HELP - medical school or nursing school? [Archive]

angel02

Jun 19, 2003, 02:14 PM

you have to ask yourself what you really want tlaga. yung long-term dapat...doctor or nursing. take into consideration din a lot of things..like in nursing now...fast money 'cause super in demand sha...doctor naman nde ka sure if you will be successful after mong magsunog ng kilay for several years. but then again, san ba ang satisfaction and sense mo of self-worth? as for me, i am now taking up nursing (my 2nd course) and supplemental subjects for med. i would have to earn money first and establish my medical career and move to medicine later on...but not in this country na hopefully. kc kahit ano yata trabaho/profession (except illegal!) mo dito, wala pa din kwenta.

yun lang. i don't know if i made sense here. sana nakatulong pa din saeo! ;)

Zeratul

Jun 20, 2003, 02:22 PM

Duuuuh....?

NURSING OF COURSE.

Even established doctors are even taking up nursing for crying out load! Not only poor doctors. I know an ob-gyne section chief (read SECTION CHIEF hindi chief resident) w/ fellowship in a private hospital, who owns a friggin mansion in Ayala Alabang but made the right decision to take up nursing here WITH HER HUSBAND M.D. and after a few months.... HELLO STATUE OF LIBERTY!

Pag nurse o caregiver ka, sponsor ka automatic US H-1 IMMIGRANT VISA. Pag doctor ka lukin for residency (IMG) WALA kang sponsorship. Pag doctor ka dito, dukha kla pa rin at 40+ y/o kasi yung tuition lang nasambot mo sa dami ng DUKHANG PASYENTENG WALANG PAMBAYAD sa ospital. A US nurse can mortgage a house in 10-15 years while a Pinoy doctor will have to wait until 55 y/o (unless mayaman kayo) before he/she owns a house of her own. (Pinoy Doctor = $$$$) = FALLACY!!!!

Pay raise nga siya kaya lang ESTEEM CUT. MD ka dito boss ng nurses, pero paglanding sa USA, RN ka at utusan ng doctor. If you don't have the nerve to wipe A$$es for $$$$, then be true to yourself and stay here in the RP, climb the corporate ladder with and MBA/MS ECON/MS IT whatever.

Know thyself.

YFU'ER

Jun 21, 2003, 12:01 AM

I have heard such stories happening with doctors in the Philippines. I also know that one can be lucky in the states provided they have passed the necessary exams.

A doctor friend migrated to the States and worked as a medtech while the wife who is a nurse also worked in the same hospital. The doctor was a physician/surgeon in Manila and passed all the required exams to qualify for residency in the States. He eventually got lucky through help of friends and was accepted as a resident in Family Medicine.

He wanted to be a doctor and so he sat down with his wife to see if they can live on her salary and that of a resident. They have house payments to make and 2 car payments. The answer was yes and off he went for 3 years of residency. He has completed 1 year already. One more year of residency and he can supplement his income as a 3rd year resident by working moonlighting hours in the ER and Fast Track department.

I personally interviewed the department chairman for Family Medicine and the physician who runs the residency program. They told me flat out that the younger a physician is, ie. not to many years removed from residency, and has passed all the required exams the physician should be considered for the residency program.

Several caveats. The physician must have outstanding test scores and CV's. It is easier to get residency for foreign graduates in the field of family medicine, peds, psychiatry and internal medicine. Be willing to relocate because it is harder to be accepted in a residency program in big cities. The competition is stiff.

There are thousands of physicians from China and India who come to the States hoping to be sponsored as a resident. From a central location, ie home of a friend or a relative, they mass apply to all hospitals. If they are lucky to be asked for an interview they fly in for the interview and then fly out to wait for the decision. If you have relatives who are physicians and affiliated to a teaching hospital, they can help you land the important interview. Persistence help because for each residency spot there are probably 20-30 applicants.

An RN who has passed the licensing exam can look forward to a base pay of 40-45K per annum. That salary can be supplemented by another 5-15K a year depending on how hard one is willing to work. There is always OT and registry.

