So Undecided

Thanks for the reply! I really do appreciate someone taking the time to help me out. If you dont mind me asking, what specialty do you work in and what pay can one expect to make in that area. I am leaning towards the FNP track so I can work in a broad spectrum of specialties.

My personal family experience is with my son. He decided to pursue a PT degree. It was six years of school for his PhD with pretty high student loans. The plus side is PT's are in very high demand and he is young with no family to support so he opted to work for a travel company for a few years. The money is great and he is enjoying the work in different environments. Four states so far with average of about six months in each. He has always had the option to extend his contract each place, but decided not to because the whole point of being a traveler is to travel.

Just because that was the right thing for him doesn't mean it will be for you, so research your options [especially job market] before committing. Whatever you decide, just make sure it will be something you can enjoy making a career of!

Your age is a contributing factor.

I know, I know. Many here will stand up and argue, "ageism" until it is in the dirt, but you have to look at the facts. If you are 18-22 then MD it baby. The ugly truth why many PA's dont become MD's is simply time over money. Considering residency for them is anywhere between 7-9 years and x amount of schooling, many MD's graduate at 29-35. With heavy debt. We're talking triple digits here. And you go into the hole deep from the start, "flunking" out isn't an option nor is any other sudden career change.

And don't get me started on the MCAT. You pretty much have to spend a whole year after your B.S. to study for this, which will then determine if you even get into med school, let alone a good one. And then guess what? More student loans! Woo. Yeah.

So yes, age is a factor for the MD route. The older you are, the later you have to wait to start earning money and having a life.

NP's cannot alter between specialties either - despite what people will lead you to believe. You will take pay cuts as its not a one or all sort of experience that caries over.

In order to go the PA route, many require "clinical hours" which have been accumulated by those who are EMTS, CNAs, LVNS, RNS or some other open field. They expect you to get your feet wet and from what I can hear in your post, you really are "undecided" as your title says.

Your honest to best bet is to ask to "shadow" a MD and find a way to get into a hospital to oversee what people are doing on a day to day basis, to get an understanding if that is something you will like personally.

do you think it is worth going the medical school?

Why are you asking this of nurses? The ones who can comment on medical school are those who've done it... that is, the physicians.

I work with residents and am on very friendly, social terms with many of them. Likewise with many of our attendings. Only a couple have expressed any misgivings about their decisions.

Personally, I would choose to be a specialist physician as they are the best trained, most expert providers -- and they are the most portable.

Given your interest in holistic care, you would likely be very interested in integrative medicine. I did a rotation at an FP residency where several of the docs were integrative medicine physicians. One practical aspect that several expressed about their chosen specialty is that it is a cash-based business.