humerusbasterd Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 I had a chat with a medical student last week about his experiences with the process of going through his undergrad and applying to medical school. He is an RN, who entered medicine after he completed his degree. I am currently going through the process of acquiring my BScN, and he told me very bluntly not to ever "tell anyone in your program that you're planning on going to medical school". When I postulated getting in touch with some of the MDs teaching in the medicine program at the university we attend, his face became very grave and he warned me that many of the professors had an "unfavourable" view of nurses, and nursing in general. I have encountered this strange vibe from physicians whilst working as a nurse. But even stranger yet, I've encountered an even worse disposition from nurses themselves when I tell them that my goal is medicine. Why do doctors... for lack of a better word... 'hate' nurses? Why do nurses get all insecure-freaky when you mention the word "medicine"? I'm super terrified that this will affect my chances to get into medical school. I mean, if the professors teaching the courses don't react well to the idea of a nurse, then how can I possibly expect an adcom to? Do you think that my BScN will affect the decision of an adcom? I thank you for your consideration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bj89 Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 I had a chat with a medical student last week about his experiences with the process of going through his undergrad and applying to medical school. He is an RN, who entered medicine after he completed his degree.I am currently going through the process of acquiring my BScN, and he told me very bluntly not to ever "tell anyone in your program that you're planning on going to medical school". When I postulated getting in touch with some of the MDs teaching in the medicine program at the university we attend, his face became very grave and he warned me that many of the professors had an "unfavourable" view of nurses, and nursing in general. I have encountered this strange vibe from physicians whilst working as a nurse. But even stranger yet, I've encountered an even worse disposition from nurses themselves when I tell them that my goal is medicine. Why do doctors... for lack of a better word... 'hate' nurses? Why do nurses get all insecure-freaky when you mention the word "medicine"? I'm super terrified that this will affect my chances to get into medical school. I mean, if the professors teaching the courses don't react well to the idea of a nurse, then how can I possibly expect an adcom to? Do you think that my BScN will affect the decision of an adcom? I thank you for your consideration. you answered your own question maybe they think that you wasted someone's spot who could have became a working nurse? which i dont think is fair, because if you were good enough to get in, then you deserved that spot and can do whatever you want with it, we are autonomous people after all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Stark Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 Doctors don't hate nurses. I've heard lecturers, tutors, and preceptors deride orthopods, hematologists, surgeons in general, and others but never nurses or the nursing profession generally. The "worst" I've heard came from an Austrian anaesthesiologist who attributed some of the more ridiculous and arbitrary rules around OR attire outside the OR to the particular obsessions of nurses, but that's about it. Your BScN will not affect the decision of an adcom, except that it will almost certainly be taken as a sign of firsthand knowledge of health care and, indeed, medicine. That said, there is certainly some degree of professional rivalry, something evidenced in debates about scopes of practice, the role of nurse practitioners, and the like. I imagine the "insecure-freaky" nurses feel a bit offended at the idea of using their training as a stepping stone to medicine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xi88 Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 When I was working in a research lab, I was also advised not to tell people I wanted to apply for med. The reason was that my end goal was to leave the lab, so the professor would have to spend the time and money to train someone new when I left. As for nursing, I agree that other nurses may be upset because you are aiming for medicine, which means that you took a spot that someone else who wanted to be a nurse could have gotten. This is similar to people applying into med from pharmacy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medisforme Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 I wouldn't say you don't have to tell anyone (in the nursing profession) your desire to enter medicine but you have to be very, very selective about those you do tell. You have to feel them out first to see if they would seem to be ok with that info. I have been an RN since 2005 and I have only told 2 nurses since then about my desire to enter medicine, the only reason I told them was to get a reference letter from them. Having experience in both acute care and community health I would say that your description of the tenuous relationship between nurses and physicians exists much more in the acute care setting compared to the community. Nurses and physicians in the community tend to be much more laid back and less uptight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lord1986 Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 I'm exactly in the same boat. And it is true that you have to be very selective with whom you will tell. So far, only 2 of my friends in the nursing program know about it~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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