10yearreunion

All of the input has given me so much to think about. Thank you so much for the reply, and all best wishes for the NCLEX, jelly221.

Thanks for the feedback. My ultimate interest is related to mental health, whether I end up in oncology or palliative care, student health, etc. Much as I love to study and believe that I could contribute to people's lives and to the field of medicine as a doctor, I'm just not sure it's necessary, given what I think I want to do. Indeed, I'm doing my best to get experience shadowing and as a volunteer. Thanks again for the input.

Yes, I'm planning to do more shadowing; thank you!

Thank you all tremendously. Truly, it is overwhelming, and I have heard pros and cons of both professions. I'm hoping to gain some shadowing experience in the upcoming year, and also proceed with applications to see what comes back. Mostly, I can't wait to get started as a clinician. I love learning and science, value critical thinking, and can see myself handling responsibility and a leadership role, but I also care a great deal about having balance in my life and enough time to interact thoroughly with my future patients. I'm doing my best to make a careful choice before my career starts to unfold in either field. All of the input is valuable - thank you. And I look forward to finding a copy of the Summers and Summers book.

I'm preparing to apply to accelerated MSN programs, and have also been considering pursuing an MD. GPA for my pre-reqs is a 4.0; I've loved my science courses, but at this stage, some of the more nuanced differences between the fields are just becoming apparent. Any input is tremendously appreciated! Thank you.

Good idea, thanks! Can this be moved, moderators? Thank you again.

Hi, thanks so much for this interesting feedback. I'd be really curious for accelerated BSN and/or MSN grad feedback, too, if anyone reads this and is inclined to share. I wonder about how these issues such as the cultural clash (for lack of a better term) and the level of training and sense of hands-on confidence are perceived by grads who are finding their bearings in initial jobs. All of this is certainly something that I think is hard to have a sense of before entry to the field as a prospective accelerated student, but seems very significant and integral to what it means professionally (i.e., not just academically) to be a nurse.

I'm curious about the jobs that grads coming out of accelerated BSN/MSN programs are finding. Do the positions meet your expectation of what you imagined you'd do when you started the program? Are you able to make loan payments based on the salaries you're being offered? Are you forced to relocate? And, is it easy to get hired with an MSN without years of experience as an RN? Many thanks!