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Dropping out of M.D. SMP to pursue PA
- Thread starter Letrie
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Remind me what an MD SMP school is?
The PA lifestyle consists of working for a physician and can be taking call and hours that they don't want to. What is the "PA lifestyle" you are imagining is better than being an MD?
The PA lifestyle consists of working for a physician and can be taking call and hours that they don't want to. What is the "PA lifestyle" you are imagining is better than being an MD?
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Suck it up and finish your original plans to be an MD. By the time you're my age (old), you'll be glad you did.
Primary care PA = $75-$125K.
Primary care MD - $250-300K, maybe more if you do a lot of office procedures.
And then you should consider the lack of respect, autonomy, and the glass ceiling....just suck it up and keep working toward your MD. If for some reason you wash out of the MD track, THEN try for PA.
Primary care PA = $75-$125K.
Primary care MD - $250-300K, maybe more if you do a lot of office procedures.
And then you should consider the lack of respect, autonomy, and the glass ceiling....just suck it up and keep working toward your MD. If for some reason you wash out of the MD track, THEN try for PA.
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Not only that... I know many primacy care docs who work 9-5 M-Thur or M-F making 200k+/year with benefits...
I don't blame anyone for not wanting to do med school and residency. There are other factors in life that preclude wanting to go through that. It's a decision just like any other. For me, medical school would have involved relocating for school, and then relocating for residency, then coming home to where I want to live with the associated debt. Then there's the considerable amount of time it takes to pay it off. Along the way, you miss out on things. The overall investment pays off financially down the road, but there are some significant sacrifices involved that not everyone wants to put themselves through. I think it makes sense to take a good look at your overall goals. Saying that everyone should go to medical school if they have the chance is like saying all medical students should go into the most lucrative medical specialties they can.
But I'd listen to the folks that went the PA route to see if the things they wish they had done are the same things that apply to you. It's expert advice that's free.
But I'd listen to the folks that went the PA route to see if the things they wish they had done are the same things that apply to you. It's expert advice that's free.
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I also think it depends if OP is male or female. From what I remember, research studies found that it if one is female and wants to do primary care, it is more financially wise to become a PA than an MD, once you calculate your likelihood to take time off work, the debt/opportunity costs of med school, etc.
