NP or MD?

TRR8021 · Dec 7, 2009

I used to be back and forth between MD and NP like you too. Now, I've pretty much decided on NP because the MD route would take more time. You could look into doing a formal post-bacc program to meet your pre-requisite requirements. There's certificate, bachelor's and special master's programs available. Look on the AAMC website for more info. Also, try studentdoctor.net for more resources. They have a non-traditional pre-med forum that will be helpful to you.

MissDoodaw · Dec 8, 2009

Is pre-med or nursing more competitive?

TRR8021 · Dec 9, 2009

I wouldn't say pre-med is competitive. If you want to be a pre-med major, you can. It's not like nursing school where you have to be on a waiting list and things like that. On the other hand, getting into medical school is very competitive. I would say medical school is more competitive than nursing school.

ivanh3 · Dec 9, 2009

If you want to be an MD, then go for it. Take the classes, take the MCAT and apply for med school. Of course you won't get accepted if you don't even apply.

The nice thing is that those courses will help you be a better NP if you don't make it into med school. All knowledge is good.

Ivan

%63theend · Dec 24, 2009

I have thought about this MANY times myself. I am trying to tell myself to be happy with going for NP in the future b/c I have been on other sites like mommd and all of the doctors are unhappy and have terrible working hours and insurance hassles. All of the NPs I've spoken to LOVE their jobs. I think NP would provide a better home life! Especially since med school is so intense! But it is hard to turn away from the dream of med school. I haven't 100% ruled it out but I almost have. I think you have a competitive GPA. Don't sell yourself short. I say finish the BSN and then start on the med pre-reqs and apply. If you get in, good. If you don't, you already have a job as an RN and can go to NP school. Most med schools require 1 yr of gen chem, 1 yr organic chem, 1 yr physics, and calculus. The chem classes taken for nursing school do not count because they are "survey of" courses. So keep in mind you'd have a lot of pre-reqs to complete. As long as you get mostly A's, only a few B's, and no C's, you'll probably get in. I have a friend with a hubby in med school now.

Cardiology EP NP · Jan 2, 2010

This is a very big decision and one would really need to weigh the benefits and sacrifices. I think some people who have taken the NP route may think about that. If it's your dream, you never want to second guess that. At the same time, I would also think about what life would be like if you did go to med school and not just the process of med school, but residency and life thereafter in private practice or wherever you land a job.

Personally I chose to go the NP route because I really didn't want to be on call and tied to a pager on off hours. I didn't want to work holidays or evenings. I know it depends on what specialty your in, but not everybody can land that derm residency. It's a tough decision, but if that's what you really want to do, then go for it.

I love my job as an NP and wouldn't trade it for the world. Love the schedule too. No nights, no weekends, no holidays and no call. Good luck in whatever you decide.

Wildschmidt · Jan 5, 2010

I went through a VERY similar thought process. I think if you truly want to be an MD you can - just check out "post-bac" pre med programs which are designed to walk you through the whole process and prerequisites.

On the other hand, I decided to go the NP route based on the recommendations of both MD's and NP's. They said the only reason to be an MD is if I wanted to do a specific specialty (surgery, ortho, etc.). Since I want to do primary care, the NP's I talked to were much happier with the whole experience including hours, student loans, and time with patients.

Also, remember that in addition to having to take prerequisites and go to 4 years of med school, you'll also have to do a residency once you graduate. Long hours, little pay, little control...

MissDoodaw · Jan 5, 2010

I don't know...I think that even though we do similar things, the jobs and paths to them are very different.

If you want to be the final end-all be-all most of the time -become an MD, sure they give referrals, but their 10yrs of medical school should give them a more in-depth knowledge than most nurse practitioner schools -avg 2 yrs of RN and 2 years APN school.

On the other hand if you don't mind having a less in depth knowledge base that covers more common conditions and less of the rare things and knowing you will be asking questions of people with more education from time to time and a work history that has led you to a variety of situations, such as caused you to work with the patients and their reactions to their illnesses, held their hands while they or loved ones passed on -because this is more important in your opinion, then maybe you should be a NP.

Yes, this is a very generalized statement about NP's vs MD's. My intent was not to be controversial, but to emphasize the differences between us.

Frankly, I love being an NP, I love my background experiences, I don't mind going to my Md's with questions, I don't mind being a mid-level. I like being able to sleep at night when I ask someone the questions I don't know....

So I think the answer to the question of MD or NP is to consider the differences in the career and figure out where you want to be based on this aspect.

My $.02

BmoreCRNP · Jan 7, 2010

Well hopefully you won't read the thread I started about this. Mine was more negative! Anyway, like everyone else said, you really have to weigh a number of things and decide what's important to you. You are the only one who can answer that. It would be interesting to hear from someone who was an NP first, then became an MD later. They could probably offer the most objective opinion having gone both routes.

areawoman · Jan 8, 2010

I also dreamed of being an MD, OB-GYN specifically. I started back to school after some time off and realized a couple of things: med school is far less compatible with having a young family than graduate nursing school and being a CNM/WHNP is more compatible to educating/empowering women than being an MD, and that is really what I want to do. I didn't want to miss the pre-school years of my kids, and I didn't want to have to perform a million c-sections without having the time to really talk to my patients. Not that I think all OBs are like this, but I do think my ideal care provider-patient relationship will be easier as a nurse. I may have been in a completely different place had I not accidentally gotten pregnant at 25 and ended up with an "emergency" c-section!

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's probably a different decision for everyone, based on your life's circumstances. Maybe try to clarify in your mind why exactly you want to be in the field, and then make a list of pros and cons for each!

Cardiology EP NP · Feb 20, 2010

This is so interesting...so this week, after spending a day in the clinic working along side an EP fellow, she says, "I hate my job. If you know of anyone who wants to go to med school, tell them, no, don't go!" She was complaining that she has no life and is constantly being paged even when she is not on call. So, I said, that's why I became an APN. She came back with, "smart girl".

See all you NPs that considered med school... this is even more validation that you made the right choice. So glad I have a life outside of work and can actually live one. So glad I'm an NP...love my job!!