Is it possible for a nurse to become a doctor?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello nurses, I was wondering if anyone here knows what is the fastest way to become a doctor. I am a 31 year old RN and I am really hoping that I can still accomplish it. PLEASE HELP.!!

I met at least one RN turned MD. She astounded me by actually making rounds on her assigned residents at the LTC facility where I was working at the time. I interacted with her in the middle of the night one time. Again, she amazed me with her attention to detail and the help she provided to me to do my part correctly. Told myself I wanted to be just like her when I grow up. If all doctors acted as she did, we would have a lot less to complain about when it comes to medical care for ourselves and our families.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
Hello nurses, I was wondering if anyone here knows what is the fastest way to become a doctor. I am a 31 year old RN and I am really hoping that I can still accomplish it. PLEASE HELP.!!

Yes, you can become a doctor. However, being a RN first won't fast-track you through anything, other than a. you might have a bachelors' degree, eliminating the need to go to an undergraduate program, and/or b. you might have already completed a lot of pre-req courses for admission to a MD/DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) program. Being a RN is not part of the path of progression towards MD/DO and is not required as the two (RN and MD/DO) are very different career paths.

So medical school plus residency plus whatever else MD/DOs need to do...probably 8-10 years.

On a related note, my uncle's second wife was a RN turned MD. I was never sure why she decided to do it, but she did it and had no regrets.

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Specializes in School Nurse.

I have a friend who went from RN (BSN) to med school. As pointed out being a nurse isn't a fast track though it might make some of the clinical aspects easier for you. A BSN is probably as good as any pre-med program provided you had some organic chemistry in the mix (otherwise you're going to need to get caught up).

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Do some career exploration first.

What would being a doctor do for you that being a nurse is not?

Are you willing to go back to school and excel in the courses you will need to apply? How were your college grades? Are you willing to go beyond the minimum requirements to apply? Go to the student doctor website and read about the premeds.

Are you comfortable with a high load of debt, and if you are thinking about starting in your 30's, dealing with student debt for a very long time? (My doctor brother is six figures deep in student loans)

If you have the determination and drive plus the knowledge, it is possible.

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That's if you can afford not to work and go to school full time. It's taken me 4 years so far to get through my program part time and I still have 2 semesters left. I could have gone to med school.

What program if you don't mind me asking?

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Specializes in Cardiac.
That's if you can afford not to work and go to school full time. It's taken me 4 years so far to get through my program part time and I still have 2 semesters left. I could have gone to med school.

Correct. But if you can find a med school to go to part time, then it'll take you 12+ years then.

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Specializes in Hospice,LTC,Pacu,Regulatory,Operating room.

Actually you couldnt have gone to med school because you would not have been able to work. and you are finishing in four years. Instead of actually still having to take step 3 and board certs and another 3 years of residency.

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I have a friend who went from RN (BSN) to med school. As pointed out being a nurse isn't a fast track though it might make some of the clinical aspects easier for you. A BSN is probably as good as any pre-med program provided you had some organic chemistry in the mix (otherwise you're going to need to get caught up).

RN who did pre-med here. Almost none of the BSN/RN courses counted for pre-med. Just an FYI.

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Interestingly enough, there is a PA to DO bridge program

Accelerated Physician Assistant Pathway - LECOM Education System

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Note that there is no such thing as a pre med major. You major in *something* but make sure to take the courses that medical schools require in order to apply and be accepted. Theoretically you could get a degree in History and be accepted to medical school as long as you took all the required science and math courses, had a high GPA, and made a very high MCAT score. But it would be more efficient, of course, to major in one of the biological sciences.

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If you can afford to, Columbia University offers a program adult learners just for premed classes. I think it's 1-2 years, all year.

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.
If you can afford to, Columbia University offers a program adult learners just for premed classes. I think it's 1-2 years, all year.

I believe there is one in St. Louis as well.

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