Fork roads... Med school, military RN, NP

[tarotale]

I have been working as a RN little over a year and at ED for about a month. Working as ms nurse, I admired the physicians, but lately working at ED, it even more aspires me to think about going to pursue MD. I work at big teaching hospital ED and see A LOT of young residents and surgeons, and just makes me burn with passion for more challenge, more autonomy, more education, and greater scope of practice. I just see these guys and girls in their late 20s or early 30s, young like me, and makes me think... Would I really be happy and fulfilled with myself many years down the road as np (because I know I will at least go for NP) when I could have been a doctor, the greatest challenge I consider right now?

But there are realistic sides too... I am 25, although that is very young age, the tremendous debt I will get into, also not sure if med school is only for those 'really special and gifted brains' and if I really really got it.

I'm thinking about the military path for military scholarship and obligate myself to serve the country and soldiers/families for couple yrs which I take absolute pleasure and honor of doing; opting out of all that debt for few yrs of service is a fair deal I also. But then again, I don't know much about military or the scholarships, and little hesitant being the government issue and end up used/abused.

I got nothing against RN and I'm very happy working at the ED but I know for the fact that this is not the career I want my life to end with just personally. The least I will be is an NP, but that what if.... Any life advice will be more than welcome!! Thank you and God bless the troops

[jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA]

I can't answer that question for you. I think it really depends on the type of MD you would plan on becoming. If you want to do family med, peds, internal medicine, or anesthesia, then I think you could pretty much do the exact same thing as an advanced practice nurse with a lot less hassle/debt. Obviously, surgery of any kind pretty much means you have to do the MD/DO route. Have you considered shadowing different docs and advanced practice nurses and figuring it out for yourself?

Once you figure out your career route, you can talk to a recruiter from each of the different branches and see if the military makes sense for you. As a blanket statement, I think the military is almost always the better route for nurses in terms of pay/benefits/career projection. I've done both and looked at the numbers, and the military wins in spades. It's just not a great option for people with family obligations sometimes (which I don't have anyway). Specialty MDs will make a lot more money in the civilian world of course (even if you consider the initial loan debt).

[tarotale]

I can't answer that question for you. I think it really depends on the type of MD you would plan on becoming. If you want to do family med, peds, internal medicine, or anesthesia, then I think you could pretty much do the exact same thing as an advanced practice nurse with a lot less hassle/debt. Obviously, surgery of any kind pretty much means you have to do the MD/DO route. Have you considered shadowing different docs and advanced practice nurses and figuring it out for yourself?

Once you figure out your career route, you can talk to a recruiter from each of the different branches and see if the military makes sense for you. As a blanket statement, I think the military is almost always the better route for nurses in terms of pay/benefits/career projection. I've done both and looked at the numbers, and the military wins in spades. It's just not a great option for people with family obligations sometimes (which I don't have anyway). Specialty MDs will make a lot more money in the civilian world of course (even if you consider the initial loan debt).

I have always admired the uniform and wanted to be part of the military although there are some resistances (especially from the family). But yes the perks are there, stipends, traveling options, benefits, etc. I desire to go the surgical route since that's what I always desired to do.

[tarotale]

Also I think about joining as just reserve status to get a touch of what military life is about