Any BSN graduates pursuing a a M.D. degree after graduation??

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi there, I don't know if this topic has been brought up before, but I was just wondering is there any BSN graduates out there pursuing a M.D. degree after graduation? If so, can you tell me how come or what made you decided to go to into medical school?

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My roommate went from nursing school to med school, althoguh I'm not sure if she took the NCLEX. Her nursing program was so rigorous and she was taking all the same classes pre-med people take so she thought she might as well apply to med school. I'm in nursing shcool right now and I've thought about med school, but I truly think I'd be happier as a nurse. You should get a copy of last week's Newsweek (it may have been Time magazine, sorry I can't quite remember). There was a whole big special report called "Who needs doctors?". It was very interesting and it said a lot about the direction physicans are headed. Many health professionals like nurses, nurse practitioners, physical therapists, and the like are becoming patients' primary health care providers. I think I would have loved to have been a physican in like 1955 but not today. They have to deal with so much especially in terms of the ways our health care system and health insurance limits them. Spending 15 minutes with a patient wouldn't be a enough for me! In the article I read it wrote that many doctors feel that the effort they put into their degree is not worth what they have to deal with on a daily basis, although that's just an opinion. If you truly love something, you'll find your niche and figure out how to make it work. Physicans really need to change the system so that they don't slowly get sallowed into the role of an administrator. I always thought that being a doctor in a rural area would be great because they are needed so much and there would be an opportunity to be a real family doctor like back in the day. The difference between doctors and nurses is that doctors are scientists and I met one doctors who even decribed himself as a "mechanic who fixes the human body". The profession of nursing is geared more towards understanding and treating the patient's reactions to their medical issues.

I'm not trying to convince you that being a nurse is better. The world definitely needs good, well-rounded doctors, and a doctor that comes from a nursing perspective would be a fantastic one! You might want to check out osteopathy. I think it's a more holistic perspective than allopathy and they are treated the same as MD's.

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it was in u.s. news and world report.

kris

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Thanks Greentea for the insight. I was wondering b/c I wanted to see if there's ppl out there that is taking this route of becoming a nurse to learn and have the experience of patient care and then go on to become a physician. I, myself, is taking this path. I might change my mind later on once i finish nursing school, but I have always wanted to become a doctor and so I decided I am going to major in nursing first.

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Thanks Greentea for the insight. I was wondering b/c I wanted to see if there's ppl out there that is taking this route of becoming a nurse to learn and have the experience of patient care and then go on to become a physician. I, myself, is taking this path. I might change my mind later on once i finish nursing school, but I have always wanted to become a doctor and so I decided I am going to major in nursing first.

I would probably advise against it, for a couple of reasons.

1. It is completely unnecessary. The patient contact would come in handy, but you will learn all new ways of doing things and thinking about things in medical school. In fact, medical schools often prefer a "clean slate."

2. By using nursing school as a "stepping stone," you are taking a spot away from someone who truly wants to be a nurse, thus contributing to the nursing shortage.

3. It will be HARD!!! Nursing school or medical school by themselves are tough. I can't imagine doing both!

IMO, if you have always wanted to be a physician (which is what it sounds like), then take the prereqs and apply to medical school. I think that most nurses who end up going to medical school don't start out wanting to be physicians, but once they graduate and work in nursing for awhile, they just find out it isn't for them.

However, if you have a GENUINE interest in nursing, by all means, go to nursing school with the idea that medical school is a possibility if things don't work out.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

interesting path you are taking. i know a couple of nurses who did it the other way around- started out as pre-med, got a bs in biology, and realized they did not want to be doctors (because of the length of schooling and the lack of patient invovement). i just hope that they (and others) aren't settling for nursing because of some of the obvious reasons. i, personally can say i would never want to be a doctor for many reasons. i guess when i was 18 i thought i wasn't smart enough . well, after 10 yrs of nursing, seeing what doctors do, i'm certainly smart enough (and probably was then too)!! but seriously, it's about the role of ther doc, and the responsibility and liabiliy.

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Thanks for replying everyone. Anyway, this is my first semester of nursing school and to tell you the truth I was about to cancel everything and not attend nusring school at all and go in a biology major, but I talked to a mentor and she told me that with the nursing degree I'll be able to work part time and take all my pre-reqs out of the way and have the medical experience that might become an asset to me later in medical school. So I thought about over and over again and finally decided I am going to give it a try. As i say, who knows down the line i might change my mind and do somehting totally different. I feel really bad for going to nursing school and not having the attitude "is b/c I always wanted to become a nurse", but I am not afraid to admit that. I mean seriously, what is wrong with I want to go into nursing b/c i want to become a NP or CRNA later in life? I mean it's still advancing ur career. Don't get me wrong, but i totally respect nurses for what they do. They actually amaze me, but down the line I don't want to be that stressed out and I want a normal schedule to support and take care of my family. *sorry if I offended anyone

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I graduated high school thinking I wanted to become a pediatrician. (Now that goal has changed to NP)

After going to a university (luckily I figured this out in 1/2 a year) and taking some of the pre-med classes, I realized I wouldn't be out of school/done w/residency etc until I was late 20's, early 30's and even THEN I wouldn't be actually making any $$ for a few more years.

