Medicine or Nursing?

[JamesJr.]

So I am a freshmen in college (19 years old) and will be entering my sophomore year in August. I am very fortunate to have been awarded provisional acceptance to a medical school as long as my GPA stays above a 3.5. I have been debating over the past few weeks whether I really want to go to medical school or follow through with my previous plan, nursing. Nursing was originally my dream career, but then when I was presented with that acceptance, my mindset changed from becoming a nurse to a doctor. I am now wondering if I should actually do nursing and forfeit my acceptance to the medical school. I realize the vast differences between the two jobs, but I cannot decide which I would rather do. Seven more years of schooling plus residency seems grueling. I just really do not want to forfeit the acceptance and then always think, "What if?". My goal through this post is to get some advice or assurance that nursing is the right path for me...I know that only I know which path is right...but I really don't! At this point, my whole family expects me to go to medical school.

Schooling wise, I am having to take a lot more classes (Organic chemistry, physics, etc) to fulfill the requirements of the medical school acceptance. In the Fall, I am planning on taking both of my pre-requisites for nursing and medical school. ...it is daunting trying to do both. Never in my life have I not been able to do something, which is one thing that makes me want to keep on the medical path.

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

What do you see yourself doing once you are done with school? What do you prefer about nursing and what do you prefer about medicine?

[neuroms]

See if you can tow the line in your sciences. If so, you're young and there's a shortage of physicians.

[mystory, BSN, RN]

Do you want to live to work?

Or work to live?

If it's the latter choose nursing. Former go with MD.

[JamesJr.]

I am not sure where exactly I see myself after school, just somewhere in medicine. Whether it is beginning to open my own practice, giving anesthesia to patients, working with pediatrics, anything.

Nursing:

Work 3-4 days a week, not on call.

Tons of opportunities and a wide variety of places to work.

Contact with patients

Medicine (Doctor):

Being able to open my own practice

Possibly doing research

Family practice - being personal

More $$$

Being able to diagnose patients

[futurenurse0115]

Have you considered becoming a nurse practitioner? You could achieve most the things you listed under becoming a doctor, but still work within the nursing module fulfilling your original dream career? I started out wanting to go to Medical School but after becoming more educated on nursing I have chosen to become a Family Nurse Practitioner. Good luck in whatever you choose!

[AnaCatRN]

I am not sure where exactly I see myself after school, just somewhere in medicine. Whether it is beginning to open my own practice, giving anesthesia to patients, working with pediatrics, anything.

Nursing:

Work 3-4 days a week, not on call.

Tons of opportunities and a wide variety of places to work.

Contact with patients

Medicine (Doctor):

Being able to open my own practice

Possibly doing research

Family practice - being personal

More $$$

Being able to diagnose patients

Have you considered becoming a nurse practitioner? Could be the best of both worlds. I, too, have been pressured by my family to go to medical school, but I'm going to be a nurse practitioner because I love nursing. Good luck with your decision!

[tainted1972, ASN, RN]

How about becoming a Nurse Practitioner? You can almost have the best of both worlds :)

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

If you can make the grade keep it up and go to med school! Congrats. You've got a great opportunity all the kids on the Student Doctor Network forums would be drooling over. Do yourself the favor of at least doing everythign you can do to get in. If, when the time comes, you don't want to become a doctor and instead want to become a nurse you can get your bio/premed degree and do a two year or one year bachelor's program. You owe it to yourself to try this out. You'll have mor knowledge, more privilege, and more income. I think you'll be pleased.

[tokyoROSE, BSN, RN]

Think long and hard, what is it that you want to accomplish in life? What will make you happy? I think both careers are great, you are young and have plenty of time to achieve your goals. I was in your position a couple of years ago. I decided the RN route because I didn't want to spend my twenty's, the best years of my life, in school and residency. No amount of money can replace my youth. I aspire to be a nurse practitioner because I also didn't want to be in bedside nursing forever. Plus, I get a break between my RN and NP to live a little.

PS. How in the world did you get a provisional acceptance to a medical school as a sophomore as long as you keep your GPA high?! Seems almost too good to be true... MCAT's, recommendations, etc seem to make a big impact on medical school applications.

[hopefulwhoop]

I would stay on the pre-med. track. Most of the pre-med. courses help you fulfill your nursing pre-reqs. For example, by taking Orgo., you fulfill your Chem. course for nursing. By taking calc, you more than fulfill your math. course for nursing. I say you stay on the pre-med. track. If at the end of 4 years, you decide you don't want to go to med. school, you can go to nsg. school. By then, you will probably already have all your pre-nursing courses down.

[nursing.mypassion]

i would recommend shadowing family nurse practitioners and family docs and do research on docs/nursing practice acts and the school curriculum. of course, don't forfeit your offer. who knows, you may change at the end of your 4 years.