Consider going for MD?

I think you're somewhat misguided if you genuinely think you are as qualified to practice medicine after completing an advanced nursing degree as someone who completed medical school. It's just an entirely different training.

I'm comparing my education to a foreign trained doctor from one of those "medical schools" I described. I know I can't possibly compare my education to a U.S. medical school.

I was pre-med/Biology BS before I EVER thought of becoming a NP.

I got accepted to Medical School in Germany, before I decided to become an NP.

During my accelerated BSN i thought of Medical School, and a few friends told me I should do it.

At the beginning of my NP program I spend ~$300 on books/cd's to study for the MCAT and got info about schools etc.

Then i read, Med schools don't like if you start something and dont' finish, and there is NO guarantee that you will get in, so I just finished my FNP program in Dec.

Now again I am really thinking about Medical school again, and like another poster, mainly for the knowledge. But also for the fact that if I did it, I would enter a different field like Surgery, Sports Medicine, or Anesthesia. I never thought I would like surgery but now it seems pretty cool.

I was 23 when i turned down med school, and I am 28 now.

I thought family practice would be good enough but now i'm not so sure...

This is probably a little more definitive:

http://www.fsmb.org/usmle_eliinitial.html

Note South Dakota now requires completion of a residency. This is recommended by the FSMB and probably the way most states are going.

David Carpenter, PA-C

Very interesting. I wonder why New Mexico and Washington require more training for a MD than a DO? It seems like the rules are more lax regarding DO's as well...look how many states let them take their exams an unlimited number of times!

I was pre-med/Biology BS before I EVER thought of becoming a NP.

I got accepted to Medical School in Germany, before I decided to become an NP.

During my accelerated BSN i thought of Medical School, and a few friends told me I should do it.

At the beginning of my NP program I spend ~$300 on books/cd's to study for the MCAT and got info about schools etc.

Then i read, Med schools don't like if you start something and dont' finish, and there is NO guarantee that you will get in, so I just finished my FNP program in Dec.

Now again I am really thinking about Medical school again, and like another poster, mainly for the knowledge. But also for the fact that if I did it, I would enter a different field like Surgery, Sports Medicine, or Anesthesia. I never thought I would like surgery but now it seems pretty cool.

I was 23 when i turned down med school, and I am 28 now.

I thought family practice would be good enough but now i'm not so sure...

Check out this link. It just popped up on Yahoo a few minutes ago. According to this latest study, less than 2% of doctors are going into primary care. There will be a BIG need for NP's in the very near future. This is JOB SECURITY! This will also mean that we will finally start making more money!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080909/ap_on_he_me/med_fewer_docs

nice to know abt the shortage

Although, the vast majority of DO students enter family practice residencies...maybe b/c that's all they can get into??

Not so.

DOs practice every medical specialty in numbers.

The idea that most DOs go into primary care in antiquated.

My father is a neurologist and a DO so I hear about this all the time.

Not so.

DOs practice every medical specialty in numbers.

quote]

Not anywhere I've ever lived. I've known very few DO's specialize in anything but primary care. I would like to see those numbers out there.

WHY?!?

OMG, I have heard nothing but - envy? From other docs I have worked with. They felt that being an NP was more family friendly, for instance.

I feel that docs don't know everything. It all comes with experience. I have seen some serious doc flubs that an NP would never make - the biggest one is not taking a comprehensive history. Some NP's have more specific knowledge than some docs - and vise versa. I am much happier with the nursing model of care for me, so I would never think of medical school. However, I do appreciate the knowledge that the docs I am working with and the other providers around me have. It's invaluable!

However, it does irritate me when people say "oh, are you going to go back to school to be a doctor now?" What's wrong with being an NP?

I have seen DO's in specialty practices. At least in my area, the DO schools have a real focus on primary care and encourage applicants who want to do primary care. However, they can specialize as they wish. The applicants who go to MD schools all seem to want to specialize - my friend who is in her 3rd year now was telling me that "Everyone wants to do surgery. Or OB/GYN." In her class. Whatever floats their boats, right?

I have considered going to med school because of the rigorous science aspect of the training. I like the depth that med school takes biological science. I find that helpful in my understanding of how things work in general.