I am a Physician Assistant student regretting my choice.

[ubmd24]

I wanted to go to medical school for my entire life, as long as I can remember. During undergrad the long story short is that I had a quarter-life crisis and completed an engineering degree. Then decided on PA school because I was not in the right mindset to take the MCAT. Almost 3 years later and I am in PA school regretting my choice. I don't want to be a PA, I want to be a physician.

Currently studying for the MCAT and am equally as excited as I am scared. Plan is to take the MCAT in April. Any studying/life advice, words of encouragement, success stories would make my day better.

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[annoyedpsychiatrist]

When I was in medical school back in the day there were people in their 40s, 50s, and some even in their 60s. Never too late. Experience is the best teacher and at least now you have this experience.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Finish your PA education. Go to work. Get as much of your PA debt paid off. Go for med later on. Many premeds wish they did PA because of the shorter length of time and quicker path to do things they really enjoy doing.

 

[DarkBluMage]

Finish your PA education. Go to work. Get as much of your PA debt paid off. Go for med later on. Many premeds wish they did PA because of the shorter length of time and quicker path to do things they really enjoy doing.

Would it really be best to focus on paying the debt off first given the length of med school + residency training? That’s a lot of time depending on specialty. I would think one would want to start that process as fast as conceivably possible. Attending salaries would also go a long way towards being able to pay off debt, not even mentioning forgiveness programs.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Would it really be best to focus on paying the debt off first given the length of med school + residency training? That’s a lot of time depending on specialty. I would think one would want to start that process as fast as conceivably possible. Attending salaries would also go a long way towards being able to pay off debt, not even mentioning forgiveness programs.

How much is the OP's tuition in PA school? You have to pay THAT off along with any undergrad debt. Unless the OP came in with a free ride without conditions. See, the credit rating should factor in that additional PA school debt.

Besides, you can specialize as a PA.

PA has become just as competitive as MD/DO as so many disaffected premeds think PA or similar is a quicker way to do the things they were drawn to as future physicians.

Again just my 2 cents of giving internet advice without knowing more about the circumstances of the OP. Grain of salt.

EDIT: obligatory mention: Accelerated Physician Assistant Pathway

 

[LindaAccepted]

Why do you want to be a physician instead of a PA?

 

[Moms_spaghetti]

I wanted to go to medical school for my entire life, as long as I can remember. During undergrad the long story short is that I had a quarter-life crisis and completed an engineering degree. Then decided on PA school because I was not in the right mindset to take the MCAT. Almost 3 years later and I am in PA school regretting my choice. I don't want to be a PA, I want to be a physician.

Currently studying for the MCAT and am equally as excited as I am scared. Plan is to take the MCAT in April. Any studying/life advice, words of encouragement, success stories would make my day better.

You get one life, please chase your dreams.
If you were not capable, the opportunity would not present itself.

 

[deleted1133766]

Why do you want to be a physician instead of a PA?

To be fair, I honestly believe most accepted 21 or 22 year old med students don't know the answer to this either.

 

[DarkBluMage]

To be fair, I honestly believe most accepted 21 or 22 year old med students don't know the answer to this either.

Where do you get that idea from?

 

[deleted1133766]

Where do you get that idea from?

Finishing an MS SMP at a medical school, recently accepted to said medical school. Nontrad with some varied clinical exposure and life experiences that I would say most doctors won't encounter in their lifetime...

Having said that, we had many orientation activities for both programs so I have had the opportunity to get to know my classmates in my MS program and many incoming M1's for the past two years (and over the years for that matter) and let's just say their answers to "why medicine?" have not been impressive to me thus far. The answers are certainly satisfactory to earn a spot in the program but do you really think admissions has the time or the resources to select the absolute best of the best? They can only pick those applicants who are good enough for each application cycle.

I am highly suspicious of one's reasons to pursue medicine when they are convinced that they want to become a dermatologist, ENT, or invasive cardiologist when they are 18-22 years old.

