So at the end of my "pre-med" career I'm thinking of switching to nursing...

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[sorry, this got a little wordy. If you just want to cut to the case skip to paragraph 3.]

Or technically I guess I should say switching "back" to nursing since that was my original goal but somewhere along the line I decided I wanted to be a doctor. I've actually always wanted to be a doctor but I never thought I could be that smart until I got to a 4 year university and immersed myself. I'm a 22 year old male and I'll be finishing up my Human Biology degree this summer. I have a competitive GPA but I haven't taken my MCAT and I don't have anything for research/volunteer/letters of recommendation (but clinical experience is my saving grace). I'm not sure where but somewhere I fell off that pre-med boat and stopped caring...

A lot of the doctors I've shadowed are very negative about their careers and at least a few of them I know have a mess of a personal life. After 5 years of science classes I don't know if I can take any more of that. As cliche as it is, the only reason I wanted to be a Dr. is "to help people" and I figured I don't need the letters MD after my name to do it.

There's a 4 year university near me that offers a 16 month accelerated path designed for people going for a second career and/or already have a bachelor's degree to get their RN. I'll have all the pre-reqs done by this summer (and then some!... pre-req calls for one class called "Organic and Biochemistry" and I have a full year of organic chemistry and a full year's worth of biochem lol.) Anyway, I just want to move on with my life and start working. 100% of my clinical experience is related to nurse-y stuff and I enjoy that a lot more than shadowing doctors while they fill out tons of paper work and spend half their day on the phone with the insurance companies trying to work out a treatment plan that insurance will pay for. So that's who I am and where I'm from. Main reason I made this post was to see if anyone has been in my shoes and to see where they ended up and how they like it.

Also, will have a BS in Human Biology help me out further along the line if I decide to specialize?

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Specializes in Nursing Informatics, E.R., med surg, ENT.

ask yourself, "is nursing what i really want to do?" i presume from your first paragraph that you still "want to be a doctor"? first decide what path you wish to take. if becoming a physician is your priority, then go for that. but if nursing is your goal, then by all means go for it. nursing can be challenging and not for the weak-kneed.

[color=#a0522d]if you still want to go the medical route, then nursing can be a way as well. after your bsn, you may want to consider becoming an advanced practice nurse (msn) - clinical practitioner, crna - certified registered nurse anesthesist or even become a don - doctor of nursing. there are so many options in nursing you can get into.

[color=#a0522d]those are a few areas of nursing you may want to consider. but first things first. decide and commit to what you really want to do. where do you see yourself let's say in 5 years. perhaps that's a place to start. good luck.

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Specializes in Float Pool, acute care, management/leadership.

Hi xpinchx, I have to say that I echo many of your sentiments with switching between medicine and nursing among other things. I am in your shoes right now, and probably have a lot of the same questions as well.

I am 22 years of age and male as well. Similarly, I just finished undergrad this past summer. I knew I've always been passionate about healthcare, but I really wasn't sure what I wanted to do. Even now, I sometimes still have doubts about what I really want to do with my life. I feel you when you say that you just want to be working. It kind of sucks doing commencement and then going straight back to school. Right now, I'm taking some prereqs for an accelerated BSN program as well.

I guess where I differ from you is that I was never really good at sciences (and I'm still not good). I feel like I have to struggle twice as hard, if not more than everybody else. If you looked at my transcript, you would say I looked more like a law student because I excel in liberal arts and did a lot of work with student government throughout undergrad. Still, I was really passionate about healthcare. So I took a CNA class and began to work at a local hospital and I really felt augmented by what the nurses were doing. I saw the nurses get way more patient interaction than most doctors and I heard phenomenal things about traveling nursing. Ultimately, that's what I want to do with nursing...I want to become a worldwide traveler.

In the end, I knew that if I were be a doctor; I wouldn't want to just be a good one, I would want to be a great one. Although I'm sure it would be rewarding, it still wouldn't be the lifestyle that would be conducive for me. Sometimes, I feel like being a M.D. is all or nothing.

Anyway, I'm being wordy as well, but good luck to you. I hope you find your professional niche soon.

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ask yourself, "is nursing what i really want to do?" i presume from your first paragraph that you still "want to be a doctor"? first decide what path you wish to take. if becoming a physician is your priority, then go for that. but if nursing is your goal, then by all means go for it. nursing can be challenging and not for the weak-kneed.

[color=#a0522d]if you still want to go the medical route, then nursing can be a way as well. after your bsn, you may want to consider becoming an advanced practice nurse (msn) - clinical practitioner, crna - certified registered nurse anesthesist or even become a don - doctor of nursing. there are so many options in nursing you can get into.

[color=#a0522d]those are a few areas of nursing you may want to consider. but first things first. decide and commit to what you really want to do. where do you see yourself let's say in 5 years. perhaps that's a place to start. good luck.

it might be easier to answer "where don't you see yourself in five years?" i definitely don't see myself working 80 hours a week for 3 more years before i can make enough money to put food on the table for a family. 5 years from now i'd like to be working and have a steady so that wants to travel with me and just have fun. i want vacation time to go up north, and to visit my family. i'm not saying you can't have a life as an md, but too many sacrifices have to be made for my tastes. and this might sound kind of silly to everyone here, but i really value sleep. i can stay awake for 24+ hours and frequently do studying for exams, but after that i need 10+ hours to recover. i can't see myself working 20 hours, sleeping for 4, waking up to a pager, and going back in for another 16-20 3 times a week.
hi xpinchx, i have to say that i echo many of your sentiments with switching between medicine and nursing among other things. i am in your shoes right now, and probably have a lot of the same questions as well.

