What would you do in my situation...?

[Nurse Ratchet]

I went to a prestigious University, majoring in General Biology as a PreMed student, and was planning to go into their Medical School as a Grad student to become some sort of Doctor.

Now I am at a less academically challenging College majoring in Nursing becasue my parents think there is a more open job market, and my previous University didn't offer that major.

This new college is not as rigourous and research oriented as my previous University. For instance, if I was at my previous University, I would be required to take multiple level courses in Physics, Calculus, Humanities, Languages, Chemistry, etc. even though they don't relate to my major. And I also had to take over 50 units(about 15 classes) each year to graduate in 4 years. But at this current college, I was only required to take necessary Biology and Nursing courses, and typical, easy G.Es. Also, I only needed 24 units(about 8 classes) each year to graducate in 4 years.

But this doesn' t relieve much because I was always a studious student.

What I want to know is if I made the right decisions(did I lower my standards since I was capable of becoming a doctor?) and what would you have done if you were in my shoes?

All I know is that I always wanted to go into something related to the medical field and working in the hospital and currently, I'm indecisive so I'm going with my parents, and I don't think I prefer either professions over the other yet.

[jaquar]

I think you'd make a better MD than a nurse. Your post indicates you have the attitude of most MD's...............nurses are beneath them.

please do me a favor and stay out of our wonderful, dedicated, intellegient profession, and become a doctor....................

[Nurse Ratched, RN]

Kindly take the poster's stated age into account when responding. Recall that you may have been undecided on career options and still financially or otherwise dependent on parents at that time.

Please do not attack anyone regardless. The original post is not in violation of TOS. Some of the responses are as they are personal attacks. I know we have it in us to offer constructive advice.

[kathy_79]

ratchat, first of all, always remember that noone can make any decisions for you. this is your life and you are the only one responsible for what you do and what you choose. do not follow other but always consider what they say to you (good, helpfull advices) and make your own choice based on what is important for you and does not harm others.

do not do things because others what you to do those. you will regret your choice later on if it was not what you really want to.

if become MD is what you dream of and you really think that you are capable to achive, consider all plus/minuses and chose what you really want to.

in nursing, there are many ways to go higher and higher. you can get BSN, MSN, and NP (nurse practitioner) which is similar to MD (but not the same, there are some sorts of differences). check http://www.allnursesschool.com there you can find some info about NP and go to find out at your state board requirments. there are many way to look for and reconsider your choices.

good luck to you, :)

[nurseem]

Good Advise NRSKarenRN. I believe that alot of experience goes alot farther than how many years of education a person has. it is far more valuable. by the way where did you get your picture by your name its GREAT:chuckle

Have you started any of the nursing program courses yet or are you taking prerequesites? Nursing program classess require tons of READING, studying, and WRITING, and research too.

Think the real question is "what do you personally see valuable in nursing compared to medicine" and do you really understand what nursing is about?

With all the pressures on physicians due to the "business" of healthcare, many doctors are reconsidering their profession too.

Often I've been told "why didn't the doctor tell me that...your so smart why don't you become a doctor" (just last month by my 18yo son). 30 years as a nurse has shown me that helping patients understand their illness, medications, learning how to care for themselves due to illness or disability, advocating for clients to maintain themselves at home etc. is much more personally satisfying than diagnosing an illness/ performing surgery or only seeing the patient for a 10 minute office visit.

[nurseem]

so true!:)

If you feel you "lowered your standards" then you did. I am sorry. I am sorry that you feel that nursing is somehow "lower"

You can not ask someone else if you lowered your standards. They are your standards. If your standards says nursing is not as high a standard as medicine then that is your standard. For someone so smart you are not very bright.

You want to be "some sort of doctor" you let your parents tell you to change to nursing. Huh hm. You have no clue what you want. But you have it in your head it must be prestegious. The little silver spoon is going to cause you a lot of trouble until you grow up.

[nursemike, ASN, RN]

Can I post this anonymously? I recently advised a young friend to consider nursing as a stepping-stone to her ultimate goal of becoming a veternarian, and she's doing it. As I see it, she'll be a good nurse while she is one, and she might decide it's what she wants to do for a career.

I feel a little badly that her seat in nursing school might have gone to a determined, career nurse, but plenty who start out in nursing end up somewhere else, anyway, and the profession will have gained a bright, capable practitioner for several years, even if she follows through with the DVM.

So, you could think about doing the same toward your MD.

It sounds like you have lowered your standards, a bit, as far as academic institutions go. Personally, I wouldn't fret a lot about that. An Ivy League degree may open some doors, but it doesn't guarantee success. As far as challenging yourself, if you go into nursing, you will be challenged. I am a former National Merit finalist working my tail off at a school you never heard of. Nursing school is hard.

As for your professional standards, I'm not as offended as some respondents, but I essentially agree. Nurses aren't less than doctors, they're just paid less (usually). The two fields are allied, but very different, and which suits you better is an individual choice. Doctors have more prestige, but that's really just about how others perceive you. How you perceive yourself is what matters.

