As a nurse, would you go on for an MD?

Nurses General Nursing

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If you're a nurse and work closely with MD's would you want to go on to further your education and get an MD license? There is more pay and you already pretty much know human anatomy, diseases, medications and clinical skills that you could do well in Medical School. Plus the hospital you work at may have a tuition reimbursement. When you're a doctor you call all the shots and like I've said you make more money as well.:yeah:

Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

No way. I like not having to be on call, and there is no way I want all that responsibility. You don't start amking alot of money until you are way past residency. I couldn't do 24-36 hours on call either. They can have it.

A biggie on the RN to MD is that '99.9%' of nurses will have to take pre-reqs from scratch as the BSN program prereqs and MD prereqs are not overlapping.

However, RN's have plenty of options to include management, admin, CRNA, CNS, or becoming a mid-level practitioner NP/DNP.

Calling all the shots also requires a lot of overhead and time in school and heart aches... ;)

If you're a nurse and work closely with MD's would you want to go on to further your education and get an MD license? There is more pay and you already pretty much know human anatomy, diseases, medications and clinical skills that you could do well in Medical School. Plus the hospital you work at may have a tuition reimbursement. When you're a doctor you call all the shots and like I've said you make more money as well.:yeah:

I'm in the process of furthering my education, but I am doing so in my own field. I've never been interested in medicine so it's a non-issue for me, but there are a few points that I think need to be addressed.

First, we only know a fraction of A&P, patho, pharm and clinical skills that physicians need to know. Second, tuition reimbursement does not cover medical school, and while attending medical school most people are unable to work enough to even qualify for what little tuition reimbursement they may receive. Finally, while physicians make more money they also have much more debt, more hours, and more liability. There is also opportunity cost--that would be the money essentially lost by not working during the years one is fulfilling undergrad requirements and attending medical school.

In other words, it's not that simple.

I'm in the process of furthering my education, but I am doing so in my own field. I've never been interested in medicine so it's a non-issue for me, but there are a few points that I think need to be addressed.

First, we only know a fraction of A&P, patho, pharm and clinical skills that physicians need to know. Second, tuition reimbursement does not cover medical school, and while attending medical school most people are unable to work enough to even qualify for what little tuition reimbursement they may receive. Finally, while physicians make more money they also have much more debt, more hours, and more liability. There is also opportunity cost--that would be the money essentially lost by not working during the years one is fulfilling undergrad requirements and attending medical school.

In other words, it's not that simple.

Yes, I would love to go to Medical school but I am too old. I work fulltime and couldn't quit to go. I don't even think a medical school would look at me because I've dropped so many classes and got a couple of "F's". I would love the experience though if I didn't have to work and could just go to school only.

Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.

In a heartbeat, if I was 10 years younger.

Already have the degree and the grades to get in. Just don't have the stamina or the money. Anyway, by the time I got out, I would too near retirement. So, if you are truly interested, go for it while you are young and you won't have to have the same regrets I have.

I'm in the process of furthering my education, but I am doing so in my own field. I've never been interested in medicine so it's a non-issue for me, but there are a few points that I think need to be addressed.

First, we only know a fraction of A&P, patho, pharm and clinical skills that physicians need to know. Second, tuition reimbursement does not cover medical school, and while attending medical school most people are unable to work enough to even qualify for what little tuition reimbursement they may receive. Finally, while physicians make more money they also have much more debt, more hours, and more liability. There is also opportunity cost--that would be the money essentially lost by not working during the years one is fulfilling undergrad requirements and attending medical school.

In other words, it's not that simple.

M.D's may graduate knowing more A&P, etc., but Med school prereqs are from the same undergrad menu as nursing school prereqs. So depending on your nursing school prereqs they don't necessarily start knowing more.

I've considered both med school and nursing school but choose nursing for the flex in career options. I'm the type of person who likes to try different things - as a nurse you are at liberty to do that and still remain in the field. As a physician once you specialize in a field that's pretty much it. If you realize later that you aren't happy with your specialization you basically have to move out of medical practice (I know people who have done this and are now MPH's or MPA's).

M.D's may graduate knowing more A&P, etc., but Med school prereqs are from the same undergrad menu as nursing school prereqs. So depending on your nursing school prereqs they don't necessarily start knowing more.

Premeds have far more science than we do. Far more. (I think nursing should require more science but that's a different thread.) I believe the premise of the OP was that we would have an advantage going into med school, but that's not the case at all.

Specializes in ER, L&D, RR, Rural nursing.

I've actually thought long and hard about this and in a nutshell, absolutely I would do it. Although at this stage in my life I have too many other things going on, but if I was in my 20's again, you bet. I have thought of the NP route,( in canada you have to have a masters to qualify now) and for me to get that I may as well go the med school/resident route. I figure if I have the responsibility, I may as well have the education (in its entirety) as well as the pay.

i would like to, but i'm not smart enough. darn iq!

Specializes in Psychiatric.

Nope, I like being a nurse...we have a completely different relationship with patients than they do and our brand of medicine is really different.

I'm in the process of furthering my education, but I am doing so in my own field. I've never been interested in medicine so it's a non-issue for me, but there are a few points that I think need to be addressed.

First, we only know a fraction of A&P, patho, pharm and clinical skills that physicians need to know. Second, tuition reimbursement does not cover medical school, and while attending medical school most people are unable to work enough to even qualify for what little tuition reimbursement they may receive. Finally, while physicians make more money they also have much more debt, more hours, and more liability. There is also opportunity cost--that would be the money essentially lost by not working during the years one is fulfilling undergrad requirements and attending medical school.

In other words, it's not that simple.

I would agree with this. I actually started out as bio major in undergrad, completing all of the medical school pre-reqs. (If you're curious, this included 1 year of biology with lab, 1 year of general chemistry with lab, 1 year of organic chemistry with lab, 1 year of physics with lab, 1 year of english, and 1 year of math, which was calculus 1-2.) After working in the ER during college, I thought nursing would better allow me to accomplish my goals, so I pursued that avenue. After finishing school and spending 2 years on the job, I realized that nursing was not actually for me for a number of reasons that I won't go into here, so I took the MCAT and applied to med school. I graduated last year and am now a medicine intern.

I have to echo Farmer Jane in saying the scientific knowledge with regard to anatomy, pathophys, pharm, etc, is much more in depth as a MD. That's not to say that RN's aren't experts in their field....it's just a different kind of expertise. But if you think it's a small jump from a nurse to a doctor, you'll be in for quite a shock in medical school. I certainly was. I didn't think I'd automatically be the head of the class because of my nursing background, but I really thought I'd know a lot more than what I did. That goes for clinicals as well....approaching a problem as a doctor is just different than as a nurse. (Note not better, just different!)

The intensity is also a lot different.....I mean, I know I worked hard as a nurse, but doing 3 or 4 shifts a week is way different than consistently working 80+ hour weeks with 30 hour shifts 2 days a week. Not to mention the pressure of the boards, call, the intensity of the first two years of class work, managing a practice, etc.

Anyway, I definitely made the transition and haven't regretted it, but it was waaay harder than I thought it was going to be. I think my nursing background has helped me a great deal in lots of ways, but being a doctor is very different than being a nurse.

Edit: yes, I joined specifically to comment on this! :)

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