Anyone heard of any NP to MD programs?

bancho · Jan 8, 2006

There are new Doctor of Nursing Practice programs available at Colombia, Rutgers, and others including U of Arizona, these may be required in the future to act in the old NP role mostly due to our CNS nurse leaders who feel the NP role is not true to nursing. Please excuse my editorial comment.

Yes, these three are Doctor programs. However, the only one that is considered a Doctor in Nurse Practitioner program is one at Columbia University, although they also still offer the traditional DNSc geared towards Nursing academia and research. In contrast, their DrNP (Clinical Doctorate in Nursing) is a 30 credit post masters program which includes a year of full-time residency, and the completion of a scholarly portfolio of complex case studies, scholarly papers and published articles. I think this is the first program in the country with a 100% clinical practice focus. I looked into the one at the U of A and its focus is research not clinical practice.

4860 · Jul 16, 2006

Thanks Kitty! I had athe same question. However, I am considering the DNS program. Seems like that would be the best way. Let me know if you hear of anything else.

Thanks,

4860

WHNP · Oct 18, 2006

Hi, I'm new to this website. I have been reading all of your messages as I too am interested in going to med school. However, I'm just starting to do my research. I currently work for a private OB/GYN office as an NP. Does anybody have any suggestions for me or advice?

bethem · Oct 18, 2006

Just had to say - this oceaniamed program is NOT in Australia. It is marketed to us through a careers booklet that comes out monthly. It is based in Samoa.

Papadoc · Oct 18, 2006

Hi, I'm new to this website. I have been reading all of your messages as I too am interested in going to med school. However, I'm just starting to do my research. I currently work for a private OB/GYN office as an NP. Does anybody have any suggestions for me or advice?

http://www.studentdoctor.net AKA SDN if you want to apply for u.S MD/DO route.

http://www.valuemd.com if you want to go IMG (Carib / European) route, which would be O'K for OB/GYN, IM, FP, psych

For more competative specialties you need to stay in U.S schools

Hope it helps

Best of Luck

CrazyPremed, MSN, RN, NP · Oct 18, 2006

Although there are many schools that offer a doctorate in nursing (ie PhD in nursing, DNP, etc.), these are not medical schools (ie MD or DO granting programs). One would need to go to medical school, and sit through all of the classes and do an internship/residency to become a medical doctor. Actually, many of these advanced programs deal with policy and research. Just like the BSN can (this is a sweeping generalization) be considered an administrative topping to an ADN, the Doctorate portion of a nursing degree refers to (mostly) an administrative topping for NP's. Medical doctors - on the other hand - spend the majority of the 4 years learning clinical medicine. There is a difference.

CrazyPremed

WHNP · Oct 18, 2006

Thanks for the info. I will check those websites out. This might be a silly question to some as many feel that it's never too late to go back to school...but I'm married, just turned 30 and have 2 small boys (2 month old; 3 yr old.) Am I being unrealistic here??

Papadoc · Oct 19, 2006

Thanks for the info. I will check those websites out. This might be a silly question to some as many feel that it's never too late to go back to school...but I'm married, just turned 30 and have 2 small boys (2 month old; 3 yr old.) Am I being unrealistic here??

On SDN just scroll down to the "nontraditional" applicants forum, and read some of the stories. Don't listen to the "Nay" sayers. 30 is not even so much of nontrad anymore. Of course, with kids it does get complex, but...if you plan ahead, and have a good support system it's very doable. Also, I had my wife and dtr visiting me in the Carib, and I go back and forth a lot.There are plenty of students with families, and kids. It can be done. But make sure you're doing it for the right reasons.

Best of Luck

WHNP · Oct 19, 2006

Thanks for the advice and words of encouragement. I will let you know how I make out. I've wanted to do this for about 5 yrs now (since before becoming an NP) but I just felt like I couldn't do it for one reason or the other (mainly b/c of my responsibilities at home).

My husband has offered his support. I know it will be very difficult, but It's reassuring to see others like yourself who have done it despite already having a family at home.

Once again, thank you for your help.

Gab07 · Oct 19, 2006

hi kitty

yea we have a nurse practitioner program over here, (NP) but first u need to be a RN and do a master in Nurse Advance Practice, after 2 yrs experience, thats the minimum, and if u want to becom a MO (medical officer) DR, u need to sit for a test such as GAMSAT or UMSAT, u can google it and u will find lost of information, here are lots of unis that does this program

cheers

Gab

kb12345 · Feb 13, 2007

Hi all,

I'm new to this site but I'm also interested in becoming an MD. I am a psych NP for 2 years now and have always wanted to become an MD but as someone else stated, I have a family, etc. What im finding is that an advanced degree doesn't mean anything these days. You still need to take all of the chemistries, physics, biologies, and calculus's. If anyone is like me, i obtained my degree through the traditional nurse setting and core corriculum which means I didn't take the 2cd year or chemistry, no physics, no calculus, and the bio and micro bio I took for the nursing program are really no good in terms of preparing for the MCAT. I did apply to and got accepted at Oceana but they require alot. #1 you must find a supervising Doc and with bias towards online MD programs, how hard will that be #2 you need $6,000 up front to attend a 6 week "transitional" course at a college near you and I don't have that with all of my children in private school, etc. They offer financial aid for 1/2 the cost of the total tuition which is $100,000 but not for that 6 wek course and #3 you work at your own pace, so what does that mean? I didn't persue it, and now I don't know what to do...any suggestions???

core0 · Feb 13, 2007

Hi all,
I'm new to this site but I'm also interested in becoming an MD. I am a psych NP for 2 years now and have always wanted to become an MD but as someone else stated, I have a family, etc. What im finding is that an advanced degree doesn't mean anything these days. You still need to take all of the chemistries, physics, biologies, and calculus's. If anyone is like me, i obtained my degree through the traditional nurse setting and core corriculum which means I didn't take the 2cd year or chemistry, no physics, no calculus, and the bio and micro bio I took for the nursing program are really no good in terms of preparing for the MCAT. I did apply to and got accepted at Oceana but they require alot. #1 you must find a supervising Doc and with bias towards online MD programs, how hard will that be #2 you need $6,000 up front to attend a 6 week "transitional" course at a college near you and I don't have that with all of my children in private school, etc. They offer financial aid for 1/2 the cost of the total tuition which is $100,000 but not for that 6 wek course and #3 you work at your own pace, so what does that mean? I didn't persue it, and now I don't know what to do...any suggestions???

You forgot #4

Your chance of getting licensed in the US or getting into a residency is so close to 0 as to be meaningless. There is no shortcut to an MD. You will have an advantage as an NPP with some of the clinical stuff, but not in a lot of the didactic stuff.

David Carpenter, PA-C