Typical Nontraditional question

[Melbel505]

Hello everyone,

Yes, this is another nursing to medical school question. Thanks for reading, and hopefully responding.

This is my second year in nursing, but I feel like it is not as challenging as I want it to be. I have a 3.98 in all my classes. I have taken General Chemistry I & II and Bio I, and received A's in all the classes. When I finish Nursing, I will have around 1,200 clinical hours and 200+ volunteering hours at a local hospital. I tutor for general chemistry also at my college.

After long thought, I know for certain that I want to continue my education after graduation, but am unsure if I want to be a physician or NP. If I had the money I certainly would switch majors to nursing to biology/chem, because I have more of an interest in these areas. Unfortunately, I feel like it would be much cheaper to finish my nursing degree and take the prerequisites for medicine (maybe during the summer?). However, I (or my parents) would be able to fund my graduate education.

So my question is: What is your opinion on the path I should take? Should I finish nursing and take the prerequisites for med school during the summers? Or, am I just completely crazy and should just stick to nursing?

Thanks for reading if you made it this far.

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[Eccesignum]

Option 1: Take some dedicated time this summer to shadow some MDs, DOs, and NPs. If you decide physician is what you want, switch to bio/chem major. Apply directly for MD/DO at the end of school. With your current GPA, provided you keep that up, do well on the MCAT, and strengthen your application with ECs, you have a strong base to start from. It'll be more expensive, but keep in mind that two gained years of physician salary down the line will more than make up for this. If you decide it's NP you want, you're already on track and so stay there, get some experience in nursing, and apply NP.

Option 2: Stick to nursing for the time being. The experience you'll get as a nurse will be valuable in helping you understand how the system works (and doesn't work) and how healthcare teams function. If you do this, however, I strongly recommend working 1-2 years or longer after school -- i.e. don't jump from graduation as a nurse to applying immediately for something else. During that time shadow as many MDs, DOs, and NPs as you can. Learn what they do. Make an informed decision after that. Resume whatever pre-reqs you need and carry on.

It's really up to you. Either way though, it sounds like you need to get some shadowing time in so that you can get a deeper glimpse into what both physicians and NPs do. Only you can make the decision as to what'll be satisfying in the end.

 

[Melbel505]

I actually plan to shadow my friend's aunt, who is a family physician, this summer. My mother is a nurse practitioner, so I might do some shadowing with her also.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[italiancowgirl]

I actually plan to shadow my friend's aunt, who is a family physician, this summer. My mother is a nurse practitioner, so I might do some shadowing with her also.

Thanks for the advice!

Goodish plan but shadow non family too.

 

[Eccesignum]

Agreed with above. Shadowing family is fine, but you want experience with someone who's going to have an outside perspective too.

Also, you definitely want to shadow more than just one physician and one NP. Get a variety of environments and specialties if you can.

 

[Mad Jack]

I'd say finish out your nursing degree because you never know how things are going to turn out in your life, and you'll be better situated to decide whether to take the physician versus NP plunge by the time you're done with school. Your priorities could very will change over time, making you more suited to one profession or the other.

Just my two cents though- only you can figure out what's right for you. Also, don't use a real picture of yourself as your avatar- anonymity isn't a big deal until it is, and when that happens, it's usually a very big deal.

 

[RN MD 2017]

Hello everyone,

Yes, this is another nursing to medical school question. Thanks for reading, and hopefully responding.

This is my second year in nursing, but I feel like it is not as challenging as I want it to be. I have a 3.98 in all my classes. I have taken General Chemistry I & II and Bio I, and received A's in all the classes. When I finish Nursing, I will have around 1,200 clinical hours and 200+ volunteering hours at a local hospital. I tutor for general chemistry also at my college.

After long thought, I know for certain that I want to continue my education after graduation, but am unsure if I want to be a physician or NP. If I had the money I certainly would switch majors to nursing to biology/chem, because I have more of an interest in these areas. Unfortunately, I feel like it would be much cheaper to finish my nursing degree and take the prerequisites for medicine (maybe during the summer?). However, I (or my parents) would be able to fund my graduate education.

So my question is: What is your opinion on the path I should take? Should I finish nursing and take the prerequisites for med school during the summers? Or, am I just completely crazy and should just stick to nursing?

Thanks for reading if you made it this far.

I'm a nurse that graduated last year and is just getting ready to apply to med schools this summer. If I were you, I'd stick with nursing for now. It is very conducive to continuing your education (I work 2 days per week, and easily support myself) and it gives you better options than a biology degree will. Having the extensive clinical exposure that comes with nursing is a huge plus as well.

 

[Melbel505]

I'd say finish out your nursing degree because you never know how things are going to turn out in your life, and you'll be better situated to decide whether to take the physician versus NP plunge by the time you're done with school. Your priorities could very will change over time, making you more suited to one profession or the other.

