Very difficult for RN to become doctors?

[rhp123]

Hi, all:

I just read a post that says there is an extreme difficulty for RN to get into US med school. Since it will become so hard for them to explain their motivations. You cannot use reasons as your childhood dreams, help people, work with patients, etc. to persuade the committee to promote you from nurse level to a physician level. anyway, you are already in the health profession and taking care of patients, why just go for NP or ND? The committee might think it is better for the world to have one Nurse and one Physician instead of just one Physician.

Of course, all the reasons are below the surface and unspoken by the admission committee.

Such concerns do not exisit with Carb schools.

I looked at some admissions statistics, the rate for advanced allied health professionals is very low. I was wondering why it is so low, as nurses work side by side with doctors, they have no-peered clinical exp.. But admission statistics is unbelievably low, seems there do have some unexplained reasons.

I was thinking becoming an RN first, gain some clinical experience, then do premed and apply for medical school? But now I am very undecisive. Maybe I should stick to current low-pay job, and do premed slowly now, then my chance is actually much higher?

How do you guys think?

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[Califlower]

I am going to be a RN, and continue my premed studies. I hope that within a few years I can start med school. If it's something you want, and something you feel that would work for you and your schedule, you should go right ahead and do it. I have heard that some adcoms frown upon RN's applying to med schools (because they are already in health care, and there is a massive nursing shortage) but then again there's plenty of RN's who have done it and done it well -- the extremely long thread somewhere below have several med students/residents who used to be RN's. They seem to be successful at what they have been doing. So if that's a pathway you are thinking of, you should do it!

 

[rhp123]

What medical schools do they go? Like a thread below said, mostly oseteopathic? Carribean?

There are only 13(if I am right) Oseteopathic schools, so the chances are much much smaller.

 

[deleted6669]

there are now 20 osteopathic schools and they love folks with prior medical experience..................

 

[Califlower]

Yes, as emedpa said, I have heard of the reputation that the DO schools have for looking favorably upon experiences -- life experiences as well as medical. But there is sort of a stigma on the DO schools (which isn't deserved IMO) and I do believe that the applicant pool in the DO isn't as dog-eat-dog as the MD applicant pool, although they do overlap as some apply to both. But either way non-traditional students are becoming the norm and I think that more doors are opening for students from various backgrounds, people with different health professional degrees or older premeds going back, or people looking for a second career, etc.. I think a person just need to have the courage to pursue the thing they want and let no obstacle stand in their way.

 

[fab4fan]

Some of the best mentoring I ever got from docs was at an "osteopathic hospital."

I've worked as an RN for nearly 20y, and I have frequently found DO's to be more generous with teaching. I never saw any difference between DO's/MD's...there are good docs and there are bad docs.

Last year, when I demolished my ankle, I could have picked any doc. Who did I want (and get)? A DO.

Sightly off topic, but I always feel compelled to take up for DO's when I see this.

 

[tedsadoc2002]

Thanks for the D.O. support fab4fan!

If you read the thread started by NurseyK (it's nearly 3 years running) there are many of us that were RNs and either are in school or have graduated and are now in residency (yours truly) .

One poster on that thread, md03, was in an allopathic program and I personally know other RN's that went that route (an intern in my program went to a Caribbean program). I personally would not go RN to go to medicine, but that's just my opinion.

Take everything you read with a BIG grain of salt and keep on plugging. Statistics said that someone in my position would never have made it to med school and then match into a competitive residency, just goes to show. Good luck, can't wait to hear your transition story!

ted, D.O.
Emergency Medicine, PGY-2
somewhere in the city

 

[elias514]

Rumors drive me nuts, because most of them are dead-wrong. There are rumors that AdComs discriminate against older applicants, humanities majors, graduates of unranked colleges, applicants with mediocre verbal scores, applicants with mediocre physical science scores, individuals with earrings, people who wear unpolished shoes to interviews, applicants who wear brown instead of dark grey or black, people who wear flashy ties or colored shirts...the list goes on and on. Most of it's complete nonsense. You know what will dictate whether you get in or not? No, it's not the color of your shirt at a med school interview, it's your accomplishments and your character. Plain and simple. Don't get discouraged by the statistics, because there are always deviations from statistical predictions--you just might be the next one.

 

[DOPhD student]

On the issue of teaching, I find DO attendings to be somewhat inadequate when it comes to evidence based medicine. I know this because I rotated with several DO attendings as a 3rd and 4th year extern. I am currently in an allopathic program where I find the attendings to be a little bit more up to date with current research studies. It could not be generalized across the board that all MD attendings are like this, but a larger percentage are. When it comes to enthusiasm for teaching, however, I find no difference between DO and MD attendings.

 

[Bovie9]

Very difficult for RN to become doctors?

No way!! Some real life experience makes the applicant more interesting. Knowing how to listen to lungs & talk to patients really goes a long way!

Everything else being equal- MCAT scores, GPA, etc..... I think 90% of the interviewers will take the RN- provided you are doing it for the right reasons. You will certainly have to explain your motivations, etc.

I just finished interviewing for surgery residency- every interviewer brought it up- they loved the idea of having someone with real life experience, a little more mature in their program. I think it really helps for surgery- my pulse really doesn't go up anymore for most codes... (I worked the ER, and was a paramedic)...

 

[rhp123]

Actually that is a good news. How do you explain the motivations? which is a big issue? Do people think you use nursing as a stepstone?

I am sure nursing experience (especially ER, critical care) helps for finding residencies.

 

[passlineandodds]

whether you were an RN or not does not matter when it comes to medical school admissions. the bottom line is that your GPA, mcats, interviews, and personal statement are what counts. there is simply no substitute for high grades, high scores, a great interview, and a well-written statement.

 

[Bovie9]

I agree and disagree... you are right that scores, grades, statement, interview, are important- but having something else to talk about- some real life experience does make a difference.

In my mind, the "standard" applicant- good grades, MCAT, bio major, good interview, etc.. is quite boring and needs something else. People who are a couple of years older, seen some things- for example the applicants who have seen patients die (and STILL want to do medicine) - are stronger applicants. I didn't have trouble getting into medical school, and my residency interviews were outstanding, in general. All interviewers were very interested to know about my ER & paramedic experience... It made me a better medical student, and it will make me a better surgery resident- period.

MCAT, grades, etc will show potential to learn basic science.... you need this, no matter what, and this cannot be overemphasized.

 

[rhp123]

The thing that puzzled me most is how to explain the motivations. Difficult to use the words as "want patient contact", "want to help other people, want to take care of the sick". However, a nurse is already in this field and what makes him/her to become a doctor instead of nurse is one of the biggest problem.

Well, if one want to go to a foreign medical school, I think nursing experience will be a relatively big plus when getting to the stage of looking for residency. They know you already are familiar with US medical system.

 

[passlineandodds]

Originally posted by Bovie9
some real life experience does make a difference.

i do not disagree. as silly as this sounds, the more human that you are the better doctor you will be. i just wanted to point out two things: people will not hold it against you if you were an rn or bsn applying to medical school, they will value you it as an asset. a very strong applicant with a nursing background will be able to write his or her own ticket when it comes to getting into medical school. at the same time, nothing short of olympic gold will make up for a mediocre application.