Med schools don't want Nurses to become Doctors-Is it true?

[FairlyOrganic]

A bro, who I would consider decerning, who doesn't repeat every meme he reads like it's Gospel, mentioned in conversation last night that his friend - a nurse - learned the hard way while applying to med school that they frown on nurses applying to med school and will reject them unless they're exceptional (or presumably crazy good salespeople). He says that they don't want to promote an imbalance of nurse-doctor ratios and so consider it a waste to accept most nurses unless there's something that suggests they'd be a really kick ass doctor. I don't know much, but I thought that medical expirience prior to med school was going to put you head and shoulders above most other applicants, since the majority are early 20's Bio grads.

Is this true? And;
Do they have the same attitude toward Paramedics? What about other health professions?
I'm an EMT working on a 2-year RN program, and it's supposed to be a stepping stone that would enable me to nurse in the ER while working on my undergrad degree.. would it behoove my ass to stay on the ambulance and go straight for the undergrad?

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[Mr.Smile12]

No, but you need your eyes to be wide open that medical education is NOT nursing education.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

no

 

[Fabio001]

A bro, who I would consider decerning, who doesn't repeat every meme he reads like it's Gospel, mentioned in conversation last night that his friend - a nurse - learned the hard way while applying to med school that they frown on nurses applying to med school and will reject them unless they're exceptional (or presumably crazy good salespeople). He says that they don't want to promote an imbalance of nurse-doctor ratios and so consider it a waste to accept most nurses unless there's something that suggests they'd be a really kick ass doctor. I don't know much, but I thought that medical expirience prior to med school was going to put you head and shoulders above most other applicants, since the majority are early 20's Bio grads.

Is this true? And;
Do they have the same attitude toward Paramedics? What about other health professions?
I'm an EMT working on a 2-year RN program, and it's supposed to be a stepping stone that would enable me to nurse in the ER while working on my undergrad degree.. would it behoove my ass to stay on the ambulance and go straight for the undergrad?

A background as a nurse would be viewed as exceptional clinical experience (hopefully academic too). Beyond that, it's about a solid letter of recommendation and the same things others are working on (grades, scores, research, etc..).

Medical school admission committees have little ability to predict who's going to be a fantastic doctor, and even if they could, they're more interested in selecting who's going to be a fantastic medical student.

 

[Neuroscifan]

A bro, who I would consider decerning, who doesn't repeat every meme he reads like it's Gospel, mentioned in conversation last night that his friend - a nurse - learned the hard way while applying to med school that they frown on nurses applying to med school and will reject them unless they're exceptional (or presumably crazy good salespeople). He says that they don't want to promote an imbalance of nurse-doctor ratios and so consider it a waste to accept most nurses unless there's something that suggests they'd be a really kick ass doctor. I don't know much, but I thought that medical expirience prior to med school was going to put you head and shoulders above most other applicants, since the majority are early 20's Bio grads.

Is this true? And;
Do they have the same attitude toward Paramedics? What about other health professions?
I'm an EMT working on a 2-year RN program, and it's supposed to be a stepping stone that would enable me to nurse in the ER while working on my undergrad degree.. would it behoove my ass to stay on the ambulance and go straight for the undergrad?

From other threads in the same topic, it seems that the two biggest roadblocks for the nurse-physician route are these: 1) lack of a strong reason for changing career paths. Disgruntled nurse or wanting more money and more bargaining power aren’t sufficient to convince schools that you’ll make it through medical school. 2) not demonstrating that you understand and can handle the difference in depth and rigor between nursing education and medical education.

There isn’t some hidden agenda trying to maintain the status quo of physicians and nurses. Nursing programs around the nation continue to be highly competitive and the workforce will hopefully keep up.

 

[cj_cregg]

Nope. In fact I'd say nurses who are doing it for the right reasons and have the right skill set/mind set for medical school and being a physician are highly sought after as candidates. The handful of docs I know who were nurses first are outstanding.

However, what your friend may be getting slightly confused - not a great idea to go to nursing/other health professions schools with the end goal of medical school in mind, exception being maybe EMS work. Takes a spot from someone who actually wants to do that career, and won't help as much with medical school as people tend to think.

 

[NegativeMargin]

I was in a similar position as you, contemplating doing more nurse schooling or going Biology. To me it was simple: I wanted all my actions to align with the goal of becoming a physician.. getting more schooling in nursing wouldn't help that. Which begs the question: do you really want to be a physician? There's absolutely nothing wrong with being an ER nurse, a few of my friends do it, and from the sound of it you like the idea yourself.

I was in nursing for 7 years and every adcom I talked to brought that up in my interviews and loved it, because I effectively used it to guide my "why medicine" answer.

And as far as not being a "early 20's Bio grad", yes it can give you a leg up.. in that you could be more mature and have everything that brings. Your experience and maturity should be emanating off you like an aura. And I know that sounds weird, but when you're in a room filled with 22 year olds with minimal healthcare/life experience, you should have no problem sticking out for all the right reasons. But from the sound of it you're years away from that possibility. Right now you have to figure out your end goal and aim towards that.