Medical school vs Nursing School

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I'm curious why you chose nursing school over medical school? As difficult as I've heard many describe nursing school- I'm wondering why you chose nursing over medicine? I'm researching nursing right now but after reading all the work and time involved in becoming a nurse I'm wondering if it would be better to spend a year or 2 longer and become a doctor. comments anyone?

Specializes in NICU Level III.

Right out of NS you can be a full fledged RN. Right out of med school...more training! About 4 years of in, in fact.

Plus, I like to spend a lot of time with the patients and help them more personally...and spend a lot of time with my own personal life and not live at the hospital.

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Specializes in NICU Level III.
..getting calls at all hours of the day and night "hi this is so-and-so, mrs. smith has a fever of 101.1..what would you like us to do?"...forgot it!

Or an..."I know what you want to do but I just need the order!"

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I'm curious why you chose nursing school over medical school? As difficult as I've heard many describe nursing school- I'm wondering why you chose nursing over medicine? I'm researching nursing right now but after reading all the work and time involved in becoming a nurse I'm wondering if it would be better to spend a year or 2 longer and become a doctor. comments anyone?

a year or 2, really? which school is that, i'd like to apply. is it in the u.s.?

i always assumed length of school was pretty standard: nursing @ 2 yrs, medical (med school + residency) @ forever.

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Specializes in NICU Level III.
a year or 2, really? which school is that, i'd like to apply. is it in the u.s.?

i always assumed length of school was pretty standard: nursing @ 2 yrs, medical (med school + residency) @ forever.

nursing is usually 3-4 years even if you go the ADN route. Prereqs take a bit and THEN you start the nursing program which is 2 years.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

actually, the notion that all nurses are disgruntled wanna-be doctors is false. Most nurses I know - myself included - would not want all the headaches that go along with becoming a doc.

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I think I would like nursing and I found an accelerated program where you get your associates in 15 months. Then i think you can take your rn test. The hours are like 8-3pm every day- then 7-7pm when you start clinicals- so gruelling hours. I like the idea of having a life outside of work which my dad never had as an obgyn. My sister is a doctor of infectious diseases and she heads up a aids research project in Malawi. She has a much better schedule with 9-5 5days a week- and she jets all over the world for medical conferences. Plus she takes off a lot of travel and vacation time. I would personally go the dermatologist route with office hours only and lots of cushy elective procedures like botox and fillers and laser treatments etc. The only thing is my age and amount of time and commitment I'd have to make now.

It does seem that a lot of nurses are underpaid. At least I was reading salaries posted on this site- and with exception to some extremely well-paid nurses in Texas- it seemed a lot of nurses were underpaid. of course, thoses postings might be several years old.

I'm doing some soul searching and trying to make some decisions. My business that was doing so well has all but blown up in this economy and the 200k i had socked away just disappeared in the stock market. Poof gone. The security of nursing or medicine just seems comforting to me.

Once again, thanks to all that posted. It's given me a lot to think on.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

I wanted to be a doctor when I was young, but then my life took twists and turns that took me in a direction far from institution based learning. I attended the School of Hard Knocks at the University of Life, I guess you could say. By the time I realized I wanted to be in health care, I was already 35 years old, working to provide for a family. Nursing school seemed far more attainable, as there is a top ranked nursing program right in my city, and med school would have required uprooting my family to move elsewhere. I had made a conscious decision to raise my kids in this city, as the quality of life here is high. So, nursing school it was.

Now, my kids are grown and I am continuing my education. But, as I am turning 40 this year and feel like I want to have a life to travel and try new things, I don't want to commit the next ten years of my life to becoming a practicing physician. I'm thinking either NP or PA at this time, as I do not want to do bedside nursing for the entirety of my career. Though it has been an incredible learning experience, and I have learned just as much about myself and what I am capable of as I have about medicine, it's just not the end all and be all of where I want to be in the long run.

I think, if you really want to be a doctor and you are willing to make the commitment and sacrifices in order to do so, then by all means, do it. On the other hand, nurses are the ones that do the day to day hands on caring for people, and if that's what you want, then go with nursing.

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You'r post is really among some of the most helpful because I totally relate. Wow, I congratulate you for going back to school while trying to provide for a family. You're super-mom!

Med School is a big commitment at my stage of life at 40 and I do want to travel and buy properties and other things also. I'm going to have a good talk with my sister- the infectious disease doctor when she comes to visit in February and determine which route will be best for me. Life has a way of leading you by the nose- and a few years ago when my business was booming I probably wouldn't have gravitated to where I am now. Thamks for taking the time to reply. you sound awesome!

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Do you have kids still at home? I have a 5 year old and one on the way, and med school is out for me because my priority is my family. Jetting around the world sounds exciting....if that's what you want more than anything else. One of the things that really stinks about growing up (at least for me) was the realization that I can't have it all, I had to pick and choose my priorities. So nursing was a way better fit for what I wanted most. I wanted to be 'married' to people, not a career. But I'm not knocking those who have other priorities. That's great that we don't all want the same things. If being an MD is what you want more than anything, go for it! You will not be sorry as long as you follow your heart.

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I actually got a degree prior to going to nursing school. In my last year of business I realized that I really wanted to help people. I love nursing and it focuses much more on the patient than you do as a Dr. You are more involved in the emotional aspect with the patient.

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I don't have kids. So I have 100% respect for anyone who can pull off work, school and family because it is a huge commitment when you have kids. I have a lot of respect for nurses because without them I don't know how i would have got through several medical emergencies with my mom and dad in the last several years. All the nurses were so awesome with our family and explaining things and keeping us posted.

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Is there any hope for a middle aged person to get into medical school?

Is nursing a better choice in the situation where the person would prefer

to go to medical school but just may be too old! The first major hurdle

would be finding a medical school in the U.S. that will take them.

Any comments?

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