Need someone advice, nursing school or medical school?

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Hey everyone! I was recently accepted into my community college's ADN program and I will be attending nursing school this fall; however, I'm having some concerns. I've dreamed since I was a little girl of becoming a surgeon, or a doctor and when I got older figured nursing would be a good way to get my foot in the door. I'd be able to work in a hospital setting, see what NPs and MDs get to do first hand, but also know what it's like to be a nurse. I like to help people and I enjoy that, as a nurse, we get a lot of one-on-one time with the patient, we really get to know the patient and understand them. On the other hand, I love the challenge of diagnosing someone, learning their symptoms and being able to become familiar with the human body and things that happen to people daily. I would love to be able to treat and diagnose patients. I have no intentions of starting a family, even if I changed my mind, it would be years down the road. So, the hours do not concern me. I would love being on call all the time, pulling 48 hour shifts at a hospital, working in trauma or on a peds unit; however, I'm aware, that as a nurse, they get to do these things too (besides the diagnosing etc). I'm kinda stumped on what to do and was wondering if there was anyone out there that went through the same thing, maybe there is another forum out there I haven't read and you guys could point me to them?

I have also read bad things about nurses who go to med school. Different things like it's a disgrace to the nursing field, the admissions people look down on it, but I've also read that some people think it looks good, you have experience (depending on if you work as a nurse before you go to med school or not) in a hospital, you know how some things work, you're familiar with different medicines and basic anatomy of the body, as well as treatments. I've heard good and bad things about nurses that end up going to medical school.

I just wanted some insight, to see what you guys had to say about it!! Thanks so much in advance, hope you have a wonderful day/evening! :)

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Well, I am not an encyclopedia but I am pretty sure nursing school and med school are very different. Yes, many sciences are same, though in med school I would say you go much deeper into sciences, especially when you begin to specialize. If you feel like doing more of a 'doctor' job, then you can go to med school. However, you can also go to nursing school, get your RN, then a few years later you can get your NP and practice. This will allow you to diagnose, and treat, and spend time with your patients. All in all, RN to NP route is faster than the med school route, I think.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

If you want to be a dr I would just go in that direction. Nursing isn't a direct stepping stone to medicine, and has different prerequisites, so all of that time, effort, and $$ on nursing school really doesn't put your foot in the medicine door.

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If you want to be a dr I would just go in that direction. Nursing isn't a direct stepping stone to medicine, and has different prerequisites, so all of that time, effort, and $$ on nursing school really doesn't put your foot in the medicine door.

Thats not necessarily true. You could technically apply to med school with a nursing degree. There really isnt a set list of classes that you have to take in order to apply for med school. However, you do need to score high on the MCAT to get accepted. Physics is probably the only class that isnt in the nursing curriculum.

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Specializes in NICU.
Thats not necessarily true. You could technically apply to med school with a nursing degree. There really isnt a set list of classes that you have to take in order to apply for med school. However, you do need to score high on the MCAT to get accepted. Physics is probably the only class that isnt in the nursing curriculum.

Yeah, that's not true at all. Most med schools require a year of Gen Chem, a year of O-Chem, and possibly Bio chem as well. A full year of qualified physics and advanced math courses would also be needed.

If you want to be a nurse, go to nursing school. If you want to be a doctor, go to med school.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Med school.

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If you have any doubt about not liking nursing, pursue med school.

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