Hello all. I have been reading posts on here for about a week now and finally decided it was time to enlist the opinions of others. Obviously, my ultimate decision is up to me and me alone, but any wisdom I can get is much appreciated. Here’s my situation; I am a 29 year old happily married mother of 4! After years of feeling lost I decided to go back to school. I enrolled at my local community college in January and to my surprise I manage to have a solid 4.00 GPA. Even with completing over 19 credit hours for the spring term. My problem is deciding what path to pursue. I’m currently a pre-nursing major and just completed my CNA certification. I had the intent of applying to the BSN at my local 4 year university this coming spring. I’m not sure I’m happy with my decision so far. Truth is I want to be a doctor so bad and I’m scared I’m choosing nursing out of fear. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to be a nurse, but I don’t think I’m as in love with the idea of nursing as I am medical school. I feel like I just met the love of my life every time I think about becoming a doctor, it’s such a high and it’s been that way since I was younger. I go back and fourth with my options constantly and I’m driving my self nuts, completely nuts actually. My husband is super supportive and tells me to go for it, but I’m terrified of failing. I know I’m super early into my undergrad career, but I really can’t decide if I should drop the BSN plan of action. I don’t want to major in nursing and turn around and apply to medical school directly after, I wouldn’t feel right about taking a spot away from a student who really wants to be a nurse more than me. Does it make more since to just change my major to biology? I’ve thought of just becoming a NP in the long run, but again it doesn’t give me the thrill that being a doctor does. I’m sorry for such a long rant, I’m just confused and frustrated with myself…HELP!!!
Hi! I may be wrong but it seems to me from your post that you have already answered the question - you want to be a doctor! I would personally counsel against going for the nursing degree --I think I would suggest switching to biology or whatever else will let you take the prereqs and some upper level science courses. Applying to med school as a BSN but without experience is NOT helpful. Also, you may not realize it, but many nursing programs have a different set of grading criteria. Generally 80 is a C, and is minimum for passing a nursing course. Often 85 or 86 is a B and 95 is an A, so being a nursing major can artificially deflate your GPA. You might double check at the nursing program you are interested in.
I was a Certified Nurse Midwife (which I was happy with for many years), and a LOT of the people in my program were already OB-GYN Nurse Practitioners (basically the SAME content except they can’t do deliveries). They had to complete a second masters degree to do what they really wanted to do from the beginning. That’s a lot of effort, time and money. I think you should do what your heart most desires -and it sounds like that is medicine.
You say you got great grades even carrying 19 credits – that sounds promising!
I’d try to shadow some doctors and really confirm for yourself if medicine is your passion.
Kate
Thank you for the feedback! I applied to Northern Kentucky University today! I applied for my BS in Biochemistry. I was so excited when I seen this option, I wasn’t 100% thrilled with the thought of the general biology route. I have to say when I selected biochemistry/pre-medicine on that application and hit apply, I had this sudden flush of pride and adrenaline as well as joy and fear! It was a crazy feeling, but it felt right. I hope I made the right decision…
I’m glad it felt right! Congrats on submitting!
Kate
I too am an BSN/RN and 100% agree with Kate. My GPA is deflated because my mom went on hospice during my 2nd semester of my nursing school and I got a bad grade on one exam due to that (she passed shortly afterwards), dropping me from a B to a C. In addition, we had a terrible clinical instructor who NEVER EVER did psych nursing and rode us hard because SHE didn’t know her head from her tail and put so much pressure on us to do these 15+ page care plans on stuff I’d NEVER do now as an experienced nurse, especially in an ED.
As for shadowing, I’d go to an ED, to which I am an ED nurse. I always tell everyone this because you WILL see the worst and the best of everyone. I’ll give you an example, I could not get an IV start on this pt that had a real lot of adipose tissue and the family member lost her mind, told me she’s calling the hospital administrator on me because she’s NEVER seen an IV done that way and wouldn’t look me in the eye afterwards and demanded another nurse 
, which I gladly found one to give to her. I’ve done more IV’s than I can count but excess adipose tissue does inhibit the ability to get good access.
Then, I had the kindest pt that was grateful I wheeled them out to their car and hugged me and told me that I’m the kindest nurse they’d ever met and she is a retired nurse.
So, please shadow in an ED because you WILL see the worst/best of everyone.