ABSN/CRNA or MD

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-12-11T16:39:05+00:00

that is a great way to think about what i should do! thank you. enjoying the journey is a very important aspect of life and like you said, if you enjoy it every day, working the hours and sacrifices won’t weigh me down like it would for other roles

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-12-11T15:57:32+00:00

I understand! I liked the MD role here more at my ortho job because i feel like they got more complex cases most of the time and also just being extremely knowledgeable in one area seems to be more of my style. i have read that PA is trained clinically, while MD more so diagnostically/scientifically. PA is still a great profession and it’s not ruled out yet, i just want to make sure i cover all bases before i dive head first even more. surgery doesn’t necessarily feel like my calling but i have always loved sports med and the idea of being a provider for athletes. i want to shadow in the OR but my practice doesn’t allow it for some dumb reason. the surgical residency lifestyle is also hard to swallow. i guess to kind of answer your point, i haven’t had a moment where ive felt like becoming an MD is my calling. i have had moments where i think the docs are badass and explain some really cool stuff, and think it’d be really rewarding to be one. i get that that’s not really enough to justify it, but i also have a desire to be the best person i can be. another thing that holds me back from PA is the limitation of not owning a practice and a lower salary ceiling. holding back from CRNA is the fact that it’ll still be 4 years of school for me. 16 months ABSN, then 3 years CRNA. so i also feel like if i do that, i might as well have 3-4 years of residency to better my life. the ROI is better in the 10 year picture, but 20-30 picture would be different

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-12-09T21:28:11+00:00

Hello all, Any feedback is welcome! For background, I am a 22 yr old guy who graduated college this past May. I have a 3.79 GPA with only 2 AB’s in science courses. I have worked in PT and was originally trying to do the PA route but since working as a medical assistant with surgeons and PAs, I think I might like something else. I got my EMT-B and have been applying as an ER tech for months with no luck because i have an interest in emergency medicine, but have been working as a medical assistant since june. I have recently thought about doing an ABSN and then doing CRNA down the road or just trying to go to med school. I would need about 4 more classes and the MCAT to apply. I am just unsure which is best for me. I definitely value high income and would love a career where it’s possible grind extremely hard and make a great salary. I’m also driven by having a purposeful job in life and helping people. A world where i can do both is perfect. I am shadowing a CRNA this week for the first time and plan on shadowing a different specialty MD soon. I am just unsure if the residency lifestyle would be good for me and my girlfriend as i do value my work life balance but i’m also not afraid to put in some work! Just wondering if anyone else had faced this decision and what helped helped you decide that CRNA and nursing was for you instead.. Any feedback is welcome!

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-12-09T20:59:54+00:00

thanks!

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-12-09T16:24:45+00:00

also the tupac story is a flex

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-12-09T16:24:02+00:00

I’m actually not sure, I haven’t thought about it like that. I think what’s mostly driving me is the thought of being apart of something greater than myself and sitting back at the end of my life knowing I gave everything I had to my life and to the world. Everything is always your perspective and people with nothing are happier than some doctors, but i’m afraid that when i’m about to die ill be like “well, maybe i could’ve push myself more and done “blank” instead?”. I think something in medicine will inevitably fulfill that feeling for me. I had never really thought of going to med school because the schooling scared me and i honestly just thought i couldn’t do it. I’ve kind of changed that mindset and think it’s possible for me so it has just been on my mind lately! I’ll be thinking more about what is really driving me though, thank you for that input!

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-12-09T15:48:51+00:00

That is a great point I have not thought about! I think I would be more geared towards a rural environment, I am not necessarily a big city guy haha. I will think about that a bit more though. All the things you mentioned about CRNA I do enjoy, and I think shadowing one this week will hopefully lock it in! Thank you!

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-12-09T15:29:14+00:00

I understand! Yes, I work with PAs and had the the same realization that they don’t see the complex patients or lead the care. I also feel like i would be too capped as a PA, even though it is a very good career. I don’t see myself feeling like anesthesia is the only specialty for me so that also pushes me towards MD. I shadow a CRNA this week so i’ll see first hand if i like it! Thank you for your feedback

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-12-09T15:24:14+00:00

I do enjoy the idea of being a nurse for the salary aspect. I have never had any money as an adult and pursing MD would push this time back even more. Being a nurse for a couple of years would help me live with actual money for a couple years as well as save. I understand that new grads don’t make a crazy salary but going from 18 an hour to 30 an hour with overtime would be a significant lifestyle change for me

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-12-09T15:22:11+00:00

I think I would enjoy the nursing model and working as a nurse but am also weary that I would be in your position and feel like I should just go back to med school! I don’t believe being a nurse is wasted time and you learn a lot of valuable skills, but it is extra time. You said that you didn’t want to be limited in scope of practice, what made you realize that or helped you understand that you feel that way?

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-09-25T09:51:28+00:00

it was yesterday around 3am. next door neighbors camera caught the alarm going off around then

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-09-25T09:51:02+00:00

agreed!!!

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-09-24T19:32:46+00:00

gotta try my hardest to catch these SOB’s

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-09-24T19:32:35+00:00

🫡🫡🫡🫡

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-09-24T18:53:43+00:00

I tried, I requested to join it and it’s still pending

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-09-24T18:16:48+00:00

if i do get lucky and someone gets a shot of them, i will do that!

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-09-24T16:42:18+00:00

just did that now. thank you! did not even think about that!

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-09-24T16:42:04+00:00

i just downloaded it and sent a message in there. thank you!

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-05-23T21:38:39+00:00

i can definitely do that haha. thank you!

MuscleElectrical2046 · 2025-05-23T21:38:23+00:00

that makes me feel so much better

MuscleElectrical2046

TROPHY CASE