DOCTOR why do you want to become a NURSE?
By Jhordie
@Jhordie (5115)
Philippines
June 10, 2008 1:36am CST
In my country, most of incoming college freshman choose Nursing as their course mainly for the reason of having an opportunity to work abroad and earn BIG. I cannot blame them for thinking like that. But I am really shocked and curious why do many doctors here are opting to change path and study Nursing.
Just a bit of info, Doctors are already earning around P250 to P700 per consultation and just having at least 10 patients a day can give them an estimated P5,000 or $100 income per day. Isn't that enough to provide a nice home, 3 meals per day, clothing and even some savings for a family man? Unlike nurses here, they only earn P7,000 to P10,000 per MONTH or P300 to P500 per day which is only equivalent to about $10. Kindly do the MATH and compare how much the two professions earn in our homeland.
Indeed, nurses have reason to work abroad because they are UNDERPAID but the doctors... I dont know why?!? Please help me understand them.
By the way, I am a NURSE wanting to become a DOCTOR.
3 people like this
10 responses
@gerald_lian (2188)
• Australia
10 Jun 08
Hi, Jhordie! I guess it's not just about the money, I think perhaps these people take into consideration the lifestyle of each profession too. Not sure about your country, but in my country, doctors work their butts off and even have to be on call 24 hours a day. Worse of all, in my country doctors in public hospitals aren't earning so well as the private hospital doctors. On the other hand, nurses have a much better lifestyle, with fixed work hours and a greater demand for them in my country due to shortage of applicants. I think if those people in your country are considering to move to another country such as mine, it would be wiser to take up nursing instead of doctor. 
PS: By the way, if you were to check my profile to see which country I am from, it will give you the wrong impression because I'm a student currently studying overseas and the country stated is the country I'm in now. My home country is a different country....try to guess if you like!
PS: By the way, if you were to check my profile to see which country I am from, it will give you the wrong impression because I'm a student currently studying overseas and the country stated is the country I'm in now. My home country is a different country....try to guess if you like! 3 people like this
@Jhordie (5115)
• Philippines
10 Jun 08
Thats maybe one of the most plausible idea that I've heard or known so far (besides salary concerns) why doctors might be shifting gear towards Nursing. You somehow enlighten my fogged-up mind. I thank you for that.
Anyway, I saw your profile and I assume you are studying medicine? I hope I'm right. About your country, ahhhhmmmm... is it USA?, or one of those Asian countries like Singapore? or don't tell me, the same country as mine, Philippines.
Again, I am really thankful to see your response and I'm glad to meet another individual like you with great ideas such as what youve shared with me. God bless you and hope to have you as one of my friends here.
P.S.
I'm just starting here and got only few friends that can be counted with just one hand. Hope you can make me use the other. Thank you (,"o
2 people like this
@gerald_lian (2188)
• Australia
11 Jun 08
Thanks....didn't know my response will create such an impact on you! 
Anyway, I'm doing Pharmacy (also health related - your guess was quite close though ) and I'm from Malaysia (you got this quite close as well - you guessed Singapore). Anyway, feel free to add me as your friend if you haven't already done so.....I'll definitely give my insights to your discussions in the future (but you might need to remind me....) and I hope to make your friend's list much longer!
Anyway, I'm doing Pharmacy (also health related - your guess was quite close though ) and I'm from Malaysia (you got this quite close as well - you guessed Singapore). Anyway, feel free to add me as your friend if you haven't already done so.....I'll definitely give my insights to your discussions in the future (but you might need to remind me....) and I hope to make your friend's list much longer! 3 people like this
@Jhordie (5115)
• Philippines
11 Jun 08
At last! I got a great friend here... Hooray for me... hehehe. Yes, I did find your response enlightening because I saw the different side of the story and not just about the money thing aspect. And thank you for letting me know if my guess were right or wrong. God bless you my new found friend and Good luck on your studies.
2 people like this
@sherrir101 (3670)
• Malinta, Ohio
10 Jun 08
My sister just became a nurse last year. She loves it. She said the reason that she does it is because she likes the interaction with the people on a daily basis. She works with the older generation.
It is more profitable to be a doctor monetary wise, but satisfaction wise my sister says nursing is the best.
Nurses 'are' underpaid for the amount of work that they do.
@Jhordie (5115)
• Philippines
11 Jun 08
Yes monetary wise... doctors got it but satisfaction of knowing you help people to recover from sickness... I guess we Nurses does that better. Try to look at it, Doctors spend around 5 to 10 miutes per patient while Nurses are on an 8 hours shift to take care of them. Kudos to all Nurses, Thanks for your response. God bless you and your loveones
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
2 Jul 08
hi jhordie I dont know why doctors would want to change professions to become a nurse either? Nurses here in the USA are not paid nearly as much as doctors, but again the schooling costs to become a nurse are so much less than to become a doctor which may sway a lot of students to take up nursing.
