Why not medical school?

Winnie04 · Feb 8, 2009

Hi, there was just recently a discussion on this very same topic. Here is the link to that thread, it might be helpful:

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/medical-school-vs-366238.html

icyounurse, BSN, RN · Feb 8, 2009

"What do you like about being a nurse that being an MD wouldn't have offered you?"

Time. Time to have a life, see my kids grow up, and to just plain hang out somewhere besides a hospital. :bugeyes:

APRN., DNP, RN, APRN, NP · Feb 9, 2009

I clawed my way through nursing school financially. I would have been destitute with a credit score around 100 if I would have tried to go through med school.

jme_maree21 · Feb 9, 2009

Yes I did consider Medical School but after shadowing a nurse in High School I quickly realized that I wanted to be a nurse. I enjoy seeing my patients progress on a daily basis and being directly involved with the families, I also chose to become a nurse because I knew one day I wanted to have children. For me (my opinion only) I thought that it would be unfair for my future children because my time would be consumed if I was to become the kind of Doctor I would have wanted to be. I finished my BSN almost four years ago and am working on my Masters right now....I do not regret my decision one bit! Good Luck on your decision.

JerseyGir1 · Feb 9, 2009

Why did you decide to go into nursing?

Well, let's back up...

Did you ever consider medical school?

Yes.

If so, what factors helped you make your decision?

1) Money... Med school=super expensive, lots of loans

2) Time...Med school=lots of time

3) Flexibility... nursing is an extremely flexible profession

4) Variation...you can never get bored with nursing, always new avenues

5) Holistic Philosophy...I'm getting into all that

the list goes on and on.

For someone who hesitated about "settling" for nursing, I have no regrets!

What do you like about being a nurse that being an MD wouldn't have offered you?

see above.

travel50 · Feb 9, 2009

I had not wanted to be a nurse. I would have preferred to be a vet b/c I so love animals. I married the love of my life out of high school, and quickly had 2 babies. He was in the army overseas, got into drugs, I took my babies and left. My parents were there to help, but there was not a college of veterinary medicine at the university. I would not leave my girls to go away to school. I needed something that would provide for them asap, so I took a 2 yr nsg course. I love what I do. I would rather be a nurse than a physician b/c this way I have more time with my patients and time for my family. But still, I would rather have been a vet.

mina123 · Feb 9, 2009

I am a nurse and i regret that i never went to md school because of years it takes to complete, loans, being a female i always wanted a family which i have now, but if the clocked were switched i was 10 years younger i definitely would have chosen medical school. You can have a good life 3 12/hr shift as an er physician and still can have your life, plus u will make 300,000 a year versus 60,000 a year an average rn salary. Most md's also go to school because of love they have for patients otherwise they won't be md either. I come from family of doctors they work less not crazy hours and still have life, family and vacation every third month in different countries so yes, i would say my biggest regret in life is not listening to my dad to go to medical school and be a nurse. It;s too late for me some would say it's not i am 35 but also have 2 young kids 3 and 5 so now my entire focus is for there education and not be selfish and worry about them.

js408 · Feb 9, 2009

Hi! I'm a sophomore in college, and I don't know what I want to do with my life, yet. Right now, I think I want to be a NP, PA, or MD (among a few other careers). Other threads here said I should ask people of the professions I'm considering why they chose the path they did. So....
Why did you decide to go into nursing?
Did you ever consider medical school?
If so, what factors helped you make your decision?
What do you like about being a nurse that being an MD wouldn't have offered you?
Thanks!!

I'm 28 and in pre-nursing. I work full time and have a family. It's too late for me to become a doctor

llg, PhD, RN · Feb 9, 2009

My father was a physician -- as were many of his friends. While growing up and listening to them talk about their careers, I realized that they were "trapped" in their specialties and in their particular jobs. They owned their practices, had legal partners, employees, owned their office buildings, etc. -- all of which made it very difficult to move -- or to work part time -- etc. In addition, they were not free to change specialties because of the extra training needed to switch. My father had wanted to switch once, but could not because my mother got pregnant.

I wanted the flexibility that nurses have -- to move -- to work part time -- to change specialties -- to teach if I wanted to teach -- to be an administrator if I wanted that -- to switch specialties if I wanted -- etc. I wanted freedom, choices, and flexibility. I didn't want to sign my life away at the age of 22. I could see that nursing gave me more career flexibility than medicine. With a graduate degree in nursing, I would have a wide variety of choices in leadership roles. After 4 years of med school and residencey, I would be "just another physician."

My father and his all friends all encouraged me to get a PhD in nursing rather than an MD. They thought it would give a better lifestyle. Over the years, I have had several physicians tell me that they wish they had made the choice I made. I have no regrets. I had no big student loans and have been able to work in a variety of roles in many different areas of the country.

llg, PhD, RN

Smackdown · Feb 9, 2009

I was Pre-Med in college before majoring in nursing and graduating with my BSN. Now I have been out of college for 2 years working and enjoying life. while my medical school friends the same age still have 2 years left of Med School and 4 years left of residency. They will be almost 30 by the time they are done. Once they are done with that they still have 80 hour work weeks to look forward to for the rest of their lives. Sure, the money is a lot better, but at the end of my life I'm not going to look back and think "I wish I would have worked more hours so I could of had more money."

I love having the flexibility in my schedule to enjoy life to the fullest, at the ripe young age of 23! :)

My Father-in-law and 4 of my brother-in-laws are all physicians...I see daily what they go through and I am thankful I'm not.

inland18mempire · Feb 9, 2009

I decided to go into nursing by chance. A few of my classmates were taking A&P and said they were going to nursing school and so I thought to myself, "what the hell! I'll give it a shot." I'm not anywhere near smart enough to get into medical school. I wish that I could, though! Only the brightest, and most-dedicated students get into medical school. That's just not me! I'm doing graduate work now to be a CRNA, and I'm really happy with my decision as of right now. The diversity that is incorporated into a nursing career is just fabulous. There are so many different avenues one can take!