3 answers
Wendy
Student
Wilmington, North Carolina
1
Question
Updated
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I am a senior nursing student who have decided to purse my passion in medicine. Is it possible going from nursing to med? I know how untraditional this approach is and how much work it would take, but I truly love medicine and am fully committed.
#nursing #medicine #doctor #healthcare
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3 answers
Doc Frick
Career Coach and Mentor
1590
Answers
California, CA
Updated
Doc’s Answer
It takes 11-14 years to become a doctor in the United States Wendy, including earning a bachelor's degree. Wendy if your degree was a Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) then most of the coursework will be sufficient as prerequisites for medical school. Most students take the MCAT in their last semester of undergrad and prepare extensively in classes. Some major universities even offer students review courses, make sure you talk to your advisor and make sure your on the right path. The MCAT exam is like the NCLEX that focuses less on real world application and more on textbook learning. This could be a little tricky for some nursing majors.
PREREQUISITES FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL
STEP 1: 4-YEAR UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE – Completing a bachelor's degree program is necessary to prepare prospective doctors to enter medical school. Though medical schools do not require specific degrees for admission, many students opt for programs heavy in biology and chemistry. Some schools offer specific pre-med programs that include the required classes for medical school, as well as prepare them to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Wendy I assume you are going to be a SENIOR at a university, so lets check this off. √
STEP 2: MEDICAL COLLEGE ADMISSIONS TEST (MCAT) – The MCAT is a multiple-choice examination that students must pass before they are admitted to medical school. Physical science, biology, critical thinking, and verbal skills are all tested in a 5-hour computerized test. Most medical schools use this score when considering applicants for admission, so it's important to score well to be considered for top programs.
REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A MEDICAL DOCTOR
The requirements for becoming a doctor in the U.S. may vary by specialty. In general, doctors complete a 4-year undergraduate degree program, spend 4 years in medical school, and then complete 3-7 years of residency training before they are eligible for medical licensing. Both degree programs typically include general medical coursework, while prospective doctors can choose a specialty later, during their residencies.
STEP 1: 4-YEARS MEDICAL SCHOOL
STEP 2: 3-7 YEARS RESIDENCY – Most doctors complete their residency in a 3- to 7-year period, depending on specialization. Post-residency fellowships might also be beneficial, as doctors can choose to sub-specialize in areas such as internal, geriatric, or vascular medicine.
STEP 3: LICENSING – Licensing requirements for doctors vary by state, but most states require at least a 1-year residency program and the passage of a board certification exam in the medical specialty the student has chosen. Once these requirements have been met, a doctor is normally considered a fully licensed medical professional and is legally able to practice in their respective field.
JOB OUTLOOK AND SALARY – The average Physician - Generalist salary in California is $225,000 as of June 28, 2020, but the range typically falls between $200,250 and $260,000. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on the city and many other important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession. Based on data from the BLS, there were 756,800 physicians and surgeons working in the U.S. in 2018, and employment opportunities for these professionals are expected to increase by 7% over the 2018-2028 decade.
Becoming a MD does have its advantages and it is understandable why some nurses want to further their career in this way. The best advice for anyone considering this path is to have a frank, open conversation with others in the medical field and determine if the length of school, associated financial responsibilities, and change in lifestyle will ultimately be worth it.
Hope this was Helpful Wendy, It's worth giving it a SHOT 8-)
PREREQUISITES FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL
STEP 1: 4-YEAR UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE – Completing a bachelor's degree program is necessary to prepare prospective doctors to enter medical school. Though medical schools do not require specific degrees for admission, many students opt for programs heavy in biology and chemistry. Some schools offer specific pre-med programs that include the required classes for medical school, as well as prepare them to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Wendy I assume you are going to be a SENIOR at a university, so lets check this off. √
STEP 2: MEDICAL COLLEGE ADMISSIONS TEST (MCAT) – The MCAT is a multiple-choice examination that students must pass before they are admitted to medical school. Physical science, biology, critical thinking, and verbal skills are all tested in a 5-hour computerized test. Most medical schools use this score when considering applicants for admission, so it's important to score well to be considered for top programs.
REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A MEDICAL DOCTOR
The requirements for becoming a doctor in the U.S. may vary by specialty. In general, doctors complete a 4-year undergraduate degree program, spend 4 years in medical school, and then complete 3-7 years of residency training before they are eligible for medical licensing. Both degree programs typically include general medical coursework, while prospective doctors can choose a specialty later, during their residencies.
STEP 1: 4-YEARS MEDICAL SCHOOL
STEP 2: 3-7 YEARS RESIDENCY – Most doctors complete their residency in a 3- to 7-year period, depending on specialization. Post-residency fellowships might also be beneficial, as doctors can choose to sub-specialize in areas such as internal, geriatric, or vascular medicine.
STEP 3: LICENSING – Licensing requirements for doctors vary by state, but most states require at least a 1-year residency program and the passage of a board certification exam in the medical specialty the student has chosen. Once these requirements have been met, a doctor is normally considered a fully licensed medical professional and is legally able to practice in their respective field.
JOB OUTLOOK AND SALARY – The average Physician - Generalist salary in California is $225,000 as of June 28, 2020, but the range typically falls between $200,250 and $260,000. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on the city and many other important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession. Based on data from the BLS, there were 756,800 physicians and surgeons working in the U.S. in 2018, and employment opportunities for these professionals are expected to increase by 7% over the 2018-2028 decade.
Becoming a MD does have its advantages and it is understandable why some nurses want to further their career in this way. The best advice for anyone considering this path is to have a frank, open conversation with others in the medical field and determine if the length of school, associated financial responsibilities, and change in lifestyle will ultimately be worth it.
Hope this was Helpful Wendy, It's worth giving it a SHOT 8-)
Hey John! Thank you for such a thorough response, I really appreciate the time you put into it! I have thought long and hard over this decision, and it will definitely be a major and stressful life change. However, the length of time and effort it requires to become a doctor only makes me more motivated to pursue it because I know it takes years to become good at something and I want to be the best for my patients - and for that reason I think it is worth it. :))
Wendy
Love what you do and do what you love Wendy. Don't listen to anyone else who tells you not to pursue your dreams. Remember to celebrate each milestones as you prepare for the road ahead.
Doc Frick
Raquel Davis
Registered Nurse, premed student
148
Answers
Providence, Rhode Island
Updated
Raquel’s Answer
Hi Wendy, I am so glad I came across your question!
I graduated with my nursing degree in May and am currently working as a nurse while working on applying to medical school! I decided right before I began nursing school that I was interested in medicine but went through the program before making a final decision. My husband also just went through the application process and is starting medical school in August, so I know a lot about the process!
There isn’t any issue switching from nursing to medicine, it actually will make you a very unique applicant. You also aren’t at a disadvantage having a nursing degree instead of something typical like a biology degree. The issue you will run into is that you likely don’t have all of the prerequisite courses for medical school and the MCAT completed because many of them aren’t prerequisites for medical school. Examples of courses like this are two semesters of physics, two semesters of organic chemistry, calculus, cell biology, and biochemistry. So you will have to make sure to take these classes in order to apply and it is important to have taken most if not all of them before taking the MCAT as well because they provide you with important knowledge for the exam.
You will have to take the MCAT, the entrance exam for medical school. It is an 8 hour exam covering topics from biology, general and organic chemistry, physics, psychology, sociology, and critical reading. Your score on this exam is very important for getting into medical school in general but also determines how good of a school you can get into, a good minimum score to shoot for is a 508, it will get you into many mid-level MD schools. DO schools take lower MCAT scores, so that is an important factor to consider if you want to be an MD, DO, or if it doesn’t matter to you. Either way you will be a physician.
Medical school also requires lots of other things besides classes and the MCAT. You need volunteer time, research, clinical volunteering, physician shadowing, and leadership roles.
It takes a lot of work to make yourself a good applicant for medical school. A lot of people also have to apply more than once or take the MCAT more than once, and that’s totally okay! But if you know that its what you want to do then it is 100% worth it.
