Thursday 15 July 2010

Is this a common experience for nursing students?

Do the majority of consultants and junior doctors you meet encourage you to study medicine?

Basically, at least six doctors have now seriously encouraged me to do the Graduate Entry Programme to medicine. At first, I thought nothing of it. Now, I'm starting to question whether, actually, I could be capable of it.

I want to go further than just the BSc Unclassified, most people reading this will know I was bitterly disappointed to not do the Honours degree. But, being a doctor? A Doctor? A Dr.? Little me?

Has anyone else encountered this? Has anyone else done it?

6 comments:

Rooney said...

I am a nursing student. No doctor has ever suggested this. You should certainly do it as they have clearly noted something special.

Anonymous said...

I've met Dr's who think thier own medical students should not be studying medicine.

I've never seen or heard this happening to any student of any profession.

The only person I know of that did such a course, only did it after being prompted multiple times.

Therefore, I would advise you to look at it as a serious option.

Ask other nursing students/nurses at your placement to find out if this is the habit of the Dr's or something serious. Do not mention the suggestion directly, or that it has been made to you specifically.

Dedj

Spirit of 1976 said...

I've had a couple of people say to me, "Zarathustra, you seem like a clever guy. Why don't you study medicine?"

While it's nice to have people tell me they think I'm clever, I'm also slightly annoyed by the inference that intelligence is wasted on a nurse, so the clever ones should be skimmed off to medicine. My experience, despite the tabloid rhetoric about "too clever to care" nurses, is that clever people make for outstanding nurses.

If I have a few extra IQ points, then I'd like to use those to be an asset to the nursing profession.

The Shrink said...

What Zarathustra, y'mean to try and tell me that all nurses ain't thick as mince?! ;-)

GG, Anonymous is quite correct. I'm frequently objectively critiquing (ie critical) of medical students and of training doctors, with referrals to GMC and NCAS and some thus leaving the profession. Doctors can be zealous in maintaining standards.

Zarathustra's right, as usual. Medicine needs a certain cleverness, but being a clever nurse does indeed make for an outstanding clinician that's at least as valuable as a doctor. No, that's not rhetoric - I've changed my service around this - I no longer have a junior doctor doing out-patient clinic or memory therapy services or home visits or day hospital or memory clinic. I have nurses. I'll take a decent nurse over a junior doctor any day of the week and twice on Tuesdays.

That said, the profession and careers of doctors aren't better/worse than nurses, they're just different, but clearly the differences are significant.

From a mental health point of view : Most doctors are paid a lot better. Most nurses have massive clinical contact and influence on direct patient care. Most doctors have massive influence on management and indirect patient care. Most doctors are trained/do a lot of diagnosis and formulation and articulation of this (in endless letters, reports and meetings). Most nurses are trained/do a lot of therapeutic interventions and engage in direct patient care.

As Rooney suggests it's rare, very rare, for a nurse to be consistently nudged by medics into thinking about medicine.

So, how flattering and refreshing. Whatever you choose, it's great that folk genuinely see you have a choice. On that basis alone, it's worth thinking it through and actively opting for nursing or doctoring. Good luck in your deliberations :-)

Joble said...

Book-smarts is all well and good, but check your handicap on Wii golf before you commit to a career!

Mel said...

Hmmm...
I am having a look into my options for studying medicine in the future.

I have no plans to leave nursing for the time being, as I love what I do.

However, it has given me something to think about....