Those who did RN to MD/DO

[Shrizeal]

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Those who did RN to MD/DO: Please if you don't mind, if you can, respond to the following questions. It'll help me figure out if I really want to go through with it.


1. Why?
2. Where were you in Nursing (specialty/floor) how much exp? What kind of Physician did you end up being?
3. What were the pros and cons of being an RN and the MD?
4. Compare contrast your typical day as a an RN vs MD?
5. What did you hate about being an RN? What do you hate about MD? What do you like about both?
6. Do you like it?
7. Regrets?
8 Advice?
9. Which do you find being less stressful? Why? Anxiety? Do you take it home with you?
10. Lifestyle comparison?

Don't have to answer all if you don't want to. I'm just asking for a response of any kind to these questions.

😕😕
Thanks for your responses 🙂. I've just started nursing at 6 months med/surg tele at 23 and just wondering if I should just go back and do MD. Why? Nursing is the hardest and most stressful thing I've ever done. High Pt ratios, the demands of pts, administrators and families gets to wane on me fairly quickly. It's getting sightly easier every week, but it has gotten much harder too.

I recently went to a medical school class for an medical training course, and I have to say, I really miss learning and being in class.

 

[popopopop]

I don't think being and MD will be any easier. Everyone copes with stress a little bit different, relax a bit and know that your patients won't be bothering you once you clock out. A doctor/resident wouldn't have this luxury. It's only going to get harder if you decide to go the medical route, but that will be a personal decision. Don't think it'll get any easier.

 

[Shrizeal]

Thanks Popopopop. You're right, clocking out and not having to worry about the patients is a great feeling and a good reason why I went to nursing originally. Also the versatility of nursing can be such as the specialties and such.

I've been researching the past few days for various specialties that would suite me. It's been an interesting and hard 6 months working as bedside nurse but, having 6-10 acutely ill patients with a laundry list of meds to be given in a timely manner is difficult. Plus doing admissions, discharges, teachings and follow-ups with various Drs, social services, home care, insurance, labs, tests, etc etc. It really falls all onto the nurse and that's insane.. I'm not sure if it's because the facility I work in, but it's known to be the hardest floor in the hospital.

I'm not saying being a Dr is any easier or harder, but certainly the stress is different. The reason why I'm asking these questions is that I'm hoping a nurse that went to MD can respond to this is to give share the experience. I'm not sure if a person who was never been a nurse can understand how difficult it can be. Just as same as a person who was never a MD can never understand how hard it is to be a Dr. So I'm hoping a RN to MD can spring along and share their experience.

 

[TriagePreMed]

If you think being a nurse is too stressful, being a doctor will be worse. The more falls on your lap, the more you have to do. It's a misconception that workers always have vs. their superiors.

 

[Shrizeal]

If you think being a nurse is too stressful, being a doctor will be worse. The more falls on your lap, the more you have to do. It's a misconception that workers always have vs. their superiors.

Well that's an interesting way to to look at it. But when you say the wroker vs superior part I think is where some people may get offended, namely nurses lol. Nurse vs medicine as we both know are two different but related fields. Hardly is a doctor a 'superior' and a nurse the 'worker'. Yes, the doctor gives orders however the nurse has the ability as well their own assessments and critical thinking to carry out orders or question them.

You're right in saying it'll probably be more stress. However I think having knowledge in medicine and treatment would help a physician guide out stress when it comes to treating patients versus the nurses caring for patients and carrying out those orders. All the more reason why I'm looking for an rn to MD lol.

I know the stress lessens with time and I'll adjust as I'm doing now, I'm just curious what's the comparison between both rn md.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Well that's an interesting way to to look at it. But when you say the wroker vs superior part I think is where some people may get offended, namely nurses lol. Nurse vs medicine as we both know are two different but related fields. Hardly is a doctor a 'superior' and a nurse the 'worker'. Yes, the doctor gives orders however the nurse has the ability as well their own assessments and critical thinking to carry out orders or question them.

No offense intended. Doctors themselves have superiors. It's just the way jobs are structured.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

I think you are jumping the gun. You just started nursing and you hate it. Have you ever had a real full time job prior to this one? You are also on a med/surg floor. I have heard many nurses say "F med/surg" so I am guessing that those jobs suck and are at the bottom of the totem pole.

But this is real life. All jobs suck and when you are just getting into real life, they suck even more. You need to put in your time. All of us have to do it in various jobs. You start low and work your way up. You say you miss learning in the classroom. I take this to mean, you aren't quite ready to grow up. It's ok, but you are going to have to do it. And if you say you are ready to grow up, I urge you to spend time and find yourself because everything about your posts say otherwise.

And if you think that you won't have to deal with administrators, families, patients, etc. as much as a doctor, you are mistaken. whether it is true or not, many still have the mentality of "just a nurse" vs "all knowing doctor." So when a patient's family is s**ting on you, the doctor is probably getting it much worse.

And finally, you work in a service industry. Some people appreciate your service, others suck. Some of the ones that suck make you want to quit. You gotta get used to it.

