29, Pre-Med, starting to consider PA instead... please help?

[mrdespair]

Hello everyone,

I am a 29 years old URM pre-med who is a degree-bearer and came back to school for a second undergrad (I am pursuing a second degree instead of post-bacc because original degree is from overseas) due to a dream of pursuing a career in Medicine.

Here is the deal, however: I am not even halfway through my pre-med prereqs (currently taking Orgo 1) and I already feel as though I have no time for anything other than study+ECs. This is really getting to me because I have (somewhat) recently gotten married and am very much in love with my partner, and I want to be able to enjoy life with them. I am terrified that I will have no time for anything other than Medicine for the next 10 years, and even though this is the original dream, my partner is also my dream, and definitely my priority. I'm terrified of being 40 and looking back and feeling as though I failed to use the remainder of my youth to enjoy life and spend time alongside the love of my life. This has led me to start considering PA school as an alternative, since while it is not a walk in the park either, it is a shorter commitment than Medical school.

I guess I would really love to hear stories from people who have been through/are going through something similar, or people who have gone through with Medical school under similar circumstances or chosen PA school instead and how it has turned out for them.

Thanks in advance for any and all replies - I really need to talk to someone about this.

PS: My partner is totally supportive of whatever I choose, but I feel like the stress of the process does end up inevitably taking its toll, too.

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[AlbinoHawk DO]

If you're comfortable with being a PA, I'd say you should pursue that route instead. The road does not get easier to become a physician. You'll be about 40 until you start making real money. In many ways pursuing medicine for me was a mistake.

 

[Apollo1]

Going through a very similar situation OP, minus the significant other/URM considerations. An FP I shadow suggested to me that I consider all the benefits and drawbacks of going into either field, and after that go with my "gut" (i.e. what feels right, without using logic or forethought). Perhaps the same could help with your decision.

 

[gmbz]

The question you need to ask yourself is "if I didn't, would I regret it?". Obviously your S.O. needs to be 150% on board with you either way. You are not going to get through this thing without them on your side.

 

[68PGunner]

Go and be a PA then. From your post, I think you lack the mental fortitude, commitment, and determination right now to finish med school and residency while taking on 300-350K of debt. PA isn't a bad field. It really depends on your personality. I also thought about being a PA originally. However, knowing my personality, I know that I will regret my decision if I don't give the doctor route a shot.

 

[W19]

@68Gunner I sense that OP will regret going to PA school... I have a cousin who is a MD; he always says that medicine has a lot of intangible benefit that many physicians take for granted...

 

[futuremdforme]

Congrats on your marriage! There is time to spend time with your SO in med school (at least in pre-clerkship) but it's hard. Your colleagues will be young and mostly single (or in LD relationships) and they will be going out quite a bit. If you prioritize your marriage, you can use these times to see your SO. The hours are a little unreliable which makes it hard compared to a SO who works 9-5 but there will be time. I'd say that being able to live together and have a short commute make it a million times easier though.

Also... If you are the kind of person who regrets taking the easy road or the shortcut, you might regret being a PA. I know that for me, the aspects that differentiate MD and PA are the ones that make an MD so appealing. PA sounds like a great gig but it's not a physician so make sure you are comfortable giving that up and that you won't be resentful toward your spouse.

 

[mrdespair]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful replies, everyone.

For those of you who are trying to figure me out: yes, I do have the thing where I have a desire to go all in and be the top at whatever I do. Medicine has also always been The Dream for me. At the same time, though, I am also someone who prioritizes family and I value being able to immerse myself in different things rather than just have that one thing that defines me in life (which, I feel, is what ends up happening while you're in medical school/residency). So, yeah, I guess I have an odd personality mix and this is probably why I'm so torn.

I've also been getting progressively more scared of the debt. I failed to mentioned this on my original post, but I would actually love to go into primary care, and we all know that not specializing means lower salaries.

