Dealing with well-meaning but stupid questions?

[feelslikefire]

Hey there! I've made a few posts on this website, but I've been lurking for ages and want to state first off how grateful I am for such an awesome community with so much information available to read about. For every person who makes a post or leaves a comment, I guarantee there's one or two someones like me who reads avidly for 2+ years before finally making an account and contributing. So! On to my question.

I just turned 30 this year. 3 years ago I decided I really wanted to go back to school for something in the health care field, and after much wrestling and weighing of options and soul-searching, I am firmly on the course to becoming a nurse. This was a big decision for me, particularly because both my parents are physicians (dermatologist and pediatrician), and I'm still relatively young with no life responsibilities (no spouse, no kids, no house). But I'm really attracted to the hands-on approach of nursing, nursing philosophy, the flexibility and opportunities for growth & education within the nursing field (not to mention not having to wait till I'm 40 to start my full income potential, not to mention avoiding the 300k of debt...) so I know I've made the right choice. I've taken 2 years of prerequisites already with just 2 or so classes left, and I'm applying to programs this fall, so I'm very excited.

Now, of course, I'm getting the dumb questions. Mostly from totally well-meaning people in my life who are familiar with what I've been debating the past few years, but sometimes from virtual strangers in class or at work (I bartend part-time right now).

"Why not just go to medical school? You're smart enough to be a doctor!" (Excuse you, what? And I suppose nursing school is all underwater basket-weaving and ouija board reading?)

"Have you thought about being a physician instead? You can do it if you really want to!" (No, it has NEVER ONCE OCCURRED TO ME to go to medical school. Certainly neither of my physician parents has ever suggested it. Repeatedly. With that hopeful expression in their eyes.)

"Why are you settling for nursing?" (Why did you leave your brain at home when you left the house this morning?)

Has anybody else encountered this? What do you say? I usually just laugh politely and either brush it off or give a vague response, but it's really shocking and frustrating how much virtual strangers love to tell me that I'm wrong and really, you should go to medical school/PA school, dear! ​

[Raviepoo]

This is what I say:

In my experience as a consumer of healthcare I have been frustrated with doctors who patronize me and/or see me as a collection of symptoms. I'm intelligent enough to understand what is happening in my body and to make my own decisions about treatment. Very few doctors are willing to work with me or allow me to question their recommendations.

For my own healthcare I greatly prefer nurse practitioners. I find they are more open minded and less paternalistic. i also prefer their holistic viewpoint. I prefer to begin with lifestyle interventions and only move on to medical interventions if they don't work. I find that NPs are more patient about that than MDs.

Yes, I could be a doctor. I would rather be a nurse. Next question?

[Dranger]

Well meaning people told me to go to medical/PA school. I became a nurse instead.

I should have listened to them.

[Carpediem1012, BSN, RN]

Well meaning people told me to go to medical/PA school. I became a nurse instead.

I should have listened to them.

yes. You should have

[caliotter3]

My grandfather and father treated me this way. Vividly remember getting chewed out by my granddad in a conversation where he made some explicit statements about bedpans. Funny though, that I noticed my dad wasn't an attorney and my granddad had owned a plumbing business, so I don't see how those people had room to talk about my career choice.

[erinberrin, CNA]

My grandfather and father treated me this way. Vividly remember getting chewed out by my granddad in a conversation where he made some explicit statements about bedpans. Funny though, that I noticed my dad wasn't an attorney and my granddad had owned a plumbing business, so I don't see how those people had room to talk about my career choice.

..bedpan, conversation, attorney, plumber...all in the same sentence in regards to career choice leaves room for many many funny jokes..lol..

"some lil c.n.a/ nursing student"..lol..

[windsurfer8, BSN, RN]

Who cares what other people think. I am male nurse and back when I did it very rarely someone would joke about it a little. I could care less. I know I have a damn good career and I am proud of what I have accomplished. Also for every one who said something 100 have told me they want to go to nursing school. No matter what career there will be people who are insecure and will give you a hard time. Oh well. I am to busy with work, school, and life to waste time caring if someone wants to know why I didn't go to medical school. Anyone with enough free time to worry about what I am doing needs to find something to do.