Nature of the job

Hi all.. I'm considering nursing as a second career. All's well I will start my course in February next year. I don't mean to be rude here, just having some concerns. Is nursing seen as a substandard career to medicine? Compared to other courses, the entry criteria seems to be lower. So I'm wondering, do nurses get to use their skills professionally or simply follow the doctors' instructions or like some kinda helpers? Thanks, guys...