America has a primary care shortage and inadequate primary care altogether which should be very concerning for anybody who wants to choose this profession or anybody who thinks they or their family members will become sick at some point in the future. When I see a fellow student express their frustrations regarding this situation, I tend to take their answers to "why medicine?" more seriously regardless of their choice of specialty because I know they are aware. Most 18-22 year olds are not capable of understanding the state of the healthcare system in this country because they are simply too young and lack that awareness.

...but those who are truly passionate about the current state of affairs with American healthcare are not looking at pursuing mid-level positions or dermatology practices/ med spas where I believe profits are more important than actually fixing the healthcare system and keeping people healthy and out of the ER and urgent care center. That's not to say that I don't respect mid level providers and the need they fill, I just don't respect healthcare systems hiring more mid levels because they are cheaper to hire.

So coming back to why medicine? or PA, anybody who is truly passionate about choosing medicine as a career will never even consider becoming a PA.

That's my opinion of course but then again I have had many years to decide that this is the career that I want to pursue because I actually want to do something about the issues mentioned above and not just get paid or finish my schooling early so I can take that trip to Europe sooner than later.

 

[LindaAccepted]

To be fair, I honestly believe most accepted 21 or 22 year old med students don't know the answer to this either.

They may not know the answer as to why they want to be an MD, but they still have to give the best answer they have. Furthermore, I would expect someone who has invested some time in pursuing the PA would have a reason why he is "regretting becoming a PA" and returning to the original dream of an MD. OP also seems to be a little older than 21-22.

 

[Sleepingdoc]

I wanted to go to medical school for my entire life, as long as I can remember. During undergrad the long story short is that I had a quarter-life crisis and completed an engineering degree. Then decided on PA school because I was not in the right mindset to take the MCAT. Almost 3 years later and I am in PA school regretting my choice. I don't want to be a PA, I want to be a physician.

Currently studying for the MCAT and am equally as excited as I am scared. Plan is to take the MCAT in April. Any studying/life advice, words of encouragement, success stories would make my day better.

A lot of factors into it, you are almost finished with PA school. you can be a physician at a later age- no issues there. But life happens, having a spouse, kids, sickness, parents getting old etc... then on top of that you need money to live. If i were in your shoes, i would finish PA school since you are so close to finishing up, work and get paid for a year .. Money helps, because soon you will be drowning in debt once you get into med school, unless you have inherited money from your family.

Do what makes you happy. dont ask for advise while saying that you are "scared". You will soon be making decisions in other people's life. MCAT is just one test, you will be taking so many of them.

 

[simplycarolinamarie]

I wanted to go to medical school for my entire life, as long as I can remember. During undergrad the long story short is that I had a quarter-life crisis and completed an engineering degree. Then decided on PA school because I was not in the right mindset to take the MCAT. Almost 3 years later and I am in PA school regretting my choice. I don't want to be a PA, I want to be a physician.

Currently studying for the MCAT and am equally as excited as I am scared. Plan is to take the MCAT in April. Any studying/life advice, words of encouragement, success stories would make my day better.

There is a school that allows you to go straight from PA to medical school and shortens medical school by one year. I believe it's LECOM and someone probably already mentioned it. This could be a great option depending on how you do on your MCAT. I wish more schools offered it.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

...

America has a primary care shortage and inadequate primary care altogether which should be very concerning for anybody who wants to choose this profession or anybody who thinks they or their family members will become sick at some point in the future. When I see a fellow student express their frustrations regarding this situation, I tend to take their answers to "why medicine?" more seriously regardless of their choice of specialty because I know they are aware. Most 18-22 year olds are not capable of understanding the state of the healthcare system in this country because they are simply too young and lack that awareness.

...but those who are truly passionate about the current state of affairs with American healthcare are not looking at pursuing mid-level positions or dermatology practices/ med spas where I believe profits are more important than actually fixing the healthcare system and keeping people healthy and out of the ER and urgent care center. That's not to say that I don't respect mid level providers and the need they fill, I just don't respect healthcare systems hiring more mid levels because they are cheaper to hire.

+1 ^^^this. Becoming a Student Doctor is meant to give some exposure to this... a LOT of this! Thanks!

