I'm an RN who wants to be an MD

[thenursingstudent]

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I'm a 23 year old who doesn't know where to begin..

My education bg:
1. graduated may 2018 with bsn
2. minored in biology
3. GPA is 3.98
4. I took inorganic chem 1 and 2, statistics, precalc, psychology, sociology, cellular biology and genetics in addition to my gen ed and core nursing classes
5. I participated in research in chem 1 and in a nursing class

Work hx:
1. pediatric nurse, currently
2. before a nurse I was a patient care technician while I was in undergrad

Why the change from RN to MD? (short version)
I thought I wanted to be a nurse practitioner. I was extremely disappointed with the level of education that NP programs have to offer. And when I graduated with my BSN, I took a job at a large teaching hospital. I have an overwhelming desire to be the med students and residents I see all the time. I'm different from my fellow nurses - I want to understand and do more, out of my scope of practice. I love talking with the physicians and surgeons and love when they teach me.

I don't know how to begin now. I'm very serious. But I don't even know where to go to be advised. I do not know physics, for one, which I know is on the MCAT. Do medical schools purposely reject nurses - that's something I've read on forums like here. Where do I begin?

 

[Gastrapathy]

With your bio minor, how close are you to a bio major? Could you go back, finish the major and knock out the prereqs?

 

[WedgeDawg]

Let's start with classes:
You'll need to take gen chem 1+2, organic chem 1+2, biochem, physics 1+2, a year of biology, a stats class, usually a calculus class (which you'll probably need for physics anyway), a year of english or writing classes, and a psych class as prerequisites to med school. You'll have to take these classes within their respective departments (i.e. taking biology in the biology department or gen chem in the chem department) and not the nursing versions of them, so if any of the classes you listed are the nursing versions, you'll have to retake them. A post-bacc is likely your best option for doing this.

After that, you'll have to take the MCAT.

Working as a nurse will count as active clinical experience. You're working with patients in a healthcare setting.

You'll, however, need to actually shadow some doctors. Working as a nurse (or anything else) is not enough because the focus of shadowing is observation where you get a sense of what the day to day of a doctor actually is and then translating that into articulating why you want to do that as a career.

You will need some non-clinical volunteer experiences - do something you find engaging, rewarding, and where you can make a difference. Don't kill yourself over it, even a little bit can be helpful to others and will be something fun to talk about in your app, especially if it's unique.

While research is not necessary, it's helpful. I'm talking actual laboratory research experience, not nursing or lower level class based research. Research where you use the scientific method to further understand how the world works.

And no, medical schools don't purposely reject nurses. If you have a good reason that drives you to become a doctor and the chops to do so, you'll be in the same boat as everyone else.

 

[thenursingstudent]

With your bio minor, how close are you to a bio major? Could you go back, finish the major and knock out the prereqs?

I needed organic chem 1 and 2, and biochem. I wished I could have taken them, but couldn't fit them in with the nursing clinicals and classes.

But I'm graduated already (not sure how to change my User Name yet...I'm no longer a student)

 

[Gastrapathy]

So, that plus a couple prerequisite type classes and you’re done. See if you can re-enroll to finish the second BS.

 

[thenursingstudent]

Let's start with classes:
You'll need to take gen chem 1+2, organic chem 1+2, biochem, physics 1+2, a year of biology, a stats class, usually a calculus class (which you'll probably need for physics anyway), a year of english or writing classes, and a psych class as prerequisites to med school. You'll have to take these classes within their respective departments (i.e. taking biology in the biology department or gen chem in the chem department) and not the nursing versions of them, so if any of the classes you listed are the nursing versions, you'll have to retake them. A post-bacc is likely your best option for doing this.

After that, you'll have to take the MCAT.

Working as a nurse will count as active clinical experience. You're working with patients in a healthcare setting.

You'll, however, need to actually shadow some doctors. Working as a nurse (or anything else) is not enough because the focus of shadowing is observation where you get a sense of what the day to day of a doctor actually is and then translating that into articulating why you want to do that as a career.

You will need some non-clinical volunteer experiences - do something you find engaging, rewarding, and where you can make a difference. Don't kill yourself over it, even a little bit can be helpful to others and will be something fun to talk about in your app, especially if it's unique.

While research is not necessary, it's helpful. I'm talking actual laboratory research experience, not nursing or lower level class based research. Research where you use the scientific method to further understand how the world works.

And no, medical schools don't purposely reject nurses. If you have a good reason that drives you to become a doctor and the chops to do so, you'll be in the same boat as everyone else.

Fortunately none of my science classes were the nursing versions. My university offered a nursing version for chemistry, and I'm glad I took the biology department gen/inorganic chems instead.

Shadowing a physician will be easy where I work. Many are willing, since it is a teaching hospital. I was already offered to come to the OR to shadow a surgeon, luckily.

I guess I will need to work on finding some post bacc courses then.

