OT To NP? Advice requested.

[CoastalOT]

I am an occupational therapist. I work in pediatrics in a school setting, I like working with kids. I'm growing weary of my job, and I want a change: I have a desire to diagnose and treat patients to positively impact patient wellness. I don't have a family or a partner, and student debt isn't a concern for me.

I have considered going to a direct entry NP program. I am a bright guy with very good grades, and a high aptitude for learning. Should I be happy with my degree, or should I try to be a NP (perhaps an outpatient psychiatric NP), or, even try to get into a DO program?

I don't want to be on my death bed thinking to myself, why didn't I do something I wanted to or could have done and should have done. On the other hand, maybe OT is a great profession. I am positively impacting students lives; I desire to be a diagnostician in a higher level clinical setting. I sometimes think I didn't challenge myself enough. I make a very good salary (no debt, in a union and excellent health care benefits) for my position, I only work 180 days a year, and I have excellent benefits. Should I be happy with my job and just stay put or should I follow a dream and be a NP or doctor to contribute in a different way to fighting disease and contributing to wellness? I sometimes feel like I am confused with a teacher now.

Thank you in advance for your advice. I appreciate it a lot.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[8jsi37]

So, I can't really speak on whether if it's worth it or not as I'm not really too experienced in the OT field. All I can do is help list what you have to do for Nursing/NP school and DO medical school. Hopefully, you can make a decision on your own or talk it over with your family, or someone else can provide a better insight.

So for both, you might have to retake the pre-reqs depending on what is still "acceptable" by these schools. Depending on your current work OT schedule, you might be looking at a year or two at community college (CC)? But you did say you're only working 180 days, so you can take classes the other "time" off? Make use of the Winter/ Summer sessions at CC or any college you want.

For NP, you have to complete the pre-reqs and extracurriculars for nursing school. You'll have to take the pre-reqs of most nursing school which are anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and other humanities. I would assume your college degree/OT degree would have made you taken these before, but you should probably look if you have to retake them as some schools may want them within x amount of years ago. I'm not too sure about the time frame. Next, you'll probably need hospital volunteer hours too or some kind of clinical hours. Not sure if OT counts. Finally, applying to nursing school. There are two options for you. You can do an accelerated BSN aka ABSN (1 year) or Master of science in Nursing - Entry level aka MSN-E (2 years), so whichever works for you the best, you should do! Next you'll work as an RN (prob at least a year) and then apply to NP school which can range from (1 year to 4 years). Or you can just apply straight to DNP school. I heard many people work as a RN during DNP school, so you'll still be making money during that schooling. At the end of the day, if all your pre-reqs are good/ you dont have to retake any, you're looking at around 2-5 years of school. The only time you would "lose" your salary is during the ABSN, then you can work as a RN during NP school. Debt can vary from 50k to over 100k.

For DO medical school, it's a longer path. First, you will have to take a lot more classes as pre-reqs for DO than BSN. You will need 2 semesters of Gen bio, chem, ochem, and physics and all with labs. Then you will also need english and possibly calculus + stats. Other schools may require or recommend a biochem/genetics and other upper division science courses. Again, I'm not sure how long you've been out since college/ OT school, but you may have taken these, so you could ask a couple DO schools to see if you have to retake any? From what I remember, there isn't really an expiration date on the pre-req classes, but you could also present your situation to the Pre-Do forum and they'll probably help you out more. But again, not too sure on the "expiration" date on your classes. Otherwise, you may look at 1-3 years at CC fulfilling these pre-reqs depending on your work schedule. Then, you'll also need extracurriculars. You will need clinical hours and nonclinical hours. I'm not too sure where your OT work experience would fall under. I know popular clinical hours are the following, but not limited to: hospital volunteer, hospice volunteer, etc. Non clinical hours can be almost anything like a nonprofit volunteer organization etc. Next, shadowing a DO physician. This is important because on their apps, they will probably ask you why DO or why osteopathic medicine. Some schools will require a DO letter of recommendations (but it's like 2 or 3 schools?), and some will "prefer" it, which basically translates to you should have one. Finding a DO can be hard depending on where you're at because a majority of physicians are MD, but with recent years, the DO physician base is growing, so call around, find family members etc. The good thing about DO medical schools is that they are friendly to career changers/non-trads. Next, is four years of medical school where you'll lose 4 years of OT salary. Then matching into residency. The shortest length in residency training is 3 years but you get paid like 40-60k. So, it'll take a minimum of 7 years to become a physician and you'll be in 200-400k in debt since a lot of the DO med schools are private institutions. You should check out Goro's guide to DO medical school in the Pre-DO forum. This person explains everything much better than I ever can.