My spouse is incredibly supportive and I am really not afraid of losing them or anything. It's more a fear of missing out on my last young years with them... but as far as they're concerned, they'll support me no matter what (even if I were to choose to be a househusband, lol). Also, even if I choose PA and end up regretting it, I could never put this on them and blame them for it - so even if I make a bad choice, I don't really see it affecting the relationship as I feel it would be 100% my choice.

@AlbinoHawk DO , you said you regret having gone the Med route in some ways. Could you elaborate on that please if you are willing?

Overall, I know I will be giving up something that's big for me if I don't go the Med route, but... I also feel like I might be gaining something big, too. I dunno, thanks all for talking it out with me - truly appreciated.

 

[mrdespair]

(@W19 , you mentioned you think I would regret it, would you too mind elaborating on what you think the regrets might be with the PA route?)

 

[W19]

(@W19 , you mentioned you think I would regret it, would you too mind elaborating on what you think the regrets might be with the PA route?)

Based on what you said on your post, medicine is what you really want to do, but you will settle for PA because of your circumstances etc... Whenever people 'settle' for something, they tend look back and say what if... I know it's hard for people of your age... I am older than you, also married and I am in med school now. There are many in my school that have spouse and kid(s) and they still manage... True you won't spend a a lot of time with your SO, but your life is not going to change drastically in term of your relationship if your spouse is a 100% on board and you go to a school in which attendance is not mandatory (I am talking about the first 2 year).

By the way, I worked with a PA who constantly said he made a big mistake not going to med school... But I think for him it was the financial aspect of things... Him and his brother were ready to apply to med school and he made a complete turn out and applied to PA because according to him ' he wanted to make money quick'... When I worked with him he was comparing himself financially with his brother who is a pain management doc and said he was foolish for not looking at the big picture back then...

 

[esob]

I agree with gmbz that if you are going to go to med school your S.O. needs to be 100% on board. If not, don't risk your marriage. I know when I decided to do this I asked my wife if she was 100% on board and she said yes, otherwise, I wouldn't have even considered it.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

@AlbinoHawk DO , you said you regret having gone the Med route in some ways. Could you elaborate on that please if you are willing?

It just consumes all your life. Time to do other things is practically non-existent. You never see a paycheck.

 

[futuremdforme]

I agree with gmbz that if you are going to go to med school your S.O. needs to be 100% on board. If not, don't risk your marriage. I know when I decided to do this I asked my wife if she was 100% on board and she said yes, otherwise, I wouldn't have even considered it.

Agree with this. If anything my spouse wanted it more for me than I wanted it for myself. I had doubts (before and even at the start) and my SO told me that I was meant for this. On my own it would be a lot harder.

 

[mrdespair]

Thanks again for the replies.

I agree with all of you about not going through with it if partner isn't with you 100%. Mine is, though (if they weren't, it would actually make my decision easier).

I just really have been questioning med school for reasons very similar to what @AlbinoHawk DO describes as being demotivating... Also, the culture of cutthroat competition and hazing puts me off so much... Like, I thought people got into this to help others, but most of the successful premeds around me are total sociopaths... It really frightens me.

 

[deleted520847]

Also, the culture of cutthroat competition and hazing puts me off so much... Like, I thought people got into this to help others, but most of the successful premeds around me are total sociopaths... It really frightens me.

I went to an all girls boarding school back in high school where hazing was the norm. I was never hazed because from day 1, I made it very clear that I would not indulge that. I was not mean about it, I was just very firm. I was friendly, sociable, respectful... but firm. At the end of the day, that is a benefit being a non-trad might afford you as well. If you portray yourself as mature, determined and no-nonsense, people are less likely to haze you.

 

[DoctorDrewOutsidetheLines]

OP, not to call you out or anything, but are you in a polyamorous relationship? You keep referring to your partner as "them." It's a bit weird to me. It's okay to be gay. I just wanted to let you know that. Besides, this is the internet and hopefully the people on this site have learned enough to keep their bigotry to a minimum and besides, this is an anonymous forum for the most part.