On a side note, medical school is very expensive, there is often considerable financial aid provided, but it is expensive. One thing I suggest you consider is using your nursing degree to 1. Make some money to either pay off nursing school student loans or save for medical school depending on your situation 2. Get valuable and unique experience working as a nurse, it will really make you stand out as an applicant. The cost of medical school shouldn’t deter you though! There is lots of research showing that even the lower paid specialties make enough to pay off their loans in a reasonable time.
I also have to recommend that you spend time looking at the AAMC website, they run the application for medical school as well as the MCAT and have lots of resources and information on all of the requirements. They also have information on individual medical schools and their stats.
I graduated with my nursing degree in May and am currently working as a nurse while working on applying to medical school! I decided right before I began nursing school that I was interested in medicine but went through the program before making a final decision. My husband also just went through the application process and is starting medical school in August, so I know a lot about the process!
There isn’t any issue switching from nursing to medicine, it actually will make you a very unique applicant. You also aren’t at a disadvantage having a nursing degree instead of something typical like a biology degree. The issue you will run into is that you likely don’t have all of the prerequisite courses for medical school and the MCAT completed because many of them aren’t prerequisites for medical school. Examples of courses like this are two semesters of physics, two semesters of organic chemistry, calculus, cell biology, and biochemistry. So you will have to make sure to take these classes in order to apply and it is important to have taken most if not all of them before taking the MCAT as well because they provide you with important knowledge for the exam.
You will have to take the MCAT, the entrance exam for medical school. It is an 8 hour exam covering topics from biology, general and organic chemistry, physics, psychology, sociology, and critical reading. Your score on this exam is very important for getting into medical school in general but also determines how good of a school you can get into, a good minimum score to shoot for is a 508, it will get you into many mid-level MD schools. DO schools take lower MCAT scores, so that is an important factor to consider if you want to be an MD, DO, or if it doesn’t matter to you. Either way you will be a physician.
Medical school also requires lots of other things besides classes and the MCAT. You need volunteer time, research, clinical volunteering, physician shadowing, and leadership roles.
It takes a lot of work to make yourself a good applicant for medical school. A lot of people also have to apply more than once or take the MCAT more than once, and that’s totally okay! But if you know that its what you want to do then it is 100% worth it.
On a side note, medical school is very expensive, there is often considerable financial aid provided, but it is expensive. One thing I suggest you consider is using your nursing degree to 1. Make some money to either pay off nursing school student loans or save for medical school depending on your situation 2. Get valuable and unique experience working as a nurse, it will really make you stand out as an applicant. The cost of medical school shouldn’t deter you though! There is lots of research showing that even the lower paid specialties make enough to pay off their loans in a reasonable time.
I also have to recommend that you spend time looking at the AAMC website, they run the application for medical school as well as the MCAT and have lots of resources and information on all of the requirements. They also have information on individual medical schools and their stats.
Yasemin G.
Aspiring physician
635
Answers
Updated
Yasemin’s Answer
Hi Wendy! Yes you can! My siblings who went to medical school had classmates who switched from nursing and I agree with the previous answer, it would be very helpful to your application. There are many things you have already been exposed to and this would fortify your skills for medicine. Definitely do begin studying for the MCAT, and check your prerequisites for medical school; my best friend is in nursing school now and she took the same prereqs as me so I believe you would have taken similar prerequisites for medical school. Make sure to double check from your college years and also speak with an adviser in nursing school or someone who can give guidance on this path. I also included a website that can give more information and check out AAMC.org because they give advice for students interested in medicine. If you really want to be a doctor don't give up and by being a nursing student you already have so much experience! I wish you the best!
https://nurse.org/articles/career-advancement-rn-to-md/
Yasemin recommends the following next steps:
Thank you for the link, I will definitely check it out. That’s amazing that your best friend is in nursing school, it really is an awarding profession for the right person! I wish you luck too on your pre-med track!
Wendy
You're welcome Wendy! Yes nurses are definitely incredible people and volunteering in the ER I met some amazing ones and I can see how much sacrifice is needed. Thank you so much for your kind wishes, best of luck!
Yasemin G.