Nursing to Med School

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Has anyone actually considered this path? If so, currently where are you now?

Are you in Nursing school still in hopes to continue on with the education?

What is your opinion on it?

Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
Being called a doctor when you hold a doctorate of medicine, at a hospital makes perfect sense to designate what their duty is. Calling a DNP doctor at a hospital is confusing for patients and staff alike [/quote']

Being called a "physician" makes perfect sense. That is their protected title. Legal doctorates are title protected to "laywer/esquire". Dental doctorates are title protected to "dentist". Doctorate nurses are title protected to "nurse". The term "doctor" Is applicable to all.

I see this argument all the time about patient/staff "confusion" but what exactly are they confused about? Who is putting in the orders? Who is caring for them? Who is calling the shots? Who is ultimately responsible for them?

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

As far as the clinical hour requirement for DNP programs, I fail to see how clinical hours factor into being called "doctor".

And i realized I may perhaps be wrong about "esquire" :)

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As far as the clinical hour requirement for DNP programs, I fail to see how clinical hours factor into being called "doctor".

And i realized I may perhaps be wrong about "esquire" :)

My point is the DNP is a sham of a doctorate, NPs and CRNAs have been completely fine with a masters for years. The DNP is a money maker and ego booster for programs and nursing leadership. I have scoured through the curriculum for quite a few schools and still can't see the advantage over the masters degree in any clinical context.

At lets be honest 99% of the time someone mentions they are a doctor in a clinical setting we think physician.

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My point is the DNP is a sham of a doctorate NPs and CRNAs have been completely fine with a masters for years. The DNP is a money maker and ego booster for programs and nursing leadership. I have scoured through the curriculum for quite a few schools and still can't see the advantage over the masters degree in any clinical context. At lets be honest 99% of the time someone mentions they are a doctor in a clinical setting we think physician.[/quote']

Did you just say what I think you said?! "DNP is a sham of a doctorate" Wow, just wow. I know many ppl who won't be happy with you calling them out like that and dumbing down their profession.

Do you have anything positive to say?!!! Like ever?!! Didn't think so.

OP: follow your heart and become a Doctor of Nursing Practice if you so desire. And make sure you call yourself exactly that "Doctor of Nursing Practice"

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Did you just say what I think you said?! "DNP is a sham of a doctorate" Wow, just wow. I know many ppl who won't be happy with you calling them out like that and dumbing down their profession.

Do you have anything positive to say?!!! Like ever?!! Didn't think so.

OP: follow your heart and become a Doctor of Nursing Practice if you so desire. And make sure you call yourself exactly that "Doctor of Nursing Practice"

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

How many legit PhD programs do you know that started from the get go online?...Yeah didn't think so. It's usually a bad sign when you see dozens of online DNP ads everywhere you go. If a DNP waived their title in my face I would call it as it is. When you ACTUALLY get into nursing you will what I mean, finger waving from a someone still in pre-nursing doesn't exactly rustle my jimmies. NPs were fine without the DNP, period.

As for my posts look at the first one one this thread, the one with 7 likes or the other one with 8. Oh and the OP wants to go med school not DNP.

I think med schools should go online too, I mean it makes sense right?

The follow your heart dribble gets old, OP wanted real advice and it has been given.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
My point is the DNP is a sham of a doctorate NPs and CRNAs have been completely fine with a masters for years. The DNP is a money maker and ego booster for programs and nursing leadership. I have scoured through the curriculum for quite a few schools and still can't see the advantage over the masters degree in any clinical context. At lets be honest 99% of the time someone mentions they are a doctor in a clinical setting we think physician.[/quote']

Sham really isn't the right word. It is well earned.

I don't feel it's necessary clinically. I have pursued mine because I think it is good for the profession. I have learned a fair amount for my practice. In my opinion, the DNP is for experienced practitioners to demonstrate mastery of their field not as entry to practice but that the way we appear to be going.

The paradigm of doctor=physician is changing and you will see this in practice as an APN.

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Sham really isn't the right word. It is well earned.