I know all this because I work for a non profit health care organization. Physician friends of my brother were thinking of ways on how to migrate to the States or Canada and one route was through being a nurse. Since my brothers friends are in their late 30's, the chance of landing a residency spot is quite slim according to the physician running the residency program.

heymikey

Jun 21, 2003, 12:28 AM

Originally posted by YFU'ER
An RN who has passed the licensing exam can look forward to a base pay of 40-45K per annum. That salary can be supplemented by another 5-15K a year depending on how hard one is willing to work. There is always OT and registry.

I find it weird how most filipinos in the Philippines think that nurses in the US are highly paid. I don't know where this fantasy of nurses in the US being rich comes from. It may be true that based on filipino standards, they probably are. But on American standards, they are definitely not (if they were, there would not be a shortage of nurses in the US).

Ask a filipino and they''ll say that nurses in the US are highly paid. Ask an American and they'll say that nurses in the US are overworked and underpaid (which is one of the reasons why only a few students pursue nursing in the US causing a shortage). It is actually not uncommon for nurses to go on strike demanding more money.

By the way, $40-45K per annum is not really a lot if you look at it. If you have the capability of being a doctor in the Philippines, then by all means, do it. Being a doctor in the Philippines is helluva lot better than being a nurse in the US, that's for sure.

Ice Burn

Jun 21, 2003, 12:46 AM

40-45K per annum is a small salary if you are based in the US.
Folks should stop converting the amount in peso and start considering how much the standard of living in the US is.

excel

Jun 21, 2003, 01:36 AM

go for nursing. That's the best !

Blueprint

Jun 21, 2003, 02:17 AM

Originally posted by Zeratul
Duuuuh....?

NURSING OF COURSE.

Even established doctors are even taking up nursing for crying out load! Not only poor doctors. I know an ob-gyne section chief (read SECTION CHIEF hindi chief resident) w/ fellowship in a private hospital, who owns a friggin mansion in Ayala Alabang but made the right decision to take up nursing here WITH HER HUSBAND M.D. and after a few months.... HELLO STATUE OF LIBERTY!

Pag nurse o caregiver ka, sponsor ka automatic US H-1 IMMIGRANT VISA. Pag doctor ka lukin for residency (IMG) WALA kang sponsorship. Pag doctor ka dito, dukha kla pa rin at 40+ y/o kasi yung tuition lang nasambot mo sa dami ng DUKHANG PASYENTENG WALANG PAMBAYAD sa ospital. A US nurse can mortgage a house in 10-15 years while a Pinoy doctor will have to wait until 55 y/o (unless mayaman kayo) before he/she owns a house of her own. (Pinoy Doctor = $$$$) = FALLACY!!!!

Pay raise nga siya kaya lang ESTEEM CUT. MD ka dito boss ng nurses, pero paglanding sa USA, RN ka at utusan ng doctor. If you don't have the nerve to wipe A$$es for $$$$, then be true to yourself and stay here in the RP, climb the corporate ladder with and MBA/MS ECON/MS IT whatever.

Know thyself.

This is making two grave assumptions:

1. The US demand for nurses will still be there after you graduate. History would show you that this demand is cyclical. Walang guarantee.

2. The US is the only country that will provide you with the opportunity that will fulfill your medical career. Note that there are other developed nations out there in dire need of medical practitioners. It may be easier for nurses than doctors to get into the US, but this may not be the case in other countries, or at least there may be equal opportunities for doctors there. Do not limit yourself to the US.

Frankly, I don't think it's good to base your decision on the current economic climate. History would tell us how quickly this can change. It's all right to pursue something because it is the most economically viable now, but bear in mind that it may not be the case anymore after you finish the degree.

Ice Burn

Jun 21, 2003, 08:20 AM

Nursing today is what Physical Therapy was before. I remember when I was about to go to college. Sobrang in-demand and PT. Tapos nagkaboom in PT practitioners, ngayon kung kailan nakatapos na sila, nursing na ang in-demand, hirap na yung iba makakuha ng working visa to practice PT in the US.

