RN to MD....possible or not?

[zinacef]

Hi Everyone,

I have been a nurse for six years and have always wanted to use it as a stepping stone to study medicine. However, throughout the years marriage and family came into view, and, of course, my dream of studying medicine was placed on the back burner and to add I'm 30 years old! Now that I am in college doing my BSN, I am now thinking of doing the necessary pre-med courses to give it a go, but was very much put down by my nursing advisor. I told her of my plans to go into medicine and she threw a fit at me for wanting to jump the fence! She said she thought it best for me to aim for the nurse practitioner instead, and that she thought too that I may not be able to study medicine as I needed to bring up my grades! Now that I'm thoroughly put off by this woman's advice/attitude, I was wondering if anyone can tell me if there are any nurses out there who have actually made the jump? Also, is the nurse practitioner option a better choice? If anyone has any websites they can direct me to for advice I'd appreciate it. Thanks in advance for replies.

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

Howdy yall

from deep in the heart of texas

Its very possible, go for it if you want it bad enough and good luck to you

keep it in the short grass yall

teeituptom

[James Huffman]

Possible? Of course. Go for what you want to do.

However, be aware that some med school admissions committees question nurses at some length as to why they are changing professions. I'm not sure of their reason, but have heard several nurses going to med school report this. It's not a big deal, but you should have a clear idea of why you want to do what you want to do.

And let's not be so hard on the advisor, who may simply be trying to keep a good nurse in the field.

Jim Huffman, RN

http://www.networkfornurses.com

[Jenny P]

And I work with a nurse who was a podiatrist for 18 years before he decided to become a nurse! The road goes both ways; we shouldn't discourage anyone who wishes to take a different career path than most.

Good luck.

Jenny

[meandragonbrett]

http://www.studentdoctor.net is a great site for more info on going to med school. In the forums area there is a nursing forum; it has quite a lengthy thread on a former nurse who has begun her journey from a RN to MD. It's quite interesting and there are many other informative forms such as, Pre-med, Allopathic, Osteopathic, Rotations and Residents, nursing, and some others.

Brett

[meandragonbrett]

one more thing, you may find great discouragement from your fellow nurses if you decide to go through w\your goal of MD or DO, don't listen to them, IGNORE them!

Brett

[fedupnurse]

In NJ, there is such a glut of NP's they are staying as staff after passing NP boards or taking a paycut to work as an NP. If I were going to work MD hours, I'd want the paycheck to go along with it. Go for it! You will make a great doctor because you have been on the 'other side of the fence'. I worked with a resident who was a nurse first. She was always decent to deal with. Sounds like that advisor has some issues!!!!

Good luck, you'll do great!

fedupnurse

[ERNurse752, RN]

I think it's definitely possible, and I agree that RNs will be better MDs b/c of their nursing experience.

One of the docs in my ER started as a unit secretary --> tech --> RN --> PA --> MD :)

A trauma surgeon in my city was an ER nurse for 10 years before attending med school...

I have to admit I've thought about going the RN --> MD route myself!

:)

[susanmary]

Follow your dreams. If you are smart enough to be a nurse ....you are WAY smart enough to be a doctor (true enough isn't it nurses out there?) When completing my BSN (had ADN & BS) my counselor always talked about how I should become an APRN -- as if that were the "holy grail" for me. It is not. For her, perhaps. But we all have our own dreams. We OWN our lives.

Good luck.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Of course you can do it (surprised anyone would dare doubt this)

As far as pay goes I hear that GP's are making the same amount of money as PA's in some areas. So would look into that. Also know of a NP who took a PA exam and passed, getting the 4year PA certification in a 2y NP Master's course. So you have some shortcuts available to you.

[lalaxton]

canoehead,

Just a comment on the NP who took the PA exam. Not sure why they would want to do this except to maybe prove a point?

As an NP I applied to many jobs advertised as PA only and in fact did get one after making a presentation to the MD group on the similarities/differences between the two. In many states PA's and NP's can do the same things. I know of several NP's who work with surgeons and make just as much or more than a PA. So in many instances the roles are interchangable. Getting a PA 'certification' after getting a MSN sounds like going backwards. Many PA programs are going to a Master's degree as they see many jobs going to NP's solely on the basis of extra education.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

The NP who took the PA exam did so because since nursing is a "female" profession, and PA's "male" PA's were getting paid more for the same work. So why not take on the title that gets you more money (at least more in that area at that time).

I'm a lowly RN so not up on the NP/PA politics, but can certainly understand that getting another certification would keep your options open...especially when some jobs are advertised as only PA positions.

[MollyJ]

In my hubby's residency, there have been multiple residents who were former RN's, PA's, and med techs. A couple of them (candidly speaking) should have stayed where they were, but for the most part they always wanted to be in the medical driver's seat and it was an end to a degree of frustration for them. Like other poster's, it's not unusual to find these folks in your practice environment, so talk over you expectations and anticipations with them.

Right now at the residency, there are a series of midl-levels (NP, PA's) who are working at the residency while working on their pre-med pre-req's.

One of the recent residency grads was a DVM who went back to med school. He had great stories.

The person who's approval and support you most need is your spouse. This pathway change affects them greatly and you need to really talk over the realities of pre-med and med school (when they will likely need to work to support your endeavors) and then residency and practice. This can involve relocation and career upheaval for them. what are their thoughts?

Good luck.