Tell your M1 friends to join us,

 

[Mr.Smile12]

If you went to PA school and are regretting it now, you have nobody but yourself to blame.

That's why shadowing is important. I understood that I would never want to become a PA when I encountered an ER PA who could not manage a DVT. In fact, a part of me still believes that they didn't even know what a DVT was. Could have just been a random idiot but it still makes you wonder how different the level of training really is.

And please don't recommend anyone go to PA school and then try for medical school later. That is just plain stupid. You do one or the other; no reason to ever have to go through both because you didn't figure stuff out earlier.

Many medical schools also run PA programs now, and, in the name of interprofessionalism, many preclinical activities involve at least both med and PA students when it comes to discussing cases or simulations. Perhaps the OP is not in one of those schools, but I'm sure many PA's have always wanted to find a way to move up to being an MD once they figure out what that's about school-wise. Similarly, many MD students probably wish they could chop off 2 years of schooling. (It's like being a dental hygienist and wanting to be a dentist... which is easier to do.)

Yes, shadowing is very important, but many just won't consider any other career. Any deviation they think calls into question their true dedication to being a doctor/physician.

 

[johnsonthehopeful]

Why do you want to be a physician instead of a PA?

First off, @LindaAccepted, I just discovered your podcast and it is a gold mine!! I have my interview at Vermont tomorrow and your interview with Dr. Amiri has put my mind at ease, so thank you!

@pa2md23, the input above seems to be valid, so I'd say to consider those questions and opinions, but I have a personal take as a non-trad that I'd like to add. I always knew I wanted to physician, and when I struggled with some of my undergrad courses, I had a feeling that post-bacc coursework would be in the cards for me. I sought out opportunities to work abroad and fulfill some of my other life goals before even applying to med school. I was already in my late 20s when I applied to med school for the first time last cycle, and now I'm another year older and hold acceptances to a few schools I'm really excited about!

As for your motivations to become a physician vs a PA, I would definitely be curious to hear your reasoning. Beyond that, however, I would just advise you to ensure you have a very strong answer to that question, as it will certainly come up in any open-file med school interview. I would also think that weaving your story into your personal statement will be important. I think there are valid reasons to desire to become a physician instead of a PA, but given that you've already invested time and money into PA school, you will need to justify your reasoning more than others. But don't lose hope! I have learned that persistence and resiliency are incredibly important factors in this grueling, often dehumanizing process. I have a friend who's an M4 now who did a few years of pharmacy school before realizing they wanted to be a physician. They were asked about that switch many times throughout the application process, so be prepared for that. But they were accepted to 1 MD school and 2 DO schools, so it is possible!

Finally, I know you're asking for words of encouragement, (which I know I ironically gave just above) but I'd also just ask you to really explore your desire to become a physician instead of a PA. I don't mean to discourage you at all, I just think it's important that everyone who decides to take the med school route is fully aware of the significant downsides, and not only that but also how some of those are worsening (documentation, insurance issues, residency programs opening up without support for residents, increased s*icide of residents/physicians, the list goes on and on). I say this because almost every physician I have worked with in the last 5 years has warned me against becoming a physician, and I do see it getting worse each year. So I just had to mention that. I am stubborn and I know I wouldn't be able to fulfill my life goals without becoming a physician, so their words did not deter me. I believe that if you go into this process really having considered those downsides and the impact they will have on your life, then you can confidently move in that direction.

Best of luck to you!

 

[LindaAccepted]

First off, @LindaAccepted, I just discovered your podcast and it is a gold mine!! I have my interview at Vermont tomorrow and your interview with Dr. Amiri has put my mind at ease, so thank you!

@pa2md23, the input above seems to be valid, so I'd say to consider those questions and opinions, but I have a personal take as a non-trad that I'd like to add. I always knew I wanted to physician, and when I struggled with some of my undergrad courses, I had a feeling that post-bacc coursework would be in the cards for me. I sought out opportunities to work abroad and fulfill some of my other life goals before even applying to med school. I was already in my late 20s when I applied to med school for the first time last cycle, and now I'm another year older and hold acceptances to a few schools I'm really excited about!