Pana-panahon lang yan, what may be in demand today may not be in-demand tomorrow. In short, those who take nursing today may find that once they graduate, sa dami na ng naunang nurse sa US, they just might find themselves with no promised job in the US.

Think it over, sometimes it's not just about the money...

rabbaddal

Jun 21, 2003, 04:11 PM

$40-$45K per annum is just the starting base pay. That amount can rise sharply as the RN chalks up more years of experience. Same goes for the overtime pay of $5-15K per annum. Then there are fringe benefits depending on the institution the RN or any health professional is associated with. One of the PTs I know here in NYC has a chance to reimburse the cost of his grad studies regardless of program or school he attends. Some even get their home and car loan interest payments subsidized.

So if you look at it, the health assistant profession (RN, PT, medtech, etc.) is still financially viable case to case. If the person manages his/her priorities, and is willing to make some lifestyle adjustments (ex. getting a home in lower cost places like Jersey instead of renting a flat in the Upper East Side Manhattan), then the base salary coupled w/ fringe benefits should eventually be more then enough for a middle class-to-upper middle class lifestyle.

There is one more thing I'd like to add to YFU'ER's post re. being a doctor in the US. Even if the MD gets a hospital to agree to sponsor him/her, it does not mean that the INS will grant that person a visa. It's still up to the INS to give the final approval. Many MDs in the Philippines have encountered having their visa application rejected even if they got admitted into US hospitals. Apparently MDs have a separate visa class from medical assistants like RNs and PTs, and the quota for MD visas is much lower than that of med assistants.

That being said, it would be wise to think about Ice Burn's and Blueprint's comments on committing to a profession just because it's "in demand". PT is still a strong profession in the US if the person passes the license exam, but a better example is radiology. In the 70s and 80s, there was a strong demand for people who can analyze radiological tests. With the advent of the internet and digital communications, analyzing these tests can now be outsourced to clinics in India. With the job market changing in such a rapid pace, what will happen when the job is no longer in demand?

YFU'ER

Jun 21, 2003, 10:45 PM

HeyMikey and Iceburn,

My post said the starting salary is $40-45K a year. Rabbaddal is correct when he said a nurse can make more through overtime.

When my sister lived in Queens ten years ago, her roommate was a nurse who worked 12 hour shifts which allowed her a lot of free time. Being single and not having to support her family in the Philippines, she decided to make hay while all the overtime was available. My sister prepared her taxes and said sh*t her roommates tax was bigger than my sisters annual salary. It was definitely 4 times what the residents in the hospital earned.

Why is there a cyclical shortage of nurses in the States and why do a lot of nurses leave the profession? It is not a glamorous job and management is asking nurses to do more things as the reimbursement rate from Medicaid, Medicare, and managed care organization fall. A lot of white nurses leave the profession because there is no upward mobility. You can end up as a nurse manager but would need to have a MA in nursing and the headache that goes with the job is sometime not commensurate with the pay. Most hospitals will only have one VP of nursing. Because of this glass ceiling, a lot of nurses but not the Pinoys leave the profession.

One problem with chasing the pay is burnout. When one has a family, nurses can not do as much OT as they want unless on weekends. There are kids to take care off. This is the reason why in the States you see a lot of nurses try to bring their parents in as immigrants as soon as possible. They get help to raise the kids and still work some OT time. You can not say the same thing for the American nurses.

excel

Jun 22, 2003, 12:01 AM

NURSING

EVERYTHING IS SELF-EXPLANATORY

eyedoc

Jun 22, 2003, 05:57 AM

Go for what YOU REALLY WANT! Consider everything: income, satisfaction, costs, etc. etc.

I assume you're fresh out of high school? Take nursing first. Then see how it goes. If you still want to be a doctor, THEN pursue medicine after you get your nursing degree (use your nursing degree as your premed course). If by then you decide that you want to continue your career as a nurse, then don't go any further and just apply for jobs.

