Any NPs wish they were MDs?

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Any NPs out there wish they had gone to medical school? If so, why?

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Nope, I've been happy being a nurse.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

I did and actually was accepted at a prestigious med school. Before I had to make the final decision, I declined the invitation.

For years I would waft back and forth trying to decide if APN was what I wanted or should I go on to med school. There for a while, I was so undecided that I couldn't really enjoy what I was doing as an NP.

Something finally connected with me and I realized that I was where I wanted to be: advanced practice nursing.

I've not regretted the decision.

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May I ask why you turned down the invitation for med school?

What finally helped you to realize that you wanted to be an APN?

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
May I ask why you turned down the invitation for med school?

What finally helped you to realize that you wanted to be an APN?

That might be difficult to condense into just a few words, Mark. I suppose the medschool "cons" list just outweighed the "benefits" list and I declined.

I discussed with my medical director at that time and he listened intently. Then, he said, "(my name), you are an exceptional NP with astute dx abilities. You would be an exceptional physician. Only you can make the decision to pursue medschool. But, in my opinion, you are needed exactly where you are now."

I finally came to the conclusion that what I was doing in the rural areas actually served a great need. I would not be able to fulfill that need as a physician. I had almost complete autonomy. Total acceptance from my physician colleagues. Acceptance from the communities in which I served. This took years of hard work.

It just dawned on me that becoming a physician would not enable me to do any more than what I was doing. Plus the expense of the education coupled with the awesome responsibility and in the end, not able to be true to my self for I was a nurse at heart.

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Specializes in ACNP-BC.

I'm just curious if you know of any RNs and/or NPs who decided they wanted to become physicians and went on to medical school.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Hello, christvs,

I merged your thread with one about the same topic.

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Specializes in ICU.
I'm just curious if you know of any RNs and/or NPs who decided they wanted to become physicians and went on to medical school.

I work with two MDs who round through our hospital that were once RNs. So far I've only spoken to one who works in Pulmonary. She told me she worked in the ICU for 10 years, and concluded she could be an MD. Her position is that it was the best decision she ever made.

Don't know of any other RNs or NPs who took the MD route.

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I once worked with an anesthesiologist who had been an RN in the unit I was working on. She was very happy with her decision to attend med school. I've thought about doing it myself, but I'm just not willing to give up the freedom that I've enjoyed in nursing. I am pursuing advanced practice (FNP), but at this stage in my life, I have no desire to devote my life to med school for 4 years, then spend the next several years of my life practically living at the hospital, working up to 80 hours/week for a residency. No thanks. I think I will be happy as an APN.

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Specializes in ICU.
I once worked with an anesthesiologist who had been an RN in the unit I was working on. She was very happy with her decision to attend med school. I've thought about doing it myself, but I'm just not willing to give up the freedom that I've enjoyed in nursing. I am pursuing advanced practice (FNP), but at this stage in my life, I have no desire to devote my life to med school for 4 years, then spend the next several years of my life practically living at the hospital, working up to 80 hours/week for a residency. No thanks. I think I will be happy as an APN.

Amen. :nurse:

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Amen. :nurse:

I second!

I know a family practice MD who used to be an RN. She said that when she went to med school NP's weren't as widely utilized (like we are now), or she would've done that.

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Specializes in ICU.

I know an OBGYN physician that used to be a nurse. She said she went to Medical School because she became bored with nursing. She seems to be happy with her decision.

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