Accelerated Nursing Applying To Medicine

[runner983 0]

Hi Everyone, 

 

This forum is for anyone that is in thinking of applying to the accelerated nursing program/accepted into the accelerated nursing program/completed the nursing program AND is then thinking of applying to medical school/accepted/currently in medical school or completed medical school.

 

I would appreciate any advice from anyone that completed the accelerated nursing program and applied to medical school. What are your thoughts about taking this path? Did this path work with you? And how are the nursing credits accepted into Med Schools specifically Ontario Schools. 

 

 

[runner983 0]

So I guess I will start

 

I have been accepted into the McMaster accelerated nursing program and I am at a cross road of deciding to do the program and applying to medical school after my 1st year or instead do 1 year of undergrad and get a double major in psychology. I recently decided to apply to medical school (this was after I sent in my application to nursing) after spending this year doing clinical research at the hospital and working along side Doctors, it was at that point that I wanted to make the same impact on patients. 

 

My biggest concern of taking the accelerated nursing program is that will the credits be accepted when applying to medical school and will medical schools frown upon having a nursing program. Would they think why aren't you doing nursing instead? Also what is the average in program and is it possible to do well ( I would definitely work hard to get a high GPA but if it is nearly impossible to do well then that would be concerning). 

 

So I would really appreciate any advice. I have definitely gained a lot from reading everyone else's responses. 

[aventurine 0]

Hi there, I am in an accelerated nursing program currently. I had no intentions to pursue med when I started, but now I want to give it a shot just to see what happens.

 

I would only take nursing if you truly want to become a nurse at the end. Think about if you never make it into medical school, will you be bitter and jealous of all the docs you are working with? That cannot be a healthy way to spend your career. It takes a lot of passion and stamina to be a good nurse. 

 

I cannot speak to McMaster, but nursing school is mentally and emotionally exhausting. Also, it is NOT a good GPA booster. It is nearly impossible to come out with above a 3.7 due to the subjectivity. Two people out of ~220 made it on the dean's list this past year. I know some schools don't consider nursing the same amount of credits because there are too many pass/fail courses, so you would have to check with the schools you are interested in. 

 

Really reflect on why you applied to nursing in the first place, and if you can see yourself happy in that career then go for it. As for medical schools frowning upon nursing, there have been a couple of people in my program get accepted and I know of many nurses who are in medical school currently. 

[runner983 0]

Hi there, I am in an accelerated nursing program currently. I had no intentions to pursue med when I started, but now I want to give it a shot just to see what happens.

 

I would only take nursing if you truly want to become a nurse at the end. Think about if you never make it into medical school, will you be bitter and jealous of all the docs you are working with? That cannot be a healthy way to spend your career. It takes a lot of passion and stamina to be a good nurse. 

 

I cannot speak to McMaster, but nursing school is mentally and emotionally exhausting. Also, it is NOT a good GPA booster. It is nearly impossible to come out with above a 3.7 due to the subjectivity. Two people out of ~220 made it on the dean's list this past year. I know some schools don't consider nursing the same amount of credits because there are too many pass/fail courses, so you would have to check with the schools you are interested in. 

 

Really reflect on why you applied to nursing in the first place, and if you can see yourself happy in that career then go for it. As for medical schools frowning upon nursing, there have been a couple of people in my program get accepted and I know of many nurses who are in medical school currently.

 

I appreciate your advice and for letting me know about your experiences. I will take it into consideration

[vbear 14]

Hi there, I am in an accelerated nursing program currently. I had no intentions to pursue med when I started, but now I want to give it a shot just to see what happens.

 

I would only take nursing if you truly want to become a nurse at the end. Think about if you never make it into medical school, will you be bitter and jealous of all the docs you are working with? That cannot be a healthy way to spend your career. It takes a lot of passion and stamina to be a good nurse. 

 

I cannot speak to McMaster, but nursing school is mentally and emotionally exhausting. Also, it is NOT a good GPA booster. It is nearly impossible to come out with above a 3.7 due to the subjectivity. Two people out of ~220 made it on the dean's list this past year. I know some schools don't consider nursing the same amount of credits because there are too many pass/fail courses, so you would have to check with the schools you are interested in. 

