Any nurses who thought about becoming MD's???

lita1857 · Aug 12, 2000

well khoward...alot of nurses aren't gonna like what I'm about to say but here goes: GO FOR IT! I could've but really liked physically taking care of patients. Now in hind site nurses though we are smart etc will never get the respect mind you the money for compensation.Don't let your freshman year cloud how you'll do. If your gonna go into debt for education why not get a return in respect/money and ability to control work hours etc.Women need to think "outside the box" go into non-traditional work/roles...The work will be grueling...do you have it in you to push yourself even when your on empty? I put my daughter thru 4yrs at 17-18K per year on a lowly nurse's wage of $60K per year at base. Worked 16hrs per day 5 days per wk or 6-12hr shifts, paid cash and she just graduated in may..proudest day of my life! So ask yourself the question do you want to hold some one else's hand while they strive or do you want to shine yourself???what ever you choose Best of Luck, some of us never ask the question or answer it for ourselves.

Kim-rn · Aug 15, 2000

I've thought about this, too! I will start my second semester in nursing school this fall, and so far, I have a 4.0 GPA. But I am 34 years old, and have two children. Isn't internship after medical school almost unsurvivable? If anyone has info/experience, please share!

NorthernRN · Aug 15, 2000

I recently went thru this myself. I wanted to pursue a degree beyond my BSN and looked at med schools, PA programs and NP programs. What it boiled down to for me was this: schools of thought. Each one (MD,PA,NP) has a different school of thought related to it. MD's are diagnostic, NP's are "caring" in addition to diagnostic, and PA's fall under the medical model. So, it all depends upon your personality and which suits you better....This is like comparing apples and oranges, both are fruits, but still very different. Good luck with your decision and best wishes to you, whatever you decide to do! (Personally, I went the NP route and am very happy w/ my decision.)

khoward172 · Aug 15, 2000

Thanks for all of you who have posted replies to my topic so far. It's not that I don't like nursing school, but it can be discouraging at times. It can be even more discouraging since my husband is a med. student and I'm always around doctors and other medical students. Sometimes I feel like they think I don't have what it takes to go to medical school and that's why I've taken the nurse route. But, like the previous post stated, the two are like apples and oranges...still fruits, but both very different. I'm still discouraged, but trying to figure out whether I should go the NP or CRNA route after school and working for awhile, but I don't have to decide overnight. I'm just still trying to get it past me that doctors are not always better than nurses...we just have a different job and a different type of knowledge in the huge world of healthcare. Any encouraging words would be greatly welcomed. Thanks.

NorthernRN · Aug 15, 2000

Here are some words for thought....this sounds more like an internal process for you than external. Where does your self-esteem fit into this picture?? Do you think you would make a good nurse? Do you think the majority of the medical field "look down" on nurses? In my experience, I've worked w/ some wonderful MD's and haven't felt looked down upon. As a matter of fact, they have relied on me for my opinion and my assessments of patients. What I'm trying to say here, is try not to internalize this. Take a good, hard look at your personality and what YOU like to do and see how that compares to the medical model and the nursing model. Having been married to a board certified trauma doc, I know how you feel. But I am also very proud of my accomplishments and my ability to provide top notch patient care. Think of what you have to offer to patients....

ShannonB25 · Aug 15, 2000

I understand what you mean about remembering that MD's aren't better than us, only that they serve a different role in healthcare. I was actually pre-med for 2 years, took my physics and chemistry classes to prepare for med school. However, I have a 6 yr old little boy and am trying to have another child presently. My mother was a successful business woman and, as a result, I ate a lot of TV dinners and was tucked in by the television at night. I don't want that for my children. This is NOT to criticize those who do pursue their educations in medicine, it just wasn't for me. I was at a crossroads where I had to branch off into the upper division nursing classes or continue with my pre-med classes. After much thought (about both the job and what I want to offer my patients, as well as my family's considerations) I felt that nursing was the best choice for me. I do like the fact that if I choose to do so I can pursue my master's or my PhD later on down the line, but in the meantime I will have my degree in a profession that I love and have twice as much time with my family as I would have had I chosen medical school. Just my experience with the situation. Best of luck to you!

Shannon