Did You Settle for Nursing?

Read the "going all the way" post (last page) for my extremely long winded response. The long and short of it, for me, is that there are pros and cons to BOTH professions, and my ideal "dream job" would be to combine them both. Doctors might get the "glory," but personally, the "glory" is last on my list. In my experience, aside from flashy procedures, the nurses provide most of the care, though I'm intensely interested in those flashy procedures as well. In short, while I'm planning on using nursing as a "jumping off point" for my foray into medical school, I don't consider it "settling," in any way, shape, or form. I feel like I will learn a very useful skill set, not to mention the patients I will help along the way. They key thing to learn is that medicine and nursing are inherently different professions, although they do intertwine. The best way to decide is to get into the hospital and get rid of the hype, determining which profession suits your interests. One is not "better" than the other. They're just different.

Dont be suprised if you get flamed for this post. We are very proud of our profession and truthfully, I dont think you get the first thing about nursing or the medical profession. It's not about being the glamorous doctor while the lowly nurse cleans poop all day and answers to each doc's beck and call. Shadow someone in the medical professon and learn what it's all about. And guess what? As a doc you will smell poopy and be around it at least once during your residency at least! Also, in most cases I call the shots with my pts. The good docs will depend on the nurse to tell them whats going on and what orders are needed. The ones who dont end up having problems.

Sorry but I am getting kind of irritated at these posts. I worked very hard for what I have accomplished and I get sick of people trying to make us feel like we 'settled' on a career in the med profession by not becoming a doc. And guess what, at 23 years old I have a GREAT lifestyle compared to others my age.

I really want to be in the medical field. I've thought about becoming a nurse, but I really think I would hate settling for it. My life's dream is to become a doctor. Ive been in the hospital before and they seem to get all the glory and respect from everyone around them and make all the decisions. I also really want to make good money and have a great lifestyle like they do. However, i'm scared about how long i'll have to be in school and how competitive medical school is. I'm thinking I should just go into nursing and see how I like the medical field first. I know it will be terrible pay and cleaning up poop all day. That scares me. I don't want to be some doctor's helper and be belittled all day, as well as being poor. Have any of you first went into nursing, then onto medical school?? Any suggestions? I'm really at a crossroads here.

I guess it depends on what you mean by "glory." Watching my husband receive a cystoscopy, I didn't feel that the doctor felt much "glory"...or watching the podiatrist scrape this yellow junk off my grandpa's feet.....or watching my favorite neonatologist tell a family that both of their twins died.....

It all seemed pretty sans the "glory" of which you speak.

Before I continue, let me say that I find this post awfully...convenient. Anyway....

I feel like I make a pretty good salary, and I've never felt belittled by an MD. I would recommend that you spend some time volunteering or working in a medical setting. You'll find the exposure to who fuels a lot of the decisions, who does the care-taking of the patients, who the families rely on for help and information....enlightening.

Sarah,

Just curious...have you been accepted into college yet?

Yes, I'm starting this fall. As of now, I'm undecided as far as majors go.

Gosh...ummm...I think you should become a doctor. Do not pass go and do not collect 200 bucks.

FWIW, nursing is not my pitstop.

I don't know if you have ever been a patient before but it takes about ten minutes for a patient to figure out that its ALL about your nurse. The doctor? A blur of mumbled information. The nurse? Your dynamic primary care "partner." Personally, I am not fooled about who took care of me when I was in maternity ward.:redbeathe

Practically speaking, you will waste time in classes geared toward nursing students and will only have to go back and take other bachelor level courses to go to medical school.

Best of luck to you.

Here we go again.....

I'm 26 and if all goes well, I will start nursing school next year... and let's just say that I will be beyond thrilled when I am FINALLY an RN! Right now I am volunteering at two different hospitals: a medical/surgical floor at a children's hospital and an oncology floor at another hospital. I hardly see any doctors in patient rooms, and if I do, they are there for a few short minutes.... and the nurses are there for 12 hours at a time and are involved in all aspects of patient care. I think nurses are amazing people and cannot wait to finally earn that title for myself!

One local hospital starts new grads at about $80,000....and that's for three 12-hour shifts a week! I realize that this is not the norm, but overall (at least where I live) nurses are paid quite well! And they definitely don't clean up poop all day! And let's not forget the fact that without nurses, doctors would be in deep trouble!!!

I think you've been watching too much Grey's Anatomy. I agree with the previous poster who told you to shadow someone in a hospital. Besides, you don't have to declare a major until you finish your sophomore year. Maybe you can use that time to get a more um...mature idea of what you want to do with your life. Good Luck!

You're very young and have a million years ahead of you to pursue which ever career you wish. You've already stated in so many words that nursing is 'settling' for something less than ideal, in your opinion. Speak to a counselor and see how your university level science classes go.

Ha! to the previous poster. I LOVE grey's anatomy. I want to be just like Izzie Stevens. Beautiful and smart

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Why be so hard on the OP? He/She is a,18 years old and entitled to wonder. What if this is the only contact he/she has with nurses? I think it is very reasonable to wonder if we settled or if we do it for the love of the job. She could just as easily go to a MD board and ask a physician if they settled by not becoming a surgeon. If we are truly proud of and secure of where we are, then this shouldn't be taken as an insult.

To the OP:

Did I settle? Yes and No.

I went to college right out of high school, but between boys and other things, I just didn't have the will or maturity to go to class and put school first.

Before I knew it, I was married, pregnant and raising children of my own. I always knew that I wanted to go back to school, but I didn't want to neglect my family. I had always dreamed of being a physician, but by the time I was truly ready to devote myself to school, I was a little older.

Luckily, I have a husband who is very supportive and financially stable. However, I always worried about what would happen to myself and my children, should he not be a part of our lives for whatever reason.

With his encouragement, I chose to go back to school. I decided on nursing because I knew it wouldn't take me nearly as long and steal as many of those precious years away from my children. I also knew that if something were to happen to my husband that I would be able to provide for my children. I might not necessarily be able to maintain the lifestyle that I am accustomed to, but I would be able to survive, with a rather flexible schedule and job security.

Do I still wish I had of become an MD? Yes and no. My job is very rewarding...my patients love me and I am the one who makes the difference. The docs may tell me what to do as far as certain procedures and meds to give, but my care goes way deeper than that. I also work 3 days a week and I don't have to worry about my pager going off at 3 am for a Tylenol order.

Would I like the prestige and recognition that comes with being a doc? Yeah, maybe, but right now I am perfectly content being who I am and doing what I do. I am also 33, with 9 and 11 yr old children, who still need me and I am not ready to sacrifice my life for med school.

I