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Nursing to medicine? any help?

Hey just wondered of any one could help, im applying for nursing but i have been interested in medicine but money and grades have stopped me from doing it. I really would love nursing as a career but would it be possible if at the end of my nursing degree to convert to a medicine course? I know it doesn't show much dedication to the courses but its something i want to consider.

any help would be lovely :biggrin:

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Reply 1

mrs_bellamy

dustbunny

Yes, it is deffinately possible to convert to medicine after a nursing degree. Some places have four year courses for graduates, some of which require a science or health related degree, and some take graduates of any discipline. You could also apply for some normal 5 year medicine courses. Most courses require some kind of extra test such as UKCAT, BMAT, GASMAT. Google them if you want to find out more.

Are you sure its nursing you want to do, and not medicine? If you think you want to do nursing, but are just interested as to wether medicine is a possibility then fine, but if you think you really want med maybe you should think about doing some extra A levels (in the right subjects) and trying to get the grades so you could go straight to medicine.

Sorry I don't know much about this, only replied as no-one else seems to have yet. Maybe try posting in the medicine forum, you might get more replies there. Also try the TSR medicine wiki, or just google graduate entry medicine, there'll be loads of results.

Good luck with whatever you decide. :biggrin:

Reply 2

randdom

It is doable there are a few people on my course who are trained nurses. If you think that you want to do medicine then I would advice trying to make a go of it as an undergrad as it is much easier than entering postgrad.

Reply 3

dustbunny

Thank you both for replying! im still deciding what to do though you do make sense, :smile:

Reply 4

trina87

I realise all these comments were posted ages ago but I'm going through the same problem. I originially applied for psycholgy and biology and dundee uni but quickly changed my mind and changed to nursing after 1 year thinking it would be enough for me coz I've always wanted to work in a clinical setting. It soon became clear that nursing is not challenging enough and although I enjoy it, medicine is for me. I'm in my first year or nursing but if I try and tranfer to medicine (not that I have enough grades) I think that they will just think I can't make up my mind coz that will be my 3rd course in three years. Money also is a major issue. Help!!
How did everyone above get on??
catx

Reply 5

Johnny C.

Unfortunately for you guys, quite a few of the GEPs don't recognise nursing as a health science" degree. That said there are plenty of GEPs and 5 year courses that will consider a graduate from any subject. And especially with all the patient contact you'll get during a nursing degree, you should have a good shot.

As a final thought, Newcastle uni will consider applications from healthcare professionals e.g. paradmedics, nurses etc... and due to the experience you get from these jobs, they waive quite a lot of the entry requirements. Don't know if anywhere else does similar....

Reply 6

Philosoraptor

I felt really sorry for a nurse on my interview day, I think they asked why she was abandoning nursing etc but in a really rude way or something.

Reply 7

bananastudent

any ideas on what to do about medicine to nursing? i'm in third year but the thought of starting clinicals in february terrifies me..ive sort of decided its the caring side i want and not the scary doctor responsibility decision making stress kind of job. any nurses ive seen on wards have been amazing. is this really unheard of? is there a conversion course anywhere?
thanks for any advice
x

Reply 8

foamyfruit

bananastudent

Blimey, firstly is your head screwed on ok?! :p:

New f1 on our ward for a £2500 (after tax!) pay packet this month, and a newly qualified nurse got just £1400, after a month of nights too!

Unfortunately there isn't a conversion course for medicine-nursing, just like there isn't from nursing-medicine. You will have to start again from year one, of the degree and do the common foundation. However, I'm aware a lot of med schools let you leave in 3rd year with some form of a degree, and there is a graduate entry for nursing which is just 2 years (and tbh it is intense but looking at their timetable it just gets rid of the waffle and basics the normal degree has in the first year are given!).

Really think about this though, nursing also has a scary responsibility side- and i've had days when i've been freaked out by it all and scared- even went to go take 5 minutes yesterday in the loo as I had to look after 2 patients, and my mentor was on break and hca's were asking me questions about obs, patients were wanting pain relief, relatives wanted to ask questions, doctors needed bleeping- and in those 20 minutes i was left by myself (ok with the sister on hand if i needed her, but in her office) it felt a bit overwhelming and I doubted whether I was capable of being a nurse, if i'm not coping now with just 2 patients!!!! And thats with the supervision of my mentor when making decisions!