I think what I wanted to do...I read on their requirements that some medical schools waived certain prerequisites (such as physics for example) in "some circumstances". I THOUGHT if I could score well on the MCAT, maybe I would be considered a candidate for medical school still. I know people can say this all the time, but I'm a very good student. I understand science topics quickly. I LIKED statistics and chemistry and thought about changing my major to chemistry...but I just couldn't envision what I'd do, and I like being in health care too much.

Anyway, I feel strongly that I could self study my way to a successful MCAT but maybe I shouldn't take a chance. I'll take your advice. Thank you.

 

[thenursingstudent]

So, that plus a couple prerequisite type classes and you’re done. See if you can re-enroll to finish the second BS.

Hmm, I'll contact the university on Monday. Thank you, didn't know this could be an option.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Fortunately none of my science classes were the nursing versions. My university offered a nursing version for chemistry, and I'm glad I took the biology department gen/inorganic chems instead.

Shadowing a physician will be easy where I work. Many are willing, since it is a teaching hospital. I was already offered to come to the OR to shadow a surgeon, luckily.

I guess I will need to work on finding some post bacc courses then.

I think what I wanted to do...I read on their requirements that some medical schools waived certain prerequisites (such as physics for example) in "some circumstances". I THOUGHT if I could score well on the MCAT, maybe I would be considered a candidate for medical school still. I know people can say this all the time, but I'm a very good student. I understand science topics quickly. I LIKED statistics and chemistry and thought about changing my major to chemistry...but I just couldn't envision what I'd do, and I like being in health care too much.

Anyway, I feel strongly that I could self study my way to a successful MCAT but maybe I shouldn't take a chance. I'll take your advice. Thank you.

Yeah I wouldn't take the chance of possibly screwing yourself on a "some circumstances" nebulous hand wave, especially because you can probably put together a pretty solid application otherwise. Best of luck!

 

[Gastrapathy]

it’s not possible to re-enroll at every school but it can be done at some. You have a good reason why. I know someone who did this back at their original undergrad years later (was Navy) in place of a post-bacc and another that did it here Earn a Second Bachelor's Degree | UMUC also in place of a post-bacc.

Also, take an MCAT prep course and really focus on that. Any preconceived bias about academic rigor will fall away with a good score.

I wouldn’t ask them to waive a hard science class that you can perform well in.

 

[LizzyM]

You can take the courses you are missing as a DIY post-bac at any college or university. Some specifically offer evening and weekend classes for students like you who are working. Of course, as a nurse you could work evenings or weekends and take daytime classes... whatever works for you at whatever college in your area has a schedule that works with yours.

 

[Blanky]

I would so go and grab that Biology major and complete it, then study for the MCAT and add in like 20-40 hours of shadowing, probably primary care.
You are working as an RN and so building patient care experiences and clinical hours which is going to look great. You have also expressed WHY medicine and why the change from nursing and that's great.
If you are going to gun for mid-high tier MD programs you should consider strengthening your research experience and hours.

 

[candbgirl]

As to shadowing you obviously have some”shadowing” of docs in the hospital. Ask one of the primary care docs if you can shadow in the clinic/office. Very different than floor experiences.

 

[863168]

@thenursingstudent Seems like you didn't get your desired unit. Sorry, this is the third thread this week with a new grad nurse or a nurse about to graduate who feels like they are different from everyone else and they want to jump ship to medical school. It's a real life meme. Even the rhetoric used to substantiate the interest in medical school is word for word identical for the previous explanation that was given less than a week ago by another user. It's absolutely uncanny.

 

[Blanky]

@thenursingstudent Seems like you didn't get your desired unit. Sorry, this is the third thread this week with a new grad nurse or a nurse about to graduate who feels like they are different from everyone else and they want to jump ship to medical school. It's a real life meme. Even the rhetoric used to substantiate the interest in medical school is word for word identical for the previous explanation that was given less than a week ago by another user. It's absolutely uncanny.

While I do agree that this is the exact scenario in 9/10 cases, they post was non-productive.
OP you should focus on determining that medicine is your calling and do some shadowing instead of just running away from nursing into something else you may not enjoy.

 

[idontsave]

@thenursingstudent Seems like you didn't get your desired unit. Sorry, this is the third thread this week with a new grad nurse or a nurse about to graduate who feels like they are different from everyone else and they want to jump ship to medical school. It's a real life meme. Even the rhetoric used to substantiate the interest in medical school is word for word identical for the previous explanation that was given less than a week ago by another user. It's absolutely uncanny.

It's even freaking me out how uncanny this is 😵

 

[PeleHonuaMea]

@thenursingstudent Seems like you didn't get your desired unit. Sorry, this is the third thread this week with a new grad nurse or a nurse about to graduate who feels like they are different from everyone else and they want to jump ship to medical school. It's a real life meme. Even the rhetoric used to substantiate the interest in medical school is word for word identical for the previous explanation that was given less than a week ago by another user. It's absolutely uncanny.

I actually thought it was the same thread .