That being said, sociopaths are everywhere no matter which career you choose. Choosing a different route (PA vs. MD) in life that is not THE DREAM may make your life THE NIGHTMARE if God forbid, you and your partner don't work out. DO sounds like it is less cutthroat and more cooperative than MD. But either way, in the end, you're a physician.

You sound like the type of person who may not be satisfied with the PA route. You will always wonder what if? It's great that you have a supportive significant other who won't make this decision for you and will stick by you no matter what.

So go for it.

As for the loans: URM + primary care = cha-ching! You may not make as much as you colleagues who specialize but you also will most likely have substantially much less debt. Assuming your stats are decent.

 

[AlphaKeto]

So, good news and bad news.

The good news: You can do it. You can be married and be older and have a decent life and be and med school. You can have time for your wife. You can go on dates with her. You can even take planned trips with her once in a while. It will make things harder and you might not get the best grades in class, but you will pass if you put your nose to the grindstone and find a routine. If your wife has a decent job you may not even struggle much financially.

The bad news: Unless your wife is the type that enjoys being a housewife, staying home, etc., she's going to be extremely disappointed, at least some of the time. You're not going to be jet-setting around the world together. You probably won't have the money, and after the first year especially, you won't have the time. Also, when exam time comes around you're probably going to be kind of an dingus. It just stresses you out so much it becomes kind of difficult to deal with every day issues (I can say from personal experience, this goes double for URM in certain schools). Which means you might end up just being AWOL for a couple of weeks.

What I want you to take from this is that you can have a normal-ish life and be in medschool with a wife, gf, etc., but there will definitely be sacrifices, especially as it pertains to things that require lots of money or time.

 

[feeling-dizzy]

PA school actually are more stress-full since they try to squeeze everything in 2 yrs curriculum. MD even though take much longer but spread out over many years. Go for MD man; it would be easier for you since you are URM. Don't look back and regret. PA is just not the same.

 

[DoctorDrewOutsidetheLines]

You're absolutely right @feeling-dizzy. URMs are much more intelligent and deserving than the majority of the [American] population, so I agree OP, go to med school, don't look back. You deserve it.

That was not sarcasm, I actually do believe this.

 

[68PGunner]

You're absolutely right @feeling-dizzy. URMs are much more intelligent and deserving than the majority of the [American] population, so I agree OP, go to med school, don't look back. You deserve it.

That was not sarcasm, I actually do believe this.

I think he meant that it's significantly easier to get accepted into a md school as an urm.

 

[Dral]

You're absolutely right @feeling-dizzy. URMs are much more intelligent and deserving than the majority of the [American] population, so I agree OP, go to med school, don't look back. You deserve it.

That was not sarcasm, I actually do believe this.

I'd like to say that not one group is more intelligent or more deserving than another. I'd like us to evaluate people by individual characteristics and achievements instead of trying to put people into groups.

 

[Eccesignum]

As for the loans: URM + primary care = cha-ching! You may not make as much as you colleagues who specialize but you also will most likely have substantially much less debt.

I'd be careful with this assumption. I'm URM. I work with two brilliant URM docs (we're rural, one's a primary care doc and one's EM) who received not a drop of grant help and are both in the middle of paying back their full COA in loans. They told me to expect absolutely nothing and I don't (if something financially helpful comes out of the woodwork it'll be a nice surprise but I certainly don't expect it). Medical schools know you want to go to medical school, and you'll pay for it no matter what they do or don't offer you.

This is not to say it won't happen. But don't go in thinking you're in the clear just because of a circumstance or a desire. Plan for the full debt load.