As for your motivations to become a physician vs a PA, I would definitely be curious to hear your reasoning. Beyond that, however, I would just advise you to ensure you have a very strong answer to that question, as it will certainly come up in any open-file med school interview. I would also think that weaving your story into your personal statement will be important. I think there are valid reasons to desire to become a physician instead of a PA, but given that you've already invested time and money into PA school, you will need to justify your reasoning more than others. But don't lose hope! I have learned that persistence and resiliency are incredibly important factors in this grueling, often dehumanizing process. I have a friend who's an M4 now who did a few years of pharmacy school before realizing they wanted to be a physician. They were asked about that switch many times throughout the application process, so be prepared for that. But they were accepted to 1 MD school and 2 DO schools, so it is possible!

Finally, I know you're asking for words of encouragement, (which I know I ironically gave just above) but I'd also just ask you to really explore your desire to become a physician instead of a PA. I don't mean to discourage you at all, I just think it's important that everyone who decides to take the med school route is fully aware of the significant downsides, and not only that but also how some of those are worsening (documentation, insurance issues, residency programs opening up without support for residents, increased s*icide of residents/physicians, the list goes on and on). I say this because almost every physician I have worked with in the last 5 years has warned me against becoming a physician, and I do see it getting worse each year. So I just had to mention that. I am stubborn and I know I wouldn't be able to fulfill my life goals without becoming a physician, so their words did not deter me. I believe that if you go into this process really having considered those downsides and the impact they will have on your life, then you can confidently move in that direction.

Best of luck to you!

Thanks for the feedback on the podcast. I appreciate it. Dr. Amiri is a wonderful guest.

thanks also for your thoughtful response to OP.

 

[deleted1133766]

almost every physician I have worked with in the last 5 years has warned me against becoming a physician, and I do see it getting worse each year.

I had physicians tell me not to become a doctor when I was still in high school in the 90's but applicants have doubled since that time.

What career doesn't have its own issues?

 

[johnsonthehopeful]

If you went to PA school and are regretting it now, you have nobody but yourself to blame.

That's why shadowing is important. I understood that I would never want to become a PA when I encountered an ER PA who could not manage a DVT. In fact, a part of me still believes that they didn't even know what a DVT was. Could have just been a random idiot but it still makes you wonder how different the level of training really is.

And please don't recommend anyone go to PA school and then try for medical school later. That is just plain stupid. You do one or the other; no reason to ever have to go through both because you didn't figure stuff out earlier.

I don't know if I'm missing something, but I'm not getting the impression that OP is blaming anyone else for their initial decision to go the PA route. I also don't get the impression that OP is recommending that others do what they did. It sounds like OP made a decision based on their circumstances at the time that they now regret.

The breadth of knowledge a PA has depends upon the education they receive. Not all PA programs are created equal. But I'm not sure how this is all relevant to OP's situation; they've stated that they want to pivot from their current situation and pursue becoming a physician.

I had physicians tell me not to become a doctor when I was still in high school in the 90's but applicants have doubled since that time.

What career doesn't have its own issues?

Every career has its own issues, of course. But I've been working in the medical field since 2010 and have seen more and more physicians experiencing significant burnout. In my anecdotal experience, more physicians have warned me about the direction medicine is taking as each year goes by. I personally have seen some of that, for example, the increased documentation requirements due to insurance infringement in practice, having to submit prior authorizations for generic medications (including life-saving generic inhalers), insurance denials for surveillance imaging despite a patient having a history of lung cancer, and more. We recently had a patient die waiting for insurance to approve their biologic medication. It's a horrible reality, and it is absolutely getting worse. Does that deter me from wanting to pursue medicine? No. I am aware of these truths and am ready to fight tooth and nail for my future patients. I was just trying to make the point that I believe everyone who pursues medicine should have an understanding of the unfortunate realities of it.

