Unsure of what to do

[The REAL Doc McStuffins]

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Hello everyone! I’m a senior in college and I’m currently torn on what to do. I was originally on the pre-med track, but it grew to be a little too difficult for me and I had to drop some classes and retake them. After I had to withdraw from OCHEM 1, I decided to take a break from the pre-med track during junior year. I am in a very unique situation. I decided to apply to an accelerated masters in nursing program (AMSN, not NP). I got accepted. It’s a very good school (won’t mention the name in order to remain anonymous). I know that if I attend this school, I would have no issues finding a job in a good hospital. I was thinking that since I don’t have the money right now and I’m not prepared at all to apply for med school, that this would be a good experience for me and it could help me financially to embark on the med school application path. I still have to take OCHEM 1&2, Biochemistry, and physics 1&2. Is it realistic to be a nurse and still have the time to take these courses? Another thing is, I have a scholarship that will pay for me to go to a masters computer science program tuition free. People have told me that I shouldn’t waste that opportunity, but I don’t know if I should do CS before med school or nursing school. The benefit of CS is that it’s paid for. The nursing program is quite expensive. So, as you can see, I’m very much torn right now and the deadline is approaching for me to choose a program. What would you all do in this situation? Thanks!

 

[Orangekiwi]

If you want to be a doctor, don't go to nursing school. Let someone who actually want's to be a nurse have the spot. It won't help your application, the classes won't be considered by ADCOMs, and they'll question why you either a.) went into nursing without actually wanting to do it or b.) decided to pursue medicine after going to nursing school. Nursing is NOT an experience on your way to medical school, it's a profession and unless your plan is to go into that profession, don't go.

 

[deleted480308]

This might hurt but I’m trying to be helpful.

You already washed out of basic premed classes once. You have no reason to assume med school is going to be an option in the future. The nursing degree will be easier, take it and have a career on lockdown. Then, if you want, you can start premed stuff on the side while having a real way to pay bills. Maybe you pull it off and become a doctor, maybe you have a very respectable career as a nurse. Both are ok outcomes

 

[Blueprint Med School]

Agreed with @Orangekiwi, and the same applies to your masters in CS. Being a software engineer, nurse, and doctor are all very different professions. Don't go into a field now if you are planning to apply to medical school after a couple years.

 

[The REAL Doc McStuffins]

This might hurt but I’m trying to be helpful.

You already washed out of basic premed classes once. You have no reason to assume med school is going to be an option in the future. The nursing degree will be easier, take it and have a career on lockdown. Then, if you want, you can start premed stuff on the side while having a real way to pay bills. Maybe you pull it off and become a doctor, maybe you have a very respectable career as a nurse. Both are ok outcomes

I didn’t wash out of anything. But thanks for the advice.

 

[DokterMom]

Do you want to be a doctor, a nurse, or a computer scientist? We're all saying essentially the same thing. Pick a profession and train for that. Neither the nursing program nor the CS program will really help you become a doctor, and nursing and computer science are both great careers.

I didn’t wash out of anything. But thanks fir the advice.

You wrote:

"I was originally on the pre-med track, but it grew to be a little too difficult for me and I had to drop some classes and retake them. After I had to withdraw from OCHEM 1, I decided to take a break from the pre-med track during junior year. "

I'm pretty sure this is what @sb247 meant by "wash out", and honestly, it doesn't sound like much of a mischaracterization. If you "had to" drop out and retake classes and now have multiple prerequisites left to take, you're already in a bit of an academic hole. Not everyone actually has the academic chops to become a physician.

As has been said, nursing classes won't count toward your medical school pre-requisites, and working for only a year or two as a nurse can actually harm your chances at becoming a physician later. (Nursing is not a trial-run or step towards - it's a different profession.)

My take: Same as everyone else's. Pick your career and train for it. If you want to become a doctor, get back on the pre-med academic track and nail it. If you can't succeed, then pick Option B or Option C and give that option your full attention.

 

[candbgirl]

I didn’t wash out of anything. But thanks fir the advice.

But you indicated that you did and and you have at least five really tough classes left for med school. What gives you the slightest inclination that you would be successful in those classes? At least the first time through.

But anyway, you really seem to be all over the place with plans for the future. Being a nurse is an honorable profession. Why did you apply for the nursing program? Or did you always just think of it as a fill in until you went to med school? Are you the least bit interested in a career in computer science? Why did you apply to that program? Only you can answer these questions.

 

[WaterFlow]

Hello everyone! I’m a senior in college and I’m currently torn on what to do. I was originally on the pre-med track, but it grew to be a little too difficult for me and I had to drop some classes and retake them. After I had to withdraw from OCHEM 1, I decided to take a break from the pre-med track during junior year. I am in a very unique situation. I decided to apply to an accelerated masters in nursing program (AMSN, not NP). I got accepted. It’s a very good school (won’t mention the name in order to remain anonymous). I know that if I attend this school, I would have no issues finding a job in a good hospital. I was thinking that since I don’t have the money right now and I’m not prepared at all to apply for med school, that this would be a good experience for me and it could help me financially to embark on the med school application path. I still have to take OCHEM 1&2, Biochemistry, and physics 1&2. Is it realistic to be a nurse and still have the time to take these courses? Another thing is, I have a scholarship that will pay for me to go to a masters computer science program tuition free. People have told me that I shouldn’t waste that opportunity, but I don’t know if I should do CS before med school or nursing school. The benefit of CS is that it’s paid for. The nursing program is quite expensive. So, as you can see, I’m very much torn right now and the deadline is approaching for me to choose a program. What would you all do in this situation? Thanks!

From looking at your post history, it seems you need to do some serious self-reflection as well as career exploration. You've also posted about the consideration of becoming a dentist or a PA.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Go work as a CNA for a year. You'll get a sense of how medical care is delivered and a sense of humanity as you will be bathing and dressing patients who cant do for themselves. This will help you decide which career to choose and you wont be taking out expensive student loans on a career you dont like.