Am I the only one who thinks a lot about going to Med School instead of Nursing? I go back and forth so much with this....
I think what scares me is for Med School I would have to take 1 year Chem (Chem 1 and 2) 1 year Organic Chem (organic 1 and 2), 1 year of Physics (physics 1 and 2). Now I know I could do that, I'm pretty smart and even things Im not especially smart with I end up doing well and come out with an A (or a B).
Has anyone taken any of those classes (well besides Chem 1 since that is part of my Nursing pre-reqs anyways)--how hard is Physics and Organic Chem? I guess I ask becaue I am scared of failure and also not sure what to expect in Physics (never taken any physics in my life) and nevr taken any Organic Chem either so I dont know what to expect.
An alternative is physician assistant school. That program has a medical model vs. a nursing model, so people who are heavily interested in science often find it more to their taste than nursing.
PA programs usually require Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry and Immunology in addition to A&P 1 & 2 and Micro. PA's make really good money but are limited to working under the direction of physician, usually in primary care setting. I do know of a few that work at hospitals but that doesn't seem to be the norm.
It's a 3 year program, after the pre-req's, so there wouldn't be as many loans or years of schooling as medical school. Just a thought.
- Wow!!!! Yes, the thought of going to Med School has crossed my mind.
- I am still taking the pre-requisites, but am so motivated that I study 3+ hours a day and am sitting with 99% avge in A&P 102 with 4 weeks to go. This is in addition to holding a full-time job and teaching 2 nights a week.
- I see myself constantly reading/surfing the net for information about the nursing/medical profession.
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- I have an ultra-weird study system - where all of my memorization takes place by typing the same word/sentence over and over again on a laptop computer. After doing this, I then bring up a new document and try to do a core/brain dump from memory.
- This system worked extremely well when I did my MS-Computer Science degree, and so far it has worked rather well for both A&P101 as well as A&P 102.
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- I plan on grabbing the ASN nursing then a BS in nuring, at the same time grabbing the chem (chem 1/2 and organic 1/2 courses). Am also planning on grabbing a statistics course or two (saw that was a requirement at some CRNA schools).
- I had chem back in high school (1981), and nursing school accepted that for their pre-req requirement.
- If I grab a 3.5 to 4.0 QPA (had a 3.8 with MS-Comp Sci), then I will make decision to go to either CRNA or Med School.
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- Personally, if I become an MD -- it would be for the purpose of continuing my education and becoming an anesthesiologist. Right now, I have no idea what it takes to get into anesthesiology school for MD's. I have not even begun to do any research yet in that area.
- However, I have been reading this board regarding the CRNA programs, and have requested information from several schools.
- It's just too early yet to determine what course of action I may decide.
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- Right now though. I am trying to keep current position in software engineering field as long as possible. Am hoping that I can get into ICU/weekend training program once out of school (although I heard that these don't exist -- that you have to be full-time weekdays for ICU training.).
- If nothing else, I would like to do the travel nurse thing then.
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- That's what I like about this profession. Seems like a lot more opportunities that there are in the IT/Computer profession.
I also constantly debate this :) You certainly are not alone. There are some real benefits of nursing and it is a great field.
However, there are times that I feel a better fit for me would be in medicine. I love learning, reading, figuring out why something is taking place. I am sincerely fascinated in the sciences and love just learning about them.
I am also relatively young ... I started my BSN program right out of college and now have been practicing as an ICU nurse for a year and a half and I am only 23. No children yet or anything like that and so there are no barriers right now. (aside from $$ obviously).
I can never entirely make up my mind though... .some days I am set on becoming a CRNA.. .as it has the scientific background but still nursing model of care and the ability to focus on one patient;s case I find very appealing. And then the next I want to pursue medicine.
There are benefits to both routes and it is very difficult to decide which way to go. I completely understand. I guess you just need to follow your heart and go for what feels best for you. Good luck
Well I am so glad it is not just me with the nursing vs MD.
It truly is so hard because there are sooo many good things about nursing (teh variety and hours are appealing- the nursing shortage is not appealing), but on the other hand there are things I really like about being an MD that I will just not get as an RN. I'm also very interested in diseases and that is a pull for me with going the MD route. I also see so many things about MDs that I do not like, and I would like to change that (even if only in my own practice).
I would also hate to change completely and go the Pre-Med route and then NOT get into Med School- since most people who do apply do not get in And the hours of residency do bother me a lot, my husband would have to quit his job to take care of the kids which would be fine, but that IS a lot of time away from my family. But I am still drawn to it! I have since I was 5 years old.
Becoming a PA is something I should check into as well, I really dont know much about that.
If I could go back in time, I would definitely go to medical school. But I'm no longer at a place in my life that I can make the time & life committment needed for that. I am committed to nursing school, and I do very well - but it allows me to go part time and spend most of my time with my young children. Once I was interviewing my grandmother and when I asked her "What has been your favorite time in your life?," she said "when my children were little"... that has really stuck with me. I will only have this once and it goes so fast - everything else is important but definitely second. As it turns out, I want to be a CNM and the midwifery model of care is more in line with my beliefs in the field than the physician model anyway
For any of you who are at a place that you can do it and are interested, I say GO FOR IT!!! If you can envision yourself in 10 or 20 years wishing you had done it, then maybe you should give it more thought. I would NOT NOT NOT let money be a hindering factor - you can always find a way & once you are in med school they will make sure you are taken care of, they WANT their students to succeed. I think there is some value in nursing-minded people becoming physicians - we can bring a lot to the venue :)
We've briefly talked about this before so you know my opinion. I feel the same way as you, I like the science aspect of medical school but it would require so much sacrifice. With having small kids, that's a huge sacrifice that I'm not willing to give that's why I'd rather go the advance nursing route (i.e. CRNA).
If it's strongly on your mind, I'd say still go for nursing. With a BSN and a few other pre-med pre-req classes you can still apply to med school. Either way you go you still have nursing to fall on.
now dont get me wrong i love the idea of being a nurse, but yes i have entertained the idea of becoming a MD, paricuarly a pediatrician. as time went on and taking a phlebotomy course i found interset in diseases and research(but then i thought BORING) i have entertained the idea but i dont think that proffesion is for me. i really didnt actually sit down and debate wheter i would change my major but i have thought of it. ALso another great influence was two girls i met at an old job of mine(21 and 22) they just finished there degrees in bio and one was already accepted into a med school, i found it very intriguing. but i was also proud to say that i was in school for nursing and contrary to what i thought would happen they congratulated me and wished me good luck. i only thought different because if a pre-med student i ran into a while back and was really nasty towards me. Sorry this is WAS so long!
And the hours of residency do bother me a lot, my husband would have to quit his job to take care of the kids which would be fine, but that IS a lot of time away from my family. But I am still drawn to it! I have since I was 5 years old.
LauraLou
532 Posts
An alternative is physician assistant school. That program has a medical model vs. a nursing model, so people who are heavily interested in science often find it more to their taste than nursing.
PA programs usually require Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry and Immunology in addition to A&P 1 & 2 and Micro. PA's make really good money but are limited to working under the direction of physician, usually in primary care setting. I do know of a few that work at hospitals but that doesn't seem to be the norm.
It's a 3 year program, after the pre-req's, so there wouldn't be as many loans or years of schooling as medical school. Just a thought.