Medical school?

futurenp · Nov 8, 2004

I keep having the same thoughts. I'm hoping to someday get into CRNA school. The only thing that keeps me out of medical school is that I'm 40 years old and by the time I add on prereqs (I'm an economics major), 4 years of medical school and a residency I'm not going to be a spring chicken. I figure 2-3 years (with no residency) is much more doable. Also, I've heard that there are quite a few CRNAs that make more than a lot of family practice physicians. Is that true? Medical school seems like such a HUGE commitment with LOTS of loans. I can understand your dilemma.

athomas91 · Nov 8, 2004

one of the chief anesthesiologists that i work with told his son (who wanted to be an anesthesiologist) that he would pay for him to be a CRNA not an MDA ---- by the time you are done with all the loans, is it really worth it?!?!

and i don't know about you - but i love that my background is nursing - it makes my interaction with my patients very different than that of doctors

SarasotaRN2b · Nov 8, 2004

and i don't know about you - but i love that my background is nursing - it makes my interaction with my patients very different than that of doctors

I think that this is exactly why I've decided to do be a nurse versus going to medical school.

SproutRN · Nov 9, 2004

I think that this is exactly why I've decided to do be a nurse versus going to medical school.

Made the exact same decision myself and don't regret it at all!

Sprout :nurse:

BTW-one of the MDA's at my clinical site started out as an RN and then CRNA.

To each their own.

sonessrna · Nov 9, 2004

It's not that I don't love the nursing approach to anesthesia or the interaction with my patients. i think it's the personal challenge. Sometimes I wonder if I should have just done it. One of the girls I'm in school with is considering medical school after CRNA school. I guess that's inspiring me to challenge myself...but is it realyl worth it, probably no.

UCDSICURN · Nov 9, 2004

I'm close to a couple of surgical residents at my hospital. They each owe about 200k in loans. Few are married. Even fewer have families. They make less than I do as a staff nurse and have to endure their residency for about 5 years then they start paying back the loans. Their lives are completely involved in medicine.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I really don't want to spend another 8+ years AFTER CRNA school just for the challenge of becoming a physician. God love em, we sure need em, but I couldn't do it. I might challenge myself in some other aspect of life, like triathalons or extreme racing or something.

D.C.

versatile_kat · Nov 9, 2004

I'm close to a couple of surgical residents at my hospital. They each owe about 200k in loans. Few are married. Even fewer have families. They make less than I do as a staff nurse and have to endure their residency for about 5 years then they start paying back the loans. Their lives are completely involved in medicine.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I really don't want to spend another 8+ years AFTER CRNA school just for the challenge of becoming a physician. God love em, we sure need em, but I couldn't do it. I might challenge myself in some other aspect of life, like triathalons or extreme racing or something.
D.C.

Amen, amen, and amen. Those are the EXACT reasons I chose the CRNA path and not the MD path.

Kiwi, BSN, RN · Nov 9, 2004

Up until high school I had wanted to become a medical doctor. Instead I was encouraged by family, friends, music professors to get a degree in music (big mistake). To make a long story short, I learned that hospitals would put people through nursing school and guarantee a career thereafter. In fact, the hospital I am with will even pay for CRNA school! Though nursing wasn't my first choice, I have come to appreciate and respect the nursing model for care. I rarely go to see an MD for my personal health care anymore unless the condition warrants.

This semester for M/N nursing, I had to follow a high-risk teen mom through her third trimester and observe the delivery. During her L/D I got to meet a lot of great OB residents. These OB residents were selfless and determined to help the patient. I couldn't believe the hours they worked.

I just don't understand why a CRNA would want to go to medical school. I see no logic in it whatsoever unless the CRNA did not like the nursing model of care. I am curious to hear from a CRNA who went in that direction or plans to go that route and the reasons for doing so.

Just a CRNA · Nov 9, 2004

I've always appreciated this difference: When a student once asked a CRNA what the difference was between anesthesiologists training and CRNAs training...the CRNA replied, "Anesthesiologists are taught how to get themselves out of trouble. CRNAs are taught how to keep themselves from GETTING INTO trouble." Interesting nuance.

athomas91 · Nov 9, 2004

It's not that I don't love the nursing approach to anesthesia or the interaction with my patients. i think it's the personal challenge. Sometimes I wonder if I should have just done it. One of the girls I'm in school with is considering medical school after CRNA school. I guess that's inspiring me to challenge myself...but is it realyl worth it, probably no

i guess that i just don't understand why you think that medical school is more of a challenge...it isn't.

Quincke · Nov 10, 2004

I'm currently a second year SRNA. I love anesthesia, but sometimes I feel like I made the wrong decision. Maybe I should have gone to medical school. Does anyone else feel this way? Would anyone go?

I'm right there with you. Sometimes I wonder, but then I think that next year I will graduate from nurse anesthesia school...if I had gone to medical school I would just be starting my (long) residency. Thinking about all that school and pushing back starting a family... If I had gone to med school, I was going to go for anesthesiology, and seeing how in many places, the CRNAs do fully optimize their scope of practice, I am very happy with my decision.:)