Some Nurses Land Higher Salaries Than Primary Care Doctors and Internists

[Nilf]

This is from Wall Street Journal healthblog. It's very informative and fairly balanced.

http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/06...laries-than-primary-care-doctors/?mod=WSJBlog

So don't worry if you don't get accepted into medical school. There are careers out there which are much much easier to enter, the training is cheaper and not as rigorous, the lifestyle is better, and the reimbursement is higher. And you still get to take care of patients.

Maybe you even should consider skipping medschool application and look into nursing school instead...

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[HoboCommander]

Nilf is just bitter. nothing to see here. carry on folks!

 

[Live4Life]

This is slightly misleading considering the fact that you have to earn a BSN, and then work a minimum of one year as a critical care nurse in an ICU (but most good programs require two years of work experience except for exceptionally qualified applicants), then they have to complete a two year masters degree that is quite demanding. After the first nine months of didactic work, you are working like a resident for the remaining 14 months. (Some of the programs are actually longer than 2 years)

So yes the salary can be higher and yes the overall training is shorter, but nurse anesthetists still require a fair amount of training in order to become an anesthetist.

 

[MrBurns10]

Besides, you'd have no idea whether or not you actually like being a CRNA until you go through all that schooling. Had I come into med school with my only option being anesthesiologist, I would have gone through a crisis when I realized it's a profession that requires me to punch myself just to stay awake.

 

[lord_jeebus]

Had I come into med school with my only option being anesthesiologist, I would have gone through a crisis when I realized it's a profession that requires me to punch myself just to stay awake.

It's easier to stay awake when you take the mask off and put it on the patient

 

[flip26]

The only "apples to apples" comparison is for the NA to the anesthesiologist - the MD still makes double what the NA makes...

 

[Nilf]

Besides, you'd have no idea whether or not you actually like being a CRNA until you go through all that schooling. Had I come into med school with my only option being anesthesiologist, I would have gone through a crisis when I realized it's a profession that requires me to punch myself just to stay awake.

Hahahaha, I second your sentiment. However, I used pushpins during my anesthesia rotation. For best results, give one to your fellow medical student or even resident, and stab one another whenever you are about to fall asleep. Works wonders.