I feel like I'm asked this question surprisingly frequently, often by family and occasionally by friends, acquaintances, dates, and even patients. Maybe it's because I come from a family of doctors, or because many of close friends from my first degree were pre-med because nursing/pre-nursing on my campus didn't really exist.
I can say with honesty that I've never come home from a shift and thought, "I wish I was a doctor." However, there have been a handful of shifts where I've come home explicitly thinking, "Holy crap, I'm so glad I'm not a doctor."
I briefly worked in x-ray during nursing school, and I found that some x-ray techs expressed regret that they hadn't become physicians. However, I think x-ray differs from nursing because there aren't as many opportunities for advancement (vs. nursing, where you have the option become an NP, CNS, etc., along with many non-clinical paths).
I'm just curious to see if other ANers are faced with this (well-intentioned but occasionally insulting) question. What's your go-to response?
I don't recall having ever been asked that. I've NEVER wanted to be an MD either....maybe I ooze that vibe. People have asked me if I've ever wanted to become a midwife tho. :)
No I value my sleep too much! Not to mention I'm not a workaholic, plus I'd never want to be in as much debt as it would take to be a Dr! And now even the doctors are as henpecked as we are with administration, not to mention patient satisfaction ratings. No Thanks!
Yes i wish I had been a doctor. Many years ago I remember walking across campus and going into the Medical School office and actually picking up an application. I was so ready but after sitting down and working it out in my mind I realized I couldn't afford it. I was alone and had to pay my rent. I'm not sure I was mature enough to be able to handle it back then. Now 20 years later I'm in NP school. It's the best of both worlds to me but I wish I had done it sooner.
Yeah i wish i would have skipped out on the nursing stuff and done med school straight out. id be in my 2nd year of residency instead of first year in med school.
but i don't mind not having a life so yeah.
just depends on your goals and in what way you like helping patients though. not like either career path is more/less important than the other. need both to keep the ship afloat
I only think it very rarely when it's difficult to get an order (calling night hospitalist for Tylenol is like pulling teeth). I have been asked a few times by patients and I tell them no, doctors schooling takes too long, long hours, more likely to be sued, high stress. I enjoy being a nurse, we have a good amount of responsibility. I don't want to spend my 20's working 80 hours a week, I want to spend time with my family, friends, and boyfriend. I don't think patients understand the concept fully. I've had patients ask "so are you going to go on to become a doctor?" They think it's only a few classes!
I haven't been asked that, and I don't wish I were a doctor. Sometimes, though, I wish I weren't in health care or at least, away from direct patient care.
Most of the time I'm fine with what I chose, which was in part based on my own unique set of circumstances.
Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.
My answer depends on who's asking.
If a pt or some unknown stranger asked me, I'd be PC and say, "No. My job as a nurse is different from that of a dr and I very much like the fact that I get to spend more time with fewer pts than a doctor does."
When my kids have asked me, or someone else close to me has, I've answered, "Did you know that a well paid RN earns more than a low paid MD?" RNs is my area make very good money if working Acute care, whereas PCPs without a specialty aren't being paid enough money to compensate them for the debt/time they incurred in medical school.
When I ask *myself* that question, I think that, at times, I've considered becoming an MD---for the autonomy. If that itch to become a provider and have more autonomy becomes super strong, Ill become an NP. They can prescribe in my state.
GGirll22
139 Posts
I play one on TV