RN to MD, has anyone done this?

neatnurse30 · Jan 7, 2010

If you want to be a physician, then bypass the RN license.
You say that you want to earn an associates degree in nursing (ADN), but please realize that you might end up on a waiting list for a few years before getting to start the nursing program. This might simply add more time onto an already lengthy goal. Remember that nursing programs are very competitive for admission, especially at community colleges and publicly funded universities.
However, there's no competition involved when pursuing a BS degree in biology. You could earn your biology degree (or one in behavioral neuroscience, as you seem to want) and apply to medical school thereafter. The straightforward path to the MD degree saves more time than becoming a nurse first.
If you want to be a physician, then don't become a nurse. Contrary to popular belief, the medical model is drastically different than the nursing model.

I was thinking the same. The waiting lists just to get to the nursing program can be 2-3 years long. And seriously if you want to be MD, then just go for it frm the beginning.

MassED, BSN, RN · Jan 7, 2010

Hello everyone! This is my first official post, although I frequent these boards often due to my sheer fascination with the medical field. I suppose I should give a little background on myself before I ask anything. :) I'm 16 years old, and I've been homeschooled for the past two years. My plan goes as follows:
-Take my GED in June 2010
-Get my pre-requisites at a Community College
-Apply for the nursing program at said Community College in order to get my Associates in Nursing
-Take 1+ year off of school to (hopefully) work as an E.R. nurse (I know that experience to work as an E.R. nurse may be required, making this harder)
-Get my Bachelors degree in Behavioral Neuroscience at a University, or perhaps my BSN (although I've heard this can negatively affect the following step, true or false?)
-Take the MCAT exam and apply for medical school
If all goes well, I would complete med school and fulfill my dream of becoming an E.R. Doctor.
I definitely want to get my RN though, and I'm in the process of preparing for that; but I wanted to know if applying for medical school with a BSN can be a bad thing. I've read that med schools don't like taking nurses from their field, is this true? Or does it really just depend on the person? Has anyone done anything like this? If so, did you prefer being a nurse, or being a doctor? I'd appreciate any advice! Thanks.

I think it's great that you're 16 and have this detailed plan. Way to go!!!!! Follow your dream - find out what the med school you want to go to requires and go from there.

MassED, BSN, RN · Jan 7, 2010

Why go 'round and 'round about it? There are few (if any) advantages to having been a nurse first. You want to be a physician, so just go to medical school.

I disagree. She/He could learn so much from nursing school and the profession and move on to the land of doctors and make a real difference. Why derail the OP as to what their dream is - it's theirs, let them have it.

MassED, BSN, RN · Jan 7, 2010

I work with two ER docs who were RN's once upon a time. Excellent docs, one is an attending and one is a resident.

I also worked with an ER doc who had been an ER nurse - made her a great doc, she knew exactly what to expect of nurses and knew how to help us out. She understood nursing - that's invaluable.

litbitblack, ASN, RN · Jan 7, 2010

Well i don't agree with some of the posters saying just bypass adn. If you are looking for a way to earn income while your waiting to go to school then go for it. There is no reason you should n't do what you want. Absolutely none. you can do whatever you set your mind to. So Just Do It. Besides you might decide you just want to stay a nurse and go up as far as nursing can take you which now days is pretty far. They have trauma nurse clinicians and so many other things. So keep your mind open and go for it

CrazierThanYou · Jan 7, 2010

I would finish high school and get my diploma instead of a GED. These days, a GED's value diminishes all the time. My local school probably would not take a student who doesn't have a GED. Further than that, many employers want their employees to have a diploma NOT GED.

Jubilayhee · Jan 8, 2010

I say just by pass Nursing. Just get a BS in Biology or Chemistry, take the mcat and then apply to med school. Becomming a CNA for health care experience might make you look good to the adcoms. That way you could work instead of volunteer.

Pistachio · Jan 8, 2010

There was a doctor at my facility who did that. Not sure why though.

I agree with the previous posters about the GED though. Not sure which state you live in but I think every state has better options for homeschoolers than taking the GED. You don't need to go through a particular number of years of high school to be done. There is no reason a home schooler should not have a diploma though you've have to look up how to do it in your stat.

