Will staying a flight nurse as a physician discredit medicine???

[flightnurse2MD]

I am currently a 3rd year medical student/part-time flight nurse. I truly love flying and doing critical care in the sky. Plus, the flightsuit makes me look like a freaking rockstar.. . 😉

But I am curious about the general opinion if I keep up my nursing licensure when I am a doctor just so I can fly 1-2 a month. It's probably unheard of and maybe even undesireable. But to me, its keeping up with something that makes me happy. Plus, the patient gets a doc/nurse for the price of one! Thoughts?

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[Apotheosis]

I don't get it.


Why are you in medicine if you have already found a career that makes you happy?

 

[flightnurse2MD]

I don't get it.


Why are you in medicine if you have already found a career that makes you happy?

Makes me happy, but doesn't fulfill me. I wouldn't be able to stand life knowing what I don't know for the rest of my career as a nurse. I knew there was more and I wanted it. Hence, applied and went to medical school. There a flight docs, but they don't fly near as much as flight nurses do.

 

[cbrons]

So how do you keep a part-time job in M3?

 

[xffan624]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg1YMLbtTJ2Ijd2wS-bsJHQ

I am currently a 3rd year medical student/part-time flight nurse. I truly love flying and doing critical care in the sky. Plus, the flightsuit makes me look like a freaking rockstar.. . 😉

But I am curious about the general opinion if I keep up my nursing licensure when I am a doctor just so I can fly 1-2 a month. It's probably unheard of and maybe even undesireable. But to me, its keeping up with something that makes me happy. Plus, the patient gets a doc/nurse for the price of one! Thoughts?

I feel like there would some problems with scope of practice if you were both a licensed physician and nurse (what if you disagree with something a doc tells you to do), and acting only in a nursing a capacity, but I honestly don't know anything about the subject.

 

[flightnurse2MD]

So how do you keep a part-time job in M3?

With caffeine and at the expense of sleep. During IM, I didn't work, but worked every weekend during my psychiatry rotation. Flight nurses do 24-hour shifts so I just studying while waiting for a need for critical care transport. There is a girl in my class who has had 2 kids since starting school. Personally, I think that is way harder than what I do.

 

[flightnurse2MD]

I feel like there would some problems with scope of practice if you were both a licensed physician and nurse (what if you disagree with something a doc tells you to do), and acting only in a nursing a capacity, but I honestly don't know anything about the subject.

As a flight nurse, there is no doc with you. There's a medical director a phone call away. Maybe I can do both? Be a medical director and flight nurse. Ha! That'd be classic...

 

[xffan624]

As a flight nurse, there is no doc with you. There's a medical director a phone call away. Maybe I can do both? Be a medical director and flight nurse. Ha! That'd be classic...

That's what I meant. The doc on the phone tells you something and you disagree. Or you don't call the medical director because you're a physician and don't need another doc to tell you how to manage the patient and there's a poor outcome or the medical director gets a bit ruffled because you don't use their input. I just see a lot a potential problems with a scenario of board certified physician acting in a nurse role.

 

[Tenk]

Are you going to go into EM? We fly. I agree it is a lot of fun (most fun I had in residency) but you will find that the pay sucks and being a physician you will want as much free time as possible. Pulling a 24 at a fraction of your pay is not something most of us are interested in. Especially since I can just work a shift and then rent a private helicopter ride (or learn to fly like a lot of my friends) or go snowboarding, or go on vacation, or go surfing, or ride a bike, etc etc. There are no shortage of thrills available once you're an attending.

 

[flightnurse2MD]

That's what I meant. The doc on the phone tells you something and you disagree. Or you don't call the medical director because you're a physician and don't need another doc to tell you how to manage the patient and there's a poor outcome or the medical director gets a bit ruffled because you don't use their input. I just see a lot a potential problems with a scenario of board certified physician acting in a nurse role.

You'd probably encounter the same situation with a primary team consulting with different specialties on their patient. I saw it a lot on wards.

 

[Tenk]

That's what I meant. The doc on the phone tells you something and you disagree. Or you don't call the medical director because you're a physician and don't need another doc to tell you how to manage the patient and there's a poor outcome or the medical director gets a bit ruffled because you don't use their input. I just see a lot a potential problems with a scenario of board certified physician acting in a nurse role.

