Is it better to be a nurse vs. a doctor? Before deciding, you should know the differences between a nurse and doctor. Nurses work more closely with patients, providing support as well as care. Doctors diagnose and treat patients, whereas nurses assess patients, develop care plans and administer medications.
One of the most prevalent misconceptions in nursing is that nurses work as doctors’ assistants. In fact, nurses work collaboratively with doctors, often providing certain patient care autonomously. If you are considering becoming a doctor because you’d rather not be relegated to an assistant’s role, you should take a second look at nursing first and compare the differences between a nurse vs. doctor.
Some pre-med students might decide to switch to nursing instead after learning about the differences between a nurse and a doctor. If you feel that nursing is better suited to your career goals and personal strengths, Northeastern University is here to help. Our Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program allows you to earn a BSN in as few as 16 months, which is ideal for those interested in switching majors or transitioning to a new career field after having entered the workforce.
When deciding whether to become a nurse vs. doctor, consider the differences in the roles and responsibilities.
What’s the Difference Between a Nurse and a Doctor?
Although doctors and nurses are both healthcare professionals who fulfill essential roles, those roles and their day-to-day responsibilities aren’t quite the same.
One difference between the two is the amount of contact patients have with them. Nurses tend to serve as a patient’s main point of contact; whereas a patient might only see a doctor for 10 minutes or even less during an appointment, nurses work more extensively with patients.
A recent study revealed that, from a patient’s perspective, patients spend considerably more time with nurses than physicians. About 86% of their care time is spent with nurses, while 13% is spent with physicians.
This often allows nurses to build a strong rapport with their patients, which can facilitate better communication and, consequently, more appropriate care.
When deciding whether to become a doctor vs. nurse, you’ll want to take a closer look at their typical responsibilities and consider the different career opportunities and requirements.
Roles and Responsibilities: Doctor vs. Nurse
While both doctors and nurses hold patient-facing roles in the healthcare field, their job duties differ. For example:
- Doctors observe symptoms and form diagnoses, whereas nurses perform head-to-toe assessments, record medical histories and symptoms, observe patients and inform doctors by reporting critical information.
- Doctors give orders and develop treatment plans, while nurses collaborate with a team of providers to put those plans into practice. Nurses can also develop or contribute to care plans.
- Doctors interpret reports such as lab results and X-rays; nurses may request diagnostic tests and explain the findings to patients.
- Some doctors perform surgeries; nurses assist with surgeries and may also perform some nonsurgical medical treatments, as well as administer medications.
It’s worth noting that nurses have a much greater role in patient care than they did in days past, as care providers have come to realize the extent of nurses’ influence on health outcomes. Furthermore, nurses serve as patient educators and patient advocates, providing everything from emotional support to connections to community resources.
Nurses can also:
- Coordinate care with other healthcare providers
- Monitor patients’ progress
- Perform wound care
- Place nasogastric tubes and IV lines
In addition, some nurses become nurse researchers, nurse educators, nurse administrators or nurse executives.
What can a doctor do that a nurse cannot? Nurses cannot perform surgeries, but doctors can. Nurses cannot certify death or provide medical diagnoses, although they do perform head-to-toe assessments. In many cases, nurses cannot prescribe medications, but they do administer them. Some types of nurses do have prescriptive authority, however. For example, nurse practitioners (NPs) have prescriptive authority throughout the U.S.
NPs are a type of advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who work with a high degree of autonomy. In fact, in many underserved communities, a family nurse practitioner (FNP) may serve as the predominant primary care provider, delivering a wide range of patient care services. Just like doctors, NPs can diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries, interpret medical imaging and lab results and prescribe medications.
Why become a nurse? There are plenty of compelling reasons to choose nursing.
Why Both Doctors and Nurses Are Essential to Healthcare
Both doctors and nurses fulfill essential roles within the healthcare system. They have complementary skill sets that, together, provide comprehensive, holistic patient care.
Nurses and physicians tend to work collaboratively, using their respective skills to improve patient outcomes and encourage treatment adherence. For example, when nurses double-check medication dosages ordered by physicians, they may catch potential medication errors before patients can be harmed.
Career Challenges: Doctor vs. Nurse
Is it harder to be a nurse or a doctor? Each role has its unique challenges. Nursing school and medical school are both rigorous, yet medical school is generally considered more difficult due to the sheer volume of information. Aspiring doctors must also undergo additional residency training after medical school, whereas nurse graduates can get to work right away after passing the NCLEX.
In the workplace, doctors and nurses both share some of the same challenges, such as:
- Long hours
- The necessity of dealing with difficult patients and loved ones
- The potential for emotional stress and burnout
On the other hand, doctors face some challenges that nurses don’t, such as navigating complex healthcare insurance requirements. Nurses, on the other hand, must often deal with staffing shortages. Despite these challenges, both careers allow you to provide patient care and have the potential to make a meaningful impact on people’s lives.
