I'm at a crossroads and seriously considering quiting the program- any advice?

kahumai, RN · Nov 9, 2004

If you're halfway through the program, why don't you just stick it out and finish it off? That way if you don't get into med school or decide later on for whatever reason that you don't want to pursue it, you'll still have a degree to fall back on. It would be such a shame to quit now and realize halfway through med school that you don't want to be there, either. Then you'd have even more debt, have wasted how many years, and still have no degree. It's gonna take some soul searching to figure this one out...good luck!

hypnotic_nurse · Nov 9, 2004

Can you use your RN as pre-med where you are? One of the MDs I know got his undergrad in engineering, not premed and still got into med school. You might talk with the folks at the med school and see what you can do.

Plus if you got the RN you could work the occasional weekend in med school and pay some of your way as you go.

WickedRedRN, BSN, RN · Nov 9, 2004

WOW....well I really wish you the best in thinking through all this and making your decision. I did not take it as thinking you are "above" nursing in any way. I have an endocrinologist who I love. She is much more attentive and willing to take the time to really listen than any other Dr. I have known. One day as we were talking, I told her about pursing my RN. She brightened up and began telling me that was how she worked her way through med school, got her ASN and worked through school. Would perhaps that be a viable option for you? Perhaps you can take some additional pre-med course work as you are in school? I think if you settle for less than what you dream because a few thousand dollars, in the long run you will always regret it. I am 36 and recently returned to school to complete my nursing degree. I do regret dropping out of school when I was younger, but mostly over the time I have wasted doing jobs I have never felt satisfied in.

Again, I wish you the best, and I will keep you in my prayers as you work through this decision.

akcarmean, LPN · Nov 9, 2004

I would talk to an advisor at the med school. Look at what classes are required for your pre-med program. Will your nursing degree put you through all of your "pre-requites" ? How many programs will you have to take if you stick it out in nursing then go on to med. or how many programs will you have to take if you stop now and then go to med. The suggestions above were really good. Finishing one degree to be able to fall back on and maybe work a little to save a little $$$ back in order to start paying on student loans? It is a lot to ponder and do some hard soul searching. I wish you the best of luck. Take care and let us know what you decide.

Angelia

DenaInWyo · Nov 9, 2004

My feelings are that you can *never* give yourself too many job possibilities/skills. If I were in your shoes, I would finish my RN, because you just never know what might happen down the road, and it's not like they're handing RNs out at Walmart You've come this far, you may as well finish, and do like several others have suggested and talk to a counselor about how your current coursework might apply to pre-med.

If anything, the pay you could get as an RN during med school would sure beat most any other part time job you might take.

Deana

Imafloat, BSN, RN · Nov 9, 2004

I'm so frustrated right now :angryfire
So I'm thinking that I'm either going to stay in the program for another two years, graduate and work for a while then apply to pre-med, or quite the program, work a year to pay off loans and then try pre-med. I honestly don't know what to do. Should I really spend two more years of my life pursuing an education that I won't end up using in the long run?
Do I throw away 2 years of nursing education for my dream job? or do I stick with this program, and continue with pre-med after I graduate? In the chance that I don't make it in med school, I'd be able to resume working as a nurse which would be something I would like to do for a living. it's a nice job. but my heart was always set on being a doctor, and now that I know that's within reach I honestly have no idea what to do.

It sounds like you are at a BSN program. Our BSN program has a pre-med BSN major. Look and see if your school has that. It seems very challenging, but I know two people who are doing well in the program. Good luck to you.

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Nov 9, 2004

You're in your second year of a BSN program? So you haven't started the actual nursing courses yet? My first 2 years were all prereqs, then the next 2 years are the nursing courses. So... if you're just doing prereqs now I would go talk to an advisor and see what your options are. A lot of the classes you are already taking and have taken (lots of sciences, etc) will probably work towards a pre-med major.

I would go talk with an advisor immediately. They know what is required for each major. Tell them what you said in your post.... your desire to do pre-med, yet your fears of dropping the nursing major and then not being accepted to med school. They really can help and can give some great advice on what would be the best route to go.

Good luck with everything!

Maggie in NC · Nov 9, 2004

Follow your life long dream. You'll never regret it, you can always go backwards to nursing if it doesn't work out. But you have the potential to fulfill your own destiny the way YOU want to-do it. Prove to everyone, including yourself, you know and can do what YOU want, not what others want.

Good lord woman, we nurses need a few doctors that can relate to us instead of make us feel like peons! Go forth and conquer!

fergus51 · Nov 9, 2004

The real question is what do you want to do as a job in the long run? Do you know what a doctor's job entails? Do you know what a nurse's job entails?

I am asking this seriously because I really don't think many people do, especially in the early part of their education. How do you feel about the business and legal aspects of medicine (doctors have to deal with A LOT of this)? Are you interested more in the procedures (doctors and NPs do more procedures, but do spend less time with their patients)? Do you feel you can settle into one area of medicine and be happy there (it's hard for a doc to switch specialties)? Do you want to be the one ultimately responsible for decision making (nurses have less autonomy)? I would suggest you actually try to follow a doctor around and see what you think before making a decision. A lot of people like the idea of being a doctor or a nurse better than the reality.

Also, you mentionned the cost of the pre-med program, but what about the actual medical program? You are talking about 4 years pre-med, 3 years med school and then at least another 2 years of residency as opposed to 2 more years for the RN. Don't make that decision without figuring out exactly how much it will cost you.

bmw804 · Nov 9, 2004

I think you should finish the RN program. I would love to do a pre-med program, but it is rather expensive. I have an undergraduate degree and I don't want to go back for several years. I plan to finish my LPN and work for a year I am considering the physician assistant program if I don't choose to continue with the RN.

kellyo, LPN · Nov 9, 2004

Get the nursing degree first, then apply to med school when you graduate. I've heard of nurses going to med school, and it really helped them out. If you needed to work, you could pick up nursing shifts. Besides, I think that approaching medicine from a nursing view would be a great experience--not to mention you'll have a better bedside manner than anyone!