"What are you studying in university?" "Nursing." "Oh wow! Then a MD!"

OCNRN63, RN · Dec 29, 2013

What do you want to do?

succinate · Dec 29, 2013

To be really, really, really honest. I don't know. The truth is, I come from a very poor family. If I had gone for a Bachelor's Degree in Science and didn't make it for med school, I would go into research for Astronomy or Neuroscience (my passions) to become a professor and make good money.

But the financial situation of my family made me think hard and pushed me into nursing. No, I did not decide to go into nursing to just make millions of $$ or to buy a mansion and a luxurious house. I can at least have a job where I can ensure that I have food on my plates for myself and for my kids (I don't have kids; I'm 19) and a roof for all of us. In my entire life, me and my family did not have good financial stability so that's why I'm determined to get any good job for the sake of the financial security and that's why I'm in nursing. In fact, when I got accepted for both science and nursing programs, my family pushed me to go for BScN because they are concerned that I would not have a job after the science program (that's exactly what my siblings did and to this day, they don't have a job).

I know I made a bad decision but I can't help it. I know I sound desperate.

succinate · Dec 29, 2013

Also, one time, I worked in ER (my fav place) and stood behind both a nurse and a doctor. They were right beside each other, so I could see how they work together. The nurse was in charge of telling all other nurses to check the vitals of the patients. The attending and the MD were discussing together about an X-Ray they were looking at. I was thinking in my head, "what they are both doing are amazing, but the X-ray is so cool. I want to be that one who is trying to diagnose the disease that was clear in the chest X-ray."

I honestly don't know what to do. I actually liked both models - nursing and medicine, even though they are completely different. I could be a NP, but I would love to study the science of diseases in more details.

ceccia · Dec 30, 2013

In fact, when I got accepted for both science and nursing programs, my family pushed me to go for BScN because they are concerned that I would not have a job after the science program (that's exactly what my siblings did and to this day, they don't have a job).
I know I made a bad decision but I can't help it. I know I sound desperate.

If you already feel it is a bad decision and you're having regrets, make a change now while it's relatively easy to change your major. Personally I hate fear-based comparisons i.e. "XYZ did what you want to do and look at them now, unemployed and struggling!" implying that you'll be the same way. You are not your siblings and it should NOT be assumed that you'll be unemployed and struggling if you are a science major in undergrad rather than a nursing major. (also there are a LOT more scholarships and grants for STEM majors than for nursing. If you do go for the science degree and really bust your tail to get as much funding as possible, you could come out of undergrad with little or no debt.)

And even if you DO graduate with a bachelor of science and find yourself unemployed or under-employed, you can go back and study nursing if you want to. But right now you haven't even given yourself a chance to try and make it work doing what you really want to do. The only thing desperate about your post is that it sounds like you're desperately trying to convince yourself that being a nurse is going to be great even though it's not what you want to do.

fwiw it isn't easy to get nursing jobs, especially as a new grad. Read some of the threads here on the "nursing shortage" if you haven't already. long story short, the nursing shortage is a myth and in some states unemployment for new grads is as high as 40%.

succinate · Dec 30, 2013

The only thing desperate about your post is that it sounds like you're desperately trying to convince yourself that being a nurse is going to be great even though it's not what you want to do.

This describes my situation perfectly. I actually think nursing is great - at my job, I had to go around the hospital and interact with patients. That level of interaction with patients is really enjoyable, so that's why I thought nursing would be ideal that also offers employment (not guaranteed though) upon graduation. I actually live in Canada :) I was suggesting that I could go for BS degree and then apply for nursing, but I don't want to miss the opportunity of entering nursing school right after high school.

What I'm thinking - I know this plan sounds too much but I'm absolutely determined to do it - is that after nursing, I can go back to school and go into teaching. Not for Astronomy/Neuroscience, but for Nursing. Or I can come back for another second degree if I am really, really sure on going to medical school. I don't want to jump into medicine right after finishing BScN degree. I want to wait and see if it's suitable for me. What do you think?

