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Will I be respected in the medical field as a nurse?
I have always wanted to be a nurse but every time I tell someone that they ask, “Why not a doctor?” And while I have no answer of why I don’t want to be a doctor, I’m worry as a nurse I won’t be respected in the medical field but only thought of being, “too dumb to be a doctor”
#nurse-practitioner #doctor #medicine
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Corky’s Answer
Everyone’s career path is different. If your dream is to become a nurse, then do just that. Choosing between a career in nursing or a career in medicine is not dictated by your level of intelligence but by your passion and desire. Never let the opinion of others create self-doubt.
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Amaan’s Answer
Hi Adalynn,
There's nothing wrong with pursuing nursing over medicine. For many people, there is a massive financial hurdle you have to hop in order to become a physician (average debt after medical school is $190k). Nursing offers the chance for you to hop through different specialties - I know many nurses that have switched from Emergency to Cardio or Gastro clinics. With medicine, you're stuck with a specialty you match into (unless you want to go back to residency and spend another 4-10 years training for another specialty).
The biggest pro nursing has over medicine is that you don't take call (no late nights in the hospital with a pager) and you don't take your work home with you. Additionally, nurses don't have to spend over 8 years in school/training to get a full salary.
I have the utmost respect for the nurses I work with, and the physicians also take advice from them at times due to their experiences. As many say, nurses are usually the most memorable people a patient interacts with.
You need to reflect on your priorities as a future healthcare professional and ask yourself why you want to be a nurse. Once you find that answer, you'll be able to silence the doubters. You can also consider the differences in school/opportunity cost I mentioned above and use those to supplement your reflection.
I HIGHLY recommend shadowing a nurse in your area in order to see if nursing is a good fit for you.
There's nothing wrong with pursuing nursing over medicine. For many people, there is a massive financial hurdle you have to hop in order to become a physician (average debt after medical school is $190k). Nursing offers the chance for you to hop through different specialties - I know many nurses that have switched from Emergency to Cardio or Gastro clinics. With medicine, you're stuck with a specialty you match into (unless you want to go back to residency and spend another 4-10 years training for another specialty).
The biggest pro nursing has over medicine is that you don't take call (no late nights in the hospital with a pager) and you don't take your work home with you. Additionally, nurses don't have to spend over 8 years in school/training to get a full salary.
I have the utmost respect for the nurses I work with, and the physicians also take advice from them at times due to their experiences. As many say, nurses are usually the most memorable people a patient interacts with.
You need to reflect on your priorities as a future healthcare professional and ask yourself why you want to be a nurse. Once you find that answer, you'll be able to silence the doubters. You can also consider the differences in school/opportunity cost I mentioned above and use those to supplement your reflection.
Amaan recommends the following next steps:
Updated
amulya’s Answer
If you have always wanted to be a nurse, then please chase your dreams. Don't think who thinks what about you. Believe in chasing your dreams. Also, may i know why do you think you are too dumb to be a doctor? :)
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