Anonymous
Post 02/04/2013 09:25     Subject: Please crush my dreams: No med school for me, right?
Your family will suffer during your residency.
Go for the Nurse practitioner or nurse anesthetist route. It is more manageable.
Anonymous
Post 02/04/2013 09:18     Subject: Please crush my dreams: No med school for me, right?
Why not take a closer look at the professions allied to health other than doctors. I think the nurse anesthetist suggestion is excellent - you'll be in there with the surgeries, just not getting your hands dirty! Also, there are technicians in nuclear medicine, etc.

If you like dissecting things - what about a vet (if you don't get into medicine)?
Anonymous
Post 02/04/2013 01:10     Subject: Please crush my dreams: No med school for me, right?
Your pre-nursing classes will not be the same as the those that you need for medical school and you can't take the MCAT before taking the pre-med reqs.
You'll need:
a year of college biology
a year of college chemistry
a year of organic chem
a year of physics
and generally
a year of calculus and at least a class in biochemistry.



Anonymous
Post 02/03/2013 23:39     Subject: Please crush my dreams: No med school for me, right?
Anonymous wrote:Op here: I'm typing with one hand while nursing so I apologize in advance for any typos.
Just to clarify a couple of things:

I don't see nursing as being less than all. My husband doesn't either. He thinks I should be a doctor because he knows I would love to be a surgeon.

I have not started nursing yet. I am finishing my pre-nursing reqs this semester.

I will look into the MCAT. It really may give me a good reality check.

Thanks everyone!


Not trying to discourage you, but it is a LONG HAUL from applying, 4 yrs schooling, then residency (you have limited say in what program/city you are placed in), internships, etc. This is not the case with nursing. So I would think long and hard about the impact on your family. Does your DH have a job where he would be easily employed elsewhere? Do you feel comfortable working 80+ hour weeks? The life of a surgeon is not family friendly - doable, but not easy. Good luck.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2013 17:32     Subject: Re:Please crush my dreams: No med school for me, right?
Really? Thought biomed majors, while not tons but certainly not that rare, go onto med school. They tend to be pretty smart and wanted an even more challenge in undergrad.


He's a PhD, which may have made it harder to explain.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2013 16:43     Subject: Please crush my dreams: No med school for me, right?
Anonymous wrote:I would agree with taking the MCAT, and applying if you are happy with your scores. However, you are going to have to be prepared to explain why you decided on med school at this juncture. My husband had very good MCAT scores, but only got into one medical school. He faced a fair amount of skepticism as to why he wanted to be a doctor vs. using his existing degree in biomedical engineering.


Really? Thought biomed majors, while not tons but certainly not that rare, go onto med school. They tend to be pretty smart and wanted an even more challenge in undergrad.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2013 16:40     Subject: Please crush my dreams: No med school for me, right?
OP, it sounds like you're looking for a job where you will have room to grow- intellectually and creatively? NP or PA might be more realistic. Although, take the MCAT and if you can get in and work out the details, then go to med school.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2013 16:38     Subject: Please crush my dreams: No med school for me, right?
I would agree with taking the MCAT, and applying if you are happy with your scores. However, you are going to have to be prepared to explain why you decided on med school at this juncture. My husband had very good MCAT scores, but only got into one medical school. He faced a fair amount of skepticism as to why he wanted to be a doctor vs. using his existing degree in biomedical engineering.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2013 16:31     Subject: Please crush my dreams: No med school for me, right?
I'd also recommend that you consider an NP or PA program. And take the MCAT!
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2013 16:30     Subject: Please crush my dreams: No med school for me, right?
Op here: I'm typing with one hand while nursing so I apologize in advance for any typos.
Just to clarify a couple of things:

I don't see nursing as being less than all. My husband doesn't either. He thinks I should be a doctor because he knows I would love to be a surgeon.

I have not started nursing yet. I am finishing my pre-nursing reqs this semester.

I will look into the MCAT. It really may give me a good reality check.

Thanks everyone!
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2013 16:27     Subject: Please crush my dreams: No med school for me, right?
Also read "Call for the Midwife" all three books and watch the show. Very interesting. And very gross in parts which may turn you on or off nursing. And fun reading.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2013 16:03     Subject: Please crush my dreams: No med school for me, right?
Anonymous wrote:Op ...am I understanding correctly that you aren't in nursing school yet? If that's the case, I agree with others and take the MCAT. If you're almost done with nursing school, I say take the NCLEX and get the RN. Work for a little as an RN if you can. Even part time just to get a feel. I'm an RN and could never imagine being a doctor. I do way more than most people realize, interact with the patients more, and often times tell the DR. What med they need to give to a specific patient. Most doctors have no connection with their patient (also probably because of the floor I work on). It sounds like you don't know what you want exactly. Dentist, RN, NP,MD and pharmacist are all soooo different! !

But just to repeat, if you haven't started the courses for nursing, definitely take the MCAT.


Great advice, I concur, take the MCAT if you haven't begun nursing degree. But I would also really consider becoming an NP unless you want to go into a specialized kind of medicine (many of which have very poor quality of life, esp. since you have a family).
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2013 15:44     Subject: Please crush my dreams: No med school for me, right?
It's very difficult to get into med school, so you may not even get the choice. Taking the MCAT will give you a better idea if this is realistic for you.

Nursing has a lot of opportunities, and you can always get more education to pursue other challenges.

Why do you dream of becoming a doctor? Because it sounds impressive? Do you or DH look down at nursing as "less than"?

If so, you need to learn more about the nursing field because those kinds of comparisons are superficial and silly.




Anonymous
Post 02/03/2013 15:19     Subject: Please crush my dreams: No med school for me, right?
Op ...am I understanding correctly that you aren't in nursing school yet? If that's the case, I agree with others and take the MCAT. If you're almost done with nursing school, I say take the NCLEX and get the RN. Work for a little as an RN if you can. Even part time just to get a feel. I'm an RN and could never imagine being a doctor. I do way more than most people realize, interact with the patients more, and often times tell the DR. What med they need to give to a specific patient. Most doctors have no connection with their patient (also probably because of the floor I work on). It sounds like you don't know what you want exactly. Dentist, RN, NP,MD and pharmacist are all soooo different! !

But just to repeat, if you haven't started the courses for nursing, definitely take the MCAT.
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2013 13:23     Subject: Please crush my dreams: No med school for me, right?
I would be much happier being a nurse than a pharmacist or dentist, if those are my options. It's not all about the money.