Neonatologist

[Millshel]

I'm tryting to become a neonatologist and am wondering if getting my bachelors in ultrasounding counts as a pedatric degree? also interested in knowing for any baby nurses out there where you were able to get your degree I live in the west coast and havent had much luck in finding a med school for it

[ORoxyO]

OP, the same day you posted this, you posted about wanting to do an RN program. Now you say you are doing it. So what is it?

[mtmkjr, BSN]

As others have made pretty clear, you don't need a "degree in pediatrics" to be a Neonatologist.

You could get a bachelors degree of any sort: history, political science, NURSING, Biology. You do need certain per-requisites (biology, chemistry, physics, and math). A bigger factor when applying to med school is your undergraduate GPA and your MCAT score, the entrance exam, which tests problem solving skills, critical thinking, written analysis and knowledge of scientific concepts and principles. If you are weak in any of these areas, your chances of getting in are slim.

A Sonography degree may be an excellent choice for you, but not for the reason you gave, which is to work thru medical school. Medical school is a job in itself and is not compatible with another career. I'm sure there are those who are able to work some, but they would be the exception.

The better reason for going for a sonography degree is to have a good backup plan. If you don't get into med school,you can still have a career in an interesting field. That goes for nursing or any other health related field as well.

Wishing you the best.

[twinsmom788]

Sorry that part was confusing. I want to do something other than nursing for the next seven or so years while I go through school. I need something that pays good while I go to medical school. I originally wanted to be a radiology technician but did not get into the program for this year however I also applied for the RN and got accepted. Now for the university I want to attend for my bachelors has an ultrasounding degree or sonography. But I need an associates in radiology. So I'm trying to see if a bachelors in sonography will get me anywhere no where I want to be. Which is a neonatologist people! I'm not an idiot. . I came here because I'm trying to get some answers. You can quit trying to correct me. (That wasn't to you Christy1019.) You did answer my bachelors question. So thank you for that. That helps a lot. As for the other people, Neonatology is what I want to do. Not a nurse practitioner or anything else. Just neonatology.

Medical schools do not allow their students to have "jobs" . Medical school is your job and more. Most students take out huge loans to fund their education and are in large amount of debt when they graduate. Not something to take on lightly.

I'll suggest something here. Google neonatolgists in your area. Try to find one willing to speak with you. Go to the source.

If you are admitted to a school working toward a bachelor's degree, with your goal of being a physician, you must be serious about getting near perfect grades with hard science courses. There is so much more involved in preparing for potential admission to med school.

How do I know all this? My daughters are MDs and just finished fellowships in their chosen fields.

[Aunt Slappy]

I am in my third year of college in Idaho.

After reading this thread, I've decided that if this person is a college junior I need to seriously reconsider how much effort and money I'm willing to put into sending my children to university.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Based on other posts, I've gleaned that she's in her third year at a community college, working on her general education requirements to apply to the nursing? program.

[twinsmom788]

" Weber State University also offers an integrated studies degree, allowing students to craft their own degrees by choosing three separate disciplines and integrating them in a single capstone thesis or project." per Wiki

Maybe this is where the OP is getting the idea of a degree in pediatrics?

RE: Medical school admission, the school chooses you not the other way around. It is a very expensive and complicated process. If you are lucky enough, more than one school will accept you and then you may choose which school to attend.

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

1. Get a Bachelor's degree- It doesn't matter what major it is, but most people get a degree in Pre-Med, Biology, Chemistry, Clinical Lab Science because they include many of the science classes that medical schools require.

2. Apply and get accepted to a medical school. There are no specialties in medical school. (Become a MD)

3. Apply for a Pediatric Residency at teaching hospitals. (Become a Pediatrician)

4. Apply for a Neonatology Fellowship (Become a Neonatologist).

[Coffee Nurse, BSN, RN]

" Weber State University also offers an integrated studies degree, allowing students to craft their own degrees by choosing three separate disciplines and integrating them in a single capstone thesis or project." per Wiki

Maybe this is where the OP is getting the idea of a degree in pediatrics?

RE: Medical school admission, the school chooses you not the other way around. It is a very expensive and complicated process. If you are lucky enough, more than one school will accept you and then you may choose which school to attend.

Huh. That's an interesting structure. But if they're going to be so outside-of-the-box in their offerings, they seriously need better advisors on campus.

[mtmkjr, BSN]

Based on other posts, I've gleaned that she's in her third year at a community college, working on her general education requirements to apply to the nursing? program.

After reading this thread, I've decided that if this person is a college junior I need to seriously reconsider how much effort and money I'm willing to put into sending my children to university.

My guess is 3 years of taking classes. As in, one or more classes off and on for 3 years...

[Mergirlc, MSN, APRN, NP]

" Weber State University also offers an integrated studies degree, allowing students to craft their own degrees by choosing three separate disciplines and integrating them in a single capstone thesis or project." per Wiki

Maybe this is where the OP is getting the idea of a degree in pediatrics? .......

.

Wow, this degree sounds like a "Jack of All Trades, but Master of None."

I'm just wondering if this would even be acceptable toward Medical School applications if it might be possibly considered as a specialized degree? Specialized degrees sometimes don't meet the requirements as other standard ones, so she definitely needs to drop in to see a counselor to check this out before proceeding.

[babyNP., APRN]

As others have said, medical school is a generalized degree and there is not a medical school that specializes in neonatology. You go to medical school first and then you start a 3 year residency in general pediatrics. At that point you are able to apply to a 3 year fellowship for neonatal-perinatal medicine.

If you want to get an ultrasound degree, that'd be fine as long as you get the medical school pre-requisites done. If you check out the studentdoctorforum.net website and read stories, you'll find that it's virtually impossible to work while in medical school and people generally take out loans or have scholarships. The most I've seen are some former RNs who worked a few shifts around the holidays. So I would only get it if you're truly interested in it because if your ultimate goal is to become a neonatologist, it's not that helpful. Doctors are already taught how to interpret ultrasound images during school and residency.

[NICUmiiki, DNP, NP]

Uhhh I know what a neonatologist is.....my questions were does getting a degree in ultrasounding count as my bachelors degree because I need a bachelors in pediatrics first...second question was how do I find a med school that I can further my education. I am in the RN program now at a community college....are you saying that I'd have to go to a college that's specifically for nursing? And who can I talk to to find schools around me?

No. Idk where you got that info but it wasn't from any school of medicine. You need any bachelors degree and you need to complete the prereqs required to get into medical school. Many choose a science degree because it may expose to to the biomedical sciences you'll cover in med school. There's not really a a bachelors in pediatrics. You won't specialize in pediatrics until your residency, after you complete med school. If you do a healthcare program like nursing or ultrasounagraphy it will be hard to fit in the additional courses needed for med school. It also won't get you any closer to neonatology than the person who volunteered to get their healthcare hours.