 

[AlphaKeto]

Also please don't listen to the URM myth. Yes, being URM is often one of MANY things med school admissions looks for. It is seen as desirable because there is a need for URM doctors...especially black males as the AAMC report earlier this year showed. However it is not a get into medschool free card. My GPA was crappy because of some grades from my much younger years, though my graduating gpa was a 3.4. My MCAT was comparable to my classmates, with an extremely high verbal (which is seen as unusual). In other words, there were a number of factors that got my foot in the door in the places I got interviewed, but the majority of places rejected me outright. I got about 5 interviews out of 25 applications. My URM status couldn't save me from a bad GPA on paper. Even my state school that I eventually decided to attend, did not accept or intwrview my friend, who studied with and sat with me for the MCAT, had a similar gpa, and who is also a nontrad URM male, because his MCAT score was a couple of points lower than mine. He ended up doing a prematric program and reinterviewed though. Just saying, don't believe the hype. Put together an appealing application. It's the best way to get in to med school. That includes gpa, mcat, and definitely personal statement. Use the application process to tell your nontraditional story

 

[AlphaKeto]

Ultimately you're going to have to take the same classes as your classmates and perform just as well, so that's really what it comes down to. That's also where your nontraditional status comes into play. Any dumb dumb can maintain a 3.8 in undergrad with the proper focus, background, support, etc when he has nothing else to worry about, and alot of those people will fall apart when the stress of med school hits them. But maintaining a 3.5 with two kids, their mother, taking care of your parents, working a full time menial job, and still finding time to do research and to be active in your community? That's med school material.

 

[DoctorDrewOutsidetheLines]

Thank you fellow SDN members, URMs and non-URMs alike. I agree wholeheartedly with most of the above statements, I just feel I have to comment whenever someone on SDN makes an assumption about how easy URMs have it w/ med school admissions. It really gets my goat. It's as if people on here believe we can just show up at the white coat ceremony at our school of choice and say, "What, was I supposed to RSVP or something?"

While it would be extremely nice to be judged by individual characteristics and achievements instead of putting people into groups, as my daily life and the posts on here often show, that's not how the world works.

I'd like to say that not one group is more intelligent or more deserving than another. I'd like us to evaluate people by individual characteristics and achievements instead of trying to put people into groups.

 

[mrdespair]

I kind of regret disclosing that I'm URM, I was just trying to give some background because I guess the relevance for that, for me, is that I would like to contribute to the representation of people like myself in Medicine. This is part of my motivation.

I'd rather not derail my post into an URM debate, but FYI - I am not concerned about grades thus far. I currently have a 4.0, and while I feel it is probably impossible to keep it all the way through undergrad, I am still confident in my capacity to put in the work needed to remain competitive.

For those of you who don't understand why URMs have it tough: I experience institutional racism everyday, and I have not been afforded the same opportunities as your average american kid. I am a first gen citizen, English is my second language, and I did not learn any science in high school or had any labs EVER before starting my current program. I've had to pick this all up on my own and fill in the gaps while competing against people who have been preparing for this at good schools their whole lives. Everyone can be competent regardless of race, but please understand that some people do come from less privileged backgrounds and have to fight a lot harder to get there. Also, as someone has stated before - it is a myth that URMs can get in easier with crappy GPAs. It is a myth I do not trust at all, nor would I want this magical "free pass" if it did indeed exist; I want to prove that I can be just as good as the kid with the cushy background, even with the extra hardship.

tl;dr: ignore the URM thing - it's only relevant to my story in the sense of personal sense of duty towards diversifying Medicine (and being in this position of leadership in healthcare as opposed to PA), but treat me like any other candidate regardless of ethnicity.

Again, thanks all for the input on my situation - it's a little shocking that so many total strangers have come to try and help me out with this decision, and I appreciate it.

 

[Dral]

While it would be extremely nice to be judged by individual characteristics and achievements instead of putting people into groups, as my daily life and the posts on here often show, that's not how the world works.

Totally true, but change has to start somewhere!

