Why get an Masters in PA?

[jstuben]

I am going to be applying to PA school next year on the West Coast. My career interests are in Surgery and in the ED. What benefits come with having a Masters in PA, as opposed to a certificate from a school like Stanford? Also, does anyone know about Stanford's reputation.... I know their focus is primary care, but does that mean students interested in other specialities should go somewhere else? Thanks!

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[deleted6669]

I know their focus is primary care, but does that mean students interested in other specialities should go somewhere else? YES
the masters degree is rapidly becoming the standard and for that reason alone if you already have a bs you should get the ms. if you don't have a bs then get a bs in pa and do a postgrad masters program at your 1st job. there are several now that can be done while woking full time.if in california go to usc. it is the best program in the area.if in the northwest go to medex/u of wa. it is the best program in the northwest regardless of what us news rankings might say.( and no, I didn't go to either program but have precepted students from most west coast programs and these 2 always stand out as the best.)

 

[medtechv79]

I'm not in a PA program but if u already have a bachelors why would u want another bachelors when u could get a masters? 2 bachelor degrees don't really get u far in the job market unless u changed yer majors or something like that during undergrad.
I personally would apply to a masters PA program. I don't know exactly how different it is from a bachelors prgm in terms of didactic requirements but a masters to me would get u farther....any masters degree in any field should get u higher pay....better jobs...(hopefully)

 

[deleted6669]

it may help you get the job but pay for pa's is based on experience not degree. I have a masters and make the same as the people with my years of experience who have a certificate or associates. that being said, a masters is the way to go as most programs will be ms level by the end of the decade and all np programs grant an ms. we (pa's and np's) often apply for the same jobs so you need an ms to level the playing field to someone who doesn't know the difference other than the level of degree granted.

 

[JustaPA]

OK, if you had submitted applications today, and you applied for five different programs that are near you. You received regections from four of them and accepted to one, that one is an associate program. You are lets say 45 years old, would you not go to that school and wait another year to reapply hoping to get into a masters program? You have one bachelor degree and don't really want to go for an AS, but you also know that if you make it through the AS program you can easily get a masters after that, plus already be working as a PA perhaps for two years before you would get out of the Masters program you would apply for next year. I think most would go ahead and get the AS then worry about a masters later.

 

[deleted6669]

yes, that makes sense. you can get a postgrad ms fairly quickly while working full time.

 

[JustaPA]

Thank you EmedPA, I didn't think you would like that .