Fastest Path to PA or NP

[Perrotfish]

Asking for a friend:

What is the fastest path to becoming either a PA or an NP for someone with an undergraduate degree in economics? What is the shortest time span in which you could accomplish this? Is there a single program that he can apply to to accomplish this goal? Could anyone here refer me to some programs?

My friend has several years experience in a hospital (transporter, that sort of thing) but no nursing experience and no undergraduate level sciences.

 

[184013]

You can accomplish an entry level masters in nursing with an NP focused area - providing you have completed the required pre-reqs and have a previous degree - in 3 years.

 

[Emedpa]

direct entry np with prior bs in 3 yrs.
yr 1 to bsn
yr 2+3 to msn/np.

 

[BlurredFocus]

Well you should start by finding out if your friend wants to practice nursing or medicine. Once that decision is made, we can figure out the quickest way to get your friend into practice. The two fields are drastically different. Most NPs wouldn't like being a PA and most PAs wouldn't like being an NP.

I'm an RN and I know I would hate being an NP. I only did nursing as my undergrad to get great experience with a great pay before PA school.

 

[bradt9881]

A masters in physician assistant studies will take an average of 27 months to complete. The prereqs could take up to an additonal two years if you are starting from scratch (gen chem 1-2+lab, organic chem 1+lab, biochem+lab, gen bio I-II+lab, genetics+lab, cell bio+lab, anatomy+lab, physiology+lab, immunology, and statistics were some of the classes I had to take in addition to my BA degree in anthropology)....

 

[Emedpa]

A masters in physician assistant studies will take an average of 27 months to complete. The prereqs could take up to an additonal two years if you are starting from scratch (gen chem 1-2+lab, organic chem 1+lab, biochem+lab, gen bio I-II+lab, genetics+lab, cell bio+lab, anatomy+lab, physiology+lab, immunology, and statistics were some of the classes I had to take in addition to my BA degree in anthropology)....

Not to mention time to get health care training and work in a health care field....the majority of quality programs are still looking for folks with prior medical experience.....so tack on another yr or more there.....

 

[bradt9881]

Agreed. The 20 years as a military medic I had was a great experience to get me ready for the clinical training.

 

[BlurredFocus]

But wouldn't a few extra years in school in school be worth it to get the career you wanted versus looking for the quickest way to get into health care and hating your job? If you want to do nursing, that is one thing. If you want to do medicine and are only doing NP because it is faster... I think your friend will regret it.