Anyone go to med school after nursing school

[avery]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone went to med school after nursing school? I originally wanted to be a CRNA but after rationalizing the whole situation, I could be a doctor in about the same amount of time. The reason I say this is because I think it is not realistic to believe I will get into CRNA school two years out of nursing school. Anyone have any thoughts or experience with this situation?

Thanks

Avery

[RedSox33RN]

My ex-MIL went to nursing school with a student who got a full scholarship to Harvard. She deferred, going to nursing school beforehand, because her mother was a nurse in their native South Africa, working with AIDS patients, and she wanted to also. Her belief was that being a nurse first would make her much more compassionate as a physician. Maybe in her country it will. My ex-MIL told me that after one rotation in Med/Surg, this woman had truly seen the worst of physicians anywhere! LOL Guess there were some really doozies....

She got her RN, worked for a year (I think) and went to med school. I think of the obstacles she had to overcome, and did, when I'm getting bogged down with studying and terms and life in general.

I give anyone credit for spending all that time in school and internship and residency - what a commitment! I can barely fathom the next two years......:)

[stn2003, RN]

Avery- I am close to graduating with my ADN, and have completed everything but the actual clinical coursework for my BSN. I graduate this fall from a community college, and am entering the RN-BSN track at a nearby university. During the time I am completing my BSN, I will also be taking the necessary premed classes (physics, biology etc) and then I plan to take the MCAT and apply to MCO. I will be in school for some time : ) but I am SO EXCITED about it.

I thought nursing was what I really wanted to do, but the further I got into my program the more I realized that I want to pursue a medical degree. Since you need a bachelors degree to get into medical school anyways, I figured that I might as well finish up the BSN and I can have it to work myself through medical school or to fall back on, if necessary.

I think being a nurse first will give me wonderful advantages. I will already be used to the hospital setting and the process and teamwork of care. I will already be familiar with pharmacology, patho, etc. so everything in medical school will not be brand new and terrifying, but more in depth education of things touched upon in nursing. I will aready be confident in assessment and patient care, having a good bedside manner and being able to build rapport. I also will be able to truly appreciate what nurses do.

Alot of people get into a major and decide it's not what they want and change it. So what if I decide nursing is not the end-all-be-all for me? It doesn't mean that I don't enjoy it, because I do. It is just not enough to satisfy me personally because deep down i want to do something else.

Helping people live to their fullest potential in their best health possible is the goal for me- and I feel that I can do that more with a medical degree.

[sunnyjohn]

I've considered it.... I still go over the idea in my head....

To anyone who is thinking about it, all I can say is follow your heart...

Agape

[kellyo, LPN]

Never, ever thought of becoming a physician until I started nursing school. I still want to be a nurse, but after doing clinicals in the OR, I'd LOOOVE to be an orthopedic surgeon! Maybe if I were 10 years younger... Actually, it's made me want to become a nurse in advanced practice--which practice, I'm not sure yet--maybe orthopedics!!!

[SarasotaRN2b]

Avery- I am close to graduating with my ADN, and have completed everything but the actual clinical coursework for my BSN. I graduate this fall from a community college, and am entering the RN-BSN track at a nearby university. During the time I am completing my BSN, I will also be taking the necessary premed classes (physics, biology etc) and then I plan to take the MCAT and apply to MCO. I will be in school for some time : ) but I am SO EXCITED about it.

I thought nursing was what I really wanted to do, but the further I got into my program the more I realized that I want to pursue a medical degree. Since you need a bachelors degree to get into medical school anyways, I figured that I might as well finish up the BSN and I can have it to work myself through medical school or to fall back on, if necessary.

I think being a nurse first will give me wonderful advantages. I will already be used to the hospital setting and the process and teamwork of care. I will already be familiar with pharmacology, patho, etc. so everything in medical school will not be brand new and terrifying, but more in depth education of things touched upon in nursing. I will aready be confident in assessment and patient care, having a good bedside manner and being able to build rapport. I also will be able to truly appreciate what nurses do.

Alot of people get into a major and decide it's not what they want and change it. So what if I decide nursing is not the end-all-be-all for me? It doesn't mean that I don't enjoy it, because I do. It is just not enough to satisfy me personally because deep down i want to do something else.

Helping people live to their fullest potential in their best health possible is the goal for me- and I feel that I can do that more with a medical degree.

I think those are very viable reasons. Good luck to you!

Kris

[windsurfr]

Avery,

Being an RN before med school will help greatly, especially your third and fourth years. The first two years are normal anatomy/physiology/etc. Second year is all pathology / pathophysiology / pharm, etc. The third year is where it will be handy to be an RN. Third year is all about learning to form a differential diagnosis, order tests to rule in/out, and forming a preliminary treatment plan. It is tougher than you think. Now compound that with having no idea what a line or foley (let alone how to insert one)is, what a 'drip' is, or even how the units work. This is stuff we are expected to learn on the fly and as an RN you will be much more comfortable during your third, fourth years and probably even your intern year.

Despite other posters here, medicine is a wonderful field and the 'thank you's' you recieve outweigh the hassles of HMO's, etc. Furthermore take a good look at a drug rep's day: Sit in a drug closet and wait for a doc, set up lunch and BS to a doc about skewed drug facts, then the afternoon try to get docs signaturs. Diagnosing and treating sounds more fun, doesn't it?

[lalaxton]

I know several docs who were RN's before going back to medical school. They made great docs and treated nurses very well. (Maybe all docs should be nurses first?? LOL) I agree that It all depends on what you want to do. Some of us are happy being nurses some want to do something different. I know some docs who also say had they truly known what nurses do they would have gone to nursing school and not med school (of course no one was complaining about the money!)

Don't flame me for this one, just wanted to share some observations I have had in my 20 year career....

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I think the BSN is an asset and a good prep for med-school. What other program as an undergrad gives you such pathophys., head to toe assessment skills, etc.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

[kitty=^..^=cat]

I know an orthopedic surgeon that was a nurse before going to medical school and also a couple of ED physicians that were RNs first. All three of those individuals paid for a lot of their educations because they were employable as nurses during school.

Good luck to you.