Medical directors almost never get called on the field. They review cases sure but are almost never directly involved in patient care unless they are on scene.

 

[xffan624]

Medical directors almost never get called on the field. They review cases sure but are almost never directly involved in patient care unless they are on scene.

Ok. Like I said, didn't know much about it. I'll defer to folks to know more.

 

[flightnurse2MD]

Are you going to go into EM? We fly. I agree it is a lot of fun (most fun I had in residency) but you will find that the pay sucks and being a physician you will want as much free time as possible. Pulling a 24 at a fraction of your pay is not something most of us are interested in. Especially since I can just work a shift and then rent a private helicopter ride (or learn to fly like a lot of my friends) or go snowboarding, or go on vacation, or go surfing, or ride a bike, etc etc. There are no shortage of thrills available once you're an attending.

Pay does suck, but sometimes (albeit rarely) there is more to life than money.

 

[blub1212]

You'd probably encounter the same situation with a primary team consulting with different specialties on their patient. I saw it a lot on wards.

The difference is that everyone knows the primary team is the decision maker. The consult team is consulted to make recommendations, not decisions. You are not comparing apples to apples here.

I really have a hard time seeing how this would work. Beyond the fact that I doubt anyone would hire you (an MD trying to get a nursing job is like a phd applying for a lab tech job, you are way over qualified), the legality of it would be an issue. You would be confined to a nursing scope of practice when doing that job. If anything went wrong that could have been prevented by you stepping outside your "nursing" scope of practice then you could be sued since you are a doctor. If you stepped outside your scope of practice (even if it caused a patient to be better), you could be sued for stepping outside the scope of practice of the job you are doing. It's a bad idea.

 

[Tenk]

Ok. Like I said, didn't know much about it. I'll defer to folks to know more.

No worries. The OP would only benefit from having their previous flight experience and crit care experience and would most likely get more respect rather than less. Flight nurses are generally very well respected in the EM field. They have an incredibly dangerous job and many are certified to even do invasive procedures as well. They are not your average nurse.

 

[Tenk]

Pay does suck, but sometimes (albeit rarely) there is more to life than money.

I agree. You will find that once you are an attending though, the most valuable asset you have is time. It is the one limiting factor in everything. Hence why 24 hours will become almost priceless. There are so many things I could do in 24 hours. Sitting around at an airport waiting for a call is not high up on my list, especially if you have a family (I don't know if you do), but maybe it is to you, just something to ponder. To answer your question though, I highly doubt you will have a problem flying as a doctor given your history of already flying previously (if you had no flight history, yes this would be difficult). If anything you will just be given more respect and freedom rather than less. Anyways, best of luck to you, happiness is the most important aspect of your life so do whatever makes you happy (just don't get stuck doing something just cause!)

 

[flightnurse2MD]

The difference is that everyone knows the primary team is the decision maker. The consult team is consulted to make recommendations, not decisions. You are not comparing apples to apples here.

I really have a hard time seeing how this would work. Beyond the fact that I doubt anyone would hire you (an MD trying to get a nursing job is like a phd applying for a lab tech job, you are way over qualified), the legality of it would be an issue. You would be confined to a nursing scope of practice when doing that job. If anything went wrong that could have been prevented by you stepping outside your "nursing" scope of practice then you could be sued since you are a doctor. If you stepped outside your scope of practice (even if it caused a patient to be better), you could be sued for stepping outside the scope of practice of the job you are doing. It's a bad idea.

Good points all around. Fair enough. It was a thought I had in mind. Like I said, I'm just a 3rd year medical student. Couldn't possibly know the logistics of all that at this level just yet.

 

[xffan624]

Are you going to go into EM? We fly. I agree it is a lot of fun (most fun I had in residency) but you will find that the pay sucks and being a physician you will want as much free time as possible. Pulling a 24 at a fraction of your pay is not something most of us are interested in. Especially since I can just work a shift and then rent a private helicopter ride (or learn to fly like a lot of my friends) or go snowboarding, or go on vacation, or go surfing, or ride a bike, etc etc. There are no shortage of thrills available once you're an attending.

I flew in enough helicopters in my year in the sandbox. I've never understood the appeal after that, but I'm not a guy, lol.