I hope this paints a better picture of what you may have to do. I may have forgotten a few things, so you should also look things up to double check! Again, I'm just trying to give you a clear view on what you may have to do. I'm not advocating or suggesting one or if it is worth to change. Talk it over with your friends and family!

 

[Splenda88]

I would go MD/DO if I were in your spot...

 

[pamac]

I am an occupational therapist. I work in pediatrics in a school setting, I like working with kids. I'm growing weary of my job, and I want a change: I have a desire to diagnose and treat patients to positively impact patient wellness. I don't have a family or a partner, and student debt isn't a concern for me.

I have considered going to a direct entry NP program. I am a bright guy with very good grades, and a high aptitude for learning. Should I be happy with my degree, or should I try to be a NP (perhaps an outpatient psychiatric NP), or, even try to get into a DO program?

I don't want to be on my death bed thinking to myself, why didn't I do something I wanted to or could have done and should have done. On the other hand, maybe OT is a great profession. I am positively impacting students lives; I desire to be a diagnostician in a higher level clinical setting. I sometimes think I didn't challenge myself enough. I make a very good salary (no debt, in a union and excellent health care benefits) for my position, I only work 180 days a year, and I have excellent benefits. Should I be happy with my job and just stay put or should I follow a dream and be a NP or doctor to contribute in a different way to fighting disease and contributing to wellness? I sometimes feel like I am confused with a teacher now.

Thank you in advance for your advice. I appreciate it a lot.

I can appreciate wanting to feel like you work more at the tip of the spear as far as what society thinks a medical care practitioner should be. As an OT, you’re in a narrow role that actually is an important cog in the wheel of healthcare, but there aren’t shows on TV like MASH, ER, Dougie Howser, and literally hundreds of other mass media programs that helped condition us from an early age to gauge ourselves against physicians in order to feel professionally fulfilled. Because of that, I think I know where this drive could be coming from, subconsciously. If you feel compelled to go back to school, then you may want to pursue being a physician, and not bother with NP, because the driver of your angst is that feeling that you could “do more” than what you are currently doing. I would be concerned that becoming an NP wouldn’t satisfy you in that regard. The risk you run with medical school is that you are looking at a decade of training. At the end of that, will you see the drive that got you there as being worth it? That’s the big concern with becoming a physician. And with that satisfaction comes huge amounts of debt. Only you know what drives you.

I’d suggest looking into what kind of workday you want to have, and then seeing if there is a physician specialty that caters to it, because being “a doctor” can mean a different thing based on what you do all day, to the point where they sometimes don’t seem like the same job when you compare two different areas of practice.

You might even be a good candidate to look into becoming a PA. Much less school and decent wages.

 

[CoastalOT]

I can appreciate wanting to feel like you work more at the tip of the spear as far as what society thinks a medical care practitioner should be. As an OT, you’re in a narrow role that actually is an important cog in the wheel of healthcare, but there aren’t shows on TV like MASH, ER, Dougie Howser, and literally hundreds of other mass media programs that helped condition us from an early age to gauge ourselves against physicians in order to feel professionally fulfilled. Because of that, I think I know where this drive could be coming from, subconsciously. If you feel compelled to go back to school, then you may want to pursue being a physician, and not bother with NP, because the driver of your angst is that feeling that you could “do more” than what you are currently doing. I would be concerned that becoming an NP wouldn’t satisfy you in that regard. The risk you run with medical school is that you are looking at a decade of training. At the end of that, will you see the drive that got you there as being worth it? That’s the big concern with becoming a physician. And with that satisfaction comes huge amounts of debt. Only you know what drives you.

Thank you for the thoughtful replies, I appreciate the insight. I think this is an early "mid life crisis" of sorts. You are absolutely right regarding the cog metaphor, and the spear in healthcare; I sometimes feel as I am processing more than intervening in the decision making process in the way I'd like. Physicians have the ability to alter disease course and make decisions about treatments; I am relegated to treating symptoms. I know I am needed, and I know the kids I work with have benefited a great deal over the years, however there are days when I attend "academic" conferences in my discipline and I sigh at the level of scientific research; I feel that I did not challenge myself enough in my field or use my talents when I compare myself with my colleagues. I do not mean to be dramatic or arrogant, however, I think there is something in the back of my head telling me that I may regret this at the end of my life. Most people relegate these ideas to daydreaming because they have children, and the subsequent financial realities, and a partner with needs that prohibit a career change like this.

