Chase the MD dream or go PA and never look back?

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Csum

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Hello, all. I'm currently a 28-year-old paramedic with a BA in Psychology from a respected university. I originally wanted to be a psychologist, then a psychiatrist, and ultimately a doctor in general - regardless of the specialty. I'm about to start taking my prerequisites for med school/PA programs, but I'm indecisive on which career to go towards. I'll spare you the long reason as to why I want to go into medicine, but I can assure you it's for the right reasons. I was working an unfulfilling job out of high school, left a Fortune 500 company to work as an EMT for clinical experience (and 1/3 the pay), downgraded my home and car, and haven't regretted a second of it. I enjoy what I do, I love treating patients, and I'm happy to make a positive impact.

Although my biggest interest is in medicine, I do have some other interests like investing in real estate, starting businesses (I own a charitable one now), traveling, marrying my long-time girlfriend, writing books, and the like. I know I can do all of these things while in med school or after, but I'm unsure on which route to take.

I was originally going to try to go to PA school. I can finish ~ 6 years sooner, possibly even get a second master's degree, travel sooner, get married sooner, and do all the things I want in medicine. On the other hand, it's only 6 years longer and I could be an actual doctor. When I'm 48 years old, I think I would regret not becoming a physician. I know there are plenty of military individuals who go into their branch, do their 7 years, then start their undergrad and go to med school. I'm basically in their position age-wise, so I don't think of it as being that old. Regardless of age, I think I would be happier as a physician, have more potential in my other endeavors, and not have any regrets with things. But... I don't want to become a doctor for the wrong reasons.

I enjoy the medical field and when I see the roles of PA's and doctors, I think I'd prefer to be a doctor. I barely graduated high school and want to be a voice of inspiration to those who were in my shoes that you can do anything, as cliche as it sounds. I also think I may be able to do all these things while being a PA, but I also feel like I've experienced plenty to not be so negative about the process itself (med school + residency) of being a doctor. I used to work construction for $10/hr until I'd come home and be too tired to even eat and go straight to bed. I've been so severely depressed that I've sold everything I had just so I didn't have to go to a job I hated anymore. I filed bankruptcy at 22 years old. I've gotten through all these things and now have a degree, I'm licensed as a paramedic, have donated over $3,000 worth of items to those in need through my company, volunteered over 2,000 hours to a suicide hotline, read over 250 books, and haven't been depressed in roughly 2 years by changing my mindset. This mindset change is one of the many reasons I'd gotten so interested in medicine, as I started to learn about neuroplasticity.

I don't mean to rant or sound like I've been through so much at 28. I have, but I haven't. People obviously have had it a lot worse, of course. I'm just saying that my mindset is fully for the better now and the process of med school doesn't seem as horrible to me than a lot of people make it out to be. I'm not trying to sound ignorant either. I know it's difficult, it's just that I feel like I'd possibly embrace that difficulty with a lot more grace than a more traditional student.

Any thoughts about things? Do you regret going the MD route? Is PA a solid option or would you have always regretted not chasing your dream of being a doctor?

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Whats your GPA

3.6, but I haven't taken any science prerequisites. Going to take them at my local state college because they have an associates degree that includes all the prerequisites, shadowing, and research guaranteed for degree-seeking students. I'll do whatever it takes to make all A's, but not sure how much it'll bring up my GPA. Not sure of my sGPA, as I haven't taken many of them, but I went to a tech school to become an EMT-B, AEMT, then paramedic. Made A's in all of those and I believe they count towards sGPA. Also haven't taken the MCAT.

I would think I'd have a chance at an average med school, but great PA programs. Looking at stats of accepted applicants, I think I could get into a PA program like Duke, Emory, etc. Med school there's no telling. Might be a school 8 states away, but I'm okay either way and planned to apply broadly.
 
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3.6, but I haven't taken any science prerequisites. Going to take them at my local state college because they have an associates degree that includes all the prerequisites, shadowing, and research guaranteed for degree-seeking students. I'll do whatever it takes to make all A's, but not sure how much it'll bring up my GPA. Not sure of my sGPA, as I haven't taken many of them, but I went to a tech school to become an EMT-B, AEMT, then paramedic. Made A's in all of those and I believe they count towards sGPA. Also haven't taken the MCAT.