Shorty11, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2013

My older sister (2 years older) and I decided that we would both be physicians at a relatively young age.. Around 11 & 13 I believe. We both have always been very passionate and fascinated by human biology and medicine... Always craving more. We also have always been very social and love interaction with others. During high school, we decided that we would both pursue a "Pre-Med"/ "Pre-Professional" undergrad degree. She graduated 2 years earlier than I did and began classes at a public university majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry. Upon my graduation, I applied and was accepted to the same university. I soon began pursuing the same undergrad degree (a BS in Biology with a minor in Chemistry). Our plan to become physicians was just beginning, but we were excited about the possibilities. During the course of our studies, we decided to volunteer/shadow at a local hospital (shadow CNAs, nurses, and even physicians)... Whatever we could arrange to enable us to experience what various positions at the hospital entailed and to get a better feel of how it would feel to be an intern, attending physician, etc (after all we both were planning to attend MD school after we finished our undergrads so that was our main focus). I am so glad that I took the time to shadow different positions. It was a game changer for me. I decided near the end of my BS degree that I actually wanted to become a nurse, not a physician. The nursing process and the interaction with patients was eye opening for me.... Turns out nursing was what I truly had a passion for! I love science, medicine, patho... And being an advocate and interacting with the patients in a way that physicians did not do. Don't get me wrong... I have great respect for physicians and I immensely enjoyed my experience shadowing physicians as well, but I just realized that nursing was for me. After graduation with my BS in Biology, I decided to go for it. I applied, was accepting, and now I will graduate with my BSN in May. As far as my sister, the shadowing experiences we had were crucial for her as well. It solidified her decision to become a physician. After she graduated with her BS in Biology, she was accepted to medical school, did exceptionally well, and is in her 3rd year of residency. Even though I won't graduate until May...For me, nursing was the right decision. I know to many that it may not have the same "prestige", but I am still confident in my decision to pursue it. For my sister, attending medical school was the right decision for her. You are the only one who knows which direction is right for you. If you have doubts about pursing nursing as opposed to becoming an MD, explore those thoughts. Weight the pros and cons of both decisions. If possible, try to arrange an opportunity to shadow both positions at the hospital (multiple times). I know this may be hard to arrange depending upon your surroundings, but for my sister and I it made a major difference. For me, it opened the door to the possibility and world of nursing (which I am now close to becoming an RN), and for my sister it reinforced her desire to become an MD. We are so proud of one another and even thought we ended up taking different directions.. We know that we both have made the right decision. Best of luck with your decision.

llg, PhD, RN · Dec 30, 2013

Stay in nursing school unless you come up with another good plan that satisfies you more. There is nothing wrong with getting a basic nursing degree to support yourself and give yourself a good foundation for other things later. Unless you think you will hate nursing and can't picture yourself being a nurse, of course. If you really think you will hate it, pick something else. But it is OK to have a few doubts and to not be 100% sure that nursing is the perfect long-term career for you.

Lots of my classmates went to med school or law school after nursing school (many years ago) -- aobut 10% of my graduating class. Others went to Health Administration programs or business school or into other health-related endeavors. Me? I worked as a staff nurse for 2 years, then got a Master's Degree in Nursing and later, a PhD in Nursing ... and now do Staff Development and Research in a hospital and teach at a university part time. There are lots of options in nursing and I'll bet you will find a suitable career path for you that builds on your basic nursing degree when that time comes. Take it one step at a time and get that good nursing foundtion to start ... then worry about what will come later as you get more education and experience -- and are earning a living as a nurse while you explore your options.

Nonetheless · Dec 31, 2013

I understand where you are coming from.During clinical more than a few nurses would say to me "why are you in nursing school? Be a doctor; it's so much better than this!" My family keeps trying to convince me to go after medicine, because of the money/prestige/ stability and I am seeing that the first job hunt in the US for nurses can be long, difficult and not lead to a stable career where I can support myself (based on anecdotes from here/ friends maybe I have exaggerated how difficult the job hunt is in my mind).But I got into nursing school, I am doing well in nursing school, and I am going to stck with nursing. Like you, I think medicine and nursing are equally appealing but each have their pros and cons. I weighed them out carefully and I know that nursing is for me because certain pros (more patient interaction, I like what nurses do, the ability to serve people directly, more time to be able to have a family, ability to work using an undergraduate degree alone, fluidity of the career/ room for growth, unionization/ better laws protecting nurses) are important to me.And I can always work a few years and if I hate my life or can't find a decent job where financial independence is possible (really bad job market for new grads where I am but I also am basing this on anecdotal evidence from here/ friends/ Facebook new grad pages) and go back to school if I change my mind.