Advice needed. Crna vs MD

Published

Okay I know there are many threads asking the same question but from what I've seen they're from pre nursing students who haven't even gotten into either schools. I've been invited to an interview for medical school and i believe im one of the first to be invited due to my extremely early application. I have 3 years of experience in the ER and 1 year in the ICU. I have a 3.7 GPA from my undergrad nursing and medical school pre requisites with a 33 MCAT score. I hope I don't get any negative comments because I don't mean to offend but I just don't feel like nursing is for me. I'm tired of feeling so under appreciated by patients and doctors. I know I shouldn't be paying attention to comments such as "oh you're just a nurse" but it gets to me after a while. I've always wanted to be a doctor but I'm unsure of myself. Anyway, i also applied to two crna schools and I'm awaiting a reply. i don't know which route to pick if I get accepted to both. If you were in my position which would you choose and why? Any comment would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

I agree with CRNA1982 -- the CRNAs I know live very well.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.
I don't mean to offend but I just don't feel like nursing is for me. ... I've always wanted to be a doctor ... If you were in my position which would you choose and why?

You don't seem confused at all.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in none.

Go for the MD you will be calling the shots, not taking them. And everybody knows that if someone gets better they thank the doctors, if something goes wrong it is the nurses' fault. You will make the cost up in no time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Anesthesia.
Go for the MD you will be calling the shots, not taking them. And everybody knows that if someone gets better they thank the doctors, if something goes wrong it is the nurses' fault. You will make the cost up in no time.

CRNAs can and do work independently/without supervision. I don't have a physician calling the shots. To the OP it doesn't look like you have any real interest in nurse anesthesia/anesthesia so I would suggest going to Med School.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am in my last year of my BSN. I had completed my pre-reqs for medical school and was a few classes short of finishing my degree and taking the MCAT before I switched to nursing. Standing in one place in a cold OR is not what I want from my career, and as another poster stated above doctors work like dogs. I still think about going for an MD every now and then but I really don't have the dedication for such a time-consuming career path, and I think if you want to be an MD your heart really has to be 100% with it. Good luck to you whatever you decide. With your score and your experience I'm sure you could do either.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiothoracic ICU.

Go MD; there appears to be a surplus of CRNA's beginning but i don't think there will ever be a surplus of MD's.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Okay I know there are many threads asking the same question but from what I've seen they're from pre nursing students who haven't even gotten into either schools. I've been invited to an interview for medical school and i believe im one of the first to be invited due to my extremely early application. I have 3 years of experience in the ER and 1 year in the ICU. I have a 3.7 GPA from my undergrad nursing and medical school pre requisites with a 33 MCAT score. I hope I don't get any negative comments because I don't mean to offend but I just don't feel like nursing is for me. I'm tired of feeling so under appreciated by patients and doctors. I know I shouldn't be paying attention to comments such as "oh you're just a nurse" but it gets to me after a while. I've always wanted to be a doctor but I'm unsure of myself. Anyway, i also applied to two crna schools and I'm awaiting a reply. i don't know which route to pick if I get accepted to both. If you were in my position which would you choose and why? Any comment would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Have you ever thought about becoming a physician's assistant? Less than an MD but the schooling is 1/4 of the time and it pays very well. You still always have to practice under a licensed MD but many rural ERs and mid sized cities are utilizing MDs as well as FNPs. Just suggesting it as an option to you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

good luck and god love ya, I wouldn't choose either myself... they both work like dogs, have no home life and have no time to spend the money they don't have paying back student loans for ten years.

I'll simply nurse and blow my money on traveling.

Pure fallacy. Life is all about choices. I know some RNs who work like crazy with the above things you mentioned.

OP follow your dream. Don't wait till the chickens hatch if this is really what you want to do.

1. Ninety-nine percent of all failures come from people who make excuses.

2. Decide upon your major definite purpose in life and the organise all your activities around it.

3. Thr indispensable first step to getting things you want out of life is this: decide what you want.

4. The greatest danger for most of us is not that we aim too high an we miss it, but that we aim too low and reach it.

5. If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you discconect yourself from what you truly want and all that is left is compromise.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Just to play devil's advocate here: I know plenty of nurses with awful schedules who feel worked to the bone; I am continually amazed that even nurses with years of seniority are still forced to work every other weekend! And I know several MDs who have awesome schedules. Ex: an anesthesiologist who works with my MIL is on for one week, off for two weeks. (The one week is crazy (call, etc)...but two weeks off every month??!!!) Depending on the MD specialty you choose, you can have a lot of power over what kind of lifestyle you want. I think we need to reconsider the "work like a dog" stereotype....we all have choices!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Anesthesia.

There are lots of physicians that have great schedules. Maximum hours for residents was just reduced again, so resident/intern schedules are better than what they were. There are lots of physicians that choose to only work part-time, take two-three years off, or even retire early. Physicians schedules, in general, are not the classic prototypical of the old doc who used to cover the office and hospital. More and more physicians that work inpatient are hospitalists that have no clinic responsibilities and have a set schedule. Surgeons often rely on their NPs or PAs to do most of their clinic and hospital rounds. Don't believe for a minute that all/most physicians have such a hard life working all the time to make a little money.

I pulled the exact same schedule as the anesthesiology residents while doing clinicals at our main hospital. We both pulled call together, did the same number days etc., and during my junior year the chief resident gave the SRNAs all the weekends/holidays he could get away with. Unlike residents SRNAs don't have a maximum number of hours we can work, and we aren't paid for our free labor. Those SRNAs that are civilians actually pay to be the hospital's free labor pool......just my :twocents:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion