Suggestions: How do you see Nurses?

[susan19891231]

I've always wanted to become a medical doctor, but since I'm still in grade 12, I need to complete 4 years of bachelor degree first. So I was thinking about getting the Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Would Nursing make a promising career if I chose not to go med- school after?
Please put down any views on the nursing career you have on mind~~ Thanx!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[tussy]

If you want to be a nurse then study nursing. If you don't want to be a nurse and want to be a doctor then do a B.Sc and get into medical school. Other options to consider is pharmacy, physio, OT.

 

[freyja]

To the OP,

why should it matter how others perceive nursing? if you want to be one, go for it. You should not let other people's perception affect your decision. Reminds me a bit of giving in to peer pressure when I was in high school.

 

[diesel69]

If you want to be a nurse then study nursing. If you don't want to be a nurse and want to be a doctor then do a B.Sc and get into medical school. Other options to consider is pharmacy, physio, OT.

nothing wrong starting off with a nursing degree then med school

D

 

[EuroPhysician]

Nursing would provide a solid foundation for someone applying to medical school, the two fields are related. In some places, Nurses have increasing responsibilities.

 

[Mike59]

I agree with Tussy's post- Medicine and Nursing have completely different scopes of practice and knowledge. If I were in your situation, I'd try and figure out which one suits you better as early as possible. Have you job-shadowed with both occupations and compared? Even one weekend of your time could make a huge difference in thinking about all of this.

There are pros and cons to majoring in nursing. On the plus side, RN is a a solid career path with good job opportunities, relatively high/stable income potential, and is a highly respected profession. It does allow for a broad training in science/patient care that is suitable preparation for medicine although not as detail-oriented as a major in a typical science degree.

To be honest, as an interviewer I'd look down on the fact that you used up an RN spot to deliberately springboard into something else (if that was your intention all along). Committees may give you extra attention (not always in a good way) and question why you are leaving nursing (especially with a nursing shortage in most areas, be prepared to answer that at interviews). However, there are many RNs that apply to medical school every year and many do get admission, but you'll have to research the stats and see where you'd have the best chance with such a background.

 

[diesel69]

I agree with Tussy's post- Medicine and Nursing have completely different scopes of practice and knowledge. If I were in your situation, I'd try and figure out which one suits you better as early as possible. Have you job-shadowed with both occupations and compared? Even one weekend of your time could make a huge difference in thinking about all of this.

There are pros and cons to majoring in nursing. On the plus side, RN is a a solid career path with good job opportunities, relatively high/stable income potential, and is a highly respected profession. It does allow for a broad training in science/patient care that is suitable preparation for medicine although not as detail-oriented as a major in a typical science degree.

To be honest, as an interviewer I'd look down on the fact that you used up an RN spot to deliberately springboard into something else (if that was your intention all along). Committees may give you extra attention (not always in a good way) and question why you are leaving nursing (especially with a nursing shortage in most areas, be prepared to answer that at interviews). However, there are many RNs that apply to medical school every year and many do get admission, but you'll have to research the stats and see where you'd have the best chance with such a background.

I find this quite alarming that you would hold this against an applicant. This is no different from a Physio, pharm or OT applying into medicine. What about the researcher who wants an MD degree just to facilitate their research ? Because their intent is to never practice medicine, should they be screened out? Since there is such a shortage, why waste a spot?

Most nurses who apply may want to "do more for the Pt" regardless if this is an illusion or not, (for those jaded MD's who think nurses control the system anyways) this autonomy is a very powerful drive. What about the applicant of the elite class who's grandfather, father, mother, sister, uncle are all MD's perhaps they should be looked at with a critical eye as they may or been pressured into becoming a MD. Age, does that play are role in your decision ? From what I understand, it is illegal.

Some go into nursing to help pay their way since they may come from a lower economic class. Should interviews take a "gatica" approach and only select those who are program from birth in becoming MD's ? As it stands, it is harder and more expensive than ever to get into med school and stats show that university is becoming more elitist. Days are gone when a kid at 20 pops into med school after 2 yrs of pre-med. The way things are going, your going to need your masters soon to be considered. You would think that a BScN would hold more merit than somebody with a philosophy degree ... apparently not.



D

 

[diesel69]

>>

 

[KluverB]

... The way things are going, your going to need your masters soon to be considered. You would think that a BScN would hold more merit than somebody with a philosophy degree ... apparently not....

Are we talking about Canada? If so, what do you mean "soon"? You pretty much need at least an MSc now. And yes, they'll take someone with a philosophy degree over a nurse... A couple of reasons... first of all (as Mike59 already mentioned), there's a huge nursing shortage in Canada, and it's only getting worse (see latest CMAJ). Second of all, they're still going for that whole "touchy-feely" thing... you know... the kind of "touchy-feely" BS the BAs (ie. soc, psych, phil, etc.) are really good at. You don't need a BSc to get through med school. Hardly.

 

[diesel69]

And a nurse is not touchy feely ? When was the last time a philosophy student or physic student held someone who was dieing ? Looked in eyes of a child in the ER who has been abused all of their lives and looking for someone who cares ............

 

[KluverB]

Wait till you're a nurse and do all that, young grasshopper... Most nurses are overworked, underpaid, under-apreciated, and on top of that they are witnesses to the worst of the human condition on a daily basis. Very few remain as idealistic and "touchy feely" as you imagine. You're welcome to try it and see how it goes. You may find out you actually like it.

But, as you see from the responses posted here, they're not all rosy are they? Therefore, there must be a small, albeit select, group of people who think different of your choice. And as self-serving and biased as these forums are, you'll have to contend with the fact that out there in the real world the same thoughts may cross someone's mind as well. Once again, it's all well and good, but you better have a good story to tell in your personal statement and/or come interview time.

If all else fails... lots of nurses marry doctors.... so it's win-win either way...

Best of luck.

 

[coastal]

"Are we talking about Canada? If so, what do you mean "soon"? You pretty much need at least an MSc now. And yes, they'll take someone with a philosophy degree over a nurse... A couple of reasons... first of all (as Mike59 already mentioned), there's a huge nursing shortage in Canada, and it's only getting worse (see latest CMAJ). Second of all, they're still going for that whole "touchy-feely" thing... you know... the kind of "touchy-feely" BS the BAs (ie. soc, psych, phil, etc.) are really good at. You don't need a BSc to get through med school. Hardly."

I don't exactly know what you're trying to say here. You don't write very clearly. A few general points, some related to this post, some not.

-Very few people in my medical school class have an MSc, so you don't "pretty much need at least an MSc".

-Getting a nursing degree before med school is not uncommon. It does provide you with an excellent fallback; a back-up plan is especially important given that the majority of people who want to go to medical school in their first year of university either change their minds or are eventually unsuccessful. If you become a nurse, you are guaranteed to get asked "why don't you want to be a nurse" in medical school interviews if you eventually get there. There are lots of good ways to answer this and very few people will be big enough jerks to penalize you for "taking up a nursing spot".

-A question: what exactly is the "touchy-feely BS the BAs are really good at"? Oh, you mean being able to interact with other people like a human being? You're right, that isn't important at all..... Most people either in med school, or who have been through it, will tell you that there isn't much correlation between interpersonal skills, empathy, and the kind of degree someone has.


cheers

 

[JoeNamaMD]

Most North American medical schools do not have a particular bias for an undergraduate degree, you can study what you wish. Where I study medicine, I have met quite a few former Nurses, but Pharmacists and Medical Scientists are more common, in fact, I studied medical science for a year before medical school. What you will need is a strong undergraduate record and MCAT.