<p>I am currently deciding between majoring in either Nursing or doing Pre-Med (the curriculum). I am really stuck right now! With nursing I know I would most likely have a job right after college, but I really want to become a doctor. What scares me is the cost of going to medical school and the competition when I get there. Should I stick to nursing and have an instant career or should I do pre-med and go to medical school? The length of medical school isn't my problem, it's that I wouldn't be making any salary during it. Please help! Thanks!</p>
<p>You can do nursing + ochem series + physics series. I remembered nursing at the school I graduated from already required a part of ochem. And then microbiology+lab and physiology+lab were already in the curriculum. Be creative.</p>
<p>Two important things to consider.
- Do you have a chance of making it into med school? You need a very strong GPA and good MCAT scores. There are far too many people chasing med school admission right now, so it’s an overly competitive environment. If you can’t see yourself succeeding here without fooling yourself into thinking that you’re a better candidate than you really are, I suggest you don’t even try. You’ll be disappointed either way, but it’s better to be disappointed with 4 more years and $X,000 less in debt.</p>
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<li>Is the debt worth the reward? Doctor wages are stagnant, and debts are rising. You’ll very possibly have to pay a third of your income in salary for 20 years to pay it back. Not worth it in the slightest, especially because any number of things can go wrong on the way there and leave you with debt but not enough salary. </li>
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<p>You’re concerned about the right things, and while you could pursue both options as was already recommended, if you don’t decide now then you’ll just have this same problem 2-3 years later. You know how motivated and how good at school you are, and you can easily look up the financials. I personally think that med school has become a prize not worth chasing, but it’s ultimately up to you to decide.</p>
<p>Thank you! I have a lot to work out in the next few months. The good things are that all of my top colleges have both good nursing programs and good pre-medicine programs at well. I understand the commitment that comes with Medical school and I think I have what it takes, but I hope that an undergraduate degree will help me decide first.</p>
<p>Have you thought about being a PA? Podiatrist? If you don’t get into medical school, you can go those routes too. I was going to get a PA or PhD until I was accepted to medical school. </p>
<p>Going to medical school is a good career, but it is a calling. I would do some deep soul searching to see if you really want to do it. Good luck! :)</p>
<p>If you are afraid of competition, then you need to know it doesn’t end in medical school. Medical doctors can be a little fanatical, and that’s why some people call it a “calling”. If you are wise with your money, you could be well on the road to financial freedom as a nurse by thirty. As an MD, you will probably still be in debt.</p>
<p>Have you of becoming a nurse practitioner? It’s the best of both worlds: all the powers of a doctor with no med school. It takes two years after undergrad.</p>
<p>Here’s what I would do (it’s essentially what I’m doing now). Don’t do nursing. Start by taking the pre-med courses that you need for med school. General bio, chem, A & P, and all that jazz. Then while you’re taking these classes, do some research on all the different directions you could go. Since the programs have the same courses, you could go in a number of directions–PA school, physical therapy, occupational therapy, etc., all while still having the option to go to med school. Hope this helps :)</p>
<p>I want to be a doctor aswell. I can’t imagine being anything other than a doctor and am willing to take the risk. Even if a medical school doesn’t accept you, if you major in something that has other career paths you can still do well. Personally, Nursing is best with a caregiver type personality and being a doctor is more competition, stress, time and responsibility. It comes down to what you want and where your passion is. Money is a factor, but don’t base your career too much on it. Think of all the med students, I’m betting a lot of them were scared just like you! </p>
I agree with LMcphil402. After nursing, you can either get a job or continue with the education. There are so many career choices in nursing alone; some of them pay 6 figure salaries after some additional studies.
The dropout rate for nursing is high in the first year and the third year (clinical). If you cannot pass nursing, then forget about pre-med.
Thank you for sharing ideas.
Did WhatShouldIDo1 ever state what they decided to do?