Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

What led me from nurse practitioner to medical school

Sarah White, APRN
Education
June 12, 2025
Share
Tweet
Share

For years, I cared for patients as a nurse practitioner—managing chronic disease, guiding them through acute illness, counseling them through the often messy realities of life and health. I loved my work. I loved the relationships I built with patients, the trust they placed in me, and the opportunity to make a difference in their lives.

But over time, a quiet restlessness began to grow—a sense that I wanted to deepen my understanding of medicine and expand the ways I could help those in my care. That feeling only intensified as life unfolded around me in ways I could never have anticipated.

My husband’s sudden injury thrust me into an entirely new role—not only as his caregiver, but as his advocate in a fragmented health care system I thought I understood. Once a highly respected anesthesia clinician working 80+ hours a week, he was now an object of the health care machine. Sitting beside him through surgeries and hospital stays, coordinating complex follow-ups, I saw firsthand both the strengths and the blind spots in how we deliver care. I felt a profound responsibility to learn more, to understand more fully, so that I could serve my patients—and my family—with greater depth.

Around the same time, I suffered the devastating loss of my sister to suicide. That experience shattered me—and forced me to confront the limitations of my knowledge and tools as a practitioner. I wanted to be the kind of health care provider who could not only diagnose and treat, but also recognize the unseen battles my patients might be fighting, and help bridge the gaps that too often lead to tragic outcomes.

Through grief, caregiving, and reflection, I spent years questioning whether I was where I was meant to be. Ultimately, the answer was clear: I needed to grow. I needed to deepen my understanding of medicine, both for the patients I serve and for the person I am becoming. Pursuing medical school isn’t about leaving my past behind—it’s about building on it. Every experience I’ve carried to this point is shaping the physician I hope to become.

Medicine is about presence, not just knowledge. In NP school, we studied pathophysiology, pharmacology, and clinical guidelines. In practice, I quickly learned that presence—sitting fully with a patient in their fear, grief, and uncertainty—mattered just as much as clinical expertise.

I remember one patient, a 20-year-old girl who was left brain-dead after a terrible car accident. I couldn’t change the inevitable, but I could listen, validate, and walk alongside her family in their incomparable suffering. The trust we built in our time together shaped every subsequent decision in her care, and ultimately defined how her family experienced this pivotal moment.

As a future physician, I want to keep this lesson front and center. Clinical acumen matters—and so does humanity. I hope to model both.

Teams—not individuals—deliver great care. Working in interdisciplinary teams as an NP taught me humility and respect for every member of the care team. I learned from nurses, patient care techs, case managers, pharmacists, and colleagues across specialties. The best outcomes came when we collaborated openly, listened to each other, and kept the patient at the center.

As I move toward a physician role, I hope never to lose this team-first mindset. Titles may change; the need for collaboration does not.

Every patient brings a story—and systems shape those stories. Caring for patients over time, I saw how social determinants—housing, food access, literacy, trauma—shaped health outcomes more than any medication I could prescribe. I also saw how complex and impersonal health care systems can leave vulnerable patients behind.

These experiences sparked a drive in me not only to provide excellent clinical care, but to advocate for systems that serve patients more equitably. I want to bring that lens to my future medical training and practice.

Self-awareness matters—and so does self-care. Balancing clinical work, family life, and caregiving for my disabled spouse taught me about the limits of personal resilience. I experienced burnout. I learned that good clinicians attend to their own well-being so they can show up fully for their patients.

ADVERTISEMENT

As I embark on this next chapter, I aim to prioritize sustainable practice, model it for peers and students, and contribute to a culture where well-being is valued alongside clinical excellence.

The road ahead

I didn’t take a traditional path to medical school. I bring with me years of bedside experience, hard-earned lessons about patient care, team dynamics, system gaps, and personal growth—along with the deeply personal experiences that shaped my decision to pursue this path.

These lessons don’t replace the knowledge I’ll gain in medical school—they will enrich it. They remind me daily of the kind of physician I hope to become: one who listens deeply, values the team, advocates fiercely, and cares humanly.

The bedside taught me well. Now, I’m ready to carry those lessons forward.

Sarah White is a nurse practitioner, small business owner, and premedical student based in Virginia. With a background in clinical practice and caregiving, she brings a unique perspective to the intersection of medicine, family life, and community service. She volunteers with the Medical Reserve Corps and is preparing to apply to medical school in 2026.

