Medicine right for me?

parentologist
Mon, 22 May 2023 12:40:17 +0000

These days, the only reason to go into medicine is if you have a calling for it, like the priesthood. If you passionately wanted to be a doctor, you’d know it already. If you’re not sure you’re up for the incredibly competitive and long hard slog, consider nursing, and going on for NP or “doctor” of nursing practice. It’s the easiest, cheapest, quickest way into practicing medicine independently. One tenth the training, non-competitive, and at the end of it you get to play at being a doctor. Pretty much the only thing that you wouldn’t be able to do is surgery or things that require hospital privileges. Anything that you decide to call yourself, you can hang out your shingle and do it in office.

You can get your RN at a community college program in 2 yrs, for about 10K. Then an 18 month RN to BSN program at a state college for another maybe 15K. Work for 2 years inpatient, preferably moving up to an ICU setting, although there are so many NP and DNP programs popping up that they may take you without your even having done any actual bedside nursing - there are even programs which are largely online. Do a 2 yr NP program. And voila! You’re an NP, you can practice medicine in many states unsupervised, and you did it for very little money, with no overnight work. In terms of life/health/work balance, and cost, it’s the obvious way to go.