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Discussion

MD RN Crossover

I had BSN as a pre-med course and went to MD. I am both licensed in the Philippines. In the US, I am a licensed RN in New York and Passed the USMLE steps 1, 2CK and 2CS thus making me eligible for an ECFMG certificate which qualifies me to get into residency training. Due to stiff competition I am unable to get into a residency program.

My dilemma is when I worked as a RN in California my friend blurted out to his co-workers that I am a Physician back home and that spelled trouble. All of a sudden I feel like eyes are on me scrutinizing every move I make so I made a decision not to reveal my highest educational background limiting only to Nursing when I apply for a new job. However, when I did that, I felt that specially here in NYC they belittle our capability as RN plus the fact that we don't have command of the english language verbally. I wanted to tell them that don't underestimate a Filipino for all they know we hold far greater degree than their pathetic ADN they keep on boasting their X amount of experience which I respect but to diss someone because he or she is coming from a different background just ****** me off. I am sorry to say this but I was immensely ridiculed in a hospital in NY and terminated because I was incompetent (ouch).So, next time I apply, I am thinking twice now whether to reveal my true educational background so that they would back off in a way.

So the question is, to tell or not to tell?

Featured Replies

  • Experts

By not disclosing that information, it can cause issues for you later on for not being honest about what you have and have not done.

Please do not take this personally, but we have seen it over and over again, even with others from your country, they have issues with passing the speaking section of the IELTS exam, even with English being a primary language in your country. And then accents come into play as well. And the training in your country is quite different than what is practiced here and no matter which state.

What you are going to have issues with is the fact that you were dismissed from a facility for not being able to meet what they wanted done, nothing having to do with your previous training but what is expected here of you as an RN. And the skills that you learned as an RN in your country are different than what is being practiced over here and I have actually seen more than a dozen in the past two years that have been let go from their jobs because their skills as a nurse were not up to what was expected of them.

You need to look at why you were terminated and what they said that you were lacking in skills and perhaps focus on improving in that area or those areas. Remember that you came here as a guest of this country and you have to adapt to what is being done here, not what you did in your country in the past. And also be aware that your green card can get cancelled if a facility decides to contact immigration that you are no longer their employee and they were the ones that petitioned you.

And please do not call ADNs here pathetic. That is a behavior that will not be tolerated here or anyplace else. And I would appreciate if you do not do this again on this forum. There are many here that are ADNs or even Diploma RNs and I will put my skills and training up against anyone in a heartbeat.

  • Experts

There have been foreign MDs that have come to the US for years and have practiced as RNs and have not been fired for being incompetent as you call it. And when going to apply at a new facility, you need to be very up front with them and will need to use the other facility and why you are no longer there. Trying to withhold information from them can actually get you fired from the new facility. Not to give information is the same as not telling the truth and is grounds for automatic firing from any job.

  • Experts

I second what Suzanne4 says -- withholding information on a CV or job application about your background (education and/or previous employment) is the same as lying about it and, if you're found out, most US facilities consider that grounds for termination.

I'm sorry you're having trouble with adjusting to practice in the US, but it's not as easy as a lot of people expect it to be. Standards and expectations of RNs are very different here than in a lot of other countries, and simply passing the NCLEX exam doesn't guarantee that one is going to be able to practice successfully in the US. I encourage you to look at what part you played in your current situation. By your own report, you were terminated for incompetence. As you look for a new job, employers are going to expect you to be able to discuss with them what went wrong at the last job, and what you've done since then to examine your role in that situation and correct any identified deficiencies.

In my experience in a few different states in the US, nurses don't really care where someone is from or what her/his background is, just whether or not s/he can do the job (that s/he is licensed and being paid to do). And don't be so quick to dismiss your coworkers' "pathetic" ADN degrees -- they may have less formal education than you, but, on the other hand, they're able to do their job successfully ...

Sounding defensive or superior, or going into employment situations with "a chip on your shoulder" will not help you. I hope you can get into a better situation soon. Best wishes.

  • Experts

And to clear up something futher, those that have ADN degrees actually have three to four years of attending class to receive that degree; one cannot even start the two year program here without having a year or two of pre-reqs completed.

So in fact, they have even more hours in a program for nursing than your second courser program. Just wanted you to be aware of this situation as well.

I wanted to tell them that don't underestimate a Filipino for all they know we hold far greater degree than their pathetic ADN they keep on boasting their X amount of experience which I respect but to diss someone because he or she is coming from a different background just ****** me off.

Wow! Your English skills seem fine, so I'm guessing that perhaps your attitude had something to do with your dismissal.