Honestly, if your heart is set on being a doctor, don't "settle" for anything else, but you might still consider nursing as a means of getting there. Just promise to give nursing your best, while you're in it. Hey, if nothing else, we could use more docs who know what nurses do!

[Agnus]

I did not look up the poster's age. Did not need to it shined through. I am not offended because I recognize ignorance when I see it.

She may not have violated any BB rules but her post was in poor taste as one person already stated.

A great many people here struggled through school with families and numerous other challenges. Both medicine and nursing require maturity that this little munchkin does not have. Granted it is not her fault.

A dose of reality and how to address the rest of the world who do not have her superior intelect is not out of line.

Her question may not violate BB rules but was rude of her to ask hard working nurses if she lowered her standard by joining thier ranks.

They are her standards. What is she asking us? Rachet what wounderful words of wisdom do you offer her? She did not ask for advice. She asked if we are beneith her. Even inexperienced and financially dependent children know better than to be rude.

My response was not a criticizism of her indecision about a career. Many people are searching long past age 19. My criticizims was of her behavior.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Ok, I'll weigh in on this issue. I went to a "highly respected research university" for my BSN (Duke) and now have a PhD in nursing -- So, I am a "doctor" of nursing. My father was a physician and some of my best friends are physicians. In fact several of my nursing school classmates worked their way through medical school by working as a nurse. I have asked a lot of the same questions as the original poster is asking ... and I have a lot of the same answers that others have posted.

Nursing is not "easier" or "harder" than medicine. They are simply different and occupy a different place in our society. Physicians are more academically respected and they get paid more. However, the cost of their education in enormously higher and they have less flexibility in their job options once they graduate. It is much more difficult for a physician to choose which city they live in, take time off work to have a baby, etc. Nursing offers the option of practicing in a valuable health care role that requires less education at the beginner and intermediate levels (though getting a doctorate in nursing is pretty comparable to getting a medical degree). It also provides greater flexibility throughout ones career than medicine (moving, taking time off, switching specialties, etc.)

As another poster pointed out, you are only comparing the prerequisite courses -- and you are equating "hard science" courses with "academically rigorous" courses. Nursing students are generally encouraged to take a lot of social science courses and many people don't understand that those fields can be as challenging as the hard sciences -- just challenging in a different way. Also, you switched schools -- and some schools are simply more academically rigorous than others. You need to separate your feelings about each discipline from your feelings about each school.

Nursing and medicine are both challenging disciplines that provide vital services to the people we serve. Nursing is more "whole-person focused" and therefore places more emphasis on the social sciences. Midicine is more "physiology" focused and therefore places more emphasis on the physicial sciences. Both disciplines CAN be either academically rigorous or NOT depending on the individuals involved and the particular setting.

No one here can tell you what will be the best career for you. You need to sepatate your feelings about school and academic rigor from your choice of a lifetime career. Even though most students feel that school is the big thing in life, you are really only there for a few years. Most of life and most of your career occurs afterwards. In school or after school, you can make the most of your career (and your discipline) or not.

Nurses can "get away with" less academic rigor than phyisicians, that's true. My colleagues here may be angry for admitting that, but it is true. Many nurses take advantage of this possibility and it hurts our discipline. It breaks my heart. However, nursing at its best -- and at its highest levels -- is just as rigorous as medicine. (That old saying about Fred Astair and Ginger Rodgers comes to mind. People forget that Ginger did all the same steps that Fred did, only backwards and wearing high heels and a long dress.)

Look at the realities and opportunities of both CAREERS (not schools) and choose the right one for you. Then, choose the school that best meets your needs.

Good luck,

llg

[Chevelle]

Kindly take the poster's stated age into account when responding. Recall that you may have been undecided on career options and still financially or otherwise dependent on parents at that time.

Please do not attack anyone regardless. The original post is not in violation of TOS. Some of the responses are as they are personal attacks. I know we have it in us to offer constructive advice.

That is true. I apologize to the op.

We need to set a good example. What kind of impression are we giving of the nursing profession if we act like this.

[Agnus]

llg,

good reply. I concur.

[hellerd2003, RN]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you probably shouldn't be an RN OR an MD.

I mean, after your education is done, you'll be having to make life-or-death decisions. You won't be able to call mom or dad to ask them to decide for you.

I don't see nursing as a lower standard, but *I* am not you. I'm proud to be entering the nursing profession in 2006! And I say that as a former pre-med student who took all the prereq's and maintained a 3.8 GPA as an undergrad . . .

[*Bekki*]

I think you would benefit from work shadowing or volenteering at your local hospital or at a GP surgery. This way you could see and experience how the professions are in reality and then after that decide which path is the one that you want. You should do what you want otherwise youll regret it in the end. However it is important you make the right choice. Good Luck xx