do you guys ever think about another career

[direw0lf, BSN]

Ok I didn't know where to put this topic, and I certainly DO NOT want to offend anyone with this subject. I love nursing. My whole heart went into nursing school and I put 100% in my work days as a new nurse. Every day I leave feeling it is worth it. It can be one thing that makes me feel it's all worth, one minute in the day, where I make a patient more comfortable or I suggest something to the doc that turned out to really help the patient, etc. It makes my day and I leave feeling good. I feel rewarded in this demanding career and I feel proud to be a nurse.

Having said this, I have been thinking about medical school A LOT. I'm at a teaching university, so I work with residents and med students every day. I feel guilty for wanting to go to medical school now like I'm abandoning nursing. My close peer I confided this to said that I'm a nurse and I should expand on my nursing career (NP) instead. I've done some digging about NP programs though, and I really wasn't satisfied with a lot of their curriculums, clinical hours, and/or pass rates/retention rates. And many are more money than medical schools.

When I meet a new med student, I have this desire to be them. I want to learn as much as they do to help my patients more, and have that autonomy to do so. I don't have any plans or anything, it's just a strong feeling I have. I "double majored" in biology as an undergrad, so my prerequisites would be almost finished. Wondered if anyone else does, for any other career?

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I see two questions/ideas in your post: first, you are considering medical school, and second, you're wondering if anyone else has considered another career.

I know a few nurses who have gone to medical school. Some are happy that they did, some aren't. I was encouraged by my college advisor to go to medical school and I seriously considered it, but in the end I'm glad I didn't. The lifestyle and work hours don't appeal to me, although I must admit that I started nursing well before the 80 hour work week was established for residents, and some of them worked 100 hours per week. Or more. Still and all, I am very happy with nursing. There are lots of opportunities, I can switch specialties easily and I can get a job anywhere I decide I want to live. (Hopefully -- I'm moving.)

If you really want to go to medical school, set your sights on medical school -- but first make sure you know what you're getting into and that it's what you want. Talk to medical students and residents about their schedules, their pay, their prospects.

As for the second -- I've considered other careers -- briefly -- but nursing is what I do. I'm knowledgable and experienced and I really enjoy it. Most of the time. There was a time when I hated nursing so much that I went to school and got a different degree but when I graduated, I realized that I was an adrenalin junkie and I really enjoyed being at the bedside in critical care.

Bottom line is, if you feel called to medicine, check it out. You are the one who has to live with any decisions you make.

[mtnNurse., BSN]

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I feel guilty for wanting to go to medical school now like I'm abandoning nursing.

NO NEED to feel guilty! Why should you? It's your life and you should follow your interests! Life is an adventure. It's also short. You owe it to yourself to follow your heart, and you don't owe it to anyone to be a nurse. I recommend just really doing a lot of research about the reality of medical school and the types of jobs after and make sure that's what you want first -- because maybe it would hurt your nursing career in getting jobs if you quit to go to medical school but then change your mind and want to return to nursing. Not sure it would, but something to look into.