New To Nursing: Help with Routes, application, etc!

[HiImB24]

Hi Everyone,

I am brand new to nursing and would love a little direction if possible regarding programs, competitiveness, quality of life, becoming an NP, etc. SO SORRY, I KNOW THIS IS A LONG POST. FEEL FREE TO SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM AND JUST ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE :)

I am 24 and have spent my entire life planning to go to medical school, but struggled to really commit at a young age because I was interested in so many things and wanted to explore them all. Even though I have been fully committed to getting into med school for the past 4 years, I feel my priorities have changed slightly, and I am not sure I want to go through all that medical school entails (especially because of how many years it will take and likely not being able to go to school/residency near my family...CA resident). But I do know this: I love the hospital atmosphere, the idea of life-long learning, the ever-changing and high energy environment of healthcare, being really hands-on and compassionate with patients, especially kids, and I definitely want to have a role in medicine that allows me a certain amount of autonomy/leadership. I love to travel and research and am incredibly passionate about public/community healthcare and prevention.

So, from what little googling I have done, becoming an NP seems like something I have always wanted to be and just never knew it! There seem to be so many options, even after becoming an RN. In terms of applying, I know where I stand in the medical school world, but have no idea where to begin with nursing school. I am looking at Master's Entry programs but am open to considering Accelerated bachelor's. Just don't know what the best route is for eventually becoming an NP. I know there are some changes going on with FNP vs. DNP, etc., and would actually love to go down the DNP route after getting clinical experience as an RN for a few years. But any insight at all is really appreciated!

My background and stats are a little unusual, so I am struggling to figure out how to narrow down programs ----

To sum up my stats:

B.A. History, Certificate in Applied Business

M.S. in Global Medicine from a medical school in California (currently)

3.3 UG GPA overall, 3.7 GPA all-science post-bacc / Most recent 60 UG credits

GRE: 154 VR, 151 QR, 4.5 writing

Experiences:

Philanthropy Director in my grad program's community organization

Hospital volunteer (130hrs)

Shadowed many physicians

Student athletic trainer in college 2 years (direct patient care, but student-athlete/PT setting)

Medical clinic and research experience in rural China (direct patient care, summer)

Human-interest article published in a medical newsletter/journal

Lifeguard

My next action is to shadow an NP, as I really haven't had a lot of involvement with nursing as a profession, other than seeing how hard they work in the PICU and how happy many of them seem to be with their jobs :). I know there are challenges working as nurses, NPs, etc. and dealing with the politics of the job, so any insight on this is also really helpful.

If I am sure that NP is my ultimate goal, what do you recommend I add to my resume in terms of experience? Is there anything specific I should get involved with in the next year? CNA, Scribe, MA, research, etc. What kind of programs/schools would I be considered competitive for? Would attending a "name-brand" school be beneficial, especially if I want to eventually work in an academic hospital setting? Or is it more about my own progress and any program is fine?

Thank you so much in advance!!! Again, I apologize for the wordiness!