Trying to decide what to do - need some advice.

[psycho-matic]

I'm a biology major graduating in May. I have a very bad academic record from the first time I was in school. I'm not making any excuses about that. Since I came back to finish my Biology degree, I've made mostly A's and B's, and some C's, and a D in organic 2. I probably could have done better in the courses the last three semesters if I didn't have to work 40 to 50 hours a week to support myself. My GPA is at a 2.7, and by the time I graduate I should be able to bring it up a little bit, but not much becase I have over 140 credits. Again, I'm not making any excuse about that, just stating the facts.

I've always known that I have wanted a health-related career, and a long time ago, I thought I wanted to do medical school. Over the past several months I have decided I will pursue nursing, as its a good career in the health field, and it would give me the opportunity of pursuing nurse anesthesia, which would provide a nice income and take my training to a more advanced level. I am afraid, however, that ultimately being a nurse won't be enough for me. The more I think about it, the more I realize becoming a phyician is what I want to do. I also realize my GPA is not competitive for medical school at the moment.

Here are my thoughts on what I plan on doing, and I would like your advice or comments please. I could get my BSN over the next two years. Not only would that give me a good paying, but if I make mostly A's it would bring my GPA up to at least a 3.4 That, with a strong MCAT, is competitive for my state school, as well as other lower-tiered schools and DO schools too. If I never get into medical school, I am still left with a good career with plenty of opporunities for advancement. I'm wondering if that sounds like a reasonable plan.

The other thing to consider is that I'm 25, and will be 26 in January. That would put me entering medical school at a minimum of age 29, and probably finishing up residency at age 37. I really want to be a doctor, but at the same time I want to enjoy my thirties as well. I know being a doctor would be infinately more satisfying than being a nurse anesthetist, but the lifestyle of a nurse and being able to enjoy my thirties appeals to me too. I apologize for the lenght of this post, but I would appreciate any advice you have, if you think I should take a different direction, or if you know how I can improve my competitiveness. Thanks a lot,

Ryan

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[njbmd]

My GPA is at a 2.7, and by the time I graduate I should be able to bring it up a little bit, but not much becase I have over 140 credits. Again, I'm not making any excuse about that, just stating the facts.

I've always known that I have wanted a health-related career, and a long time ago, I thought I wanted to do medical school. Over the past several months I have decided I will pursue nursing, as its a good career in the health field, and it would give me the opportunity of pursuing nurse anesthesia, which would provide a nice income and take my training to a more advanced level. I am afraid, however, that ultimately being a nurse won't be enough for me. The more I think about it, the more I realize becoming a phyician is what I want to do. I also realize my GPA is not competitive for medical school at the moment.

Not only would that give me a good paying, but if I make mostly A's it would bring my GPA up to at least a 3.4 That, with a strong MCAT, is competitive for my state school, as well as other lower-tiered schools and DO schools too. If I never get into medical school, I am still left with a good career with plenty of opporunities for advancement. I'm wondering if that sounds like a reasonable plan.

The other thing to consider is that I'm 25, and will be 26 in January. That would put me entering medical school at a minimum of age 29, and probably finishing up residency at age 37. I really want to be a doctor, but at the same time I want to enjoy my thirties as well. I know being a doctor would be infinately more satisfying than being a nurse anesthetist, but the lifestyle of a nurse and being able to enjoy my thirties appeals to me too. I apologize for the lenght of this post, but I would appreciate any advice you have, if you think I should take a different direction, or if you know how I can improve my competitiveness. Thanks a lot,

Ryan

I am not sure that with the high number of hours at a 2.7 GPA, that you can get a 2.7 uGPA up to a 3.4 with 2 years of nursing even if you received all "As". You can make a spreadsheet and figure out how many hours of "As" you need to raise that uGPA but my guess is that you won't get much above 3.2 after 2 years of full-time study.

