Nursing School and Pre-med classes

[pnurseuwm]

Right now I am finishing the prerequisites for my school's nursing program (chem101, A&P, physics for health majors, etc.). I enjoy the sciences pretty much.

The thing is I have a bachelor's in something else therefore the nursing program will only be 4 semesters (or 16 months for accelerated). My plan was to get my BSN and then return to school to take some pre-med courses while working (like 2-3 classes per semester). I have a feeling once I get out there in the working world, I will not be motivated to return to college for some more science.

I've been thinking about doing the 4 semester nursing thing and intermingling pre-med courses. For example, instead of the 5 nursing classes required for 1st semester in the BSN program, I will take 2 nursing classes and 2 pre-med classes (like chem 102, calc, orgo etc). Thus I will be stretching out my nursing education and not doing the 5-4 nursing courses per semester like everyone else. That would be the plan for the 1st year and then the second year I will do something like 3 nursing courses and 1 pre-med course (doing pre-med courses that are not year long- like chem part 1 1st semester, chem part 2 2nd semester- in the summers).

I would like to complete both programs around the same time, apply to med school and if acceptances roll in I would like to defer them to the next year so I will get 1 year of nursing experience in my belt (and to be honest I would like to do this just in case I don't get into med school, or drop out of med school, I will have a career to fall back on).

What do you guys think?

[Mat Price]

i have just taken the required pre res for med school, insted of non science major classes i took the science major level classes for example insted of survey of chem i took chem for scince majors I, II and organic i am considering biochem soon but i did not have a degree so the prereqs for nursing school i just bumped up to sciece major level and i have covered all pre reqs for med school (that most want) with the exception of physics which i will take when i finish nursing school :)

[elkpark]

I'm pretty torn between "life is too short to limit your experiences" mantra and "life is too short, have the most fun you can (i.e. NOT spending 4 yrs in med school and 4 yrs in residency )" but aren't we all? Why should I be any different

Actually, it's four years of medical school, and six-seven years of internship/residency, so, if that's what you feel you want to do, I'd go ahead and get started ...

Also, quite a few physicians change specialties within their careers, sometimes several times -- I've known several personally. The license is to practice as a physician, not in any particular specialty. Physicians can practice in any specialty they wish, and change at any time. Personally, I have much more respect for the ones who go away and do an actual residency in the new field, rather than just start calling themselves a psychiatrist, or dermatologist, or whatever, one day, but there's nothing legal that prevents them from doing that ...

I agree v. much with the other posters who have noted that, if you really want to practice medicine, you won't be happy in nursing. Best wishes with whatever you decide.

[manna, BSN, RN]

If you want to be a doctor, complete your pre-reqs and do it now! If there's nothing holding you back (Agent and I have similar stories - pre-med wannabes with families :chuckle), then you should go for it! Don't pursue nursing just as a "step" in the pathway - some admissions committees may even question your commitment to medicine if you've gone into nursing first and applied that quickly afterwards. Check out the forums at studentdoctor.net for good pre-med/med school advice.

I don't see how it's necessarily six-seven years of internship - depending on specialty, you can spend as little as 3-4 years in residency (3 for family practice, 4 for ER, pediatrics, etc)