It is true that the climate for Philippine doctors is not ideal. But choosing to be a doctor should be based on the fact that YOU want to be a doctor, not because of monetary considerations. Especially with the high investment of money, time and effort. If it's because you think being a doctor equals big moolah, then think again.

Same reason should apply for anything that you pursue. In the long run, you have to live your life and any choice you make will affect YOUR life, so think it over very carefully.

Caloy_O

Jun 22, 2003, 03:14 PM

Nice thread. I enjoyed reading it.

Btw, I'm on my first-year medicine proper now. All I can say is that it is such a tough course. Anatomy is kinda gross in the start but you'll eventually enjoy it shortly.

Peace. :)

med_trans

Jun 23, 2003, 02:09 AM

Originally posted by Caloy_O
Nice thread. I enjoyed reading it.

Btw, I'm on my first-year medicine proper now. All I can say is that it is such a tough course. Anatomy is kinda gross in the start but you'll eventually enjoy it shortly.

Peace. :) you're right....anatomy is kinda gross especially dealing with the cadavers...but very enjoyable...i really love this subject (esp the anatomy 3-kinesiology)...

btw, im planning to take nursing as my second degree course(PT was my first degree) but as of now, im still confused if im gonna pursue it or not because im already working...haayyy! hirap talaga magdecide...

sweet_angel79

Jun 23, 2003, 03:29 AM

I had the same dilemma before....
I took Physical Therapy as my pre med while I was there in PI

right now... I am an incoming Junior in which Nursing as my major....

If I still have the ENERGY to pursue a higher med career like getting into a med school... I will...

so its your decision... and its really up to you.... what you want to do with your life... :wink:

ChicagoPinoy

Jun 25, 2003, 10:55 AM

Originally posted by Ice Burn
Nursing today is what Physical Therapy was before. I remember when I was about to go to college. Sobrang in-demand and PT. Tapos nagkaboom in PT practitioners, ngayon kung kailan nakatapos na sila, nursing na ang in-demand, hirap na yung iba makakuha ng working visa to practice PT in the US.

Pana-panahon lang yan, what may be in demand today may not be in-demand tomorrow. In short, those who take nursing today may find that once they graduate, sa dami na ng naunang nurse sa US, they just might find themselves with no promised job in the US.

Think it over, sometimes it's not just about the money...

...... Nursing....still in demand...unlike the PT/OT or the IT jobs....just think of the baby boomers who are getting sick. Nursing job...has always been in demand, and will always be...maniwala ka.

excel

Jun 25, 2003, 11:11 AM

I absolutely agree with you !

:) :) :)

-----------------------------------------------------
CENTRAL PHILIPPINE UNIVERSITY (CPU)
www.cpu.edu.ph

Blueprint

Jun 25, 2003, 08:11 PM

Originally posted by ChicagoPinoy
...... Nursing....still in demand...unlike the PT/OT or the IT jobs....just think of the baby boomers who are getting sick. Nursing job...has always been in demand, and will always be...maniwala ka.

Actually, the nursing graduates between 1994-1996 had to wait at least five years for it to pick up again. And considering how low-paid nurses are in the Philippines, a lot of them just couldn't - it wasn't economically viable.

Looking at it now, it appears like Nursing is the way to go. But tell that to some of the graduates of the mid 90s who just had to give up the wait.

tamisguy

Jun 25, 2003, 09:02 PM

I tried that but I decided not to pursue med school. :D Got lazy. Money is good in nursing. If I win the lottery, then I might go to med school. :D

excel

Jun 25, 2003, 11:33 PM

well said, tamisguy !

:) :) :)

-----------------------------------------------------------
CENTRAL PHILIPPINE UNIVERSITY (CPU)
www.cpu.edu.ph

Ice Burn

Jun 26, 2003, 05:00 AM

Originally posted by ChicagoPinoy
...... Nursing....still in demand...unlike the PT/OT or the IT jobs....just think of the baby boomers who are getting sick. Nursing job...has always been in demand, and will always be...maniwala ka.