I'm in a position to start evaluating people for positions starting this year, and I to the best of my abilities plan to judge the individual instead of some group they may be a part of.

 

[DoctorDrewOutsidetheLines]

@mrdespair I think your comment just gave the answer to your original question/first post.

It sounds like you have meaningful reasons to want to be in a position of leadership in healthcare and you will regret it if you don't pursue that dream of MD.

As a URM myself, I strongly believe we need more URM positive role models in a lot of career fields out there, especially the ones that have been traditionally reserved for the privileged.

Please truly listen to your heart on this one. No one can tell you what to do or how to live your life.

But you only have one life to live. Make it count.

Edit: I also considered PA school. I'm 32 and won't be applying to med school until I'm 34 or 35. I may want a husband and kids one day. But I know my reasons for wanting to be a doctor trump my biological clock. I would regret my decision for the rest of my life and always wonder what if? And the jury's not yet out for me. That husband and those kids may come along. You've already got the partner of your dreams who will support your choice no matter what.

 

[feeling-dizzy]

I kind of regret disclosing that I'm URM, I was just trying to give some background because I guess the relevance for that, for me, is that I would like to contribute to the representation of people like myself in Medicine. This is part of my motivation.

I'd rather not derail my post into an URM debate, but FYI - I am not concerned about grades thus far. I currently have a 4.0, and while I feel it is probably impossible to keep it all the way through undergrad, I am still confident in my capacity to put in the work needed to remain competitive.

For those of you who don't understand why URMs have it tough: I experience institutional racism everyday, and I have not been afforded the same opportunities as your average american kid. I am a first gen citizen, English is my second language, and I did not learn any science in high school or had any labs EVER before starting my current program. I've had to pick this all up on my own and fill in the gaps while competing against people who have been preparing for this at good schools their whole lives. Everyone can be competent regardless of race, but please understand that some people do come from less privileged backgrounds and have to fight a lot harder to get there. Also, as someone has stated before - it is a myth that URMs can get in easier with crappy GPAs. It is a myth I do not trust at all, nor would I want this magical "free pass" if it did indeed exist; I want to prove that I can be just as good as the kid with the cushy background, even with the extra hardship.

tl;dr: ignore the URM thing - it's only relevant to my story in the sense of personal sense of duty towards diversifying Medicine (and being in this position of leadership in healthcare as opposed to PA), but treat me like any other candidate regardless of ethnicity.

Again, thanks all for the input on my situation - it's a little shocking that so many total strangers have come to try and help me out with this decision, and I appreciate it.

You think all those problems are hard? How about trying to apply to med school with all your problems without even a URM status? I was an immigrant too, did not know any English until came to America when I was 16 years old, no money, no job, lived in a garage, experience racism? yes, of course, unless you are white. Oh yeah, I don't have URM status because I am Asian,haha.

 

[DoctorDrewOutsidetheLines]

@feeling-dizzy I am going to pray for you.

This is not a pissing contest.

 

[AlphaKeto]

Totally true, but change has to start somewhere!

I'm in a position to start evaluating people for positions starting this year, and I to the best of my abilities plan to judge the individual instead of some group they may be a part of.

The thing is, people get judged by groups they belong to all the time. It's an inherent bias. It only became an issue when the bias that favored the majority was challenged. Anyway, since it's humanly impossible for an individual to be completely objective and uninfluenced by personal bias, I hope you take into account personal prejudices you bring into the room and Institutional discrimination when making your decisions instead of just relying on your hypothetical objectivity.

 

[mrdespair]

Hey everyone, just wanted to give an update: I should start signing up for classes for next semester soon, and despite all of the very appreciated opinions here that I would have something of value to offer to the field of Medicine, I am strongly leaning towards going all in for PA. This is due to, in part, financial aspects concerning my family. The people who love me are totally willing to sacrifice everything along with me for my dream, but... truth is, I don't want to ask this of them. Part of why I wanted to go into Medicine in the first place is because I'm a pretty caring person, and I can't help but feel terrible about the impact this decision would have on my loved ones (even if they are not complaining, because they are very giving and loving people). If I ignored this, I fear I might lose a part of myself that's more essential to who I am than becoming a doctor would be.

