To all the nurses who are now doing med school

[shunybuny]

Hi there,

I am nursing student with plans of becoming a doctor one day. I am glad to come across a forum with people who share my same goals.

I was just curious what area of nursing did you work in before you started medical school? Do you think that working in nursing specialties such as critical care, med-surgical, or emergency medicine would be a good preparation for a nurse wanting to go into medicine?

Also, did any of you attend post-bacc programs or did you just take the required pre-med courses at a university?

I am open to all comments negative or positve.

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[Kev (UK)]

Hi, I am in the UK so what I say may not be that useful to you in the US, but here goes.

I was a qualified nurse for 15 years before I started med school and my background was Critical Care nursing and some emergency care nursing as well. I also have a Bachelors and Masters degrees in Nursing and various other graduate certs.

There are about 30 nurses in our year of 260 med students and most of the nurses have backgrounds in critical care, emergency medicine and cardiology. However, there is also a palliative care nurse, an obstetric nurse and a community nurse as well as several psychiatric nurses.

 

[shunybuny]

Thanks, you were very helpful.

 

[Hayduke]

Originally posted by shunybuny
Hi there,

I am nursing student with plans of becoming a doctor one day. I am glad to come across a forum with people who share my same goals.

I was just curious what area of nursing did you work in before you started medical school?
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Emergency Nursing
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Do you think that working in nursing specialties such as critical care, med-surgical, or emergency medicine would be a good preparation for a nurse wanting to go into medicine?
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Yes
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Also, did any of you attend post-bacc programs or did you just take the required pre-med courses at a university?
------------------------------------------------
Pre-med only (with two diplomas AD/BA+EMT-P ticket)
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I am open to all comments negative or positve.

Good!
Here's my comment.
Get in a department that gives you the most exposure to physicians. You will learn the JOB of medicine, get great experience, find out if this is THE thang, and hopefully score some future contact points.
I found the ED to fulfill all these objectives as well as meeting my dreams of being a lot like "Dixie" on EMERGENCY!.
However, as you complete your clinical hours, you might find this experience in the units or some super cath department.
Med-Surg is where you learn to be a great nurse, not a doctor.
Try to land in an academic institution. Find out what these gurus (attendings) believe is good health-care.
Blow off post-bac land. If you can hang as a student now, just get ready to hard-charge those pre-reqs.
I suggest taking time out of work to do this in a compressed curriculum. For example, as a travel nurse I would work a 13 week contract then bust out a Physics or O-chem course in a 4-week hell class at the local U. I ate a lot of Tuna, but got a lot out of the experience and did pretty well. In fact, those concentrated classes were pretty
good prep for med school.

Oh yeah- Sneer as much as possible.
Good Luck
H

 

[obadya00]

i am currently in my first semester at a carribean medical school.
i was previously working on a cardiac floor for a couple of years before i made the switch.

 

[shunybuny]

Thanks everyone for sharing

 

[Bovie9]

Hi- I worked for 1 year as a RN in a NYC ER before med school. Was also a paramedic,- not only were they great jobs, it was a HUGE help during 3rd and 4th years.

I would agree with previous posts- ER or critical care probably the best way to go. Nursing is EXTREMELY different than medicine. It was nice to start the clinical years of med school knowing how to put in an IV, foley, etc... comfortable arounds crashing patients.....

I didn't do a post-bac, decided on med school during my junior year, took all elective time and 2 summers worth of premed classes. Took gen bio, gen chem as an elective.. organic chem summer after 3rd year, physics and MCAT summer after graduation. It was easy to pick up a chemistry minor with all that chem.

I am now graduating from a SUNY med school (less than 100 days!!) After graduation it will be surgery residency,

Good luck!!! Study hard.

 

[fab4fan]

Hayduke: "Dixie" was your ideal nurse? What about "Consuelo" on "Marcus Welby, MD"?

Either you are like me, older than dirt, or you have watched a boatload of Nicklodeon...LOL.

"Dixie"...ROTFLOL!

 

[Hayduke]

f4f
OK I'm older than dirt.

But didn't Dixie have the best job ever?

That woman lived to serve coffee, hit on John, and raise an eyebrow everytime the doc answered telemetry.

Did she ever work?

Where's the nurse gig where I can do that?

By the way...RAMPAR tops my short list for audition roatations.
H

 

[fab4fan]

Hayduke: Don't forget that tight white uniform and way cool nursing cap! I was so disappointed when my cap didn't have those neat "wings" and black band.

I also liked that nurse on, "Trapper John, MD," who was everywhere. He had a pt in the ED, she worked in the ED; he had a pt in the OR, she worked in the OR; he had a pt in OB, she worked in OB, etc. She was like "omninurse"...able to work all specialties without breaking a sweat. (I believe this show also had "Nurse Ripples", some chick who worked 1000-1800 and also wore very tight uniforms. She always looked kind of flustered and was a total airhead, but was beloved nontheless. I remember some uniform company tried to use her to market their uniforms, and they got so much angry feedback from nurses that they stopped.)

Ugh...thank you for this trip down "TV Nurses Memory Lane." LOL!