4 Reasons Why You Should Choose Nursing
Though there are pros and cons to working as a nurse vs. a doctor, there are at least four reasons why becoming a nurse might be a better option.
1. You Can Become a Nurse Sooner
To become a doctor, first you must earn a bachelor’s degree, which typically takes four years. Then, you’ll need to attend medical school, which takes an additional four years. After that, you’re required to spend three to five years in residency before you may practice as a licensed physician. In sum, the path toward becoming a doctor can take up to 13 years.
In contrast, to become a registered nurse (RN), you can opt to earn an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), which takes two years, or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), which traditionally takes four years. Through an accelerated BSN program such as the one Northeastern University offers, you can earn your BSN in as few as 16 months.
Giovanna, a former pre-med student who went on to pursue nursing at Northeastern University, says, “I struggled a lot with (pre-med courses), and it just discouraged me. I decided to take the prerequisites needed [for the Accelerated BSN program at] Northeastern. I really enjoyed learning the content, because it was stuff that I could actually apply in my future career with patients.”
Although the ADN might serve as adequate preparation for some roles, the BSN has become the preferred standard for practicing nurses nationwide. In fact, 71.7% of RNs had at least a baccalaureate degree as of 2022.
If you already have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 62 credits with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, you might be able to earn a BSN even sooner. Provided you meet the admission requirements, the accelerated BSN program at Northeastern University allows you to leverage your prior education to complete a BSN in as few as 16 months.
The ABSN program offers three learning sites throughout the East Coast: in Charlotte, North Carolina; near Boston, Massachusetts; and near Providence, Rhode Island.
The accelerated nursing program at Northeastern follows a blended learning model, including:
- Rigorous online coursework
- Hands-on skills and simulation labs
- In-person clinical rotations
2. Nurses Have Greater Career Opportunity
An increased focus on preventive healthcare, the aging and associated medical needs of the baby boomer generation and the retirement of currently practicing nurses have led to a nursing shortage across the country.
The demand for nurses is expected to continue. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of nurses will grow by 6% from 2023 through 2033, faster than average. At this rate of growth, healthcare employers expect to hire about 194,500 new nurses during this time period.
In contrast, the job growth rate for doctors and surgeons is expected to be just 4% from 2023 through 2033, indicating that employers will hire about 34,500 new doctors. Furthermore, while physicians’ opportunities can be limited by their specialty area, nurses can work in a variety of settings both inside and outside the hospital. Nursing opportunities beyond the bedside include:
- Case management
- Health coaching
- Informatics
- Pharmaceutical or medical-device sales
- Public health nursing
Additionally, BSN-prepared nurses with clinical experience can pursue graduate study to become APRNs, such as NPs. Other advanced nursing careers include:
- Certified nurse midwife
- Clinical nurse specialist
- Certified registered nurse anesthetist
3. Nurses Have a Greater Impact on Patients
According to a Gallup poll, nursing has been the most trusted profession in America for 23 consecutive years. This may be due at least in part to the fact that patients have more face time with nurses than any other healthcare providers.
Typically, doctors spend only a few minutes with each patient, diagnosing illness and prescribing treatment. Nurses spend much of their shift with patients, looking after their overall well-being and answering questions.
Nurses serve as the liaison between patients and doctors. They listen to patients’ concerns, administer their medication and advocate for their needs, all while providing comfort and emotional support.
Says Giovanna, “Working so closely with the nurses on my unit… made me realize how much of an impact nurses had on our patients and their families, and how grateful these families were to have such compassionate nurses advocating for them and their children.”
How hard is nursing school? It’s a challenge, but not impossible. Learn what makes nursing school challenging and how you can achieve success.
4. Nurses Have Better Work Schedules
In the traditional hospital setting, the work schedules are much different for nurses vs. doctors. Doctors are required to be on call 24/7. While they may take charts and paperwork home to complete, nurses do not.
In contrast, nurses tend to work set shifts each week. In a hospital, that typically means five eight-hour shifts or three 12-hour shifts per week. Additionally, with a median annual salary of $86,070 per year as of May 2023, nurses earn a competitive wage.
Ready to Become a Nurse?
Now that you know about some of the differences between a nurse vs. a doctor, you might be ready to start working toward a nursing career. Northeastern University provides exceptional student support to our ABSN cohorts. Plus, the small class sizes ensure each student receives personalized attention.
Contact us today. We’ll connect you with an admissions counselor who will answer your questions and assist you throughout the admission process. We’re excited to help you begin your path toward nursing.
