Getting healthcare experience for a career change

[RobertS1030]

Hi everyone,

I’ve started down the path to a career change from law to (I hope) becoming a primary care nurse practitioner.  I am having trouble thinking of meaningful ways to get nursing/healthcare exposure that would add to that part of my application.  In January I’ll be moving to southern Alabama/north Florida area and will have a lot more time available for volunteer work before I do my applications in the fall.  I am just kind of at a loss as to what an admissions committee might find meaningful.  A lot of things like shadowing or volunteering at a hospital don’t seem particularly educational or to test whether someone really wants to be in a healthcare occupation, though I have no idea because aside from working with a lot of healthcare providers in my current job and briefly being a medical social worker I have no healthcare experience.  I have some more background on me below if it’s at all  helpful.  I really appreciate your advice and thoughts!

I am looking to apply to an MSN program for folks with non-nursing degrees in Fall of 2022 (to start 2023).  I have an undergrad degree in social work from an OK school with a good GPA (3.8) and a JD from a good law school with a good class rank (top 25% of the class).  For the last 9 years I have been a housing rights lawyer in Northern California (5 years) and most recently a deputy public defender in a small Northern California town (4 years).  I’ve done a ton of work with clients in alternative courts like behavioral health court and mental health diversion.  I would really like to become a NP providing primary care in a rural setting, most probably south Alabama where I am from.  I’m working full time as a public defender and taking 3 prerequisites right now (anatomy, physiology, nutrition) and will finish Microbiology, statistics and human development in Spring. So far things are going OK - it’s really hard juggling it all but I’m making A’s and really enjoying the material.  In January I’m moving to my father’s timber farm in south Alabama and helping him, building a house and probably looking for part time work.

[amgRN, ASN, BSN, RN]

This is an interesting question.  My experience has been that shadowing opportunities have been significantly impacted by covid and many health care facilities are not allowing shadowing due to infection control and many are simply too understaffed to have extra people hanging around watching.  

Depending on the facilities you have available, or will have available after your move, some options may be to do a quick CNA course.  This is one way to really get in and see what the healthcare field looks like.  You would be able to look for employment in many inpatient, outpatient, or office settings.  You may enjoy working in a primary care setting to see just what that provider role looks like.  

Another option may be to be a medical scribe.  These are individuals that follow providers when they see patients and they will write the provider notes in real time as the provider is examining and talking with the patient.  I have seen many pre-med students do this.  It is a really interesting way to see exactly what providers do and training is provided on the job.  

Neither of these jobs will earn you attorney wages, but they will allow you to gain some insight into the healthcare field.  Others may chime in here with some other ideas but these are the first I thought of. 

I would also suggest finding some NP groups on facebook or other social media and find out everything you can about the role of a primary care NP, the job market, and find out pros and cons from others in that role.  

Best of luck to you!