<p>I know several (I mean a TON) of senior girls that are planning to go to college for Nursing. On average, how many actually start and finish as a Nursing major?</p>
<p>Also, what weed-out courses separate the qualified from the not-so-qualified? Do nurse students have to take Organic Chemistry, Biology, etc.? </p>
<p>Is it possible to major in Nursing and then get accepted into Medical School?</p>
<p>My comments relate to 4 year BSN Nursing Programs. There are basically two types, direct entry and non-direct entry. In direct entry programs you are accepted as a freshman into the nursing program. In most of these programs there is not a “weed out” system in place although some students, usually relatively few, are not able to successfully complete the courses and are dismissed or withdraw from the program. The overall completion rate for direct entry programs is usually very high. In non-direct entry nursing programs students are admitted to a “nursing interest” or “pre-nursing track” and have to apply to the Nursing Program at the college for admission to the formal Nursing Major which begins in their Jr. year. Many of these non-direct nursing programs admit a lot more freshman to the pre-nursing track then they have places for in the nursing program which begins in the Jr. year. So students in these programs are competing with their freshman and sophomore peers for the available spaces. Usually GPA is the deciding factor. Those not accepted into the Nursing Program then have to select another major to continue in college at the school. </p>
<p>The first two years in college for both types of programs usually include (it varies by the curriculums at each school) at least one semester of biology, one semester of general chemistry, and often a second semester of physiological chemistry (not a formal Organic chemistry course), and usually a course in psychology and in some schools sociology. Nursing Program curriculums are not specifically designed to prepare students for med school admission. If you are interested in pursuing this you would have to take some additional courses that are usually required for med school (i.e. Possibly additional bio or chem courses, Organic chemistry, Physics, and possibly some others depending on the med school’s pre-admission criteria). This would usually require taking these courses in the summer or adding some time to your college education. Some nursing programs do have some modifications in their curriculums to help students who are interested in doing this but this needs to be coordinated with them right when you are starting in your freshman year. You would need to check with the nursing programs at the colleges you are interested in to see if they offer this It is my understanding that very few nursing majors pursue this course of action but it can be done. Hope this info is helpful. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>The curriculum of most nursing programs are available on their websites Here’s one example:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.ycp.edu/media/yorkwebsite/registrar/worksheets2013/nursing-bs_2013.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ycp.edu/media/yorkwebsite/registrar/worksheets2013/nursing-bs_2013.pdf</a></p>
<p>In that example, there is some organic chemistry. At some colleges with many hardcore pre-meds, organic chemistry is the weed-out class. Some colleges have nursing students take separate chemistry classes that are designed for them, while most other colleges mix nursing students with the general population. That second approach is only a problem at a college with many hardcore pre-meds. </p>
<p>If a nursing student is having to take science and other classes with hard core ultracompetitive premed students, it will be more stressful. That is one argument for a nursing student to not attend an extremely competitive college. The nursing classes and clinicals involve so much time and work, that is it nice to have some non-nursing classes that are not cut-throat.</p>
<p>Before it became difficult to be admitted to direct entry programs, I believe there was a much higher drop out rate.</p>
<p>If a student can do well in an AP bio program in high school, that is one test for how well they can handle nursing school. In a perfect world, they would also take a high level chem and anatomy class in high school.</p>
<p>It’s probably different from school to school. Here, it’s probably anatomy or chem. More likely than a single weed out course, however, is an overall GPA that isn’t good enough or a realization that the major is just hard work, harder than some want to commit to. </p>
<p>In my time in higher Ed, I’ve seen one student finish nursing and go to med school. She came back after the BSN to finish up the med school prereqs. The nursing major is really full, almost anywhere you go. Sure, you can major in anything and go to med school, but you need to take ALL the prereqs. Rumor has it those are increasing to include some biochem (so a third year of chemistry) and a few other science classes. Getting them all done would be very difficult (impossible at my school).</p>
<p>I’m familiar with two state schools in my region. At one, the program starts in the sophomore year and in the other it starts in the junior year. For the first, the pre-req courses are nutrition, biology, chemistry, psychology, and human devt. For the second, the pre-reqs are biology, chemistry, psychology, human devt, sociology, microbiology, anatomy, and physiology. So I suppose you could say those are the “weed-out” courses (though usually only 70% of the courses need to be completed before an app is submitted).</p>
<p>I’m in a traditional non-direct entry baccalaureate program.</p>
<p>What is a ‘weed out’ course really depends on the student. We had between 100 and 200 pre-nursing students in the lower level prerequisite courses, but there was only 25 spots in the nursing program. </p>
<p>In addition to liberal arts courses that were required for the first 2 years, we had to take Anatomy & Physiology I and II, General Chemistry I, Organic Chemistry I, Microbiology, and a Pathophysiology course. We lost a lot of people during A&P (especially II) and Organic Chem. Patho was such a weed-out course that we were advised to take it the summer before we entered the program, so that it wouldn’t be counted in our GPA when we submitted our application. </p>
<p>BSN courses usually aren’t sufficient for med school. You would probably have to come back after graduation and take the additional courses before you could apply. Your GPA may not be as high as you would like it for med school applications.</p>
<p>My question would be, why do you want to go to nursing school and then med school? Why not just major in biology or another subject, complete your premed track at the same time, and be able to go directly from undergrad to med school? It seems like majoring in nursing would cost you more money and time than is necessary.</p>
<p>i think the OP is probably contemplating the same alternative risks that so many weigh: go for it in PreHealth setting, but if you don’t make it, you may be in back of a long line for Grad Entry Nursing Programs; or, earn a BSN, but possibly regret that you didn’t attempt to shadow, participate in research, publish, volunteer, 3.5 your Core, 31+ the MCAT, have an extraordinary 1-2 gap years, have it all. And we all know Nurses who went back to become Physicians. But as many have indicated, the path is not without duplication of time, effort, resources. And simply read the threads on this site to understand how inaccurate statistics are on school websites advertised as great schools for PreMeds. I don’t agree however, that starting as a Nurse makes it less likely that down the line Med School AdComms will select you.
I think spending more time identifying distinct differences between the two vocations as early as possible helps a lot. Doing either requires a full and gutsy commitment, and one who chooses either is entitled to a deep sense of pride in accomplishment.</p>
<p>“I think spending more time identifying distinct differences between the two vocations as early as possible helps a lot. Doing either requires a full and gutsy commitment, and one who chooses either is entitled to a deep sense of pride in accomplishment.”</p>
<p>This. I would really think about why you want to go to nursing school and why you are interested in medical school.</p>
<p>Every so many months, someone asks about starting in nursing and moving to medicine. The bottom line is how doctors think and how nurses think. Medicine is treating disease. Nursing is promoting health. Doctors decide the big plan. Nurses figure out how to make it happen. It is all about knowing what kind of healthcare delivery gives you a charge. </p>
<p>If you have any thoughts of medicine, then get a 4 year degree in something premed. Try to get into med school and if you cannot then go for a post BS degree in nursing.</p>