I’m 23 and debating whether to pursue a master or nursing degree. If I do nursing, I will have to take 2-3 pre req classes to start Fall 09. I want to get into med school. I am retaking my MCAT this summer. I feel it will be too stressful to do both.
My parents want me to do nursing. I prefer nursing but it will interfere with my main goal: getting into med school Fall 2010. The master will fits perfectly with my plan. One of the reasons I want to do nursing is so I can be financially independent and to finance my med education when necessary.
I have bipolar and it has delayed my dream. It has made it difficult for me to prepare for the MCAT. Any one in or was in this situation PM.
My parents don’t believe I have this illness. They say I don’t want to study medicine and I using it as a cover up. My dad told me to do nursing and you can do medicine when you get older. He also made comments like you can’t do medicine,
I’m also 23 and I’m currently working on my master’s in public health. I think it was a good choice, but I don’t know enough about what nursing would require to say if it’d be better or not. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
Where are you doing your MPH?
Well, being untreated bipolar disorder would exclude you from any nursing programs here, I honestly think your first course of action is to get a proper diagnosis and treatment before you focus too much on other things. If you have bpd, it’s going to interfere with anything you attempt to do without proper treatment.
Just my two cents, but your health seems to be most important here vs, which program to take at the moment.
I’m getting treatment but it still interferes.
I’m at the University of Arizona.
Did you say you want to apply to med school for fall 2010? I ask because most master’s programs (and all the MPH programs I looked at) are 2-year programs so you wouldn’t have time to finish before starting med school. That may be a consideration.
A 1 year Master program
Nursing (school) isn’t really a good stepping stone directly into medicine. Of course you will learn relative information, but it is not focused on medicine, its focused on care and responses to treatment. The scientific/physiology aspect is limited and will give you little advantage. And your not going to be working in med school.
If your taking MCAT this summer, I’m assuming you have a bachelors with a good GPA, and all the volunteer experience, job shadowing, etc. that you need to apply, so why bother with anything else? if you get in to med school, then go for it. If not, a back-up like nursing sounds reasonable - perhaps work a few years as an RN, get your masters part time, get exposure to health care, work on your resume/requirements, then reapply; or try the PA route.
I don’t know the specifics of your situation, of course, and this advise may be way off - just some thoughts.
I am not sure what to do.