If you are attempting to enter nursing for any other reason than you would enjoy and are passionate about nursing, then you will be in for a miserable time. Nursing and medicine are completely different entities and nursing is not a substitute for not being able to get into medical school nor is it an "easy paycheck". You need to really enjoy the scope of practice of nursing and definitely have an interest in this field. If not, you will be more miserable than you can imagine and the paycheck won't offset your misery. Nursing (like medicine) is not a career to enter just because you want a paycheck.

Getting into nurse anesthesia school is no easy or quick entity either. You need to have some good grades and some high-level nursing practice (ICU experience of one year or so). Neither of these are as easy as you would believe unless you are dedicated to nursing (which you likely are not because you state that you want to go to medical school).

A better course for you (rather than entering a field that you are not particularly passionate about) would be to take some post bacc coursework and get your uGPA up to at least 3.0, take the MCAT and enter a SMP (Special Masters Program) which with a strong performance, could get you into medical school. Your road in this direction would be shorter than 2 years of nursing plus ICU experience plus CRNA school and would get you where you wanted to go in the first place.

The drawback is that you need a strong academic performance to first, raise your uGPA and then while you are in your SMP (these usually involve taking the same coursework as first year medical students). If you didn't do well in your SMP, you could tank your medical school chances.

 

[psycho-matic]

I am not sure that with the high number of hours at a 2.7 GPA, that you can get a 2.7 uGPA up to a 3.4 with 2 years of nursing even if you received all "As". You can make a spreadsheet and figure out how many hours of "As" you need to raise that uGPA but my guess is that you won't get much above 3.2 after 2 years of full-time study.

If you are attempting to enter nursing for any other reason than you would enjoy and are passionate about nursing, then you will be in for a miserable time. Nursing and medicine are completely different entities and nursing is not a substitute for not being able to get into medical school nor is it an "easy paycheck". You need to really enjoy the scope of practice of nursing and definitely have an interest in this field. If not, you will be more miserable than you can imagine and the paycheck won't offset your misery. Nursing (like medicine) is not a career to enter just because you want a paycheck.

Getting into nurse anesthesia school is no easy or quick entity either. You need to have some good grades and some high-level nursing practice (ICU experience of one year or so). Neither of these are as easy as you would believe unless you are dedicated to nursing (which you likely are not because you state that you want to go to medical school).

A better course for you (rather than entering a field that you are not particularly passionate about) would be to take some post bacc coursework and get your uGPA up to at least 3.0, take the MCAT and enter a SMP (Special Masters Program) which with a strong performance, could get you into medical school. Your road in this direction would be shorter than 2 years of nursing plus ICU experience plus CRNA school and would get you where you wanted to go in the first place.

The drawback is that you need a strong academic performance to first, raise your uGPA and then while you are in your SMP (these usually involve taking the same coursework as first year medical students). If you didn't do well in your SMP, you could tank your medical school chances.

I did the spreadsheet and I would come right at a 3.4 if I got all A's. I do think I would enjoy nursing, but I don't think it would be as satfisfying as being a physician.

Don't SMP's require a good GPA to get admitted to in the first place?

Something else to add, I am open to going the DO route and of course they would take the last grade I have in repeated courses which would raise my GPA a good bit. Don't want to go the Carribean route.

 

[ar2388]

i agree that the poss bacc --> SMP is a really good choice. would leave you with a few extra years but the best chance of getting into medical school no?

 

[bennyboy5406]

You need to do whatever you need to do to become a doctor. If thats the only position you eventually see yourself doing, and the only career that will truly satisfy you as you've somewhat hinted towards above...F%^$ IT!!!!! get that gpa up, take upper division science courses and work it out for a DO or even low tiered MD school. There are always ways into things, just figure out where your WILL is at and let your heart guide you towards your goals my friend

 

[psycho-matic]

When a new medical school opens up (excluding the california start ups of course) are they generally less competitive to get into the first year or two?

 

[psycho-matic]

*bump*

 

[VanBrown]

Apply to a DO school or become a PA if being a nurse isn't enough for you.

 

[NiCad089]

Instead of nursing, why don't you do some post bac work. After taking a couple of classes you could try applying for admissions to a masters program. btw nursing classes are very tough. Its not easy to get straight A's in them because the profs just load you up with material.