 

[medic8m]

Im an RN starting med school this fall. One thing I noticed is that practically every admissions office claimed that nursing was of no benefit to me. One dean even told me that they consider nursing a seperate profession (which it is) and that I will have to convince them why I want to switch (which I did). Another advisor told me that that nursing may hurt me because I may have become accustomed to "taking orders" and unable to think for myself". Well, dont listen to any of it. I got into 8 schools, 3 in California with a 3.5 GPA and 30 MCAT. So I believe it was the nursing that contributed. There are some pretty wild misconceptions of what nurses do, just read some of the Allopathic threads on this website.

 

[fab4fan]

You are so right, medic8m. Some of the threads are downright embarrassing. These are supposed to be people who work with nurses; you'd think they would have a modicum of respect (didn't their mommas teach them better?).

And then they wonder why there are nurses that call them at 0300 for a diet change; usually, that only happens to those who treat nurses badly (for the record, I don't do this...I am better than that, and better than their bad behavior).

 

[medic8m]

ha, very true.. I think it comes from the fact that most have never worked with nurses. They have been cooped up in some basement laboratory looking at cadaver slides. Most would run to the nurses station for help if one of their patients coded. That way there would be someone who as actually saved a life at the bedside. I may sound bitter but many of these med students havent experienced squat. "shadowing a doctor" is the extent of it most of the time. OK, rant over.. whew...

 

[LilhaYingurl]

Hi, I'm the new girl on this block. i'm writing because I've been searching all over the internet to find someone who can give me information about nurses wanting to get into med school. I'm currently a nursing student in California. I have tossing and turning about whether I want to follow my dreams and attend med school after a BSN. I have a year and half left of nursing school.

And some of the questions that I have are:

Are there any female nurses/student nurses that want or are going to med school? How should I start finding information about becoming a female doctor? Where can I find infomation about all that I need to know about going to med school? Can anyone direct me to information on the busy life of a female doctor? Are there any southern california nursing students out there that are on the same boat as I am or are in med school already? Who are the best people to talk to when asking about nurses wanting to be doctors? And how can I start a new thread on this forum? hehehe! =o)

I have many more questions but I leave them for later.

Thanks!

 

[Febrifuge]

"Female doctor?" Is that like a "male nurse?"

Just kidding you -- but ideally, there are only two kinds of either of the professionals above: good, and not so good. I take orders from RNs and docs, and that's the only way I mentally categorize either population.

 

[missRN2be]

Hi LilhaYingurl,

I'm currently a nursing student too. I'm 25, and it wasn't until 2 years ago that I decided that I didn't want to be a physician (after completing a B.S. which is kind of depressing and exhilirating at the same time ). It wasn't until 6 months ago, that I finally figured out what my niche is (I've decided on taking the administrative/policy making route). Anyway, there is a good site that I used to go on that addresses women (particular mothers) who are, or are going to become MDs or DOs. Even though, I didn't have any children, I found it to be very enlightening. It's called www.mommd.com
It's very informative, because it sheds some light on some of the challenges and sacrafices a woman has to make if she wants her career and family. Hope that helps.

Hi, I'm the new girl on this block. i'm writing because I've been searching all over the internet to find someone who can give me information about nurses wanting to get into med school. I'm currently a nursing student in California. I have tossing and turning about whether I want to follow my dreams and attend med school after a BSN. I have a year and half left of nursing school.

And some of the questions that I have are:

Are there any female nurses/student nurses that want or are going to med school? How should I start finding information about becoming a female doctor? Where can I find infomation about all that I need to know about going to med school? Can anyone direct me to information on the busy life of a female doctor? Are there any southern california nursing students out there that are on the same boat as I am or are in med school already? Who are the best people to talk to when asking about nurses wanting to be doctors? And how can I start a new thread on this forum? hehehe! =o)

I have many more questions but I leave them for later.

Thanks!

 

[lax]

Hi!

I am planning to go to med school. I have an associates degree in nursing. I have worked in Trauma ICU 1 year and General/Cardiac ICU for 6 months. My biggest confusion is whether or not to get BSN and prereqs for Medical school or get a Bachelor's in another degree. Are the chances of getting in Medical School better for BSNs with prereqs or Bachelor's of Biology, etc. Are there any nurses with ADN that just took prereqs and got in or other route? What was GPA? MCAT scores? School of Medicine choice that you were accepted?

 

[camishey]

I have also recently decided to go to med school. I just wondered too if any ADN's got just their prerequisites and got in. I have an ADN and will be working on my prereqs this fall.

 

[mustangdoc]

hey...I'm on my way to college and I was wondering how long it takes to be a RN...

I was thinking about getting a bachelors in nursing..and since med schools require bachelors....then going to med school and doing the post residency...

I have no idea wat to do...and I'm so low on cash as well...is this not a good idea?..please helpp

 

[Noeljan]

Hey
The BSN is a lot of work in my opinion, compared to something like biology. This is because your last two years you have clinicals, and nursing classes which can go all day long (my classes were from 9-2 or 3 per course). With that, it is very hard to get all of your prereqs done. If I were you I could work as a CNA/med tech while going for something like bio. This is just my opinion though I could be wrong. Biology is a lot more flexible and less demanding. Your entire 4 years are courses(and some research if you decide to do so) which you schedule (as opposed to nursing which offers it only at this time, etc) The nursing schedules are sort of set in stone. Basically, if you need to work while in school I would suggest what I said bc it will be more difficult to do so in a BSN program.