The safe, and perhaps the best route is to stick to my union job with excellent benefits, take my inheritance and retire. You're absolutely correct regarding my pre-requisite coursework: many of my sciences have likely expired. My grades were a near 4.0 in my OT pre-reqs which included a lot of anatomy and kinesiology and the like. I may start by investigating the list of pre-req courses required by DO schools; I am aware that community college coursework is not acceptable.

 

[Splenda88]

I was in a similar situation (actually worse since was married with kiddos). I was also in healthcare with direct involvement.

You are not being arrogant by feeling like your colleagues do not measure up to you (so to speak). Everyone would like to be in a profession where you feel like you are being challenged by your colleagues. I was in the same situation and it took me a 3-4 years to pull the trigger. It was not because of having a spouse and kids. Au contraire, my spouse was extremely supportive because she felt like I was not happy with my career.

My plan was to take the prereqs while I was working, so I did not disrupt my life that much. I took a few of them at a CC and the rest at a local public university. Then I took the MCAT and applied, and was accepted to both MD/DO. I am PGY2 IM resident and I am extremely happy that I pulled that trigger.

 

[CoastalOT]

I was in a similar situation (actually worse since was married with kiddos). I was also in healthcare with direct involvement.

You are not being arrogant by feeling like your colleagues do not measure up to you (so to speak). Everyone would like to be in a profession where you feel like you are being challenged by your colleagues. I was in the same situation and it took me a 3-4 years to pull the trigger. It was not because of having a spouse and kids. Au contraire, my spouse was extremely supportive because she felt like I was not happy with my career.

My plan was to take the prereqs while I was working, so I did not disrupt my life that much. I took a few of them at a CC and the rest at a local public university. Then I took the MCAT and applied, and was accepted to both MD/DO. I am PGY2 IM resident and I am extremely happy that I pulled that trigger.

Thank you for the kindness in this thread. OT's are a soft bunch maybe... we have a reputation for being the "smiley people" in healthcare I'd be old, I'm ready to turn 40, that means I'd be a physician by like 52-53. I could work til I die though. If that is what I want, I could. What would stop me? People have done it. I could.


Now, the Carribean Thing, that's one risk I won't be taking Either I get into a US medical school or nothing. I'm going to do the pre-reqs and see what happens, what's the worst that happens, I get denied. So what? I learn math and science along the way. It's good for your brain. I should find out what classes are permitted to be CC and which must be 4 year univ classes for pre-reqs.

 

[Splenda88]

For most DO schools, all classes can be taken at a CC.

 

[pamac]

You seem to have the kind of drive that will get you where you want to go. I’d dig deep down and decide what you want to get out of this In the end. You aren’t just signing up for a job, you are stepping into a realm where your whole life and most of your time will be wrapped up in this. At your age, you are almost 20 years behind the curve. When you revealed your age, my thoughts took a turn on the subject. Working until you die really isn’t up to you, and I tend to think of life as more than just the sum of the work we do to get money to life on. We might end up clothing our aspirations as if we are seeking challenge or altruism, but so much of what we do is to assuage our own impressions, perceived shortcomings, and perceived potential. We see something that we don’t want to miss out on, and ignore that we have a good life right in front of us. Ultimately, I feel it comes back to letting society heavily influence our motivations. Case in point, you could do many/most of the things a physician does by becoming a PA, and doing it a lot sooner. So why medical school? In the time it takes to get through medical school, you could help more people as a PA than you ever could as a DO with a late start. So is it a craving for respect.... to tell yourself something about yourself? What would you do if you get to your goal and don’t find that anyone cares? Would you still take this on if it paid $100,000 a year, and nobody gave you any social currency for your effort?

As a mental health NP, I have a small representative sample of medical professionals on my patient panel that include physicians, dentists, and a smattering of other professionals at that level. I also see quite a few family members of those kinds of professionals. Inner peace isn’t something you compel from the world.

If you are in it for the right reasons, you won’t absolutely need to be a physician to be happy and content. If you are in it for the wrong reasons, even subconsciously, you’ll be miserable with the result.