Just my two cents though- only you can figure out what's right for you. Also, don't use a real picture of yourself as your avatar- anonymity isn't a big deal until it is, and when that happens, it's usually a very big deal.

I just used my Facebook login, and it transferred over. I'll probably change it. Thanks!

I'm a nurse that graduated last year and is just getting ready to apply to med schools this summer. If I were you, I'd stick with nursing for now. It is very conducive to continuing your education (I work 2 days per week, and easily support myself) and it gives you better options than a biology degree will. Having the extensive clinical exposure that comes with nursing is a huge plus as well.

Have you taken the MCAT yet? Also, when (or did) you take the pre-reqs for med school? And did you have a lot of shadowing experience?
Thanks for the response.

 

[italiancowgirl]

I thought about this a bit more and also wanted to point out that your reasoning for wanting to go for something more is that the classes are easy (if I am understanding you correctly). Well life is not class, so I think you should be very careful letting classes influence your decisions since you have not actually worked in the field. Nursing can be a fulfilling and challenging career.

Why are you so dead set on continuing your education? Why don't you want to try working before taking more classes? There is something to be said about getting some life experience so you better know yourself and what your choices mean. You say you have over 1200 hrs in clinic and yet you don't seem to know the roles or lifestyles. I would definitely encourage you to shadow nurses in at least 3 fields, nurse practitioners, DO and MD. If you don't feel head over heals like you have to be a physician to be fulfilled, then you should not pursue it. GL

 

[Melbel505]

I thought about this a bit more and also wanted to point out that your reasoning for wanting to go for something more is that the classes are easy (if I am understanding you correctly). Well life is not class, so I think you should be very careful letting classes influence your decisions since you have not actually worked in the field. Nursing can be a fulfilling and challenging career.

Why are you so dead set on continuing your education? Why don't you want to try working before taking more classes? There is something to be said about getting some life experience so you better know yourself and what your choices mean. You say you have over 1200 hrs in clinic and yet you don't seem to know the roles or lifestyles. I would definitely encourage you to shadow nurses in at least 3 fields, nurse practitioners, DO and MD. If you don't feel head over heals like you have to be a physician to be fulfilled, then you should not pursue it. GL

My reasoning for wanting to contining my education after graduation is because that has always been my dream. I have never thought of just going to college for a bachelor's degree; I have always wanted to go further. With my grades and experience, I see no reason why I should not be able to pursue a higher education goal.

I should have said more about why I would maybe want to go for medicine after I graduate. I never had a "certain" career choice when I graduated high school (I was 18), I just picked nursing as my major because I wanted to do a career in healthcare. However, after taking Gen chem I and II and Bio I(and doing really well in them), I realized I liked the subjects a lot more than the nursing classes (Not necessarily just because they are "harder"). I have a three-year clinical program for my nursing major, and I see the differences doctors and nurses do. I go to many different hospitals for my clinicals. I know I need to shadow before I make a decision. I still have a while until I graduate.

This isn't like I woke up one day and said, "Oh, I want to be a doctor." I have been looking into this for almost a year now. I have talked to a lot of doctors and NPs that work at the hospital I have volunteered at for a year.

Nevertheless, I know I need to shadow and I definitely will this summer! Thanks for your response.

 

[RN MD 2017]

I just used my Facebook login, and it transferred over. I'll probably change it. Thanks!



Have you taken the MCAT yet? Also, when (or did) you take the pre-reqs for med school? And did you have a lot of shadowing experience?
Thanks for the response.

I took all of the pre-reqs (except for gen chem) over the past year. It is possible to get them done quickly if you are willing to put in the time. Just took the MCAT last week. I guess my best advice to you would be to take this process slow. Doing well in your classes and on the MCAT will take time. I studied for the MCAT for around eight months.

 

[Melbel505]

I took all of the pre-reqs (except for gen chem) over the past year. It is possible to get them done quickly if you are willing to put in the time. Just took the MCAT last week. I guess my best advice to you would be to take this process slow. Doing well in your classes and on the MCAT will take time. I studied for the MCAT for around eight months.

Wow, that's great! Good luck! If you don't mind me asking, for you, what was the reason you switched from being a RN to wanting to become a MD?

 

[Eccesignum]

Mel, you might want to browse this thread for info too https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/rn-to-md-progress-support-thread.1155404/

There are a lot of us on here coming from RN backgrounds, which is nice for support.

 

[Melbel505]

Mel, you might want to browse this thread for info too https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/rn-to-md-progress-support-thread.1155404/

There are a lot of us on here coming from RN backgrounds, which is nice for support.

Thank you for your help! I am definitely going to take a look at that thread.