1 person likes this
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
11 Jun 08
When I first went to university I wanted to become a doctor. I didnt have the grade for it and changed my studied (and my school to one that was better understanding of dyslexia)
I wanted to a doctor to help people...kids specifically I wanted to be a pediatric oncologist. Prior to my sister getting diagnosed with cancer in my 11th year of grade school I just wanted to be a pediatrician. But seeing all those sick kids made such an impression on me at that time I wanted so much to beable to fix them...and kids in the future like i couldnt fix my sister.
Now I'm a computer tech..i help people in a different way but I really wish at times I had been able to get into med school It wasnt about the money.
2 people like this
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
11 Jun 08
I have friend who started going to school to be a doctor and is now a nurse. Shes going to to continue on to be a doctor after she gets some more experience. She chose to go that way due to funding from the army for nursing and then after so long she can go on to be a doctor as well she was told she could get into medical school easier if she had the medical background of a nurse.
2 people like this
@Jhordie (5115)
• Philippines
11 Jun 08
My heart goes to you and to your sincere response. I myself want to be a doctor or even a nurse at the moment not because of the monetary benefits of it but the idea that you are God's instrument to help other people's lives worth living and free from any disease or ailments.
And about you're friend.. do you mean he/she took nursing as pre-med course? Yes it is really good to do that than taking biology which doesn't have an early interaction with people as patients.
2 people like this
@selece (2357)
• Philippines
22 Jun 08
In our country hehe... I like your point of view. I don't understand it either, maybe because nurses are in-demand on other countries and people see this as an opportunity to work and live abroad. anyway, I wish you goodluck in making your way towards your dream of becoming a doctor!
2 people like this
@msedge (4011)
• United States
1 Jul 08
Yes i know that because when i was working before some of our doctors were studying nursing course.I have a friend also who work as Clinical Instructor in a certain nursing school she had students that are doctors also.Nurses here in the US are earning good money.I think its much more than the earnings of the doctor there considering the figures you mention.Maybe thats why doctors wanted to be a nurse because nurses are paid well in other countries.
2 people like this
@WATARIKENJI (1534)
• Philippines
24 Jul 08
Pressure. The pressure for a doctor to make it big in his profession is reaaly something to worry about. Its a profession that has been elevated to a position of grandeur so anybody who wants to be a doctor should make it big in the eyes of society.
There are hero doctors who chose to practice their profession in far flung areas and help less fortunate people. That is grandeur and luxury in the highest level.
@inia_54 (175)
• Malaysia
25 Jul 08
Dear Jhordie..In our hospitals we have many foreign nurses working here. They said the pay here is better than what they get in their country. I know many of our nurses work abroad because they want to earn good income. So there is nothing wrong with that. The bottom line is, as a nurse you job is to serve the sick people irrespective where you are be it in Africa, North Pole, Japan, Britain...Our mind set has changed now. We want to serve for a good cause but we also want good pay for our service. So if there is an opportunity, why not, right?
@snowbitz (487)
• Philippines
17 Jul 08
I know what you mean but you have to take into consideration too the doctors who work in the province i am from the phils.And live in the province for 5 years i watch a lot of doctors one of them my OB go abroad for the simple reason that they are not properly compensated.They work so hard in a place where help from other doctors are far they work in double hours but still they are not paid right specially they have delayed salary also.And if they work in a private hospital they earn small also.And if they have their own clinic how much is the rent?And take into consideration the life style and maybe in a rare occasion they will see one of their nurse before and is now working abroad and can provide a lot to their family here specially ight now the commodities are too expensive.
@Jhordie (5115)
• Philippines
17 Jul 08
WELL SAID... Thanks for enlightening me with your nice point of view. Another perspective to look at. I will not disagree with your idea because you are speaking from the experience you or your doctor have shared. Thanks and hope to read more from you.
@jjavier65 (23)
• United States
25 Jul 08
If you compare the salaries of Nurses working abroad, specially in the States, with the earnings the Doctor's get in your country, you might as well think of becoming a Nurse than a Doctor. Some Doctors are opting to change path and studying Nursing as an alternative, because they want to use it as a stepping stone to get out of your country. They will not be allowed to work as Doctors if they choose to go abroad since they will be required to have a license from the country they want to work to. So the easy way out is to get a Nursing degree, get a license and then work abroad for more money.
@Jhordie (5115)
• Philippines
26 Jul 08
That is very true but isnt it unfair making OUR profession ONLY as a STEPPING STONE for their career advancement?
And even nurses need to take various foreign examinations prior to employment to their counry of choice. I guess they are just afraid of taking THEIR OWN EXAM and doubt themselves of their capacity to be able to be called as a doctor in other countries. I hope I did not offend anybody here, what I am saying is that, BE PROUD OF WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED AND STRIVE HARD TO BE GOOD AT IT and not trying to be good at something else which ISNT THE REAL THEM.
And even nurses need to take various foreign examinations prior to employment to their counry of choice. I guess they are just afraid of taking THEIR OWN EXAM and doubt themselves of their capacity to be able to be called as a doctor in other countries. I hope I did not offend anybody here, what I am saying is that, BE PROUD OF WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED AND STRIVE HARD TO BE GOOD AT IT and not trying to be good at something else which ISNT THE REAL THEM.