There are many intelligent, highly-skilled ADN nurses out there. For anyone to come to the US to work as an RN and dismiss these nurses as "pathetic" is unacceptable. Perhaps you have not been following the threads describing the declining quality of nursing education in the Philippines. BSN or not, many of these nurses lack the clinical experience and technological expertise to function at the same level as the "pathetic" US-educated ADN nurses. A BSN from a nursing school in the Philippines ain't what it used to be...

Wow. That's as close as I've seen Suzanne come to losing her well-known patience.

As she is my personal hero on this board, due to her intelligent and thoughtful replies and posts, and her poise and incredible vault of knowledge in the spectrum of International nursing, I will refrain from saying something to the OP that I most certainly WOULD regret.

While I am a simple, good-old boy from the Deep South, I still enjoy reading Suzanne's replies every day.

Keep up the good work Suzanne. There are an awful lot of people here who depend upon your help. Many nurses in this country today have you to thank for helping them get here as well as understanding HOW to be an international nurse in America. Many more international nurses follow your posts closely now for the same reason. Many more will come in the future.

Methinks Brian needs to give you a raise. lol.

Best Regards,

Michael

  • Experts

Thank you for the very lovely note.

And being a Diploma RN from long ago, I take great offence at what was posted here originally. Degrees do not matter and do not make a nurse here or anywhere else. What the person can actually do is what counts and respect is earned, it is never just handed out because someone has a degree. And I have several degrees over and above that as well.

Thanks everyone for backing me up on this.

p.s. and we actually do this in a volunteer capacity as well.

p.s. and we actually do this in a volunteer capacity as well.

Oh, sure. Ramp up the hero worship, why don't you? :lol2:

Best Regards,

Michael

Wow. That's as close as I've seen Suzanne come to losing her well-known patience.

As she is my personal hero on this board, due to her intelligent and thoughtful replies and posts, and her poise and incredible vault of knowledge in the spectrum of International nursing, I will refrain from saying something to the OP that I most certainly WOULD regret.

While I am a simple, good-old boy from the Deep South, I still enjoy reading Suzanne's replies every day.

I also enjoy reading all posts of Suzanne. It's quite entertaining. She knows everything and seems to know what's going on in every parts of the world as long as it is nursing related. Suzanne, I know you sound angry in your previous posts but you have written it cordially. And it seems that you scared him off. lol

Hope he'll post again. Too bad that you couldn't get into a residency program there. Telling the truth will set you free. Hiding your credentials will not be beneficial for you. It's ironic that physicians in PI are proud and some boastful of being an MD. And there you are hiding your credentials. I just don't get it. :uhoh21:

I am one of the lowly ADN's that you speak of. I am also the DON. Do I plan on going back to school? Nope... getting where i want to be without it. I have the pleasure of working with nurses from many different lands/cultures. Several of them were working as nurses in their native lands before i hired them. For some of them, they have turned into great nurse. Others, seem to have functioned more as an aide in their native land and just will never seem to get it. It is those that I sadly have to let go.

I think you need to work on your personality and getting along with others more. Leave the thought that you may be looked at as an MD in your own land but, here you are not! Mayhap, if you stop flaunting the MD in everyone's face, they will come around.

by not disclosing that information, it can cause issues for you later on for not being honest about what you have and have not done.

please do not take this personally, but we have seen it over and over again, even with others from your country, they have issues with passing the speaking section of the ielts exam, even with english being a primary language in your country. and then accents come into play as well. and the training in your country is quite different than what is practiced here and no matter which state.

what you are going to have issues with is the fact that you were dismissed from a facility for not being able to meet what they wanted done, nothing having to do with your previous training but what is expected here of you as an rn. and the skills that you learned as an rn in your country are different than what is being practiced over here and i have actually seen more than a dozen in the past two years that have been let go from their jobs because their skills as a nurse were not up to what was expected of them.

you need to look at why you were terminated and what they said that you were lacking in skills and perhaps focus on improving in that area or those areas.

assuming they told her the truth. i agree, the language skills are not 100% and the attitude toward new yorkers and adn's is not good.

I also enjoy reading all posts of Suzanne. It's quite entertaining. She knows everything and seems to know what's going on in every parts of the world as long as it is nursing related. Suzanne, I know you sound angry in your previous posts but you have written it cordially. And it seems that you scared him off. lol

Hope he'll post again. Too bad that you couldn't get into a residency program there. Telling the truth will set you free. Hiding your credentials will not be beneficial for you. It's ironic that physicians in PI are proud and some boastful of being an MD. And there you are hiding your credentials. I just don't get it. :uhoh21:

He wants to be in America. Right?

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