The most basic concept of Economics is that there is the law of supply and demand. At some point there comes an equilibrium point between supply and demand. There may be a high demand right now for nurses but once supply fulfills the demand (since so many nurses just happen to be taking off for the US), demand drops and too bad for all the future nurses.

With all the nurses that left for the US right now, do you think a large number of them will quit in the near future to give way for the next crop of US-nurses wannabes?

It's all about Economics, demand doesn't last forever...

ChicagoPinoy

Jun 26, 2003, 07:36 AM

Originally posted by Ice Burn
The most basic concept of Economics is that there is the law of supply and demand. At some point there comes an equilibrium point between supply and demand. There may be a high demand right now for nurses but once supply fulfills the demand (since so many nurses just happen to be taking off for the US), demand drops and too bad for all the future nurses.

With all the nurses that left for the US right now, do you think a large number of them will quit in the near future to give way for the next crop of US-nurses wannabes?

It's all about Economics, demand doesn't last forever...

....not all State board passers go to bedside Nursing.....the demand for nurses is not limited to bedside nursing alone...you have nurses working in the corporate world, pharmaceutical field, education, Occupational health, private clinics etc. This still leaves alot of nursing positions in the community hospitals, university hospitals, and government hospitals.
....still a number of nurses quit in 3-5 years after t their first bedside nursing job and go to non-bedside work.
This is the reason why since the 1980s and up to now, US hospitals and Nursing homes still recruit nurses beyond US shores.

Malachite Animo

Jun 26, 2003, 08:43 AM

It depends on what you're after.

If you're after the money, then start your computations in dollars / Philippine peso + SOL.

If you're after YOUR satisfaction, fulfillment, field of interest, ambition, etc...then only YOU can help yourself. What do you want? Are you ready? Do you have the drive?

I'm a Biology graduate, and currently working in the Research&Development department and am ALSO still undecided where to dive in next -- med school, nursing school or to the field of research. But I have those two pointers (mentioned earlier) in mind. :)

tamisguy

Jun 26, 2003, 02:53 PM

Originally posted by Ice Burn
The most basic concept of Economics is that there is the law of supply and demand. At some point there comes an equilibrium point between supply and demand. There may be a high demand right now for nurses but once supply fulfills the demand (since so many nurses just happen to be taking off for the US), demand drops and too bad for all the future nurses.

With all the nurses that left for the US right now, do you think a large number of them will quit in the near future to give way for the next crop of US-nurses wannabes?

It's all about Economics, demand doesn't last forever...

Basic economics indeed. The reality is that the percentage of nurses graduating and getting recruited to nursing schools are still not enough to fulfill the nursing needs at the moment. The government projections still points to a shortage for years to come. They are so desperate that they are making it so much easier to get loans and other incentives for students to go to nursing school instead. Am I encouraging people to go to nursing school? Hell no. It's not an easy job. Requires alot of care and compassion. Bedside manner. You have to wanna be a nurse to be a good nurse. If your heart is not into it, then you will be miserable. And even then, nurses turn to burn out quickly still. I have not done full time bedside care for myself for years due to burn out. :)

Ice Burn

Jun 27, 2003, 12:35 AM

Originally posted by ChicagoPinoy
....not all State board passers go to bedside Nursing.....the demand for nurses is not limited to bedside nursing alone...you have nurses working in the corporate world, pharmaceutical field, education, Occupational health, private clinics etc. This still leaves alot of nursing positions in the community hospitals, university hospitals, and government hospitals.
....still a number of nurses quit in 3-5 years after t their first bedside nursing job and go to non-bedside work.
This is the reason why since the 1980s and up to now, US hospitals and Nursing homes still recruit nurses beyond US shores.

It's nice to see someone so optimistic...

I can't say the same for myself...First and foremost, I'm a pessimist, I believe in the law of supply and demand and markets will always be uncertain.

