Nursing School vs Med School: What Makes Them So Different?

Spread the love

Professional caregivers are growing increasingly heterogeneous in today’s healthcare field, with different professionals playing varied roles. Anyone seeking a career in medical services must choose which jobs best match their goals and interests. 

Some medical students are unsure what they should do. The decision has to be a sensible one that students should make after considerable thought. 

So, do you want to go to nursing school vs medical school? Read this blog for clear distinctions that will assist you in making the appropriate decision.

Let’s dive in. 

NursesMedical Doctors
Offer physical care and assistance to the patientsIn charge of offering diagnoses and recommendations on their patients’ conditions.
Can do everything from shifting beds to operating medical pieces of machineryProvide regular medical care, but dentists, surgeons, and medical specialists can also provide regular medical care.
Provide treatment to patients with the direction of doctorsGive the nurses a diagnosis to receive the patient into their care for therapies and other health treatment.
Include a wider variety of services than doctorsIf they are not certified to make a diagnosis, they are restricted to delivering care in their particular areas.’
Can further their study to obtain master’s and doctorate degreesThey must attend college for at least eight years before receiving their credentials.
Nurse practitioners make an average of $57,000 per year, while staff nurses earn $39,000 per year.General practitioners can make an average of $160,000 per year, whereas surgeons and emergency department doctors can make an overall of $240,000 per year.
Nursing School vs Med School

Both nurses and medical doctors are considered prestigious by patients. They respect the caregivers equally but if we have to point out a difference that affects a med student’s decision is the pay difference.

The pay gap is due to the extensive training or educational journey that each of the nursing or medical candidates has to go through. 

1. Educational Journey

Degree Process for Doctors

The path to becoming a doctor is taxing. After four years of undergraduate study (pre-med), you should pass the Medical College Admission Test. Four years of intensive med school, clinical followed. 

After three to seven years, you will be able to submit an application and take your board tests for your medical license. For many candidates, this spells the end of their arduous journey to become a physician; however, based on their specialty field, some may go on to complete several years of doctoral studies.

Degree Process for Nurses 

Becoming a registered nurse is relatively simple compared to becoming a doctor. The greater focus to becoming a registered nurse is obtaining at least a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

You only need to complete a nursing program (including laboratories and clinical work), clear the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), and qualify for certification. Completing the NCLEX is critical, so be sure your preferred nursing program has a high-grade average. 

2. Work Environments 

Nursing and medical school graduates routinely work in collaboration. Most medical facilities have both doctors and nurses with different working arrangements. 

For Nurses

As a nurse, you will encounter patients, run tests, deliver care, and respond to questions. A nurse may specialize and work in a particular area of a particular healthcare facility. 

For Doctors

A doctor in a healthcare center seems to be more likely to move from patient to patient, working with a nurse while conducting health assessments before giving the patient the treatment or testing guidelines.

3. Career Opportunities 

More Nursing Schools 

Nursing has more schools and universities to go for as an undergraduate program than medical college. If you are applying to a nursing program, you will most likely have a larger pool of potential institutes to pick from. 

This increases the likelihood that you will be able to locate a school that meets your needs in a range of critical areas, such as location, pricing, number, and status. But, there aren’t much options when it comes to ‘specialization’.

  • Nurse Practitioner
  • Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Nurse Midwife
  • Nurse Anesthetist

These are some of the professions that you can choose as a nurse. 

Higher Salary

One benefit of the higher levels of study required by medical school is a rise in salary range and an up-and-coming income. Because of the growing pay grades, practicing as a doctor can be a lucrative career choice, making medical school a good choice if a rewarding career is critical to you. 

4. Field Expenses 

Expenses for Nursing Schools

When you opt to attend nursing school, the financial benefits of starting employment earlier are bolstered further by the reduced cost load of schooling. Compared to a medical school program, a nursing school degree typically needs four years of study, which dramatically reduces the expense and number of years in school.

Expenses for Medical Schools

Although obtaining a medical doctor degree is expensive, there are lucrative salaries and career options. 

Many medical centers fill top internal and major roles by boosting staff from medical doctors. As a med school student, you put yourself in a position to advance professionally, including senior positions within a healthcare facility that offer substantial pay packages.

Switching Between Medical to Nursing 

If you are someone who has already made their choice but now you want to switch, there’s still a chance for you. 

You can go for a nursing degree and then med school. Some consider it a distraction. Yet, students will have a degree and a profession in nursing even if things do not go as hoped in the medical school program. But it’ll be good if you are clear from the start.

Some of the science core subjects in the nursing program do not correspond to the prerequisites for medical school admissions. So the ones who want to switch their subjects will be obliged to study various science subjects before joining medical school. 

A good factor is, if you have nurses’ field experience, it may really be advantageous when you enroll in a nursing program. 

We wish you the best for whatever you choose.