Sarah is also the founder of two growing ventures: Wrinkle Relaxer, where she specializes in aesthetic treatments, and Bardot Boutique Aesthetics, a space for curated beauty and wellness services.

Prev

Why local cardiac CT scans could save your life

June 12, 2025 Kevin 0
…
Next

When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother's Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

June 12, 2025 Kevin 1
…

Tagged as: Medical school

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Why local cardiac CT scans could save your life
Next Post >
When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother's Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Sarah White, APRN

  • Extreme weight cutting harms health and resilience in youth wrestling

    Sarah White, APRN
  • When the weight won’t budge: the hidden physiology of grief, stress, and set point

    Sarah White, APRN
  • The emotional first responders of aesthetic medicine

    Sarah White, APRN

Related Posts

  • End medical school grades

    Adam Lieber
  • The role of income in medical school acceptance

    Carter Do
  • Is the MCAT still vital for medical school admissions?

    Anonymous
  • Medical school gap year: Why working as a medical assistant is perfect

    Natalie Enyedi
  • Moral injury in medical school

    Anonymous
  • The quiet segregation no one talks about in medical school

    Seema Pattni, MD

More in Education

  • What it means to be a woman in medicine today

    Annie M. Trumbull
  • How Japan and the U.S. can collaborate for better health care

    Vikram Madireddy, MD, Masashi Hamada, MD, PhD, and Hibiki Yamazaki
  • The case for a standard pre-med major in U.S. universities

    Devin Behjatnia
  • From rejection to resilience: a doctor’s rise through the Caribbean route

    Ryan Nadelson, MD
  • The hidden cost of professionalism in medical training

    Hannah Wulk
  • The cost of ending shadowing in medical education

    Matthew Ryan, MD, PhD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Meeting transgender patients where they are: a health care imperative

      Tyler B. Evans, MD, MPH | Physician
    • How AI, animals, and ecosystems reveal a new kind of intelligence

      Fateh Entabi, MD | Tech
    • A physician employment agreement term that often tricks physicians

      Dennis Hursh, Esq | Finance
    • A dual citizen’s choice between two imperfect systems [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How reforming insurance, drug prices, and prevention can cut health care costs

      Patrick M. O'Shaughnessy, DO, MBA | Policy
    • Why agency and partnership are vital in modern health care

      Alan P. Feren, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Why specialist pain clinics and addiction treatment services require strong primary care

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Conditions
    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • A dual citizen’s choice between two imperfect systems [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How pediatricians can address the health problems raised in the MAHA child health report

      Joseph Barrocas, MD | Policy
    • The unseen burden patients carry between appointments

      Ryan Nadelson, MD | Physician
    • Choosing the best EHR for your new behavioral health business

      Ram Krishnan, MBA | Tech
    • My journey to loving primary care again

      Jerina Gani, MD, MPH | Physician
    • How coaching transforms care for people with multiple sclerosis

      Jessica Singh, MD and Liz Kiniry | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Meeting transgender patients where they are: a health care imperative

      Tyler B. Evans, MD, MPH | Physician
    • How AI, animals, and ecosystems reveal a new kind of intelligence

      Fateh Entabi, MD | Tech
    • A physician employment agreement term that often tricks physicians

      Dennis Hursh, Esq | Finance
    • A dual citizen’s choice between two imperfect systems [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How reforming insurance, drug prices, and prevention can cut health care costs

      Patrick M. O'Shaughnessy, DO, MBA | Policy
    • Why agency and partnership are vital in modern health care

      Alan P. Feren, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Why specialist pain clinics and addiction treatment services require strong primary care

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Conditions
    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • A dual citizen’s choice between two imperfect systems [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How pediatricians can address the health problems raised in the MAHA child health report

      Joseph Barrocas, MD | Policy
    • The unseen burden patients carry between appointments

      Ryan Nadelson, MD | Physician
    • Choosing the best EHR for your new behavioral health business

      Ram Krishnan, MBA | Tech
    • My journey to loving primary care again

      Jerina Gani, MD, MPH | Physician
    • How coaching transforms care for people with multiple sclerosis

      Jessica Singh, MD and Liz Kiniry | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...