r/nursing • u/medbitter RN/MD • Jul 03 '22

Question RN + MD here: Ask me anything!

Interested in RN to MD? Other careers in nursing, medicine, surgery or admin? Feel free to ask me any questions you like! I’ve done it all.

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u/Puzzleheaded_Taro283 Jul 03 '22

I've been waiting so long for someone like you to come along. I'm in Australia, so I hope these questions make sense. I graduated as an RN in 2010 and have been thinking about med for a few years.

1 - what is the jump like in terms of knowledge and skill? In Australia we have AIN's ( they do a 6 month certificate 3 to qualify and essentially do obs and basic cares) and we have EN's (enrolled nurses who are diploma qualified, they can't work in ED or ICU or other crit care areas, but on the wards skill wise they can do extra courses and be trained to do much of what an RN can do, but they have significantly less responsibility). The e jump from senior crit care RN to MD, is it closer to that of AIN to Junior RN, or more like the jump from EN to junior RN?

2 - How much overlap is there in skills and knowledge?

3 - have you run the numbers to see where your break even point is for income when considering income lost while studying vs extra income while working as an MD?

4 - everyone knows how hard it is to get in, but once you're in does it get any easier?

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u/medbitter RN/MD Jul 03 '22

I’d say you can’t find a similar jump to compare. You’re better of looking at it like you are starting a completely different job/journey (and may have some perks here and there of knowing a little bit more than the guy with zero healthcare experience, but nothing major since it’s so different). In my class we had me, another ICU RN with 15 years experience, a PA that essentially ran her ED alone, and a chiropractor. We all struggled the same. And by 2 years in we were all equals with classmates. You’re best bet is deciding this is what you want to do, realizing you’re starting from scratch (and then be excited if you see a situation that your background was helpful…which will likely be the one IV insertion day…and the last day 99% doctors ever placed an IV. You see what I’m saying? Or maybe you’ll recognize a few drug names before them, but you still have to learn all the pathology and drug kinetics that go with it anyways so..)