RN or paramedic

[codeblue20]

Just throwing a bone out there for some educated opinions...

Ive complete 2 years of a health science undergrad, and i'm not 100% sure of my future goals but I am interested in pursing medicine in some way.

My main interests that ive run into so far are emergency care, remote/rural care, flight care, and well med school maybe...

Ive been accepted into an advanced standing nursing degree/RN program, which would let me become an RN and complete my degree in 2 years. Ive also applied into a undergrad that lets me complete my degree and registers me as a PCP in Ontario.

So basically I have the choice of continuing my degree, or going into nursing or paramedicine.

I think that one big advantage ive heard about with nursing is I could work anywhere, anytime, and in many different departments. Unlike being a paramedic in Canada, the job is universal across Canada (and much of the world) and has options for a number of varied settings... as far as I see it (especially for male nurses?) I have also heard that RN's in Ontario with a certain amount of experience can challenge the PCP exams and become a paramedic as well, correct me if i'm wrong but this seems like another advantage to go the nursing route.

I am definately one for autonomy, but i'm a good team player as well. With my current idea of the professions/programs I can see myself more readily fitting into a paramedic role, and the paramedic program would give me more prereq's for med school for the future, but I do see the nursing as giving me more varied options and better employment.

Really I think I need to go shadow a paramedic and a nurse somewhere.

So any ideas/thoughts on the benefits of becoming an RN as compared to a paramedic or PCP (or sticking with my current undergrad) considering my interests, and want to try applying to med school/expanding my career in the future? Or anything else related ?

[fenders]

Hey Manch medic,

I wasnt trying to put paramedics down, just wanted to stres the point of needing a regtulatory body to protect both the paramedics and patient's here in Canada.

There are also great stories as well that I didn't mention such as some friends of mine rescuing a guy who flipped his tar truck and the tar went all over the highway and into his cab. We have a small nurs unit but some of the guys got burned themsleves trying to rescue this guy walking through a small lake of tar. Another guy i met piloted a air ambulance helicopter that crashed becuase he was determined to pick up a snowmobiler with a head injury. they were 5 miles form the landing zone. We need those guys big time. :) Don't forget the guys who lost their lives in 911 as well.

I apologise for the way I worded my text, my typing isn't the greatest. I realize I used the word higher but isn't what i meant. I should have said extensive training instead. But it's the experience that also makes a huge difference.

ANyhow, no worries, were all learning still.

[jncRN]

I am just curious Manch Medic...and no offense intended here, as I have found your posts in this thread to be both educational and thought-provoking...but are you planning to become a nurse? If not, I'm curious why you chose your first-ever forum post to be one to a web forum for Nurses?

But by all means...post away! Enjoyed your posts.

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NurseScarlett, RN