Thread: BSN after completing MD program

Are there currently any accelerated nursing programs for MD graduates in PI? Waiting (and hoping ) to get matched into a residency position might prove to be unrealistic and impractical (even with decent usmle scores), yet becoming an RN appears to be a feasible option for IMGs who would prefer working in the healthcare industry. I've heard that some physicians in PI took up nursing after medical school, and this trend seems promising especially among new graduates. What do you guys think?

Originally Posted by porphyrin

Are there currently any accelerated nursing programs for MD graduates in PI? Waiting (and hoping ) to get matched into a residency position might prove to be unrealistic and impractical (even with decent usmle scores), yet becoming an RN appears to be a feasible option for IMGs who would prefer working in the healthcare industry. I've heard that some physicians in PI took up nursing after medical school, and this trend seems promising especially among new graduates. What do you guys think?

Are you in the US right now? There is a program in Florida (FIU) that helps some IMG MD's become RN's but if you need a visa, then Philippines is not a viable option right now. There is visa retrogression and a lot of the RN grads there are stucked and cannot even practice their profession. Just keep on trying to match and you will have some success eventually.

It might be preferable to find a research position as a physician, so that you can be working while continuing to try to match. All of the research will help to improve your match chances over time, and you may be able to prove yourself at the institution where you are doing the research. Good luck!

http://cnhs.fiu.edu/nursing/undergraduate_foreign.html

Originally Posted by trauma

Are you in the US right now? There is a program in Florida (FIU) that helps some IMG MD's become RN's but if you need a visa, then Philippines is not a viable option right now. There is visa retrogression and a lot of the RN grads there are stucked and cannot even practice their profession. Just keep on trying to match and you will have some success eventually.

Yes right now I'm staying in the US, still taking my chances on getting interviews and hopefully be matched. But realistically, its not going to happen on this year's match cycle. There are way too many IMG applicants competing for very few available positions (saw the thread on SDN). Those who graduated from the Caribbean's "Big Three" have a slight edge for having done their clinical rotations in the states. And this is what residency programs prefer. I'm not discouraging those who don't have USCE, its just that those with at least a month of it have better opportunities in the NRMP match.

I've heard about the decline on issuing visas to BSN grads in PI, for their colleges graduated a multitude of nurses, a lot more than the actual demand in filling staff shortages overseas. Having no visa problems (being a US citizen), maybe its reasonable for myself to just go back to PI and enroll in a 1-year MD-to-BSN program. Engaging in research is a wonderful idea, but I'd prefer the role of a nurse for the meantime (I love working with patients ). FIU and JU both have this accelerated program for foreign doctors, however, I'm also considering the educational expenses.

If I go back to PI, would there still be any programs offering this track to MD graduates? A few years ago, I've been told there's St. Jude and Dominic Savio College, not really sure if their government prohibited colleges from offering a fast-track BSN program for physicians.

(They may have done this, at some point in the past, to discourage/prevent MDs-turned-RNs from being recruited overseas. What I'm not really sure about is if there are still accelerated BSN programs for MDs in the Phil., just like before.)

Originally Posted by porphyrin

Yes right now I'm staying in the US, still taking my chances on getting interviews and hopefully be matched. But realistically, its not going to happen on this year's match cycle. There are way too many IMG applicants competing for very few available positions (saw the thread on SDN). Those who graduated from the Caribbean's "Big Three" have a slight edge for having done their clinical rotations in the states. And this is what residency programs prefer. I'm not discouraging those who don't have USCE, its just that those with at least a month of it have better opportunities in the NRMP match.

I've heard about the decline on issuing visas to BSN grads in PI, for their colleges graduated a multitude of nurses, a lot more than the actual demand in filling staff shortages overseas. Having no visa problems (being a US citizen), maybe its reasonable for myself to just go back to PI and enroll in a 1-year MD-to-BSN program. Engaging in research is a wonderful idea, but I'd prefer the role of a nurse for the meantime (I love working with patients ). FIU and JU both have this accelerated program for foreign doctors, however, I'm also considering the educational expenses.

If I go back to PI, would there still be any programs offering this track to MD graduates? A few years ago, I've been told there's St. Jude and Dominic Savio College, not really sure if their government prohibited colleges from offering a fast-track BSN program for physicians.

