DNP vs MD

[Kaylee_]

Hi everybody! I am a non-trad, simply looking for more of a nurse's perspective on the matter: choosing between becoming a Nurse Practitioner or a Medical Doctor.

I know this topic has been covered widely on many platforms, however, I want to personalize it with my own questions and concerns.

What draws me to becoming an MD is the level of education, knowledge, experience, and authority granted. Money is no factor (I have my military scholarship along with $$$ from my high yield savings account). I want to learn and then be able to share that knowledge!

What draws me to becoming a Nurse Practitioner is that... well, "getting there" suits my life a lot better. I am 28 and am hoping to have my first round of kiddos in the upcoming years. Thus, I wouldn't even begin Medical School until I am about 34 or so. Additionally, and probably more importantly, I think I could actually become a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner! How great would that be?! As a doctor with young ones, I doubt I would end up pursuing a specialty post Residency.

So my biggest questions would be: how much of a science-based education do Nurse Practitioners receive in their training? I know there is obviously a difference between "medical" training and "nurse" training, but nurses learn ample science and medicine to practice, right? Like I said, what draws me in the most is the knowledge for medical school; but Nursing just... seems reasonable.

Any advice is welcome! Is there anything else that I am not considering? Is becoming a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner even worth it (another consideration)?

[beekee]

Are you a nurse? Do you have any college credits at this time?

[Kaylee_]

Hi! I am not a nurse; I am intrigued between both fields. I do have my college degree with a Natural Sciences minor (so I took a lot of Biology). I am currently 10 years removed from that and finishing up my military commitment in Europe (so shadowing both fields is rather difficult at the moment). Any advice is welcome!

As I am of course needing to decide on which prerequisites to take, it's important (to me) to decide early in order to achieve *something* ? THANK YOU!

[BSN2MD, BSN, RN]

I was in that spot a year ago but I had 8 years of nursing experience. Nursing is a great career and it taught me so much. I chose MD over NP just for the simple fact of loving the emergency room and the things you are allowed to do in the ER as an MD and not an NP. I also wanted to learn the medical model and not the nurse model anymore. I have high regards for NPs...but for me I just wanted to be trained as an MD. Now after finishing my first year..its tough..you go back to the hard sciences...now wrapping up my 3rd semester and I'm back into physiology, pathology and pharmacology and it's quite familiar. Both are great careers!