I'm hoping I can still do good clinical work and help people as well as find a way to advocate for culturally sensitive healthcare and humanized clinical practices even from the perspective and position of a PA. I know some other people are going through a similar dilemma, so I can keep you all posted on how things work out if you're interested.

Thanks so much for the people who took this thread seriously and who also opened up and shared their own personal stories here, especially other URMs. You're awesome - keep fighting the good fight!

 

[AlphaKeto]

There's a 35 yo PA in my class that decided to go back. It's never too late if you change your mind. Good luck!

 

[Prettypuff1]

I think you should take a Break from thinking about what path you will chose for now.. You will need your pre reqs for PA school or Med school, so take the rest of this term to focus on those. You'll need those A's...
I have struggled with the idea of going to a master's entry nursing/PA school as an alternative to medicine. But as i put myself in those positions and truly looked at what they did on an everyday basis, it wasn't right for me. Time will pass, if your spouse is there for you now through the rough time it will make the good times a lot sweeter.. Yes a career in medicine does mean putting your career first always; there is no escaping it. But i think you have to decide if that is worth the satisfaction of the job.
I am an URM, a woman single parent with a child who will start High school, when i start med school. I hear all kinds of **** from people here... i just ignore them and keep it moving.. at the end of the day , its only important what those making admissions decisions think. You'll encounter lots of contrary opinions here and i just take it as preparation for contrary people
If you want to be a doctor, then all of the stress, long hours and sacrifice will be worth it. I cant give you advice either way. it took me years to get the confidence to get to apply and be strong. Just take some time think about what you want and maybe shadow some more.
Pp1

 

[Dral]

The thing is, people get judged by groups they belong to all the time. It's an inherent bias. It only became an issue when the bias that favored the majority was challenged. Anyway, since it's humanly impossible for an individual to be completely objective and uninfluenced by personal bias, I hope you take into account personal prejudices you bring into the room and Institutional discrimination when making your decisions instead of just relying on your hypothetical objectivity.

Of course.

I'll do the best I can and that's all I can ask of myself. The alternative is to not give it a thought and risk those things coming into play more so than I would like.

And let's refer to it as 'perceived objectivity' opposed to 'hypothetical objectivity'. I like the way that sounds better.

 

[argle_bargle]

Hello everyone,

I am a 29 years old URM pre-med who is a degree-bearer and came back to school for a second undergrad (I am pursuing a second degree instead of post-bacc because original degree is from overseas) due to a dream of pursuing a career in Medicine.

Here is the deal, however: I am not even halfway through my pre-med prereqs (currently taking Orgo 1) and I already feel as though I have no time for anything other than study+ECs. This is really getting to me because I have (somewhat) recently gotten married and am very much in love with my partner, and I want to be able to enjoy life with them. I am terrified that I will have no time for anything other than Medicine for the next 10 years, and even though this is the original dream, my partner is also my dream, and definitely my priority. I'm terrified of being 40 and looking back and feeling as though I failed to use the remainder of my youth to enjoy life and spend time alongside the love of my life. This has led me to start considering PA school as an alternative, since while it is not a walk in the park either, it is a shorter commitment than Medical school.

I guess I would really love to hear stories from people who have been through/are going through something similar, or people who have gone through with Medical school under similar circumstances or chosen PA school instead and how it has turned out for them.

Thanks in advance for any and all replies - I really need to talk to someone about this.

PS: My partner is totally supportive of whatever I choose, but I feel like the stress of the process does end up inevitably taking its toll, too.

