Should I major in nursing?

[ACNH_PRN, BSN, RN]

I am a freshman in college and I have a dilemma... I cannot decide what career to pursue! I'm fascinated by anatomy, psychology, and the human body in general. I love learning as much as I can about the body's processes and how things work and if I don't know something, I will google it and try to learn as much as I can about it.

It was always a struggle for me to choose which path to take in healthcare. In my senior year of high school, I decided that I would be a physical therapist and major in kinesiology in college. However, I'm not entirely sure if I would be making a sound decision by doing so. I was always a top student in school, I graduated top 13% of my competitive class in high school with a 3.8 gpa and I made a 1940 sat score. My friends (who, by the way, didn't do as well as I did in high school) are pursuing careers like neurosurgeon and pediatrician and they tell me that I am "too smart to become a nurse" and that I should consider a different career.

Now, I would be okay with being a physical therapist, but the problem is that I have no idea whether or not I will get admitted to PT school as it is VERY competitive (about 10% get accepted) and I don't want to end up with a useless degree in kinesiology in the case that I don't get accepted. That's a very frighteneing idea to me.

On the other hand, my parents are also discouraging me from becoming a nurse because they want me to have an "easy, managable, and stable job with better pay".

I am considering changing my major to nursing and pursuing that (especially since my college has a very good and respected nursing program) instead of dealing with the (high) possibility of not getting accepted to PT school and ending up having wasted my time.

What advice would you give me, having the experience that you have?

Thank you for taking the time to read this!

[rachaelofcourse]

Nursing programs can be very competitive to get into as well. It is important to keep in mind that the nursing model and physician models are totally different. As a nurse, you will not just be treating the disease. You will be treating the patient as a whole including just being an ear for them to talk to. You have to be interested in the whole person, not just the disease, which can be tough. Nursing is not easy, but it can be very stable and I feel the pay is pretty decent. Its no MD salary, but it pays the bills.

One tidbit I will leave you with is to not let the fear of failing keep you from trying. If you want to be a PT, be a PT. Make good grades in your pre-reqs, be involved in healthcare clubs, and immerse yourself in the culture of a healthcare provider. Settling on one thing because you are afraid you won't be successful at the other is no way to live life.