 

Really reflect on why you applied to nursing in the first place, and if you can see yourself happy in that career then go for it. As for medical schools frowning upon nursing, there have been a couple of people in my program get accepted and I know of many nurses who are in medical school currently. 

Thank you as well for your input. After 2 unsuccessful application cycles (and a year of serious consideration) I'm starting the Accelerated Nursing program in September. From what I've heard about this program, it is, for the most part, exactly as you described.

 

One thing to add. If anyone is unsuccessful, or decides to leave the "rat race" that is med school applications, going into the field of nursing doesn't have to end with a career as an RN, though if that is your passion go for it . A career as a Nurse practitioner, as far as I can tell, is very rewarding from both the abilities and responsibilities that they share with MD's, and also the fact that NP's work as an independent unit much like MD's do. I know for certain that here in New Brunswick when someone is put on a list to find a Family Physician, they can be referred to a NP instead.  

 

With all that said, I'm definitely not trying to discourage anyone from continuing to apply to medicine, keep at it if medicine really is your passion! 

I know for some, like myself, who look forward to a career examining patients, ordering tests and writing prescriptions, being unsuccessful in your medical school application can be a bummer. Hopefully anyone reading this can gain some comfort knowing there is another option that is similar to a career as an MD. 

 

Sorry for the rant, and please feel free to correct me on anything! 

[cbj12 10]

Hey guys! 

 

I am in my first month of an accelerated nursing program. I entered the program due to the high demand for nurses, career mobility, helping nature of the profession, fascination with both physical and mental health, and for the opportunity to think critically and be stimulated intellectually while on the job. I contemplated applying to medical school during my first undergraduate degree and took a stab at the MCAT, however, l ended up pursuing other opportunities after graduation. 

 

Now that I am back in school and am being exposed to clinical environments I am finding myself seriously considering medicine again. However, I feel like I could find an area of nursing that I would find fulfilling as well. I had a competitive GPA during my first undergraduate degree so I'm hoping that this program doesn't lower it. However, I am disappointed in the quality of the education I am receiving thus far. The instructors are disorganized and unfocused during lecture, often going on tangents. Moreover expectations for assignments aren't clearly communicated and consequently marking and grading, like previous posters have said, is VERY subjective. 

It's great to see there are other people out their taking the accelerated nursing program and still considering pursuing medicine. What schools do you intend on applying to? Have you looked into the application process at all?

 

[jpd1234 0]

Hey @cbj12, 

 

I am also in my first month of an accelerated nursing program and I couldn't agree more with what you said. I've very quickly realized that nursing is not the career for me, and if anything it has made me even more motivated to do well on the MCAT and get into medicine!

 

Do you know how med schools look at marks for an accelerated nursing program, if at all? I am thinking of applying to western, mac and queens depending on how my nursing marks are looked at. 

[cbj12 10]

Hey!

I know it depends on the school you apply to. A lot of schools require that you have a full course load each semester and don't count clinical courses. Therefore, if a school requires five courses per semester and one of your courses is a clinical course, they would see that as four courses and therefore your application wouldn't be considered. 

 

I assume your first undergraduate degree could still be used for the application process if the nursing degree is ineligible! But I would love to hear from someone who was admitted to medical school after having completed the accelerated program to see how the school evaluated their clinical courses!

[nurseofalltrades 10]

I had recently completed my BScN with York University, and had been passively looking into medical school throughout... however, the pre-reqs that are required for medical school are beyond what a nursing education can give you. Despite the obviously advantageous nature of a nursing undergraduate program to prepare oneself for medical school, it misses out on the chemistry and the *actual* biology credits required. As much as I want to pursue medical school, currently being 28 years old, I don't feel like going back for chemistry and biology credits, time to prep for the MCAT, and the application cycle, just so I can spend upwards of 9-10 years extra to start my career doesn't sound favourable. 

 

... Off to do my MScN and PHC-NP instead!