As a nurse, would you go on for an MD?

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If you're a nurse and work closely with MD's would you want to go on to further your education and get an MD license? There is more pay and you already pretty much know human anatomy, diseases, medications and clinical skills that you could do well in Medical School. Plus the hospital you work at may have a tuition reimbursement. When you're a doctor you call all the shots and like I've said you make more money as well.:yeah:

Specializes in Gyn Onc, OB, L&D, HH/Hospice/Palliative.

No way!!, I pity those residents who don't see the light of day for weeks, I have no idea how the one's with sometimes 2 or 3 kids can possibly manage. I think if you want to devote your entire life, go ahead. I wouldn't do it for any amount of money.

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(Not a nurse yet...give me 'til next May :bugeyes:)

I think I can answer your question pretty well PopeJane. I'm in my last year of a baccalaureate nursing program, and I struggled with the whole nursing vs. pre-med thing for a long time. I think what started it was the fact that I did so well in my sciences and my best friend was in pre-med...my grades were better than his in comparable bio. classes. He (my pre-med buddy) tried to convince me to change my major...heck, the Bio dept. tried to get me to change it too. I tend to think in more medical terms, and I'm very interested in disease processes. I guess that's why I didn't completely give up the idea of medical school until junior year, when I absolutely fell in love with Med-Surg/Telemetry through clinicals and a summer externship.

Through clinicals and the externship, I've gotten to know quite a few docs, from interns to residents and fellows, etc. etc. It hit me one day when I was working two 12-hr days in a row. One of the residents was there the first morning when I arrived, and still there at the end of that second day--completely worn out and drained. I realized that, in the process of four years I will have succeeded in obtaining a job I absolutely love, and making the same income as a 3rd or 4th year resident without all of the debt and responsibilities. I don't want to have to worry about being on-call and taking my work home with me.

I now have definite plans to obtain masters and doctoral degrees--hopefully to work as a CNS and definitely teach on the college level. At the end of the day, nurses may not get all of the glory, but there is nothing more rewarding to me. The possibilities are absolutely endless, I won't be paying out the butt in insurance/liability, I will have a VERY solid salary, and I will be able to spend time with patients who are in a time of great need instead of running to and fro from hospital to hospital, trying to get all of my rounds in.

There's something else--I don't like the phrase of "going on" to medical school. To me, looking back on it, if you want to go to med school--go. If not--don't. Nursing is not a bridge to medicine. While I want to be an absolute expert in my field, I don't think having an MD would make me a better nurse, nor do I think having an RN would make me a better MD. It might help a little to have the extra knowledge for med. school, but I'll never forget what one doctor told me. He said, "I thought I was smart with my 4.0...until I got to med school and everyone had a 4.0."

Well, I guess I've practically written a book...I'm just really passionate about this topic, because I struggled with it for quite awhile personally. All I can say--I'll be EXTREMELY thrilled to graduate and have a career I enjoy: :nurse:

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I guess I don't see it as "going on for your MD" either...it's not the same career. Not like going on for your MSN.

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Yeah - you don't "go on for your MD." That doesn't even make sense. The majority of nurses in this country don't even have a bachelor's degree, and even those of us who do would have to go back to undergrad for probably two years before we could even sit for MCAT. It's a completely different career field. I'd have to take 3 semesters of chem, 1 of bio (maybe 2 - it's been 11 years since 101), and 2 of physics for sure, plus the "recommended" classes of genetics, histology, biochem, and embryology at the school I got my BSN from. I have a high GPA and I test well, but who knows if I could maintain it in all of these classes, especially when I would have to take several at a time if I didn't want to draw it out over 4 more years of undergrad.

Your question just doesn't make any sense. Most nurses (unless they started college considering premed, or as a bio or chem major) have no more premed requirements completed than anyone else who has a bachelor's degree. We just happen to work in health care, and typically interact with MDs on a daily basis. It's not "going on" for your MD, it would be going back to undergrad and essentially starting over. As others have said, it makes sense for many RNs to "go on" to become NPs, CRNAs, CNSs, MEDs, MBAs, other MSNs, PhDs, and DNPs. Those degrees all allow us to enhance our nursing careers.

If anyone, nurse or otherwise, wants to become a physician and has done the research, that's fantastic. More power to them. Nurse2Doctor, I'm so glad you've succeeded in achieving your goals. I have wondered if being a physician is something I might have enjoyed, but I know that at 29, going back to undergrad, then med school, then residency is something I would hate with a passion.

Sorry about the length, just wanted to make my point!

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Specializes in CNA, Surgical, Pediatrics, SDS, ER.

I absolutly would not ever want to be a doctor. I love being a nurse and all the diversity that comes with it.:heartbeat I would like to go back to school at some point and earn my masters but I don't have to rush into it.

I would not want all of the responsibilities MD's carry, the miserable hours they have, and I don't think that there pay is all that great for all they do.

I like to do my 2-3 12 hours shifts a week and have anywhere from 2-5 days off at a time. I get to spend a lot of time with my family and I make decent wages.:mad:

I think that no matter what you do you need to be happy doing it. :nuke:

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Specializes in LTC/Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.
If you're a nurse and work closely with MD's would you want to go on to further your education and get an MD license? There is more pay and you already pretty much know human anatomy, diseases, medications and clinical skills that you could do well in Medical School. Plus the hospital you work at may have a tuition reimbursement. When you're a doctor you call all the shots and like I've said you make more money as well.:yeah:

Nope, I'd rather marry one instead.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

I would, and I plan to become one.

For those talking about the crazy hours, there are doctors that work a regular 9 to 5 shift (radiology) and in the case of my bro-in-law, he works 14 days a month as a family practice doctor. However, he gets a 2 month paid vacation, but every TEN YEARS. LOL.

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Specializes in ER,ICU,L+D,OR.
No way!!, I pity those residents who don't see the light of day for weeks, I have no idea how the one's with sometimes 2 or 3 kids can possibly manage. I think if you want to devote your entire life, go ahead. I wouldn't do it for any amount of money.

I always thought those interns and residents were there for me to torment.

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Specializes in ER,ICU,L+D,OR.
Nope, I'd rather marry one instead.

Oh God No

Never

Not a chance

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.
I would, and I plan to become one.

For those talking about the crazy hours, there are doctors that work a regular 9 to 5 shift (radiology) and in the case of my bro-in-law, he works 14 days a month as a family practice doctor. However, he gets a 2 month paid vacation, but every TEN YEARS. LOL.

Do you know how hard it is to get a radiology residency?? They are pretty much the cream of the crop because that is a fairly cushy job. Same with other specialties like dermatology. The majority of physicians do not have the greatest schedules. Even the "8-5" family practice or internal medicine docs have call.

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.
Nope, I'd rather marry one instead.

Too funny.

You need to work with some of the docs I work with--they would make you change your mind in a hurry.

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Specializes in Forensic Psychiatric Nursing.

No, I wouldn't go on for an MD.

I thought about it a lot before I decided to get into medicine. MD was too much of a gamble. We don't know for sure that MDs will make as much money as they do today and their pay seems to be falling a little. The ten year commitment and the debt seemed a little too risky for me.

As a nurse, I split the difference and I think I get the best of both worlds.

As a bonus, I've found that nursing agrees with me. I like dealing with the chaos and I like handling family matters. It's a great thing to do.

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