So....I looked into nursing. Now I am SO glad I did this b/c I love the role of the nurse (or NP) more than that of the MD. Plus, I figured I'd be an RN at 21, and an NP at 25....

I think going to nursing school to be an MD is a bad idea. If your goal in the end is to become an MD, then go to med school. HOWEVER....you can go to school, become a nurse, and then go on to become an NP. You should really look into the role of the NP, I found that it will be the perfect mix of RN and MD (in my opinion). You get to be an RN first and experience the bedside nursing care, and then once you become an NP you can work in a doctor's office alongside working with an MD and taking on some of their patient load. (or work in a hospital if you want)

Good luck with your decision!

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Hi PICURN! Can I ask you why you think it's bad idea to do the nursing route to become a M.D? I am just curious. I really need input on this b/c I am so undecided and I think I had kind of rushed my decision on going to nursing school and try to get into medical school later. Maybe I should have gone w/my first decision and not go to nursing school altogether and pursue a Bilogy major. :o *sigh* thank you for the insight on NP though.

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I've never met a Dr. with a "normal schedule" who has time to spend with their family. They're on call a certain amount of time, work until the last office patient is seen, do rounds before and after office hours.

Nobody (nurse or doctor) has a normal schedule without stress. Mind you my dentist has a pretty stable life and so does his hygenists...

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Hi PICURN! Can I ask you why you think it's bad idea to do the nursing route to become a M.D? I am just curious. I really need input on this b/c I am so undecided and I think I had kind of rushed my decision on going to nursing school and try to get into medical school later. Maybe I should have gone w/my first decision and not go to nursing school altogether and pursue a Bilogy major. :o *sigh* thank you for the insight on NP though.

The main reason why I think it is a bad idea is b/c if you really want your MD I think becoming a nurse would be a waste of time for you. To become a nurse you either have to get your ADN or BSN which takes time. I am an ADN nurse and that took me 1 year of pre-req's and 2 years of the RN program so basically 3 years total. To get your BSN thats 4 years. Your MD undergrad work will be around 4 years. I think that there are some MD's who have become RN's first and have that "nursing touch" which is amazing. I just don't want you to waste time if time is of importance to you. I think if you are dead set on becoming an MD, than do that. I have found that nursing school really is nursing-based, yet has a lot to do w/medicine. nurses are taught to care, while MD's are taught to treat NOT that all MD's can't "care" about their patients, but they are taught medicine, not nursing. Although these schooling pathways are similar, they have an entirely different focus. RN's are taught how to care for a patient, whereas I believe MD's are taught how to care for a diagnosis.

Go for what you really want. Why is it that you want to be an RN before an MD? BTW there is NOTHING in my opinion wrong w/becoming an RN b/c it is a stepping stone to becoming an NP or CRNA (if that is your ultimate goal). I originally wanted to be an MD, then decided NP would be more feasible, and after RN school, still have that goal in mind.

I understand your frustration. I went through the same exact thing. It is hard having to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life w/o any first hand experience. Why not follow an RN for the day? or an NP/CRNA/MD?! It would probably help you decide what you want. I got a gut feeling that becoming an MD just would not work for me...maybe you feel that same way about nursing?

Just out of curiosity, what makes you believe that RN's don't have "normal schedules"? I was actually thinking as an NP I would have more of a hectic schedule. RN's typically work only 3 days a week, whereas most NP's work 5. I think the 3 day a week one would be more catering to having a family, etc.

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I've never met a Dr. with a "normal schedule" who has time to spend with their family. They're on call a certain amount of time, work until the last office patient is seen, do rounds before and after office hours.

My boyfriend is a senior resident, starts his interventional cards fellowship in June, and he has no semblance of a "normal" work schedule, nor will he ever. This is his 3rd month on call, in the hospital, every 5th night, in 8 months....weekends suck, he's there every day rounding....he was out at 11 this morning, which is remarkable.

I tend to think- If you're undecided, (which you obviously are) I'd drop out, re-evaluate what you really want, and then continue on. It'll only screw you up more; take it from one who lives with a physician. We talk ethics especially, and more often than not are on TOTALLY different pages.

Good luck!

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