Can I get into med school with a nursing degree?
By
Jaimar Tuarez
In this post we are going to answer the question ‘’Can I get into med school with a nursing degree?’’ We will introduce you to the relationship between nursing and medicine, their differences, and the advantages and disadvantages of entering medical school with a nursing degree.
Can I get into med school with a nursing degree?
Yes, you can get into med school with a nursing degree.
Nursing and medicine are two careers that always create doubts in students who can’t quite see which one they identify with the most. Although in university careers there is the possibility of “passing” from one to another validating subject, we will see that there are differences between the passage from nursing or the passage from medicine.
Many students start studying nursing and realize that their vocation is medicine. Others instead have the reflection hires, going from medicine to nursing.
We are facing two of the careers in the health area most demanded by students, and in which more “transfers” of students occur. For this reason, some doubts are raised about the validations and requirements that we will try to answer in this article.
Nursing degree
According to the World Health Organization, Nursing is based on caring for people of any age, group or community in any circumstance. It also deals with the promotion of health and the prevention of diseases.
In the Nursing career, students are prepared based on a comprehensive knowledge for work in the care and attention of patients, to apply treatments and carry out the report of progress to doctors, who prescribe the tasks that a specialist in Nursing performs.
Throughout the course, issues such as the structure, function and behavior of the human body are studied, as well as the factors and mechanisms that cause diseases.
What does a Nurse do?
The nurse’s main activity is the care and attention of the patient, as well as the assistance of the MD (medical doctor) in simple procedures (It can be to put a bandage) to the most complex (such as open heart surgery), then a series of activities that you can do if you decide to study nursing.
In hospitals: Many call it the main line of fire, it is where first aid is given to the sick and tests and examinations are carried out and they ensure the control and hygiene of the patient and medical history.
Administration and application of medications: They ensure that the patient receives their medications in a timely manner, as well as the correct doses of them, obviously I am not talking about administering the intake of aspirin, I am referring to applications of medical treatments that require the strict application of a professional.
Preparatory procedures: Prepare patients for medical interventions, for example before surgery.
Assistant in surgical interventions: They support the intubation and preparation of materials.
During emergencies: I will not go into details, but this is where many decide not to study this career, I talk about the most horrible things that can happen to a human, yes, you will be one of the first to come to their aid.
Deliveries: You can get to perform low-risk deliveries, or support before, during and after delivery.
Care of the elderly: At present, there is a lot of work field in the care of the elderly, this due to the care that degenerative diseases and old age require.
Do you realize? The activities can be diverse and involve a lot of knowledge, theoretical and practical, I repeat, it is not an easy career.
What is the job field of a nurse?
Graduates of the Nursing career are trained to work in any field of health, whether in the public or private sector. Among the prominent sectors in which a Nurse can work are hospitals, clinics, health centers or doctors’ offices. They also have the possibility of teaching from the knowledge of the profession that they have for future professionals in the sector.
On the other hand, they can perform autonomously, for example, through private home care of treatments or for the care and therapeutic care of patients.
Some of the establishments in which they can work are:
- Health care or service companies or departments
- Residences or day centers
- Rehabilitation centers
- Emergency services
- Educational establishments or nurseries
- Research institutions
So, can I get into med school with a nursing degree?
1,034 students with undergraduate degrees in nursing attended medical school between 2010 and 2014, according to the American Association of Medical Schools, and 319 nurses were enrolled.
In specific areas, such as family, intensive care or psychiatry, nurses may go on to become doctors or advanced practice nurses. Such paths are not merely a transition within the same field, but a major change in one’s role in medicine. The orders of a physician are implemented by nurses, while physicians and nurse practitioners produce the orders.
Usually, nurses make outstanding doctors because they have invested a lot of time cultivating finely tuned abilities at the bedside in studying, engaging with, and caring for patients. Nurses are trained in medical terminology, teamwork and hospital culture.
Nurses also have professional skills, such as IV placement and conversion of drugs, which fit them well in medical school. Compassion and patience are exercised by nurses, and both are invaluable qualities for a doctor.
Of course, one of the advantages of taking a nursing degree is that you will meet the requirements demanded by the med school: such as classes in biology, chemistry, physics, biochemistry, etc.
Nursing or medicine?
Medicine and Nursing are the two health disciplines that are responsible for one of the most important and at the same time delicate aspects of society: preserving people’s health. These are two branches of knowledge that, despite being different, need each other to fulfill their common purpose.
And it is that Medicine needs Nursing. And Nursing needs Medicine. Thanks to this joint work that takes place in hospitals and other health centers, we know that, when we fall ill, we are in good hands, since professionals in both fields have very extensive knowledge about ways to protect human health.
