Hi everyone. I'm currently a high school senior and my main goal is I want to be either a NP or PA in a family practice. I'm just not sure which. I have been accepted to BSN schools and was also accepted to a school that has a 5 year BS/MS PA program. I'm currently in a health careers program at my school and have not shadowed any PAs, only nurses and 2 NPs, who advised me that nursing was better, that you don't actually have to be an RN (which I have no interest in wanting to do) for 2 years before NP school and you can do a lot more with a nursing degree where as PA is limited. One even asked me what I planned to do when PAs get eliminated since I can't "fall back" on becoming a nurse. I have a $400 deposit due in like 15 days to the PA program and truly can't decide which is better. A PA would get me where I want faster and as I have no interest in bedside nursing I fear I would ultimately do bad in nursing school if it doesn't interest me? Any input would be greatly appreciated!
RN to NP or PA?
- Thread starter Julie_27
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Im not sure what those nurses meant by PAs being eliminated, that is not true at all. It is however true that NPs can work independently in SOME states, whereas PAs always need to be under the supervision of a physician. PAs are trained ubder the medical model whereas NPs obviously under the nursing model. Your first question should be what model of training suits your goals and expectations better.
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The nursing model concentrate more on nursing theories. It amazes me how someone can become a nurse practitioner but has never taken classes such as Gen chem, organic chem, biochemistry or even general biology. I am nurse and have a few friends who become NP and never took these classes. However, they are able to do their job with no problems; I guess that work for them. PA schools follow the medical model (hard core science), which is better IMO. But the drawbacks with PA is that you have to take the board every 10 years (I think)and you are always under physicians' supervision. From my experience, one more superficial thing that I notice is that PAs seem to have more prestige in the medical world than NP (I just don't know why is that). If you have no interest in bedside nursing, I think PA is the way to go.
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If you have no interest in nursing, don't go the NP route. PA seems to be a better fit. But also with saying that, it's sad what has happened to PA education. It used to be meant for people with years of health care experience (ie nurses, paramedics, techs, ect). Now it just seems to be a shortcut to practice "medicine".
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