I don't feel it's necessary clinically. I have pursued mine because I think it is good for the profession. I have learned a fair amount for my practice. In my opinion, the DNP is for experienced practitioners to demonstrate mastery of their field not as entry to practice but that the way we appear to be going.

The paradigm of doctor=physician is changing and you will see this in practice as an APN.

I am not saying a doctorate in nursing is a bad thing, BUT I don't think the current set up is adequate for what a doctorate entails especially for a clinically labeled one.

DNS and PhD in Nursing Science are perfectly fine for academia but I would think a capstone for clinical nursing deserves more respect than online courses with satellite clinicals ( I mention online because it is the lowest common denominator). Don't you?

The whole BSN to DNP straightaway route adds more insult to injury as well

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How many legit PhD programs do you know that started from the get go online?...Yeah didn't think so. It's usually a bad sign when you see dozens of online DNP ads everywhere you go. If a DNP waived their title in my face I would call it as it is. When you ACTUALLY get into nursing you will what I mean finger waving from a someone still in pre-nursing doesn't exactly rustle my jimmies. NPs were fine without the DNP, period. As for my posts look at the first one one this thread, the one with 7 likes or the other one with 8. Oh and the OP wants to go med school not DNP. I think med schools should go online too, I mean it makes sense right? The follow your heart dribble gets old, OP wanted real advice and it has been given.[/quote']

"Finger waving from a someone still in pre-nursing doesn't exactly rustle my jimmies" how immature of a comment on your part.

Any comments from a disgruntled "almost" pre-med student doesn't bother me either. So no worries ;)

All I'm saying is a DNP is not a sham of a doctorate, IT IS A DOCTORATE, and accordingly should be called doctors.

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"Finger waving from a someone still in pre-nursing doesn't exactly rustle my jimmies" how immature of a comment on your part.

Any comments from a disgruntled "almost" pre-med student doesn't bother me either. So no worries ;)

All I'm saying is a DNP is not a sham of a doctorate, IT IS A DOCTORATE, and accordingly should be called doctors.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

Not disgruntled at all, I did pre-med and am currently prepping for the MCAT. Unlike you I did both nursing and pre-med and thus am in a position to give advice about the matter.

"All I'm saying is a DNP is not a sham of a doctorate, IT IS A DOCTORATE, and accordingly should be called doctors."

Sure whatever you say :sarcastic::roflmao:

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
I am not saying a doctorate in nursing is a bad thing BUT I don't think the current set up is adequate for what a doctorate entails especially for a clinically labeled one. DNS and PhD in Nursing Science are perfectly fine for academia but I would think a capstone for clinical nursing deserves more respect than online courses with satellite clinicals ( I mention online because it is the lowest common denominator). Don't you? The whole BSN to DNP straightaway route adds more insult to injury as well[/quote']

Online programs are the way of the future, and I don't love them but in honesty there really isn't any need to sit in a physical classroom for a clinical degree.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
Not disgruntled at all I did pre-med and am currently prepping for the MCAT. Unlike you I did both nursing and pre-med and thus am in a position to give advice about the matter. [/quote']

I don't follow you in this one.

I was also a pre-med concentration with a biology major in undergrad. I took the MCAT. I went through medical school admissions. I elected to defer and changed my career path. That was 10 years ago now. None of this experience makes me more qualified to speak about medical training. I have none. Does you pre-med concentration entitle you to speak for physicians?

On top of that I have a MSN, I practice in advanced practice both primary and tertiary settings, and I am nearing completion of my DNP so I am qualified to an extent to speak about that.

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Not disgruntled at all I did pre-med and am currently prepping for the MCAT. Unlike you I did both nursing and pre-med and thus am in a position to give advice about the matter. "All I'm saying is a DNP is not a sham of a doctorate, IT IS A DOCTORATE, and accordingly should be called doctors." Sure whatever you say :sarcastic::roflmao:[/quote']

Oh wow!! Good for you!!! Maybe "if" you become a Doctor you can continue "enlightening" everybody on AN on what a sham of a doctorate being a DNP is :) (according to you).

And may you become a happy and finally satisfied human being :D

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