RN to MD or CRNA

Nursing Students SRNA

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I am currently starting an RN position in New Mexico. I want to keep going with school, however, I have a two year service obligation to IHS and will be fulfilling that. With costs not an issue, what would the best route be to take?

I want to be a CRNA or get a Medical Degree with a specialty in Pediatrics. I am not sure how to approach either. I have a full ride scholarship to complete either.

With the CRNA route, I have to consider the "clinical hours" that I would need. A few questions I have include:

1. Can I do this while working full time? (I have to work full time for this service obligation to IHS)

2. How can I advance my career after becoming a CRNA? What options are there?

For Medical school, I will have to take the Pre-Med classes (biology, physics, chemistry, etc...). I will have to take those courses, take the MCAT, and then apply to medical school.

Questions I have:

1. Can medical school be done while working a full-time job?

2. I am not confident that I am smart enough to finish medical school. Is this a feeling that the majority of people have going into medical school?

3. I want to utilize the opportunity to go to med school for free. Is being a CRNA more beneficial (opportunites, advancement in career, pay, etc...) than becoming an MD?

4. What are the pros/cons of becoming an MD vs. a DO.

5. Does Med school work like an undergraduate program where you can go at your own pace? or is it fixed and you have to structure your schedule around the programs set schedule?

ANY opinions, experiences, advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

In your nursing program, did you have to do the pre med requirements (biology, chem,physics)? Or did you have to go back and do them before you went to med school?

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I will still have the scholarship after my two years. The obligation is separate from this particular scholarship. I am wanting to decide which pathway I would like to take so I could spend this time working doing my pre reqs for medical school. Also, to get involved in some research opportunities be free I go in. I know it may seem like I am rushing, however, I want to knock out all the school aspects of advancing my career while I am still in my 20s and have the energy (not saying those who are older do not have that energy). I just know that I will be burnt out of school and will lose my study habits if I wait to long. I know they are both two different career paths but I have a passion for both. I want to take advantage of the free medical degree. But I know that once I start working, I am not going to Want to stop, so stopping for school will be tough

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Specializes in Critical Care and ED.

Quite honestly, if somebody offered me free education, I'd become an MD. CRNA requires specific entry requirements which means working in the ICU for a selected period of time and a very small number of places at any given school. Plus the marketplace for CRNAs is getting smaller and your specialization is quite limited. As a CRNA all you can do is anesthesia, whereas an MD can do anything. What about PA? Have you considered PA school?

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I haven't really looked into PA school. I figured that if I was going to go higher with my education, I should just shoot passed it and become an MD.

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Specializes in NICU, telemetry.

I second Rocknurse, if it were free of any pay, I would go to medical school. Instead, I am going to NP school because I do have to pay, and because I also want to be in my 20s when I finish. (Like you, not saying older is not a good time, I just feel like it's not best for me personally). I also do realize that NPs and MDs are different roles too.

I second what others said, can you shadow?

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Shadowing I can do.

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I know you are eager to advance your education, but working as a nurse for a while will help you find out what you really want. You might be in a position to talk to some CRNAs and MDs and find out what their working lives are like.

I see a focus on schooling, and that is good for short term, but find out what it is to be a working MD or CRNA.

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In your nursing program, did you have to do the pre med requirements (biology, chem,physics)? Or did you have to go back and do them before you went to med school?

You have to go back. Nursing does not fulfill pre-med classes. It was a bear for me to work and complete pre med classes after I got my RN. The classes were also significantly more difficult then any of my nursing classes.

2 semesters Gen Bio (not nursing bio)

2 semesters Gen/inorganic Chem (not nursing chem)

2 semesters Physics

2 semesters Organic Chem

1 semester Calculus

Some schools require more

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How long was the gap between you graduating and going to med school? Did you find that you had to retake some of your undergrad courses because your school didn't accept classes after a certain amount of years?

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How long was the gap between you graduating and going to med school? Did you find that you had to retake some of your undergrad courses because your school didn't accept classes after a certain amount of years?

I opted on NP school instead. Like I said RN pre req classes do not apply to med school pre reqs so you have to start from scratch. In my opinion it is best to get as many classes done during undergrad summer sessions. After graduation it was very difficult to work full time nights and get As in the pre reqs.

In your situation I would enroll at a local community college and try to knock them out 1-2 classes at a time. You have to REALLY want it and be okay with getting minimal sleep/free time.

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I would also consider that med school is a longer road. It sounds like your classes are paid, but what about living expenses. I am not voting for one over the other, but just take that into consideration. The CRNA programs around me are two years while med school is four. I know interns and residents get paid, but not much considering the hours they work.

If you are young and have the means then I would pick med school. But I think either route would be great.

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Specializes in Occupational Health; Adult ICU.

You say: I want to be a CRNA or get a Medical Degree with a specialty in Pediatrics.” Hmm…the two are very different so I'm suspecting that you really have no particular desire to do one or the other, have you considered becoming an astronaut? I'm really not being cynical either, as NASA has radically changed their requirements and you could specialize in a few areas, medical/nursing being one.

As others have said, it may be wise to work for a few years and define what really suits you. I'm about triple your age and my study zeal/habits are just fine. I had no trouble at all keeping my GPA up in the degree that I got in 2002, or the degree that I got in 1999 and I was well past double your age. In reality the older I get the more zealous I tend to be since my interests become defined.

As far as your questions: CRNA, nope do not work full time, do not work part-time, it will be no fun and you will not get out of it what you need.

Question #2: After becoming CRNA you could advance your career by buying an island in the Mediterranean sea (I hear Greece is having a sale on them) and opening a small resort. It will serve two functions: 1) it's a nice getaway since as a CRNA you make so much, and it's so stressful that you really need to get away for 3 out of 12 months. And 2) The resort will give you income when the schools start pumping out massive amounts of CRNA's dropping income from about $175k a year to maybe $75k.

Can medical school be done while working a full-time job?” Some in foreign countries perhaps but none in America, it's simply not possible.

I am not confident that I am smart enough to finish medical school. Is this a feeling that the majority of people have going into medical school?” Nope on both, silly rabbit—of course you are smart enough.

I want to utilize the opportunity to go to med school for free. Is being a CRNA more beneficial (opportunities, advancement in career, pay, etc...) than becoming an MD?

CRNA's are worth a bundle now, but I suspect over the next decade they will be worth less and less because schools pump up output on specialties if the demand seems to be there. They always overshoot and create too many. Over time I suspect the MD will be more lucrative. Do some research on the slope of the rise of CRNA candidate output in the country and then decide. Please share your results with us.

What are the pros/cons of becoming an MD vs. a DO?

If you're into holistic health the DO is the way to go. They were very popular during the late 1800's and early 1900's and then became out of fashion. I'd prefer a DO over an MD but that is simply a generalization.

#5 has been well answered by many others.

Good luck and really, consider a career in a few disparate areas, one of which includes nursing/NP or PA or MD with an eye to becoming an astronaut. The pay may not be really great but the views will be breathtaking.

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