Confused 1st year nursing student

[kapers]

Hi there:

 

I'm currently studying first year nursing for a BScN. During Gr 12 I wrestled constantly with the decision between a biology/biochem degree and nursing, which I hadn't really considered until late during uni applications. It came down to picking between these two programs (chosen for proximity to home and scholarship money) and I choose nursing. However I wasn't entirely convinced one way or another. But, for me, first semester nursing was nothing at all to complain about. I did enjoy it, and am doing very well in it. I enjoy the subject matter, the clinicals, and the focus on health care.

Coming out of high school I was sure I wanted to to pursue a career in the health professions- most likely as an advanced practice nurse or doctor. After a semester of nursing, among other things, I know that I want to pursue medicine as a primary goal, and not simply as an afterthought. Suggestions on how to go on from here?? I'm thinking about finishing the nursing degree, and then doing a 5th year where I'd study prereqs to write the MCAT. Is this kind of plan possible? Is it foolish? How many years minimum on top of of the 4 year nursing program would this add to my premed education? (seeing as I'd need to do another academic year of study, then apply to med schools, then go thru the application process . . .)

 

Any advice, especially from nurses who made the switch to medicine, would be appreciated!

[The Law]

Hi Kapers,

 

I have a friend (who's also on this forum and might reply if she sees this), who's also applying to medicine from nursing. It's definitely possible! You might even like to take the MCAT pre-requisites over the summer sometime, and that might help you save time... for example...

 

1st year summer - chem + physics

2nd year summer - orgo

3rd year summer - write the mcat before applying

 

Also, when you are in third year - you may want to apply to McMaster (which currently has no pre-requisites) and no MCAT requirement.

 

I don't know if you are taking chem during the year sometime, but if you could fit it in and take organic chem sometime before summer of 2nd year - you could write the MCAT in the summer of your second year (giving you 2 shots at the test rather than just one before 4th year).

[leviathan]

Some universities will allow you to take electives during the nursing program, and/or REQUIRE you to do your basic sciences. It is after all a Bachelor of SCIENCE in nursing degree.

 

I'd highly recommend you stick with nursing. It will give you a very rewarding, high paying career to work in as a backup to medicine. You can also work part-time while doing your med school/MCAT pre-reqs, since it sounds like your degree doesn't cover them already. If you enjoy nursing, your GPA will also be high to reflect this, and it will help your application. I'm assuming you're taking this at a university, right? Lastly, it will give you a very in-depth experience in health care which will allow you to make the right decision. Medicine is not for everyone, and some people might prefer the nursing approach to patient care but never get a chance to see both sides.

[kapers]

Yep, I am taking the degree at a university. Unfortunately the program has very few options (only 3 one-semester courses in the entire 4 years), and doesn't cover any of the specific prereqs I think I need. For example, I'm taking chem, but its the 'health sciences' option, not regular general chem I course. In addition to have so few options, the summer after year two and the summer after year three each have four weeks of full time clinical . . . not alot of time to do extra courses.

 

The Law, I have another question- when you say to take organic, for example, during a summer, I'm confused. Don't you need two semesters each of physics, chem, organic, and general bio? Or do you mean to suggest that one take the equivalent of 2 semesters during that one summer? Thanks.

[Anne Berndl]

A nursing degree will give you the advantage of knowing what interacting with patients, being around sick people and feeling some of the stresses of medicine in general are like, an experience that other applicants to medicine may not have had.

It is also a professional degree which will allow you to work right after graduation, and you may even find that you have fallen in love with nursing and would prefer to do that over medicine!

 

I do know many people who have successfully applied to medicine out of nursing, so you will not be coming out of left field.

 

Some things to consider, though:

 

I agree that you will very likely want to take the prerequisites for medical school, which often includes but is not limited to Biology, Chemistry, Orgo, Calculus and some sort of humanity or social sciences. This really does vary by school, and you will likely want to cast your net as far as possible.

 

Of note, however, Calgary, Western, McMaster, Northern Ontario and Dalhousie do not have any prerequisite courses, whereas all other Canadian medical schools do. So you may be able to get away with not taking these courses specifically to apply, but you may want to take them to prepare for the MCAT ( which includes physics, calculus, chemistry, organic chemistry and biology).

Ottawa and Northern Ontario do not require the MCAT, and McMaster requires only the verbal reasoning section. So If you were to take no extra courses other than your nursing degree, you may be prepared to apply to McMaster and Northern Ontario.

 

One thing to keep in mind for when you are interviewing is that you are bound to be asked,“so why don’t you want to be a nurse?”, so be prepared with an excellent answer.

 

I wish you the best of luck and if you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Anne Berndl

[avenir001]

The Law, I have another question- when you say to take organic, for example, during a summer, I'm confused. Don't you need two semesters each of physics, chem, organic, and general bio? Or do you mean to suggest that one take the equivalent of 2 semesters during that one summer? Thanks.

 

summer terms are shorter...eg term I = may-june...term II = july-aug.

[leviathan]

Just a comment that the question of "why not be a nurse" is often asked to everyone, especially when they give the comment that they want to "help people" or other related generic answers to why they want to be a physician. I think nurses are able to answer that question better than anyone else, having worked as a nurse and interacted with physicians and other allied health care staff.

[NLengr]

Of note, however, Calgary, Western, McMaster, Northern Ontario and Dalhousie do not have any prerequisite courses, whereas all other Canadian medical schools do. So you may be able to get away with not taking these courses specifically to apply, but you may want to take them to prepare for the MCAT ( which includes physics, calculus, chemistry, organic chemistry and biology).

 

Memorial would be in the same boat. The only pre-req is a year of English, which is required for most degrees anyway.

[kapers]

Thank you Dr. Anne, and everyone, for the great suggestions/advice!

 

I do have another question though. I know that with my bio, chem, organic, and physics I still won't have fulfilled the prereqs for many canadian schools. But say I only applied to Western, Mac, Dal, Queen's, Memorial, and Northern Ontario (b/c they either don't have prereqs, or they require courses I would have covered/could easily cover). Do you think this wouldn't be "casting my net" far enough?

[NLengr]

Thank you Dr. Anne, and everyone, for the great suggestions/advice!

 

I do have another question though. I know that with my bio, chem, organic, and physics I still won't have fulfilled the prereqs for many canadian schools. But say I only applied to Western, Mac, Dal, Queen's, Memorial, and Northern Ontario (b/c they either don't have prereqs, or they require courses I would have covered/could easily cover). Do you think this wouldn't be "casting my net" far enough?

 

If you do bio, chem, orgo and physics you should have most of the schools covered I would think (if not all of them).

 

Whether it's enough schools to apply to depends on the strength of your application, your prov. of residence, your background, your personal situation. For example, I applied for 4 schools. Some people in my class only applied for a single school. Some applied for 9 or 10. Some of us were offered multiple spots, some of us where offered only 1. It's highly variable.

 

OOP schools as a rule are going to be much harder to get into then IP schools (except Northern Ont. for Ontarians. It is pretty much OOP if you aren't from the North). For instance MUN had 525+ applicants last year for 8 OOP spots. Dal had 425+ for 9 spots. So you need to look at them differently then your IP schools.