Read the latest issue online Battling against the odds. Mimi Launder 11 Feb Nurses could retrain as doctors in less than five years under government proposals that would make it easier for healthcare professionals to switch disciplines. Nurses could retrain as doctors in less than five years under government proposals that would make it easier for healthcare professionals to retrain as a doctor or nurse.
Maybe becoming a physician was always top of your priorities list but nursing was the more advantageous option in terms of financial investment, length of study, ease in entering the workforce and starting to make money. Maybe you kept advancing your nursing education, and now, while a proud possessor of an MSN degree, you are still craving more. Or probably you just want to advance your career and step into a more independent type of practice. But can you do it? Is it worth it? Is becoming a Medical Doctor the best career path for you?
While we cannot make the decision for you, we can give you all the facts. Making a career switch from a Registered Nurse to a Medical Doctor is, by all means, a complicated and slightly intimidating process.
Although during the last few years more nurses are choosing to transition into a medical career, over a decade ago, the healthcare field was less accepting of RNs leaving bedside care becoming physicians. It may be because the approaches to offering care for doctors and nurses are almost inherently different.
Some would argue that the MDs have a different approach to healthcare, a separate set of objectives and that the clear delineation between the responsibilities of doctors and nurses is what saves lives.
After all, the clinical training gained as RNs, their bedside manner, compassion, and empathy can go a long way and make them better professionals in the healthcare field, regardless if the abbreviation on their resume reads RN or MD. We have already mentioned that going from Registered Nurse to Medical Doctor is no walk in the park.
But what actually is the process? How does one start and what educational requirements need to be fulfilled? If your previous degree is in a non-science field, pay closer attention to the prerequisites you may have to complete.
Are you considering advancing your education and finally pursuing that BSN degree? The average MCAT score accepted by most medical schools is around , but many programs will require higher average scores, with some Ivy Leagues not accepting candidates with scores lower than However, getting an average, or even above-average MCAT score, may not be enough on its own. Completing certain prerequisites may also be a condition.
Although few Registered Nurses RN choose the path of medical doctor MD , those who do can find a rewarding and lucrative career at the head of the healthcare food chain. Nurses have a greater insight into the world of medicine, the hospital and clinical environment, and the interprofessional relationships required in medicine, than do most medical students. It is not uncommon for medical students coming into the clinical settings to not have past healthcare experience.
For example, in addition to their clinical rotations in nursing school, most nurses have spent several years in a hospital or emergency department ED setting prior to starting medical school. Conversely, as medical schools typically do not require prior healthcare experience, most medical students have limited-to-no exposure to a clinical environment. However, being a nurse does not suffice for the required education and testing that is required to be admitted into medical school.
That said, nurses who are veterans or active duty with the military typically have specialized pathways to medical school admittance, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges AAMC.
Nurses with a BSN will most likely have already completed basic anatomy, chemistry, and physiology. More in-depth course work is required for consideration to a medical school program. Most schools require a Bachelor of Science B.
For many programs, applicants must provide evidence of these core characteristics:. This is accomplished by letters of recommendation and through interviews directly with the institution. Applicants to medical school must also sit for an examination called the Medical College Admissions Test MCAT that will test the comprehension and knowledge acquired in the above courses.
As of the model, an average MCAT score is whereas scores of students attending Ivy League colleges such as Harvard Medical School have an average score of However, MCAT score alone does not guarantee one a spot in an accredited medical program and this is where the nurse may have the advantage.
Most medical schools are seeking candidates with a well-rounded background in all areas. Nurses who have a solid GPA for their bachelor's degree, required premedical coursework, average MCAT scores and letters of recommendation still have an ace in the hole: their proven ability to work on a team in a diversified and highly stressful environment.
These are the characteristics being sought by affluent educational institutions such as Johns Hopkins University Medical School. In this age of technology and simulation, there are more and more online medical school programs available to potential students.
For example, Oceania University offers programs that have online didactic coursework combined with clinical rotations throughout the country. University of South Florida also offers an online medical school option through their Morsani College of Medicine.
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