Doctors and nurses share the tasks within the hospital. Both work together and complement each other perfectly, but their functions are different.
A doctor, although highly dependent on the specialty he practices, has basically two objectives: to diagnose and to treat. T
his means that they have the necessary training to, when a person arrives with a health problem, know as soon as possible what is happening to them and, based on this, offer the treatments they need, from prescribing an anti-inflammatory to offering chemotherapy, passing for vascular surgeries or for interventions to resolve traumatic injuries.
A nurse, on the other hand, offers all the services that the patient may need before, during and after passing through the hands of doctors, both in the purely health and in the human side.
This involves conducting preliminary health examinations, keeping detailed records of your progress, offering assistance to physicians, providing postoperative care to patients, administering (not prescribing) oral and intravenous medication, maintaining a pleasant environment in the hospital, take samples, carry out diagnostic imaging tests, communicate with the patient and family …
Different approaches
We say that Medicine takes an analytical approach since doctors must diagnose as early as possible what happens to us in order to also treat us in the fastest way.
Although there are doctors who are closer, they are instructed to be as objective as possible. Diagnose and treat. That is the approach they take.
Nursing, on the other hand, by not focusing so much on the diagnosis or treatment of diseases, but on patient care after having passed through the hands of doctors, must work much more on that human and emotional side.
They spend a lot of time in contact with patients (more than doctors), listening to their fears and going through difficult times, so they need this more empathic and close approach.
But that does not mean that it is only doctors who preserve people’s health. Both are essential to achieve this, what we say is that, within the preservation and care of patients, doctors tend to have a more analytical approach and nurses, a more emotional one.
Conclusion
It must be taken into account that the functions of a nurse are different from those of a doctor, so before carrying out these changes, it is necessary to bear in mind the characteristics of each profession and the personal objectives of each one. In both professions it is necessary to have a high degree of vocation.
Taking this into account will be essential so that the university career does not frustrate you and you can develop professionally in the most satisfactory way.
Studying medicine is a fantastic option but you have to take into account the “sacrifice” that many students must make.
We are talking about one of the most difficult and complex careers, and where the responsibility of the professional is fundamental. It is also true that it is one of the most rewarding professions for all the good they can do in society.
Nursing, although its curriculum is more basic than medicine, is a career with many opportunities and whose professionals are in demand in all types of hospitals and health centers around the world.
Furthermore, the conditions of a nurse are very good, and it is one of the most satisfying careers in that sense.
As we have seen, we must be clear about which career we are passionate about, and which one we identify with the most.
The passage from one another does not have any complications in case of mistake, but it must be taken into account that from medicine to nursing we will have several validated subjects, and we will not lose a semester of studies in this way.
Our recommendation is that you think a lot and reflect on what is the career you want to do and what will make you happier, but in case of doubt, perhaps you can try the first year of medicine since you can always go to the nursing degree without complications and being able to have contrasted your doubts.
FAQS: Can I get into med school with a nursing degree?
Is nursing a good major for medical school?
For instance, an undergraduate bachelor’s degree in nursing may not meet the criteria for medical school in physics, organic chemistry, English and biology.
Should you do nursing before medical school?
You could NOT get into med school with nursing classes. For med school, pre-med courses are required, and nursing courses are not as hard.
How do I become a doctor after nursing?
How to go from nurse to doctor
- Tackle medical school admission requirements. …
- Apply and gain acceptance to medical school. …
- Obtain your MD. …
- Complete residency and any other requirements. …
- Start practicing.
Is nursing school as hard as medical school?
The school of medicine is much more competitive. The fact that the MCAT is tougher than the nursing entrance exams is one reason why it is more competitive. Another explanation is that nursing programs that are offered at community colleges and online are still available.
Why are doctors not nurses?
The education system is rather distinct, too. Doctors are professionally qualified in medicine and continue to learn how diseases function and how they are handled for more years. By comparison, before they can start a career as a nurse practitioner, nurses are professionally qualified to provide holistic treatment and become registered nurses.
In this post we are going to answer the question ‘’Can I get into med school with a nursing degree?’’ We introduced you to the relationship between nursing and medicine, their differences, and the advantages and disadvantages of entering medical school with a nursing degree.
If you have any questions or comments please let us know!
References
Career Advancement: Registered Nurse to Medical Doctor. (2018). Retrieved January 27, 2021, from Nurse.org website: https://nurse.org/articles/career-advancement-rn-to-md/
University College. (2019, January 31). Changing Your Career from Nursing to Medicine. Retrieved January 27, 2021, from University College website: https://ucollege.wustl.edu/news-stories/changing-your-career-nursing-medicine
