Looking for advice! NP vs. M.D./D.O.

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Hi all, I'm 22 and graduated from college this past Spring. I was pre-med all throughout college, although a little part of me had always worried about whether medicine was really a good fit for me because of my desire to have a big family and spend a decent amount of time at home raising kids. I've been back and forth between doctor and nurse practitioner for the past few years, and was frustrated that I couldn't confidently make a decision and decided to apply to medical school anyway. Yesterday I found out I was accepted. I'm so excited, but at the same time I really want to think this decision through and not jump into medical school just because it's right there in front of me. My concerns about medical school are I want to have several children when I'm older (after finishing residency), and be able to work part time for awhile at least while my kids are young (not sure what route I want to go but currently interested in peds). I'm worried that after I'm done residency around age 30 or so, I'll have so much debt from school that working part time and starting a family won't be very realistic. I think NP would be more flexible in regards to this, and schooling is not as long so I would be able to have kids earlier, but I know if I choose this path some little part of me will always wonder if I would have been more satisfied being a physician (and especially knowing I got this far).

For any NPs willing to respond, do you find your career just as exciting and rewarding as those of your physician co-workers? Do you ever regret not going the med school route? I'm a scribe so I work with docs, PAs, and NPs in the ER everyday, but nonetheless am having a hard time deciding. I feel like I won't REALLY know what a career as an NP or MD will be like until I'm there. And of course I feel silly trying to "plan" my future with when I want to get married, how many kids I want, etc., but I can't help thinking about it! Any advice or insight will be greatly appreciated!

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[Makati2008]

Hi all, I'm 22 and graduated from college this past Spring. I was pre-med all throughout college, although a little part of me had always worried about whether medicine was really a good fit for me because of my desire to have a big family and spend a decent amount of time at home raising kids. I've been back and forth between doctor and nurse practitioner for the past few years, and was frustrated that I couldn't confidently make a decision and decided to apply to medical school anyway. Yesterday I found out I was accepted. I'm so excited, but at the same time I really want to think this decision through and not jump into medical school just because it's right there in front of me. My concerns about medical school are I want to have several children when I'm older (after finishing residency), and be able to work part time for awhile at least while my kids are young (not sure what route I want to go but currently interested in peds). I'm worried that after I'm done residency around age 30 or so, I'll have so much debt from school that working part time and starting a family won't be very realistic. I think NP would be more flexible in regards to this, and schooling is not as long so I would be able to have kids earlier, but I know if I choose this path some little part of me will always wonder if I would have been more satisfied being a physician (and especially knowing I got this far).

For any NPs willing to respond, do you find your career just as exciting and rewarding as those of your physician co-workers? Do you ever regret not going the med school route? I'm a scribe so I work with docs, PAs, and NPs in the ER everyday, but nonetheless am having a hard time deciding. I feel like I won't REALLY know what a career as an NP or MD will be like until I'm there. And of course I feel silly trying to "plan" my future with when I want to get married, how many kids I want, etc., but I can't help thinking about it! Any advice or insight will be greatly appreciated!

Go to medical school. Your very young and the education you recieve will be superior to that you will recieve as a NP/PA. Also going to nursing school+NP school wouldn't you be at least 3/4th completed with a medical degree program. At the least you could do a 1 year rotating internship after finishing med. school(so you would be 28/29) and you would be able to practice in some states at least.....

 

[primadonna22274]

22? Med school. Don't look back. Truly I could never afford to stop working as a PA to have/raise kids...if I had gone right to med school my options to work fewer hours for more money would have been much better. You might check out the MomMD website for advice from women who have done it. But honestly, if you aren't already committed and have kids now, don't defer medical school for a long-term plan that is not within immediate reach.
Best.

 

[Valadi]

You're young. Go MD. There are several specialties (psych, PM&R, derm) where you can get away with limited hours and still make a good income.

If you were older, were pregnant, or your shots at med school were abysmal then this would be a different story. There are plenty of physicians with large families and when you're an attending your time will be what you make of it.

If you really want to keep debt down then go to your state school and participate in work-study programs to pay it down. Also apply for as many scholarships as you can and hope some stick. 5 grand here and there adds up.