 

[popopopop]

I think you are jumping the gun. You just started nursing and you hate it. Have you ever had a real full time job prior to this one? You are also on a med/surg floor. I have heard many nurses say "F med/surg" so I am guessing that those jobs suck and are at the bottom of the totem pole.

But this is real life. All jobs suck and when you are just getting into real life, they suck even more. You need to put in your time. All of us have to do it in various jobs. You start low and work your way up. You say you miss learning in the classroom. I take this to mean, you aren't quite ready to grow up. It's ok, but you are going to have to do it. And if you say you are ready to grow up, I urge you to spend time and find yourself because everything about your posts say otherwise.

And if you think that you won't have to deal with administrators, families, patients, etc. as much as a doctor, you are mistaken. whether it is true or not, many still have the mentality of "just a nurse" vs "all knowing doctor." So when a patient's family is s**ting on you, the doctor is probably getting it much worse.

And finally, you work in a service industry. Some people appreciate your service, others suck. Some of the ones that suck make you want to quit. You gotta get used to it.

This is a really good post and hits it on the head. My suggestion is switch to ICU and see how you like that. It'll be a different kind of busy vs being on a med-surg floor. Your 1-2 patients are probably intubated, do what you need to do and just keep them alive 🙂.

 

[MoMoPo]

I am an RN and I am 24, I have been a nurse for about 10 months, I worked my first 9 months on a high acuity CHF/Cards floor and have now moved to a Post-procedural Cardiac Floor.

Being an RN is stressful and really annoying at times but you have to look at what its giving you. If you do plan to go to med school you are going to have a vast amount of medical knowledge which can only help once you get to the 3rd and 4th years. Most med school applicants haven't seen the crap that you are going to see.

Plus, I believe it's one of those "grass is greener" situations. I've heard nurses say "well damn, that md doesn't do anything, I wish I had their job"... I've also heard Docs say this about RNs, and CNAs say it about RNs.

I plan on going to med school not because the career will be easier (because it isn't) but because I want to increase my level of medical knowledge and heal the sick.

I would also agree with what someone said above, med/surg floors are RN meat grinders. Get a year of experience and get an ICU job, your sanity will thank you...

 

[Shrizeal]

Thanks!! Lots of good replies here. I know I'll eventually get used to it, I have been and some days are good some bad. Got to make that bridge and get over it.

When I wrote this originally I was upset mainly because we were short staffed (4th weekend like this since January) over the weekend(sat and sun) it was only 2 nurses for 23 patients and 2 aids. Highly unsafe but we were expected to do it without question. We usually have 5-6 patients per nurse; I had 12 patients the other 11. Stayed nearly 3 hours after my shift just to do follow ups and charting. Not sure if you guys worked as a nurse, but maybe MoMoPo would know what doubling their usual patient load and still expect everything to be done on time and correctly would feel like.

I plan to move on after med/surg just don't know where. OR, ICU or ER all seem so very appealing. Probably end up shadowing around and see which fits me better.

I've worked full time in retail before i graduated full time college and it's probably the easiest things I've ever done. I liked servicing the clients and doing the work was easy for me unlike my co-workers who hated helping the clients. I can see how me wanting to go back to school can make me not want to grow up yet. I'm glad I'm working, I'm learning a lot on the job, don't get me wrong, but I miss the science, and lecture of everything. I'm in school now for my BSN, but its all nursing orientated and not so much on the science. I've been reviewing cases as I come across them in my text books and I'm learning more.

I'm not thinking that a MD's life is any easier than an RN; I'm trying to find out how they're different. Different roles, different jobs centered around Patient and their treatments and care.Someone can easily say that doctors just come in, read the chart and labs, look at the patient, write new orders and move on to the next patient. Someone can easily say that RNs just gives meds, gets samples and bloods, care for the patient, follows up on labs and tests and moves onto the next patient. However we both know that its much more to both sides.. I'm just trying to figure how out how different they are and if the difference would suit me better.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

When I wrote this originally I was upset mainly because we were short staffed (4th weekend like this since January) over the weekend(sat and sun) it was only 2 nurses for 23 patients and 2 aids. Highly unsafe but we were expected to do it without question. We usually have 5-6 patients per nurse; I had 12 patients the other 11. Stayed nearly 3 hours after my shift just to do follow ups and charting. Not sure if you guys worked as a nurse, but maybe MoMoPo would know what doubling their usual patient load and still expect everything to be done on time and correctly would feel like.

But this is apparent in any job in the world. I drive a semi delivering in the night to auto parts store. When the weather is bad, it becomes unsafe, but I am still expected to work. When I break down, I am still expected to get my job done on time, even when the breakdown is 3-5 hours. It doesn't matter if you are working as a nurse or truck driver, or gas station attendant. When you have a bad day, you feel like you want to quit.

