed job offers at all of them, and was trained by excellent physicians and NPs. Clinical placement for me started soon after I became an RN, because that’s when I started reaching out and developing relationships. An anonymous placement coordinator at a university wasn’t going to have the same motivation that I did. What you see a lot of the time With that are placements far away from your home at locations you wouldn’t want to work, without any future potential. Clinical sites offer some of the best opportunity to start a career because the whole rotation can be one big job interview. You can easily be on an inside track to getting onboard. You get an insiders view of the work environment, access to information about hiring processes that outsiders don’t get, experience with that facilities work flow, face time with the bosses and employees, etc, etc. For a new grad in an environment where being a new grad becomes more of a liability each year, it pays dividends to be able to interview at a place where you spent time doing what they do there. The alternative is putting your application in a pile with all the other faceless profiles that won’t get a call.

So I’d suggest that clinical placement not be placed so high on ones list that it obscures other good things about a program.

 

[psychnurse]

I read this on a lot of forums and I’ll throw out my contrarian take. The average NP student these days probably would indeed appreciate the burden of networking and hunting for preceptors being lifted. It’s hard if you are cold calling and looking for clinical placement. And many NP students these days haven’t been around the healthcare industry long enough to forge some of the kinds of relationships that naturally lead to good preceptorships. Many aren’t even working in roles that correlate to the degree they are pursuing. But if you’ve invested time in reaching out to providers early on, you can land clinical placements at places that end up hiring you. I wouldn’t have wanted to have given up control over obtaining my clinical sites. I landed job offers at all of them, and was trained by excellent physicians and NPs. Clinical placement for me started soon after I became an RN, because that’s when I started reaching out and developing relationships. An anonymous placement coordinator at a university wasn’t going to have the same motivation that I did. What you see a lot of the time With that are placements far away from your home at locations you wouldn’t want to work, without any future potential. Clinical sites offer some of the best opportunity to start a career because the whole rotation can be one big job interview. You can easily be on an inside track to getting onboard. You get an insiders view of the work environment, access to information about hiring processes that outsiders don’t get, experience with that facilities work flow, face time with the bosses and employees, etc, etc. For a new grad in an environment where being a new grad becomes more of a liability each year, it pays dividends to be able to interview at a place where you spent time doing what they do there. The alternative is putting your application in a pile with all the other faceless profiles that won’t get a call.

So I’d suggest that clinical placement not be placed so high on ones list that it obscures other good things about a program.

Students can still find their own preceptors even at schools that secure clinical sites (assuming the preceptors meet standards). My school secures clinical sites, but we are free to find our own if we want to as long as these preceptors meet standards. Securing the preceptors wasn't the job done by our clinical coordinators (their job is to process paper work), it was done by our clinical faculty and program directors. Also, my program has a wide reach and places students in most sites around the city and mine was 20-min drive from my house. Furthermore, the advantage of having a school that secures preceptor is that if your preceptor backs out, the program will help place you at another site. This happened for us during covid. Some of my classmates need additional hours after being shut out of their sites, and because my school has a network it was able to shift things around so my classmates could get the hours they need to graduate. They didn't have to go around asking.

If an NP program is invested in its students, it will match students with preceptors. I am paying a good chunk of money to go to grad school and the least I expect is a program that guarantees placement. It should be what every NP student demands. My program found me an experienced preceptor 10 months before my clinical rotation started. Aside from updating my resume and filling out paperwork, I didn't have to do anything. I was happy with my clinical experience other than it being cut short due to covid.

I also don't necessarily want to obtain employment at the place I completed my clinical or have my preceptor expect that I want to work for them after I graduate (this happened during my undergrad). I want to interview a number of places and find the best offer and fit.

 

[pamac]

Clinical placement doesn’t guarantee anything. I know PA students and NP students who had COVID interfere with their clinical rotations even though their programs provided the preceptors that backed out. They were just as much out of luck as they would have if they had found their own preceptors. I saw this happen with medical students doing rotations as well as a resident. But COVID is a rare event that probably is an outlier for this discussion.

I get how it can be handy to have clinical placement. Like you mentioned, it can offer security. If you have a choice between a program that has that as an option, and one that doesn’t, I’m not suggesting that someone take the advantages I mentioned as a rule of thumb and turn down a program that offers placement. But comparisons between schools are rarely clear cut, and an individual’s circumstances need to be matched to the program. For instance, my friend went to a state school that was a two year program, and they found preceptors. But the program was fast paced and made it really hard to work at the same time, simply because that’s how the program wanted things to be. And the clinical sites were at places that never hired, and were far away. They didn’t offer the opportunity for my friend to set up their own clinical sites, which would have helped a lot with networking and travel time. Meanwhile, another coworker completed a program that was paced better, and set up their own clinical rotations. Life was better. The job search went better. The effort required to find clinical placement was nothing compared to the other advantages. So there are various aspects to consider. I don’t think it adds up universally to say that a program that doesn’t find placement isn’t as invested in students, as if clinical placement is all that matters. It’s impressive if they do, considering most don't, but I pointed out some potential pitfalls. I was more interested in making my rotations work for me beyond simply the hours they provided, and I didn’t want to give that up to someone who was less invested in my success.

The job market it tightening. It’s not to the point where you can’t apply as a stranger and expect an interview, but as someone who is now part of the hiring process, I can appreciate how helpful it is to get to know someone before you hire them.... particularly a new grad. Clinical rotations can be a big part of getting that all important start.

Nobody should feel beholden to a clinical site that offers you a job. I have heard of that kind of pressure being applied, but it seems far fetched that it would actually do anything other than make a site look bad if they sought to use that arrangement to lowball a former student. Most folks can think with their wallet and see a bad deal for what it is. I once did have an NP try to lure me in as a student to do clinical rotations with them, but their overeagerness in volunteering to take me on was the tell that they had other things in mind. Hiring a new grad is a tough sell and it’s rare that one gets much for ones lowballing.