RN To MD Questions

[deleted623580]

Hi! I'm an BSN RN (US-RN) with 1 year of experience in a Nursing home in NY. I'm planning to start my post bacc program in 2015. Volunteered as companion in Nursing Homes, Activity coordinator in USAF PTSD Program (My mom is an NP and helped her with a lot of programs for wounded soldiers like powerpoint slide creations and etc), and 4 years of volunteering in Philippine Red Cross for typhoon victims. Here are my questions:

1. Do I still need to have Shadowing/Clinical Experience despite all of my volunteering? Do I need to provide any certificates?
2. For RN's out there, Is it worth it? I love nursing so much I even dreamt giving enema to anyone.
3. Is it worth it to study in foreign schools (like Philippines) to save on debt?
4. I'm terrible in Physics and so scared not to get A.

Please Help! Thank you!

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[Tipsy McStagger]

Hi, I am not an RN so take this with whatever sized grain of salt you wish.

1) I think you should shadow a physician. It's different from nursing, and you may decide it isn't for you after you see the reality of the job. Whether it will be a deal breaker for schools or not, I cannot say.

2) Again, I'm not an RN, but if you love nursing so much why do you want to leave it? You won't be doing the same things you are doing now as a physician (some yes but not as much as you do now). Is it worth leaving something you love? Only you can be honest enough with yourself to see.

3) Not if you want to work in the US. The most recent Charting the Outcomes in the Match was just released. The prospects are grim for foreign medical graduates here in the US; there is no reason to think that will improve by the time you graduate medical school several years from now.

4) Just work hard and use extra resources like Khan academy. It is quite helpful in explaining the concepts well enough to understand and apply. Read the textbooks, and work work work. You'll be ok if you don't get an 'A.'

I wish you the best of luck! Follow a physician to see if it's really what you want to do, and if you are willing to make the tremendous investment in time, stress and money. For some people there is no question, for others there is some doubt. I think if you have doubts, it's a precarious undertaking.

 

[Jewels86]

Hello! I am a nurse with my BSN and a grad degree. I hope I can help you

"Do I still need to have Shadowing/Clinical Experience despite all of my volunteering? Do I need to provide any certificates?"

I would shadow since I'm back in the ER again (thankfully!) I see what the docs do however, since you're in a nursing home, it would benefit you to do so.

"For RN's out there, Is it worth it? I love nursing so much I even dreamt giving enema to anyone."

Just like the above poster stated, why would you leave nursing? We need nurses that love being nurses.

"Is it worth it to study in foreign schools (like Philippines) to save on debt?"

I would not do that. But that's me. I'd rather stay stateside to increase my chances for a residency slot.

"I'm terrible in Physics and so scared not to get A."

You can take calculus first and then physics or just take physics alone and try it. Please don't too caught up in the A's only. If you get a B, which you could get 70's and knock out the final or labs and get that to an 80.0 and it'll be fine.

What's you're all time goal? To intubate people? Prescribe meds? Surgery? Delivery babies? Figure that out and perhaps you may need to adjust your job to fit desires. Then you may be in the right job title, just need a different field on nursing.

 

[Mad Jack]

I was an RT for a few years that had a lot of the questions you had.

1: You need to volunteer. Don't skimp on volunteering. Do skimp on shadowing.

2: I was an RT, but it's a similar gig. I can't say if it was worth it or not, I'm still deciding myself.

3: By the time you match, there will likely be more US medical graduates than residencies. Go US MD or DO or nothing at all if you want to stay in the US.

4: Take algebra-based physics at a community college. Med schools don't care where you take it for the midst part, so take the easiest course you can get a good grade in.

 

[Nasrudin]

. You dream of enemas.

I dream of crap like this sometimes but not out of love.

You sure as hell don't need clinical experience. Although...why not work in a different mode of care for your own development. I wouldn't want to acquire nursing home habits, myself. Unless your's is an exception.

Physics..well...it's just one of those...umpteen thousand things that litter the minefield of becoming a physician for whatever reason. If you get some hard fought B's along the way but have a good record you'll be fine. Even the occasional C won't tank an app on its own.

I had quite a number of F's, w's, c's, and D's. Albeit in liberal arts classes, I kicked physics in the @ss when I got around to it.

You have to go for it in the prereq's, you're dividends are double because it helps in preparation for the MCAT--that's still a thing right. . Saturday morning nostalgia about stuff I no longer have a clue on.​