But you need to get past those bad days, because they are always going to be there. Always. Everyone goes through what you went through. When it is icy out, all of the news stations say "don't go out under any circumstances, and the DOT says "roads are unplowed, unsafe, and unmonitored" I want to say to say, "peace out guys, I quit." Spend a few years in nursing, finish your BSN, get into a spot that you can live with, and make the best of it. And understand that the bad days will pass. I can guarantee that you being understaffed liked that happens to everyone and it won't be the last time, nor will it be the worst.

So roll with the punches and work for the good days.

 

[popopopop]

No hate to OR nursing, but it's borderline nursing at this point. I'm not an O.R. nurse, but I've shadowed some from preop, intraop, pacu, all the way to the floor. Don't expect E.R. to be any less hectic than floor nursing, although some E.R. nursing friends have told me the charting is way easier. Maybe you'll like E.R. if you're in a trauma hospital, unlike mine. I like the blood and guts aspect of trauma. ICU nurses get the most respect (hate this but it's a fact) and you will get all of the interesting cases and latest gadgets. I feel moving into ICU will allow you do more "hands-on" nursing and use a bit more critical thinking. Floor nursing on a busy day makes you feel like a secretary for the doctors and an errand boy/girl for the patients.

I'm going back to school for the same reason you are OP: the learning, college life, friends that aren't nursing majors, late night studying and coffee, I miss all of that! Besides, I rather be the person diagnosing or doing all the cool procedures. Finish your BSN, work for 1-2 years somewhere you like while taking your premed classes, use the money you saved up to pay for maybe the first/second year of med school. You got good clinical experience on your CV now, do well in classes, gets some good recommendation letters from your professors/director/doctors, you're in a great situation to get easy shadowing, do some influential projects for your floor, and volunteer at a place you're passionate about. It's nice having a direction isn't it?

 

[starluxe]

Floor nursing on a busy day makes you feel like a secretary for the doctors and an errand boy/girl for the patients.

This is so true

 

[jl lin]

No hate to OR nursing, but it's borderline nursing at this point. I'm not an O.R. nurse, but I've shadowed some from preop, intraop, pacu, all the way to the floor. Don't expect E.R. to be any less hectic than floor nursing, although some E.R. nursing friends have told me the charting is way easier. Maybe you'll like E.R. if you're in a trauma hospital, unlike mine. I like the blood and guts aspect of trauma. ICU nurses get the most respect (hate this but it's a fact) and you will get all of the interesting cases and latest gadgets. I feel moving into ICU will allow you do more "hands-on" nursing and use a bit more critical thinking. Floor nursing on a busy day makes you feel like a secretary for the doctors and an errand boy/girl for the patients.

I'm going back to school for the same reason you are OP: the learning, college life, friends that aren't nursing majors, late night studying and coffee, I miss all of that! Besides, I rather be the person diagnosing or doing all the cool procedures. Finish your BSN, work for 1-2 years somewhere you like while taking your premed classes, use the money you saved up to pay for maybe the first/second year of med school. You got good clinical experience on your CV now, do well in classes, gets some good recommendation letters from your professors/director/doctors, you're in a great situation to get easy shadowing, do some influential projects for your floor, and volunteer at a place you're passionate about. It's nice having a direction isn't it?

LOL. That's funny. Why do you "hate that." (The respect part for ICU RNs). Sometimes it's true, sometimes it ain't. I say let my work speak for itself, and screw the rest. There's no glory road in any of this stuff in healthcare. There are those that do whatever to be on some kind of glory road in nursing and medicine, but this is true in all fields. I think I read one person that really got what a pain in the butt it can be being a nurse, especially in something like a critical care area, while you are working hard to do the medical path. And you know what, that person wasn't even a nurse. She said something about busting your butt for 12+ hours and then have to go home catch whatever studying and work you can--then less than optimal sleep, and then go make and do another 12+ hours. Nursing can be grueling--especially with the kind of course work and grades and test prep and other application requirements for med school. If I hadn't have had most of my credits already in nursing, I would have gone a different academic path. At some point, to do your absolute best, you have to seriously cut down the clinical nursing hours, which definitely kills your income. But you have to make a choice. Sometimes you even have to work areas that are not your favorite or anything close to it, because you need to stay current, make some money, and get those straight A's. Frankly it's a huge, stressful pain in the but. Somehow this person, who I believe was a software developer, she got it. Not sure how, but she nailed it. Nursing before medicine is not necessarily an ideal situation. It was just how I started out, and again, most of my credits were in it. If I had it to do all over again, I would have studied biochemistry. Oh, and that's not because of the core nature of the role or the patients. I have loved that part. It's the politics, long hours on your feet and mentally stressful conditions and because of the way they roll with the 12's, which can easily end up to 12+ when patients tank--and always got to dot a lot of i's and cross a lot of t's with documentation--which is thoroughly combed over by many admins and other types in the hospital. And it is the God awful nurse-to-nurse politics and administrative lunancy. Point is this. Nursing in actue or critical care is usually not going to be an easy role to work while prepping for and doing medical school. It will beat the living crap out of you. Way it goes.