school decision help: Emory MN pre-licensure vs RUSH GEM

Nimrodel, BSN, RN · Mar 15, 2022

I'd like to clarify: is this decision for BOTH your MSN and phD automatically, or is just the MSN, and you're reflecting on future options?
My two cents: nursing doesn't care as much about name schools as much as most other fields. *especially* for licensure programs. Some schools carry a bit of a stigma to them (largely the disreputable for-profit ones...) but it will not affect your future job prospects. Your phd, name recognition is maybe more important - and in that case, you should evaluate which school has an advisor that more closely matches your goals. I would also add that the CDC headquarters are in Atlanta, if that's an interest for you at all. But when in doubt, my advice is almost always go with the option that involves less money.

Out of curiosity, can I ask why you want to become a nurse if your ultimate goal is research in a field that is also represented by other degrees? Sociology and public health come immediately to mind, but also anthropology or human development. You would likely have an easier time finding research advisors in those fields, and from what you've described, nursing seems like a cumbersome route to that path, particularly when you already have a bachelors in a different field. In particular, nursing is a *clinically focused, medical field*. If you work in mental health as a nurse, there will likely be a big focus on medications and crisis management. If you work in mainstream pediatrics, the focus will be not on mental health. I'm sure there's more to your rationale than your above post, the trajectory just doesn't seem to make the most sense. Please don't mistake that as me saying your ultimate career goal isn't a good one - the research you describe is incredibly important - but I don't understand why nursing is your in-between step.

I just find myself questioning why you want to become a nurse when from what you've described it doesn't actually sound like you... want to be a nurse.

waterair · Mar 15, 2022

1 hour ago, Nimrodel said:

I'd like to clarify: is this decision for BOTH your MSN and phD automatically, or is just the MSN, and you're reflecting on future options?
My two cents: nursing doesn't care as much about name schools as much as most other fields. *especially* for licensure programs. Some schools carry a bit of a stigma to them (largely the disreputable for-profit ones...) but it will not affect your future job prospects. Your phd, name recognition is maybe more important - and in that case, you should evaluate which school has an advisor that more closely matches your goals. I would also add that the CDC headquarters are in Atlanta, if that's an interest for you at all. But when in doubt, my advice is almost always go with the option that involves less money.

Out of curiosity, can I ask why you want to become a nurse if your ultimate goal is research in a field that is also represented by other degrees? Sociology and public health come immediately to mind, but also anthropology or human development. You would likely have an easier time finding research advisors in those fields, and from what you've described, nursing seems like a cumbersome route to that path, particularly when you already have a bachelors in a different field. In particular, nursing is a *clinically focused, medical field*. If you work in mental health as a nurse, there will likely be a big focus on medications and crisis management. If you work in mainstream pediatrics, the focus will be not on mental health. I'm sure there's more to your rationale than your above post, the trajectory just doesn't seem to make the most sense. Please don't mistake that as me saying your ultimate career goal isn't a good one - the research you describe is incredibly important - but I don't understand why nursing is your in-between step.

I just find myself questioning why you want to become a nurse when from what you've described it doesn't actually sound like you... want to be a nurse.

Thank you for the response! I should have clarified I’ve always been interested in the medical field (I was first pre-med, pre-pa) but during my last semester I made the switch to nursing as I liked the more holistic approach towards medicine. Also I wasn’t familiar with the diversity of careers in the field (I was only exposed to bedside).
I want to become a nurse first to care for the populations I described so I can have a more rounded scope before going straight to the PhD route and give me some more time and exposure to the field to ultimately decide if I want to go down that route. With clinical experience hopefully it will give me more insight if I want to do a more research focused degree in the long run or a DNP if I fall in love with clinical work.

PollywogNP, ADN, BSN, MSN, LPN, NP · Apr 3, 2022

What is HDFS?