i am 22 years of age and male as well. similarly, i just finished undergrad this past summer. i knew i've always been passionate about healthcare, but i really wasn't sure what i wanted to do. even now, i sometimes still have doubts about what i really want to do with my life. i feel you when you say that you just want to be working. it kind of sucks doing commencement and then going straight back to school. right now, i'm taking some prereqs for an accelerated bsn program as well.

i guess where i differ from you is that i was never really good at sciences (and i'm still not good). i feel like i have to struggle twice as hard, if not more than everybody else. if you looked at my transcript, you would say i looked more like a law student because i excel in liberal arts and did a lot of work with student government throughout undergrad. still, i was really passionate about healthcare. so i took a cna class and began to work at a local hospital and i really felt augmented by what the nurses were doing. i saw the nurses get way more patient interaction than most doctors and i heard phenomenal things about traveling nursing. ultimately, that's what i want to do with nursing...i want to become a worldwide traveler.

in the end, i knew that if i were be a doctor; i wouldn't want to just be a good one, i would want to be a great one. although i'm sure it would be rewarding, it still wouldn't be the lifestyle that would be conducive for me. sometimes, i feel like being a m.d. is all or nothing.

anyway, i'm being wordy as well, but good luck to you. i hope you find your professional niche soon.

that's funny you and i are basically in the same position. i didnt' mean to come off as cocky bragging about my gpa. my grades didn't come easy, i've had adhd all my life and i've chosen not to take medication for it so it's been a constant struggle. i'm also the same as you... knowing i wanted to get into healthcare but not being quite sure what role i want to play. i started out going for my emt but switched to nursing, then pre-med, and now back to nursing. i think i'm best suited for nursing though... i've been working as a patient sitter for almost 3 years now and i love the level of patient interaction i get. :)

there i go again with the long-winded reponse lol. :typing it's encouraging knowing there are others out there like me.

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Specializes in Float Pool, acute care, management/leadership.

No worries, you didn't come off as arrogant at all. One of the components of my job is being a sitter as well, so that's cool. The hardest thing for me is not to feel so burned-out from school. It's hard to stay motivated sometimes and not be disillusioned...especially since all of my peers around me are starting to work straight out of college or are going for their master's, yet here I am going for a second bachelor's degree. Sometimes, I just want to take some time off to just work, but then I realize I may run the risk of not coming back to school for a very long time.

Btw, welcome to the forums. :up:

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No worries, you didn't come off as arrogant at all. One of the components of my job is being a sitter as well, so that's cool. The hardest thing for me is not to feel so burned-out from school. It's hard to stay motivated sometimes and not be disillusioned...especially since all of my peers around me are starting to work straight out of college or are going for their master's, yet here I am going for a second bachelor's degree. Sometimes, I just want to take some time off to just work, but then I realize I may run the risk of not coming back to school for a very long time.

Btw, welcome to the forums. :up:

Dude I hear you about being burned out. I have 15 credits next semester and 11 I'm going to take care of during the summer (mostly gen eds to fulfill 120 credits required for graduation.) I honestly feel like up and quitting even though I'm so close. I still have another semester of biochemistry, eukaryotic cell biology, and one other hard class I'm forgetting about. I wish I was one of those people that knew exactly what they wanted to do straight out of highshool. I could be out by now and already working.

I guess at least this way I can never be like "I wish I tried to be a doctor when I was still 22." :D

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Specializes in Gyn Onc, OB, L&D, HH/Hospice/Palliative.

xpinchx, ever consider going for a PA ?? May be a good road as you can still do a lot of 'doctory' stuff while still making a good living without working 80 hrs a week, the on-call is nil in my facility, lots of autonomy, can specialize, assist w/surgery and still have a life

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Specializes in Mixed Level-1 ICU.
xpinchx, ever consider going for a PA ?? May be a good road as you can still do a lot of 'doctory' stuff while still making a good living without working 80 hrs a week, the on-call is nil in my facility, lots of autonomy, can specialize, assist w/surgery and still have a life

My sentiments exactly.

If I had t do it over again...PA all the way.

No nursing nonsense. Get to treat patients. Generally better pay. Most have no rotating weekends/holiday garbage.

Sure, I know I sound bitter but I've watched nursing devolve into an be-all end-all dumping ground for any tasks and expectations which are not MD specific.

MD/PA obligations remain precise.

Good luck

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I agree with the others.....you should look into PA school as well.

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xp, great post - i think there are many like that have found nursing based on the journey towards md/do ;)

The accel program sounds great I will be starting mine this spring... the pre-req for BIOCHEM O-chem should be met by your O-chem sequence.... ;)

I concur with the sentiments on the PA route.... it's a great place to be at this day and age.... regardless both routes will afford you plenty of opportunities for a career and continued education ;)

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My view of nursing is clouded by my 15 years of experience but I would never recommend anyone become a nurse. If you don't want to continue with your medical studies then become a PA.

You cannot compare being a Dr to a Nurse just because they are 'in the medical or healthcare field'. In general you will find nursing has almost no autonomy and you are regarded as a general dogsbody by both Doctors, patients and families.

There are just as many nurses who are unhappy with their jobs as there are Drs.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.
My sentiments exactly.

If I had t do it over again...PA all the way.

No nursing nonsense. Get to treat patients. Generally better pay. Most have no rotating weekends/holiday garbage.

Sure, I know I sound bitter but I've watched nursing devolve into an be-all end-all dumping ground for any tasks and expectations which are not MD specific.

MD/PA obligations remain precise.

Good luck

I am sorry you feel as though you were hoodwinked - having to deal with 24X7 care "garbage" involved in nursing. There is a reason that MD/PA jobs are 'precise' - it's called reimbursement. They don't do anything that they cant get paid for. That leaves a lot of gaps - which are filled in by nursing.

Nursing hasn't 'devolved' - it's always been this way. We don't "treat diseases", we care for people who are experiencing disease.

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