Expert: Violet Argo RN - 8/31/2010

Question
Hi,

I'm in my 3rd year of medical school and I absolutely hate my life. I passed my board exams but I barely passed most of my classes in medical school, failing multiple classes my first year, and I had to repeat the entire year because I failed too much. Second year I barely passed, I had to repeat a few classes over the summer, but I scraped by on the board exam miraculously because I gave it my all. Third year was much better but stressful. I really hate it and am now $250,000 in debt. I am not excited about studying any of this stuff at all. I don't even like science that much. I am taking my 2nd board exam and I don't even want to look at the books. I have absolutely no interest anymore.

I am not entirely sure if I hate medicine, if I hate healthcare, or if I'm just exhausted and bitter. When I volunteered at the local hospital I enjoyed it...but then again that's a lot different than being a doctor or a nurse right.

I have been considering nursing school. What advice can you give for me? I have a bachelors degree in biochemistry/biology but I'm assuming I'll have to go back for specific nursing prerequisite courses.

How hard is nursing school? Perhaps it's not med school, but I am sure nursing is no cakewalk, as I have seen several students expelled from nursing school for failing classes. I saw one nursing school which had 150 students and only 65 graduated. In fact, there were some doctors from other countries that came to nursing school and failed. So it obviously isn't a joke. But many people were successful with nursing and said it wasn't that bad.

Do you have any advice for me? Should I apply to nursing school? or find another career field entirely?

I mean, if I'm failing med school miserably and hating my life...will the same thing happen to me in nursing school?

LOL as a joke I took a quiz of all the job specialties and I scored off the charts for music...go figure. I don't think I could make a living out of music though.

Thoughts?

thanks,
Ana

Answer
Ana, I an very very sorry you feel you hate your life. Life is not easy, and any course you take will not be easy.  First of all, why did you choose med school? second, you are right, nursing school is not a cake walk, it is hard, but you have proven you can do it by getting this far in med school. Being a nurse is being a servant to many.  You must really really care abut people.  You must advocate for patients even those you would rather not bother with.  Something drew you into the medical field, what was it? was it money, prestige, the desire to help others, what was it?.  If you finish med school, there are sooooooo many areas you can practice including under privilege areas, the same as a nurse, there are soooo man areas of practice, but bottom line is Ana, you must love to help people or you are in the wrong field all together and should take up music.  I am a hospice nurse and love what I do.  I am working on a master's degree in nursing because I want to become a nurse practitioner, but I have to love what I do in order to do it and do it well and with satisfaction at the end of the day.  I do not know if this helps, but for your sake I hope it does.  Furthermore, $250,000.00 is a lot of money, you will pay it back as a nurse, doctor, or musician, think carefully.  If you decide to finish med school, put your heart into it.  Anything worth doing is worth doing well.