 

[Mad Jack]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg1YMLbtTJ2Ijd2wS-bsJHQ

I am currently a 3rd year medical student/part-time flight nurse. I truly love flying and doing critical care in the sky. Plus, the flightsuit makes me look like a freaking rockstar.. . 😉

But I am curious about the general opinion if I keep up my nursing licensure when I am a doctor just so I can fly 1-2 a month. It's probably unheard of and maybe even undesireable. But to me, its keeping up with something that makes me happy. Plus, the patient gets a doc/nurse for the price of one! Thoughts?

Nothing wrong with it, have fun.

 

[Tenk]

I flew in enough helicopters in my year in the sandbox. I've never understood the appeal after that, but I'm not a guy, lol.

I took a private helicopter tour over Kauai (where they filmed a lot of Jurassic Park). It was pretty amazing but that was mostly due to the scenery.

 

[xffan624]

I took a private helicopter tour over Kauai (where they filmed a lot of Jurassic Park). It was pretty amazing but that was mostly due to the scenery.

Yeah, I imagine it would be. Most of my helicopter rides were less scenic. Except for the one day I was riding with the colonel and public affairs officer and some media folks and they asked the pilots to give the media some scenes on the ride to Basra.

 

[racerwad]

You can be a flight physician and still maintain your flight RN status. Most flight services have a certain staffing model (RN/Medic, RN/RN, RN/RT) and being an RN would probably help with scheduling. This has been my experience with the flight services I have worked with. In fact, our aeromedical program's director is an MD/RN and flies routinely.

Also, our EMS medical directors do get calls from the field daily (we have a unique model, just so you're aware that they are out there).

 

[flightnurse2MD]

You can be a flight physician and still maintain your flight RN status. Most flight services have a certain staffing model (RN/Medic, RN/RN, RN/RT) and being an RN would probably help with scheduling. This has been my experience with the flight services I have worked with. In fact, our aeromedical program's director is an MD/RN and flies routinely.

Also, our EMS medical directors do get calls from the field daily (we have a unique model, just so you're aware that they are out there).

Oh wow. Your director sounds like a badass. Anyway I could get in contact with him/her and ask a few questions?

 

[Goro]

They don't have flight surgeons anymore?

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg1YMLbtTJ2Ijd2wS-bsJHQ

I am currently a 3rd year medical student/part-time flight nurse. I truly love flying and doing critical care in the sky. Plus, the flightsuit makes me look like a freaking rockstar.. . 😉

But I am curious about the general opinion if I keep up my nursing licensure when I am a doctor just so I can fly 1-2 a month. It's probably unheard of and maybe even undesireable. But to me, its keeping up with something that makes me happy. Plus, the patient gets a doc/nurse for the price of one! Thoughts?

 

[Tenk]

They don't have flight surgeons anymore?

Most physicians actually fill the EMS role of airway and there is still a flight nurse.

 

[hello1234!]

As an M3, I don't think you should spend any of your weekends working as a nurse, even on "easy" rotations. You should be focusing on learning medicine. This is the year that forms the backbone of medical education and a good foundation will benefit you during residency. Plus, it's not like you will be able to work as a flight nurse during residency anyway. Just my 2 cents.

 

[racerwad]

Oh wow. Your director sounds like a badass. Anyway I could get in contact with him/her and ask a few questions?

Feel free to PM me.

 

[Deranged Medic]

Sounds like you need to just become the medical director of a program, then make them let you fly whenever you want. This would solve all the scope of practice issues.

 

[Psai]

I just worry about how it will look in a courtroom if you were acting as a nurse but the lawyer starts off with "so doctor, ..."

 

[Darth Doc]

You can be a flight physician and still maintain your flight RN status. In fact, our aeromedical program's director is an MD/RN and flies routinely.

I'm a M3 with a prior career as a PA. I'm in the National Guard and they're sending me to flight surgeon school as part of my M4 curriculum. Another way to expand your flight role as a MD could be through the military. I plan on looking into aeromedical programs to increase my flight opportunities now that I know they exist.

 

[dpmd]

Would probably be best to find a situation such as described above or something similar where you are fulfilling a dual role (or just flight doc role) to minimize any potential scope of practice and liability issues. Would do so as soon as you have a medical license (just in case you figure out a way to fly in residency, if your program allows it-would be inadvisable to try to hide it from them)

 

[cbrons]

Pay does suck, but sometimes (albeit rarely) there is more to life than money.

So basically you went to medical school so you could work as a nurse?

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