I think you should definitely go PA. Considering all of the concerns you have I think PA would be much more conducive to your situation. And PA is an excellent career, in fact it's the #1 rated career in America at the moment, you make great money and you still practice autonomous medicine. Good luck with whatever you choose

 

[deleted520847]

I agree with @Prettypuff1 The best course of action right now is to focus on the pre-reqs and see how it goes from there.

 

[DoctorDrewOutsidetheLines]

.

 

[Mordechi770]

I think that you should really decide based on your natural abilities and not on a fear. If you are scholastically inclined and are able to get a solid MCAT score then you will be very successful in Med School. As far as not spending time with your loved one you have to consider that being a PA might also involve long hours and inflexible schedule. Any field you go in to there will be a struggle there is no such thing as an easy profession and no matter what you do there will be time investment.

Good Luck with your decision.

If you decide to be a doctor please keep in mind that you will not be the first person to go to medical school while raising a family.

 

[Apollo1]

you still practice autonomous medicine

PA's may have some autonomy, but for the most part fall under the supervision of the applicable physician. If the OP wants greater independence, NP would give that over PA.

 

[argle_bargle]

PA's may have some autonomy, but for the most part fall under the supervision of the applicable physician. If the OP wants greater independence, NP would give that over PA.

At my hospital NPs and PAs have exactly the same responsibilities. Im sure it varies. Regardless with due respect OP isn't a nurse , he's weighing PA vs MD so your comment is somewhat irrelevant.

 

[Apollo1]

At my hospital NPs and PAs have exactly the same responsibilities. Im sure it varies.

It's the same where I volunteer at. However, same responsibilities =/= same liabilities, as the positions are boarded differently.

OP isn't a nurse , he's weighing PA vs MD so your comment is somewhat irrelevant.

Perhaps not. As the OP said:

I do have the thing where I have a desire to go all in and be the top at whatever I do

I included NP because of the above and the OP's consideration of time and energy with the path s/he chooses. Granted, an NP doesn't have the same amount of clinical or theoretical training as a PA or physician, but within the realm of consideration against a PA they have more freedom. And as of this post, OP hasn't specifically rejected NP as a possible route.

 

[68PGunner]

It's the same where I volunteer at. However, same responsibilities =/= same liabilities, as the positions are boarded differently.




Perhaps not. As the OP said:



I included NP because of the above and the OP's consideration of time and energy with the path s/he chooses. Granted, an NP doesn't have the same amount of clinical or theoretical training as a PA or physician, but within the realm of consideration against a PA they have more freedom. And as of this post, OP hasn't specifically rejected NP as a possible route.

NPs might have more freedom and autonomy but that doesn't mean that they're the first option for patients when there are physicians available. Honestly, I have higher opinions of PA than NP, considering their rigorous clinical training relative to NP's.

 

[Apollo1]

NPs might have more freedom and autonomy but that doesn't mean that they're the first option for patients when there are physicians available. Honestly, I have higher opinions of PA than NP, considering their rigorous clinical training relative to NP's.

And they shouldn't be a first option. Was just pointing out the possibilities for OP and highlighting what could be gained/lost.

 

[mrdespair]

Hey folks,

Hope you've all been doing well and achieving your goals! I disappeared to focus on studying for the semester and have decided, for now, to go with the same thing some of you advised me to do: see the premed prereqs through, then decide. I kept trying to convince myself to just choose PA right now but I can't seem to let go of the idea of going for MD. Also, my partner has just been really reassuring about me possibly sticking with MD.

I have a question regarding prereqs, however, that I was wondering if any of you would have an answer for: would it be bad if I took A&P instead of MamPhys because A&P fulfills PA prereqs whereas MamPhys does not? A&P at my school is more geared towards nurses and PAs, so I was wondering if that would be terribly detrimental for me if I end up going for MD in the end.

Thanks for all your advice!

 

[BluMist]

no one cares, neither one is strictly pre-req for medical school, and most likely will not be a huge factor on the MCAT