(They may have done this, at some point in the past, to discourage/prevent MDs-turned-RNs from being recruited overseas. What I'm not really sure about is if there are still accelerated BSN programs for MDs in the Phil., just like before.)

You might want to check with the nursing board in your state if that kind of overseas program is acceptable.

Originally Posted by porphyrin

Yes right now I'm staying in the US, still taking my chances on getting interviews and hopefully be matched. But realistically, its not going to happen on this year's match cycle. There are way too many IMG applicants competing for very few available positions (saw the thread on SDN). Those who graduated from the Caribbean's "Big Three" have a slight edge for having done their clinical rotations in the states. And this is what residency programs prefer. I'm not discouraging those who don't have USCE, its just that those with at least a month of it have better opportunities in the NRMP match.

I've heard about the decline on issuing visas to BSN grads in PI, for their colleges graduated a multitude of nurses, a lot more than the actual demand in filling staff shortages overseas. Having no visa problems (being a US citizen), maybe its reasonable for myself to just go back to PI and enroll in a 1-year MD-to-BSN program. Engaging in research is a wonderful idea, but I'd prefer the role of a nurse for the meantime (I love working with patients ). FIU and JU both have this accelerated program for foreign doctors, however, I'm also considering the educational expenses.

If I go back to PI, would there still be any programs offering this track to MD graduates? A few years ago, I've been told there's St. Jude and Dominic Savio College, not really sure if their government prohibited colleges from offering a fast-track BSN program for physicians.

(They may have done this, at some point in the past, to discourage/prevent MDs-turned-RNs from being recruited overseas. What I'm not really sure about is if there are still accelerated BSN programs for MDs in the Phil., just like before.)

The trend there now is to crack down on accelerated programs and they are getting stricter. The fastest you can get out is about 2 years. For me, I might as well use that time to get LOR's, observership and try to match in undesirable FM programs.

State nursing boards are very strict in terms of the requirements for foreign educated nurses. IMGs have to undergo re-training to have the proper credentials and be eligible under CGFNS to take the licensure exam. From what I've been told, they evaluate all coursework attempted by the applicant in order to ensure one's qualifications to be a nurse. Of course there's a great deal of overlap that's why there are accelerated MD-to-RN programs like these, here in the U.S. and in foreign countries (Cuba, Argentina, India, Philippines, Mexico). And foreign physicians just have to be re-educated as nurses in order to meet the criteria.

Thank you for the helpful information, Trauma. I'm very much aware of that their government is restricting MDs from becoming nurses, so that's probably one of the reasons they no longer offer the one-year fulltime nursing program (exclusively for physicians).

Do you happen to know if one has be a fulltime student, under the two-year nursing program for doctors? That's definitely not a possibility for me. I suppose I'd rather use that length of time to improve my application, and pursue my dream of practicing as a physician here in the U.S.



P.S. Here's a news article that highlights why this trend is popular among foreign doctors:
www cbsnews com/stories/2007/08/01/asia_letter/main3121592.shtml

Originally Posted by porphyrin

Are there currently any accelerated nursing programs for MD graduates in PI? Waiting (and hoping ) to get matched into a residency position might prove to be unrealistic and impractical (even with decent usmle scores), yet becoming an RN appears to be a feasible option for IMGs who would prefer working in the healthcare industry. I've heard that some physicians in PI took up nursing after medical school, and this trend seems promising especially among new graduates. What do you guys think?

Hi I'm a foreign grad RN and I've been US licensed since 1995. But I am going to Med school next year. I hope you search deep in your heart your true motivation if you want to be an RN. I have worked from an Alzheimer's unit (3 yrs) , Telemetry(2 yrs) to MICU (14 yrs) and people back home(Philippines) think that being a US RN is glamorous but the reality it's not. We deal with all body discharges, yes we cleaned them up, give our patients bath; even in MICU , we seldom have PCA, so we also do our own baths. It is really a back braking job but at the same time rewarding especially if your patient and their family appreciate you.I have friends in Cali who drive BMW and have big houses but ask them how many jobs they have, at least 3 jobs( I don't know how they can manage). But good luck and I hope you find peace with your decision.

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