Besides, that's what the Filipino nurses go to the US for--to become bedside nurses. American nurses are the ones who quit bedside nursing to move to a more less stressful nursing environment. In the 1980's as I recall doctors where the ones in demand. Then in the 1990's, PT's and OT's where in demand. You see, pana-panahon lang yan...Besides, how many private clinics will go through the trouble of H1- sponsorships? There's certainly no shortage of pharmacists in the US and as for occupational health, they seem to have almost filled up the demand for PT's and OT's already. Why do you think a lot of recent PT and OT grads are now stuck in the Philippines and have resorted to taking up nursing?

See, it's sad to see what lengths people go just for the promise of money. Honestly, how many nurses can actually claim that nursing is truly their calling and were not lured into taking up nursing just because of the promise of a job in the US? And the lack of opportunities in the Philippines just fuels this desire to leave the country.

I only hope that the economic situation in the Philippines will improve and better opportunities particularly for nurses will be provided. We just might find our country out of nurses and so much for the healthcare of the Filipino people.

rabbaddal

Jun 27, 2003, 07:17 PM

Originally posted by Ice Burn
I can't say the same for myself...First and foremost, I'm a pessimist, I believe in the law of supply and demand and markets will always be uncertain.

Besides, that's what the Filipino nurses go to the US for--to become bedside nurses. American nurses are the ones who quit bedside nursing to move to a more less stressful nursing environment. In the 1980's as I recall doctors where the ones in demand. Then in the 1990's, PT's and OT's where in demand. You see, pana-panahon lang yan...Besides, how many private clinics will go through the trouble of H1- sponsorships? There's certainly no shortage of pharmacists in the US and as for occupational health, they seem to have almost filled up the demand for PT's and OT's already. Why do you think a lot of recent PT and OT grads are now stuck in the Philippines and have resorted to taking up nursing?

See, it's sad to see what lengths people go just for the promise of money. Honestly, how many nurses can actually claim that nursing is truly their calling and were not lured into taking up nursing just because of the promise of a job in the US? And the lack of opportunities in the Philippines just fuels this desire to leave the country.

I only hope that the economic situation in the Philippines will improve and better opportunities particularly for nurses will be provided. We just might find our country out of nurses and so much for the healthcare of the Filipino people.

I would lean towards those who believe that the demand for nurses has a long way to go before it fizzles out. As for H1 visas, nurses have a separate visa class than other professionals and the quota for their visa is much higher. Since they have a professional license, justifying it to the INS is easier.

What I'm not so optimistic about is the competitve landscape. I agree that all else equal, the consumer will choose Filipino nurses over those from the likes of India, China, and Russia for their ability to speak English and the higher quality of their skills. But what if all else were not equal? Just to give an example: If HMOs start staffing hospitals and clinics w/ nurses, and the owners of these HMOs or the private equity firms that own them are Indian nationals, then they just might recruit Indian nurses (who may be cheaper) rather than Filipino nurses even if Filipinos are more skilled. I wouldn't discount this possibility espescially if the Health Care industry becomes very profitable. We saw this happen in the IT industry and it may be starting to happen in the Call Center busness as well.

heymikey

Jun 28, 2003, 12:20 AM

Originally posted by rabbaddal
I would lean towards those who believe that the demand for nurses has a long way to go before it fizzles out. As for H1 visas, nurses have a separate visa class than other professionals and the quota for their visa is much higher. Since they have a professional license, justifying it to the INS is easier.

What I'm not so optimistic about is the competitve landscape. I agree that all else equal, the consumer will choose Filipino nurses over those from the likes of India, China, and Russia for their ability to speak English and the higher quality of their skills.
Actually, there was this segment on Dateline NBC (a news program on NBC) sometime last year that I watched saying that the most in-demand nurses are from South Africa. Aside from the fact that they also speak English, South African nurses are highly qualified. Due to the lack of doctors in South Africa (probably because of the AIDS epidemic), nurses there are trained to do most doctor's duties such as diagnosing an ailment, prescribing medication, etc.
Although it is quite sad though. According to that segment, South Africa badly needs those nurses due to the outbreak of AIDS, and yet, the US is trying to lure them away from those who badly need them.

