Bored MBA needs some advice!

[ChillerK]

Hey everyone-

I'm wondering if I can get some advice/opinions. I just finished grad school with my Masters in Business Administration, and am now working in the corporate world. I was a bio major in college for about 3 years, with plans of med school or vet school. I hate to say it, but I chickened out. I spoke to some doctors, and heard too many horror stories about being a doctor nowadays. Since I didnt know what else I wanted to do I got my MBA. Dumb. I really hate my job, and wish I had not gone yellow a few years ago.

Anyway, I am wondering if there is any way that my business degree / experience could be an advantage in a career as a PA? Will it be of no use whatsoever? Should I chalk the last 3 years of my life up to learning about what I dont like, or can I use the experience to my advantage? What do the PA's out there think?

Also, I have already racked up a bunch of debt in educational loans, and am wondering what I can do while I finish out my pre-req's so that I can get better scholarships.

Thanks in advance for your help and opinions!

Chilly

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[rdennisjr]

ChillerK:

I think as you spend more time looking at the PA career field, you will find lots of people who have done very similar things to what you are considering - changed careers mid-stream. For instance - I received both bachelors and masters in Architecture and spent 8 years working in an office and am currently finishing up my exams for licensing. However, I have also just completed the first week of PA school. Does the architecture apply directly to the PA program - no, not really, but you won't live by work alone. I would imagine the MBA might do you some good in job hunting post-school, and that's not a bad thing. Also, it should help your applications to PA programs as you have already demonstrated the ability to complete masters level coursework.

Good luck in your potential career change - and remember, if your happy at work, then your happy for at least 1/3 of the day!

Dennis

 

[ChillerK]

Dennis-

Thanks for the words of encouragement. How are you liking your PA program so far? Why did yu decide to go to PA school, as opposed to going to med school, or optometry, etc.? Just curious. Did you do your pre reqs part time while still working in architecture? How many places did you apply? Did they like that you had architecture experince?

Chilly

 

[rdennisjr]

Chilly:

You asked about why I chose the PA profession over the MD/DO profession - no really easy answer to that except perhaps that I'm getting older. I think if I had made the decission to do medicine as a career earlier in life I would have probably done the med school thing. I have no doubt that if I had wanted to do so even now I could have not only been accepted, but done quite well at it. However, I'm married, kids will be coming soon. Retirement is a desire at some point down the road, and to tell you the truth, 1 year to finalize up pre-req's, 4 years of med school, 3 years of residency, etc etc etc - at least 8 years from the start to the finish and I just didn't want to do that. I want to be around as my kids grow up while still doing something that interests me and allows my family to meet all of its needs. Thus, one of the attractions of a PA program - among many others of course.

As far as my application process, I'm a bit of an odd ball, so I'm not sure how much it will help you, as I am a student at the Interservce Physician Assistant Program (IPAP) - a multi-service military PA program ran by the university of nebraska-omaha. In other words - 99.9% military students. So the application process is quite different, as well as the costs. I get paid to go to school - of course I owe another 6 years after the 13 I've already given. In anycase however, I'd say like I did before - it certainly didn't hurt me to have proof of my academic skills proven earlier. As for architecture - doubt that career field helped, or hurt, as every student in my class has had another career. One last cycle was a french horn player in a symphony so go figure, huh!

Anyhow - let me know if you have any other questions.

Dennis

 

[DO/MBA]

Your MBA will give you an excellent advantage in job placement because you understand the lingo of business. You will be an incredible asset for the Docs you work for.