BSN to Post Baccalaureate Pre Med

[ToDAYs]

Has anyone completed nursing school and pursued a Post Bac in Pre Med to attend med school? If so, how was this process? Is it worth the extra time and money? I am trying to decide on if I will pursue med school or nurse anesthesia.

All advice on Post Bac Pre Med and CRNA vs. Med School welcome!!! 😁

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Medical school and nursing school are not on a continuum.

Decide what you want to be-- a physician doing physician care, or a nurse doing nursing care? Then you'll have a clue. It would be a waste of time to get a BSN and then take more classes to qualify as premed, then apply for medical school.

When you know you want to be a physician, take pre-med for your baccalaureate program, and try to get into med school.

When you know you want to be a nurse anesthetist, get your BSN and then try to get into CRNA school.

This whole thing is a little loosey-goosey, so do some more research on what education is needed for each, figure out what your chances are of being admitted to these prereqs, graduating, and getting admitted to the postgrad program. And what each pathway is gonna cost you.

[ToDAYs]

I understand that these the options are not on a continuum. I am a senior nursing student close to graduation. I'm aware of the cost differences, pre reqs and programs available. I've shadowed multiple CRNAs. I am not certain of which career pathway I want to take at this point. I think the biggest concern for me is the work life balance that many speak of.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

You'll have better work-life balance as a nurse, and smaller loans to pay off as well.

[direw0lf, BSN]

I had thought about Premed vs BSN. I like nursing care better. I don't want to treat only the disease.

Seems like everyone wants CRNA because they know it pays a lot (not implying that is your reason) so I'm guessing it's as competitive as med school but harder to get a job than physicians.

I'm a first year nursing student so maybe I'm talking out my butt but that's how it seems :)

Nurse anesthesia hasn't interested me. I'm more interested in getting a doctor of nursing and teaching. A DNP might interest you?

[samkasper1, BSN, LPN, LVN, RN]

Unless the post-bacc pre-med program guatentees you an interview or acceptance to a medical school you're interested in don't bother. The classes for a BSN and premed are VERY different. However, For people to say decide what you want to be now is impossible. There are plenty of NPs out there doing the work of a dr (running clinics, working on the er, assisting specialists, etc). Its not as black and white as some people think.

It would be better to decide one or the other soon though. If you don't want to do medical school you'll save a ton of time and money not having to take chem, orgo, physics, biochem, and an MCAT prep course (its just like the SATs in that you have to know how to work the rest).

Good luck

[la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN]

There's always PA school.