Sounds to me like you've just hit a hard area, doubting confidence and just need a 'pick me up' to find your niche again, and why you're doing medicine in the first place and that you CAN do it, and you have 2 and a bit years to learn, and even once you're qualified you're going to be supported and supervised then

Speak to your tutor, by all means look into nursing- but I bet once you've gotten into clinicals, you'll be fine

Reply 9

charlieb2101

Hi. I've got a similar dilemma! I am currently an A&E nurse and as much as I love it, I have realised that I would love to be a doctor and that I should have thought about it more when I was at school. I have a diploma in nursing, which I can try and convert as quickly as possible to a degree, and a degree in an unrelated subject. has anyone got any advice on how I should go about getting into medicine? Also, I am very concerned about the financial aspect, as a nurses pay does not allow for that much saving? Any ideas?? Thanks :smile:

Reply 10

InArduisFouette

Original post by Philosoraptor

I felt really sorry for a nurse on my interview day, I think they asked why she was abandoning nursing etc but in a really rude way or something.

you have to have a clear idea of why you wish to 'change codes'

also in my experience the most successful medical applicants from Nursing backgrounds have several years post reg experience.

Reply 11

InArduisFouette

Original post by charlieb2101

first question you will be asked should you apply now is why haven't you topped up yet ? especially given that region pays for top-ups not the trusts.

why would you 'love' to be a Doctor ?

also it's no longer like it was 10 plus years ago when you could play the nurses are subserviant handmaidens card - as they still were in some Hospitals ...

Reply 12

InArduisFouette

Original post by foamyfruit

Blimey, firstly is your head screwed on ok?! :p:

New f1 on our ward for a £2500 (after tax!) pay packet this month, and a newly qualified nurse got just £1400, after a month of nights too!

2500 after tax would equate to a gross salary of approaching 40k if you were being taxed normally - and even on the most evil of currently rota'd bandings you wouldn't be getting the 80 +% that represents for a Foundation doctor.

the first few pay packets after starting a job where you haven't paid tax for several months of the tax year are often considerably larger than they would be 'normally' as you have 'spare months' of tax allowance to use...

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 13

Subcutaneous

Original post by trina87

Nursing not challenging enough- lol you're a first year. Wait till third and anyone will be getting their brain turned to gravy. We have a previous oxford graduate on my course and she says the nursing degree is the hardest one she's done simply the volume of information you have to learn (but will rarely use again!)

Reply 14

Philosoraptor

Original post by Subcutaneous

So what's your sitrep anna? (Genuinely interested not taking the mick)

You've graduated, waiting on a nursing job and might be applying for med?

Reply 15

Subcutaneous

Original post by Philosoraptor

So what's your sitrep anna? (Genuinely interested not taking the mick)

You've graduated, waiting on a nursing job and might be applying for med?

With a dad battling cancer- waiting for NMC pin/finish supervised practice is keeping it basic at the moment! More than I probably should be doing!

Reply 16

Philosoraptor

Original post by Subcutaneous

With a dad battling cancer- waiting for NMC pin/finish supervised practice is keeping it basic at the moment! More than I probably should be doing!

Sorry to hear that :frown:

- do you know where you will be working?

Reply 17

Subcutaneous

Original post by Philosoraptor

Sorry to hear that :frown:

- do you know where you will be working?

Not yet, I had 3 job offers in ITU but had to reject cause of my dad and decided to stay in the midlands. I have an interview on a clinical decisions unit and MAU rotation next week- but am quite enjoying stroke medicine at the moment so may stay!

Reply 18

Philosoraptor

Original post by Subcutaneous

Clinical decisions sounds ok! ITU actually for a nurse is really cool - isn't that cool for doctors till like reg or at least SHO level.

Reply 19

Subcutaneous

Original post by Philosoraptor

Clinical decisions sounds ok! ITU actually for a nurse is really cool - isn't that cool for doctors till like reg or at least SHO level.

Yeah it is, plus I like the idea of having just one patient that's sedated, and did my whole dissertation regarding critical care etc- so it's definately a consideration furthur down the career. However I want to get some general ward environment experience, good for when I become a CCOT nurse at the end of the 10 year career plan lol! I've actually never seen any junior docs on ITU- is there a reason why then? If anything I see consultants on ITU more than I see them on a ward!