Eclectic1 · Jan 8, 2010

Well, a long time ago I did my premed in zoology and wound up with a head of cool knowledge, but no real applicable skills, and never actually went to med-school. I always wished that I had done the RN as a premed (you have to study something!) and I would have had a rewarding career eons sooner. However that was also during a time when there were no wait-lists and gold flowed in the streets. That's not the case right now... you're only looking at options, I love that.

If you have the ability and resources to plow straight to med-school, then get a BS with the best grades and most impressive activities that you can. (And NETWORK!) If your situation dictates that it will take you a long time, then I'd consider the RN route, at the very least it will expand your alternatives. Another cool idea would be ultrasound as a premed. Having that (BEWARE only do FULLY ACCREDITED programs) gives you a great physiology and anatomy insight, plus it's easier to pick up some money doing it while in med-school, not as draining, and time commitment is more flexible. IMHO

GO GET EM!!! :yeah:

sunnycalifRN · Jan 8, 2010

Eclectic1,

way back in 1974, I also was pre-med, though with a social science major . . . did go to med school for 2 yrs but decided it wasn't for me and quit. 25 yrs later . . . decided to do something with all those science courses and now I'm in nursing . . .

but, my advice for the 16 yr old OP . . . my experience is that med schools accept all sorts of people . . . one of my med school roommates was a pharmacist, another roommate was a fluid dynamics engineer. One of my other classmates was a Julliard graduate who wanted to be a concert pianist but ended up in medicine.

So, you can go from RN to MD, bio major to MD, engineer to MD . . . if you want to be a doc, study hard, and GO FOR IT!! But, if you're thinking about your career at age 16, you'll go far!!

Gennaver, MSN · Jan 8, 2010

Hello everyone! This is my first official post, although I frequent these boards often due to my sheer fascination with the medical field. I suppose I should give a little background on myself before I ask anything. :) I'm 16 years old, and I've been homeschooled for the past two years. My plan goes as follows:
...I definitely want to get my RN though, and I'm in the process of preparing for that; but I wanted to know if applying for medical school with a BSN can be a bad thing. I've read that med schools don't like taking nurses from their field, is this true? Or does it really just depend on the person? Has anyone done anything like this? If so, did you prefer being a nurse, or being a doctor? I'd appreciate any advice! Thanks.

Hello,

I truly hope and encourage you to take our advice all with a grain of salt and to seek recommendations from several medical school admissions advisors about what they seem to be currently interested in AND to persist with what you want in the way you want it. :)! Just because some folks may want to tell you how "they would" do it does not mean that it the only way.

However, there is a way to blaze a trail and to do it wisely, or unwisely but, the ultimate route will be because of what it gives you, (and the professions you choose) in the end.

If I recall correctly for a while med schools where looking for well rounded applicants in the humanities and social sciences as well as sciences then I think that vacillated too. So, thing is, do what you really want and what you will really love. :)

I know of several MD and DO who were nurses first. I also know of several who were not. I initially wanted to be a nurse, then a doc, then a nurse, then became a nurse, (MS entry program) then wanted to become an FNP...didn't do that yet, chose to start a PhD....now, of all things, really seriously want to become a CRNA.

These choices have gone this route for me the further along I came in my health care experience, (20+ years now). The wise route may have been to go straight for this but, :) I didn't know then.

Have you considered shadowing? Perhaps admissions counselors to universities may connect you to former students so you can get a feel.

Best,

Jen/Gen

p.s. oh yeah, edit to add, there are several student doctor networking forums to be found on google, several of those students may be RNs themselves, best!

imenid37 · Jan 8, 2010

One of our OB docs has a GED. Then she got an art degree and took extra courses for med school. She is a very good doctor. I went to nursing school w/ several people who had a GED...of course, that was 23 years ago. My daughter just graduated in 2008 and she too had some folks w/ GED's in the class. Community colleges are usually ok w/ the GED. I do agree go for the BS degree either in nursing or something else if being a physician is your final goal. One of our hospitalists is a former Critical Care nurse and one of the FP docs here was an LPN. It can be done. Good luck!