Aspiring Nurses: Why not Med School??

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Many of the courses required for Nursing Schools and Medical Schools are the same, as many of you are aware. What made you choose the Nursing route over the MD? They are both challenging and require lots of commitment, but MD gets more prestige. So why Nursing? Enlighten me! :idea:

I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I actually applied to LPN school. But now I can tell you the thing that keeps me in nursing is the close bedside relationship I have with my patients. They totally make the job worthwhile!

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The course of study is longer than my remaining life span.

The same for me, I am 47 and start nursing school in August ;) Lucky if I'll get enough time in as a nurse to draw retirement :lol2:

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Tele, DOU.
Many of the courses required for Nursing Schools and Medical Schools are the same, as many of you are aware. What made you choose the Nursing route over the MD? They are both challenging and require lots of commitment, but MD gets more prestige. So why Nursing? Enlighten me! :idea:

Hi muurman,

Hmmm, well, I honestly have become tired of family asking me why I didn't go to medical school. I am also very tired of family--who is also in the medical field--constantly complaining about nursing:madface: . (But, hey that is another topic entirely.)

Anyway, I debated for 4-5 years about going back to school to become a pediatrician. (Even my nursing professors thought I would end up in pediatrics some how.) As, in my opinion, God would have things turn out, I later found nursing to be my desire. It's kinda funny for me, because I like nursing more as I get older and learn more. As a matter of fact, I probably have a 95% job satisfaction rate over the last 10+ years.

And yes, I am deeply satisfied for all the reasons the other posters have mentioned. Yes, it is true that I can provide well for my family; however, I only work part-time.

I have patients who remember me from the hospital and hug me or thank me months later. Geez half the time, I can't even remember their names.

I will never forget the one who hugged me because, I told her it was okay whether she chose to terminate her pregnancy or give the baby up for adoption. I told her God would not hate her and understood. I never thought I would see her again. Sometimes people just need someone with whom to cry with and share their fears. I was and still am priviledged to provide care for my patients whether it be physical, spiritual, or emotional.

For me, nursing is a priviledge.

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This question reminds me of the problem that many LPN's have in nursing. They deal with people constantly asking them why they didn't become RN's. I've also dealt with this and I'm still in nursing school. Quite honestly it is demeaning. But a lot of the reason people ask the question is because they have a lack of information. Few people outside of the healthcare industry actually know what nurses and doctors do. They have no idea that our focuses and goals are seperate and unique. People don't see that. They think of nurses as doctor's assistants instead of unique and integral necessities to healthcare. Doctors are definatley a huge piece of pt. care. But think about what life .....and health care would be like without nurses and the wholistic approach. Food for thought.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Tele, DOU.
Few people outside of the healthcare industry actually know what nurses and doctors do. They have no idea that our focuses and goals are seperate and unique. People don't see that. They think of nurses as doctor's assistants instead of unique and integral necessities to healthcare. Doctors are definatley a huge piece of pt. care. But think about what life .....and health care would be like without nurses and the wholistic approach. Food for thought.

Mercy83,

Thank you. This was nicely stated. As of yesterday, I started explaining to my patients what my role is as their nurse. I am even bringing my . . . nursing theorist, Sister Callista Roy . . . into the discussion. I use this to explain to my patients that my goal is to return them to the highest level of adaptation as possible upon their discharge so that they can return to life!!! Funny thing was the patient in the bed next to my patient was listening and said "yeah, that makes sense."

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Specializes in Diabetes ED, (CDE), CCU, Pulmonary/HIV.

When I was growing up (50's & 60's) little girls were encouraged to be teachers or nurses or executive secretaries. Little boys were going to be doctors, lawyers, or astronauts. Much of that programming sticks with us. Add to it that generally, even now, the mother is the major care giver and does not want a career that take her away from family. Nova produced a program about this in the early 80's. It's called "The Pinks and the Blues."

I became a nurse as 2nd career (teaching first). It took the least amount of time and money. I agree that the patients make the job as satisfying as it is.

It is much harder to get into medical school, and much harder to complete.

At one point I wanted to be a pharmacist--now pharmacy programs require a Pharm.D.

When I often found myself the only Spanish-speaking nurse on nights, it made me wonder why there are so few Hispanic nurses in Miami. As I continued to observe, I found that young hispanic women are much more likely to go to medical school than nursing school.

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Wow...i think i might be a horrible person. i'm going into nursing so that i can afford to go to a real university (my CC is a joke) and do my pre-med work. i'm not going into nursing selflessly. Nursing itself won't help me in med school, but it will help me get to know physicians that will give me good LORs and hopefully let me shadow them. my top choice medical schools require 500+ hours of diverse clinical (ie close enough to get vomited on) experience, and nursing will give me that.

Is that awful? my patients will never suffer, i take every job i do VERY seriously and i have an obsession with mastering every task...but really this is just a stepping stone. Do i suck as much as i think i do right now?

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Specializes in ICU.
Do i suck as much as i think i do right now?

Um, no!

Just because we have different priorities/interests/whatever doesn't make you less of a person. We need doctors, too...

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The difference between nurses and physicians is like cops and lawyers. i'm really not going to be one of those cops who wishes he was a lawyer and ends up dropping the ball left and right.

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Specializes in ICU.
The difference between nurses and physicians is like cops and lawyers. i'm really not going to be one of those cops who wishes he was a lawyer and ends up dropping the ball left and right.

Definitely. It's a symbiotic relationship. Each profession offers different things, one is not better than the other, and one cannot function without the other. You make your choices based on your personal beliefs and circumstances and there's nothing wrong with that at all. In fact, I think a physician with nursing experience would be an awesome team member. Good luck to you!

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Definitely. It's a symbiotic relationship. Each profession offers different things, one is not better than the other, and one cannot function without the other. You make your choices based on your personal beliefs and circumstances and there's nothing wrong with that at all. In fact, I think a physician with nursing experience would be an awesome team member. Good luck to you!

i'd want to kiss you right now if it wouldn't be all creepy.

i read all these threads about nurses being treated like crap by doctors, and while i understand VERY WELL the stresses that physicians face, nurses are support staff. That means i can't do my job without you, i need your support...and you need mine. i'd hope my nurses didn't hate me so much that i could say something offhandedly twatty and they wouldn't be afraid to call me on it. i'm hoping nursing experience will help me with my chronic foot-in-mouth.

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Specializes in Peds, PICU, Home health, Dialysis.

Before I started nursing school, my intentions were to pursue medical school after nursing school. I figured it would get my foot in the door. However, I am LOVING nursing school. I love the patient contact and I love doing "hands-on" work. Most physician specialties are not hands-on, but rather diagnosing patients and prescribing the correct treatments. I think that would get extremely tiring over the years.

Thus my main reasons for wanting to stick with nursing are:

1.) Flexibility -- both in the lifestyle and in being able to switch specialities. Their are sooo many areas of nursing (both clinical and non-clinical). And if I get tired of the nursing work, I can always pursue my APN and do the same type of work as a primary care doctor.

2.) Patient contact! I love working with people (especially the elderly and end-of-life patients) and as a physician I wouldn't be able to do that.

3.) I would rather interact with other nurses -- most physicians carry on that stereotypical personality, and I can't stand dealing with them.

4.) And lastly, I don't think I could do MORE undergrad classes (bios, chemistry, physics) -- even though I know I would do awesome, I just can't imagine 2 more years of undergrad followed by 4 years of grueling med school with an additional 3 - 7 years of residency and fellowship. I think I will stick with nursing and pursue advanced degrees in nursing (definitely my masters and perhaps my Ph.D.).

:)

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