How much school do you need to become a doctor if Rn?

To become a doctor (a physician, MD or DO), you need to complete a significant amount of schooling *after* you've become a registered nurse (RN). Being an RN doesn't shorten the path to becoming a physician; it's a completely separate career path.

Here's the breakdown:

1. Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): This is the typical undergraduate degree to become an RN. This takes about 4 years.

2. Medical School (MD or DO): After becoming an RN and gaining experience (which is helpful but not required), you would then need to apply and be accepted into medical school. This is a rigorous 4-year program.

3. Residency: Following medical school, physicians complete a residency, which is a period of advanced training in a specific medical specialty. This can last anywhere from 3 to 7 years, depending on the specialty.

Therefore, the total time commitment to becoming a doctor *after* already being an RN is approximately 8-11 years (4 years of medical school + 3-7 years of residency). The RN experience itself adds years before this process even begins.