I would think I'd have a chance at an average med school, but great PA programs. Looking at stats of accepted applicants, I think I could get into a PA program like Duke, Emory, etc. Med school there's no telling. Might be a school 8 states away, but I'm okay either way and planned to apply broadly.
From one EMT to another, follow your dreams and pursue an MD. Becoming a PA is quicker, more family friendly, and pays great...but there are so so many drawbacks. For one, no way in hell am I learning all this information, for a patient to call me by my first name (call me vain).
In all seriousness though, I ultimately chose to pursue the MD path because I just couldn’t see myself entering any other profession. Sure I researched RN and PA routes, but the only thing that called to my soul was the doctorate route. Im now a little over half way done with M1, and haven’t regretted my decision since.
 
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Can you live with being an assistant? I work with a couple PAs. They are great, the run their own clinics for our straightforward patients, but the attending signs off on everything.
 
This needs to be moved to the non-trad forum.

I don't want to become a doctor for the wrong reasons.
What are your reasons? You said you assured us it was for the right reasons.

Do you regret going the MD route?
During Step study, yes, I absolutely regretted my decision to go to med school. But that was just my Id talking, not being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now that it's over, I'm having a great time even though third year is a whole different type of difficult.

Is PA a solid option or would you have always regretted not chasing your dream of being a doctor?
I don't think you can pit these options against each other. PA is a solid option AND someone could still have regretted chasing their physician dreams. Would I be happier as a PA? For me, I don't think so. I think I would be immensely frustrated looking at kids coming up through med school, watching them do the same work as me and knowing that at the end of the day, they'll end up making at least 2.5 times what I could ever make. True, physicians have a lot more responsibility and at the end of the day the buck stops with them, but I see PAs in surgery all day and taking call and following up on patients and doing a bunch of work almost at the level of a physician and getting paid only 20-25% of what the doctors make. There's a ceiling with being a PA that physicians don't have. I would also be frustrated that physicians and patients may not listen to my differentials or advice because I would be "just" a PA.

When I'm 48 years old, I think I would regret not becoming a physician.
I think you have your answer right here.
 
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3.6, but I haven't taken any science prerequisites. Going to take them at my local state college because they have an associates degree that includes all the prerequisites, shadowing, and research guaranteed for degree-seeking students. I'll do whatever it takes to make all A's, but not sure how much it'll bring up my GPA. Not sure of my sGPA, as I haven't taken many of them, but I went to a tech school to become an EMT-B, AEMT, then paramedic. Made A's in all of those and I believe they count towards sGPA. Also haven't taken the MCAT.

I would think I'd have a chance at an average med school, but great PA programs. Looking at stats of accepted applicants, I think I could get into a PA program like Duke, Emory, etc. Med school there's no telling. Might be a school 8 states away, but I'm okay either way and planned to apply broadly.

Your EMS classes won't count towards your sGPA. If you were a Psych major there's a chance you're starting from scratch, which is actually great. Having a 4.0 sGPA looks pretty nice.

You are selling yourself short WRT how strong your application is. If you can muster a ~518+ on the MCAT you'll have a solid shot at any of the top medical schools - Harvard, Penn, Columbia, etc. And if you can dip your toes in the research world while doing your postbac enough that you can at least talk intelligently about it at interviews, that will go a long way for those top schools I think.

Med schools love the kind of diversity someone like you brings to a class. Just don't screw up the MCAT and you're golden.
 
Take the classes with ferocity and enjoy them. If you perform well (3.7+) then I would heavily advise to push into DO/MD and fulfill your passion instead of finding PA which would merely scratch that itch. You can do all those things you enjoy as a PA or MD/DO. I would even argue that real estate is easier funded through physician salary if you manage your finances well.
 
A 3.6 GPA is fine for MD, DO, or PA and the prereq grades will be the determining factor.
I would say to work on the prereqs and if that devolves into the associates then great but if the associates has fluff that eats up your time then dont do it.

Also fyi MD will count EMS courses as non-science. DO will calculate them as science courses.
 
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