bjmanabat

Jun 28, 2003, 11:52 AM

i say you should take up nursing. aside from the longer years you need to be a doctor you also have to take into consideration that most doctors go into specialty training like pediatrics, obstetrics, internal medicine etc. that would be an additional 2to3 years of study. although most specialist in training are compensated there are earning about 6to8 thousand in a private hospital and around 12 to 15 thousand in a government hospital. this is still low especially if you are already married and need to pay rentals, electricity, telephone etc. should you wish to practice right away then you become a general practitioner who is earning very minimal because most patients would like to consult specialists right away. this is in contrary to what nurses are receiving especially those working abroad plus you and your family have a chance to become immigrants.

badger1011

Jun 28, 2003, 10:45 PM

you might want to read this... http://www.inq7.net/lif/2003/apr/04/lif_33-1.htm

good luck! ;)

Blueprint

Jun 29, 2003, 12:13 PM

Ice Burn

Jun 29, 2003, 06:30 PM

One more thing..We as Filipinos are suppose to be happy about the fact that we are training nurses to serve the US (or some first-world country for that matter)? I wonder how long it will be when the country will experience a lack of quality nurses? Looks like the Philippines just might get stuck with the dregs of the nursing industry while the better trained ones slink off for greener pastures.

rabbaddal

Jun 30, 2003, 02:45 PM

Originally posted by Blueprint
I personally agree that there's still a long way to go before the requirement for nurses in the US is filled up, but this is one big uncertainty. And with regards to the separate visa class for nurses, please note that IT professionals in the mid 90s had the same arrangement, but it was promptly removed after the IT bubble burst in 2000. In that sense, the quota or exclusive visa class does not really indicate anything but the high demand for nurses now.

As per my post, my comment on the separate visa class was directed towards Ice Burn's question re. how many clinics will go through the trouble of sponsoring H1 (meaning H1B) visas. I did not say that separate visas were indicative of future trends. I reasonably assumed that the question was referring to the present situation; therefore, so does my answer refer to the present situation.

excel

Jul 1, 2003, 01:17 AM

For me, It is nursing because I am a nurse working here in London. But the idea of what's the best between medicines and nursing simply your own choice. Where do you think you are more productive in a way because both courses deals with human beings disease treatment.

Cheers !

------------------------------------------------------------
CENTRAL PHILIPPINE UNIVERSITY (CPU)
www.cpu.edu.ph

:)

Wizard

Jul 1, 2003, 06:17 PM

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tamisguy

Jul 1, 2003, 07:18 PM

Originally posted by helenez
dilemma, dilemma, dilemma...doctor or nurse? certainly i'd love to be a doctor and be the leader of the team. but i am not a fan of long years of education. besides, i heard that nurses have a big future in the U.S.

hhmm, ayoko nmang magregret later on. so what do you guys suggest? thanks in advance!

You have to look deep in you to determine what will make you feel fulfilled afterwards. They are both honorable professions. So what's the update? :)

Blueprint

Jul 2, 2003, 02:40 AM

Originally posted by rabbaddal
As per my post, my comment on the separate visa class was directed towards Ice Burn's question re. how many clinics will go through the trouble of sponsoring H1 (meaning H1B) visas. I did not say that separate visas were indicative of future trends. I reasonably assumed that the question was referring to the present situation; therefore, so does my answer refer to the present situation.

Sorry, my mistake. You're right, with the special consideration for nurses at the moment, H1 sponsorship for nurses is very easy. Some may even sponsor non bachelor's degrees in nursing (eg vocational course like the LPN in the states) because of the shortage.

Still, it's worth noting that the quota is only indicative of the current situation and can be withdrawn practically anytime. Thus, if you're qualified and are keen to work in the US, better apply now than later. On the other hand, if you're only looking at taking nursing because it's in demand now, you have to consider that it may not be the case after you finish your degree (and the customary two years or so experience).