The "Why don't you go to Med School" Question

Nursing Students Male Students

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If I had a dime for every time I've heard this question, from individuals in and out of the healthcare field. Just because I'm male and a minority doesn't mean I cannot be a nurse. I do not care whether or not I'll be "taking orders" from doctors, at the end of the day its the patient that matters most otherwise I wouldn't be pursuing Nursing. To answer all those questions to " why don't you be a doctor?", my answer is no! I want to be a nurse, not an optometrist, OT, but a Nurse! And yes I've considered the M.D. pathway before and always came back to Nursing. Nursing is my calling, my passion, it runs through my veins..one day I hope and pray that I'll make an excellent nurse.

really cool ....

" my feeling is to my heart", do what you want, just follow your heart.

Good Luck !

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I have gotten this even as a pre nursing student. My reasoning is just because I want to start my life after I finish an ABSN in 1 year vs taking 5-6 years to get where I would want to be in the MD career.

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Specializes in Respiratory.

This question always makes my eye twitch and I think it's a rather rude thing to ask... Even worse, I had a RN who I was working with on a clinical day ask why I didn't want to be a PA or MD. I fell into this profession and I am loving every second of it and, not to toot my own horn, am great with patients. I wanted to be a nurse because I want to work with people and help them. Isn't that why most people want to become a nurse?

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I am finally able to pursue a new career in either Nursing ( NP or CRNA ) or Medicine ( MD ) after Military and then Fire Rescue. Kids are all grown and wife and I are free to relocate as we start fresh @ a young 49 y/o ! So I am giving this one a lot of thought as I finish my ADN this spring.

Seems to me that Nursing and Medicine approach their goals differently with respect to patient care and training.

In a nutshell, Doctors are trained by cramming as much medical information as humanly possible into their skulls in a long , hectic, dehumanizing way. Nurses are also asked to cram as much information as humanly possible into their skulls but their are two differences. First the training is designed with an entry/exit/re-entry manner so as to allow different skill levels for higher levels of practice. This alone makes the second difference much more practical.....the humanizing of the Nurse.

Nurses are taught from day one that the patient in every aspect is the MOST important focus. The system reinforces the growth of compassion.

Doctors are shown that medicine is the MOST important aspect. Doesn't matter what they are taught, the system grinds them down to an impersonal practioner. So they must fight to remain compassionate, let alone grow in compassion!

So for me the real questions are whether I could continue to grow as a compassionate practioner in the Medical route against the odds? Or should I recognize the difficulties as too great for me to wish to fight?

I am greatly leaning toward the latter. With great losses and age in my life I am learning the wisdom of seeing not only the strengths in myself but even more importantly the weaknesses. Then learning to accept those weaknesses as my own and striving to be a better man because of them.

I find that true compassion and maturity come with great losses and the choice to smile and move on, encouraging others along the way.

For me it seems that the pursuit and practice of Nursing fit me and this philosphy well.

Jim

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That question is offensive to both women and nurses, because it assumes that nurses are just wanna-be doctors. And that, as a man, you should have taken the initiative to go to med school!

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wow that is really upsetting. Of all people, you would think that a clinical instructor would encourage us to be nurses and not question why we are not trying to be a doctor.

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I could not agree more! This issue exists because of the sexism that is alive and well in our society.

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Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.

My latest response to "Why didn't you go to med school?" is now:

"Why didn't you?"

Even, especially, if the interrogator is an MD.

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My latest response to "Why didn't you go to med school?" is now:

"Why didn't you?"

Even, especially, if the interrogator is an MD.

Haha when I told my GP that I was going to university to study nursing she got really excited. She is an awesome doc and person though.

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If someone would support me in giving me the standard of living I have now and would pay for not only going to finish the undergraduate prerequisites but also pay for going to medical school then absolutely I'd do it and go. Heck, I'd rather be a doctor.

Include getting me accepted to a medical school to this short list. Since I've never been able to achieve what I wanted to achieve as a nurse, might as well have gone into medicine.

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Cool dude. Most people never ask that to me and the people who do are usually in a non-medical field. FYI, its OD for optometry and they don't go to med school, they go grad school for optometry, like pharmacy, OTD, etc. :)
I think he meant DO.
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I've decided to look at my life in stages. I get that question a lot. I'm sure it's because of my stereotype "Asian" but a lot of people still ask why I don't go to Med School. I'm tired of people thinking school is only valid beofre your 30. I'm going to Nursing school to become a travel Nurse. I plan to traavel for 5 or more years to save money. This is all I know. I believe we need to pursue education throughout our life. So later I do plan to go back to school, but Nursing is mine to own now.

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