RN to MD, has anyone done this?

[Loux]

Hello everyone! This is my first official post, although I frequent these boards often due to my sheer fascination with the medical field. I suppose I should give a little background on myself before I ask anything. :) I'm 16 years old, and I've been homeschooled for the past two years. My plan goes as follows:

-Take my GED in June 2010

-Get my pre-requisites at a Community College

-Apply for the nursing program at said Community College in order to get my Associates in Nursing

-Take 1+ year off of school to (hopefully) work as an E.R. nurse (I know that experience to work as an E.R. nurse may be required, making this harder)

-Get my Bachelors degree in Behavioral Neuroscience at a University, or perhaps my BSN (although I've heard this can negatively affect the following step, true or false?)

-Take the MCAT exam and apply for medical school

If all goes well, I would complete med school and fulfill my dream of becoming an E.R. Doctor.

I definitely want to get my RN though, and I'm in the process of preparing for that; but I wanted to know if applying for medical school with a BSN can be a bad thing. I've read that med schools don't like taking nurses from their field, is this true? Or does it really just depend on the person? Has anyone done anything like this? If so, did you prefer being a nurse, or being a doctor? I'd appreciate any advice! Thanks.

[sunnycalifRN]

Loux,

check your email.

[pennyaline]

Why go 'round and 'round about it? There are few (if any) advantages to having been a nurse first. You want to be a physician, so just go to medical school.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

Most who have idea of medical school following a nursing career come to their senses once they get into the profession. The world of doctors and nurses, while there are some similarities, are two different concepts alltogether. Not saying that it hasn't been done -but after wiping too many intern/first year resident noses you tend to re-evaluate the whole scenario.

[DogWmn]

My old doc did it, she was an army nurse during the Vietnam era and then returned and got her DO. She's a great no-nonsense Doc. However, like the other poster stated if med school is your goal - just do it from the beginning, don't shilly shally around, going for your md will be long enough without adding nursing to the list - you'll become a purpetual student! My x is an FP Doc and between college, med school and residency that's a minimum of 11-12 years depending on your specialty and those are looooong tough years.

[taz628, BSN, RN]

I work with two ER docs who were RN's once upon a time. Excellent docs, one is an attending and one is a resident.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

If you want to be a physician, then bypass the RN license.

You say that you want to earn an associates degree in nursing (ADN), but please realize that you might end up on a waiting list for a few years before getting to start the nursing program. This might simply add more time onto an already lengthy goal. Remember that nursing programs are very competitive for admission, especially at community colleges and publicly funded universities.

However, there's no competition involved when pursuing a BS degree in biology. You could earn your biology degree (or one in behavioral neuroscience, as you seem to want) and apply to medical school thereafter. The straightforward path to the MD degree saves more time than becoming a nurse first.

If you want to be a physician, then don't become a nurse. Contrary to popular belief, the medical model is drastically different than the nursing model.

[caliotter3]

My friend had a horrific time getting accepted to a nursing program because she had a GED instead of a high school diploma.

[LeLeeFNP]

i think becoming a nurse first is an excellent idea. you have to obtain a bachelor's degree anyway before applying to medical school so why not do it in something that you can actually use just in case Med school doesn't work out for whatever reason. it's not popular, but it has been done. plus as difficult as nursing school is i believe it will prepare you for the even more rigourous amount of work you will have to do in med school. I do have to agree that you should propably X the whole ADN thing and just go straight for the BSN. There are numerous colleges that will except you with a GED. you may just have to prove yourself with an entrance exam, but it is possible. don't let anyone discourage you from going this route if you really feel this is best. I know you are only 16 but it is great that you are thinking about your future.

Good luck!

[tencat]

If you are only 16, I would totally forget about becoming a nurse first and go straight into med school. By the way, a GED can work out just fine. If you get one, then go to a community college for two years to get an associates, you should be able to keep going with no issues. I know two students who did that route, and one of them is a graduate of Cambridge University in England....they aren't in the medical field, but both are doing fine.

[delilas]

I agree with Angel! While I think it is a harder to course to go through, having a BSN will give you a huge step up when you enter medical school.

If you have trouble getting waitlisted at nursing schools, the college I am attending (in Ohio) has no waitlist, just PM me if you're ever interested. I think whether they are upset about a GED vs HSD will be if they do not speak with you in person - a GED because of homeschooling is a different issue than a HS dropout, but they are often classed together from what I've seen. I wish you all the best, you seem to be fairly set on your course and what you want to do! I wish I had known when I was your age =]

[vanderth]

I work have worked in the medical field for quite a while and I am also married to a surgeon.

I have to say that I personally think that you would be looked upon as an asset to a medical school if you were previously a nurse.

My OB-GYN did this exact same route and it made her a better physician and more respectful to nurses and PA's because she had been in their shoes at one time.

GO FOR IT! It this is the route you would like to take I think it gives you so much insight and an upper hand because you will have worked in a health care setting and know the ins and outs of what goes on.

Good Luck little 16er!