 

[johnsonthehopeful]

Thanks for the feedback on the podcast. I appreciate it. Dr. Amiri is a wonderful guest.

thanks also for your thoughtful response to OP.

She seems lovely -- and genuinely passionate about UVM! UVM was already my dream school, (and you can imagine my elation when I received the interview invite!) but that episode only made me want to attend UVM even more. So thanks again!

And re: my response to OP, I just happened upon this post, but I thought I could contribute my $0.02. Patient advocacy has to be at the forefront of what we do more now than ever, and the field requires a lot of sacrifice. I'm willing to make those sacrifices, and OP may very well be willing to as well, but I just want to make sure those factors are considered in their decision-making process.

 

[deleted1133766]

I was just trying to make the point that I believe everyone who pursues medicine should have an understanding of the unfortunate realities of it.

And I think the point of all of my posts is that most people who apply to medicine or PA school for that matter don't have an understanding of the realities of the career.

Then again, what is a 20 year old supposed to know anyway?

As far as the OP, they aren't blaming anyone, but at the same time they have themselves to blame for the situation they are in. If you really do your research on the realities of a career in medicine you will either hate medicine altogether or really love wanting to become a PA or a physician. People who have done their research are not confused with what they want to do.

 

[johnsonthehopeful]

And I think the point of all of my posts is that most people who apply to medicine or PA school for that matter don't have an understanding of the realities of the career.

Then again, what is a 20 year old supposed to know anyway?

As far as the OP, they aren't blaming anyone, but at the same time they have themselves to blame for the situation they are in. If you really do your research on the realities of a career in medicine you will either hate medicine altogether or really love wanting to become a PA or a physician. People who have done their research are not confused with what they want to do.

Actually, the average MD matriculant age from the last application cycle is 25, and I'd argue that there's a big difference between 20 and 25. But some people come from families of physicians/PAs/etc. and already have a clear understanding of what a future in medicine looks like.

I don't think it's fair to assume that everyone has the same frame of reference and way of thinking that you do. There are certainly people who have done their research and ultimately go with another route due to external presences or pressure, other difficult circumstances, etc. Every situation is different. I see that you've been accepted to medical school. I hope you will extend a bit more open-mindedness and empathy to your future patients.

 

[anewmanx]

I’m about to eclipse the big 40. Not too happy about it, but hey, I’m old. I have a huge family (7 kids in 18 years) I did a cost benefit analysis two years ago and realized it was more logical to become a clinician (np) than an MD or DO because in my youth I nuked some science and math courses when my kid was deathly ill. Fast forward to now, and I have less than 16 months until I’m an NP. I did a direct entry BSN/MSN. Do I still want to be a medical doctor? Yes. Do I recognize that midlevel clinicians are inferior? YES. Is it the best decision financially to go MD? Hell no. I just started a gig as an OR nurse while I wrap up my NP education. A year from now I can take crisis contracts as a circulator and make 8-9k a week. When I finish my post-master’s in ~16 months I will be a PMHNP and can pull upwards of 175-200k a year working 64 hours a week between my two roles (weekday pmhnp, weekend or nurse.) That’s without traveling. I have a whopping 40k in student debt, which my employer will be paying off. Best of all, my kids have a stable home and grow up in one school.

Finish PA school. I won’t even think of going back to the MD path unless it is for personal fulfillment and after my net worth passes 1.5 million, which isn’t that far off because I made the right call.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Finish your PA education. Go to work. Get as much of your PA debt paid off. Go for med later on. Many premeds wish they did PA because of the shorter length of time and quicker path to do things they really enjoy doing.

Wrong advice. Go to medical school directly and take advantage of loan forgiveness. There is no point in losing years and making less money. Also, there is no point in getting a degree you don't want

 

[SWR1913]

I wanted to go to medical school for my entire life, as long as I can remember. During undergrad the long story short is that I had a quarter-life crisis and completed an engineering degree. Then decided on PA school because I was not in the right mindset to take the MCAT. Almost 3 years later and I am in PA school regretting my choice. I don't want to be a PA, I want to be a physician.

Currently studying for the MCAT and am equally as excited as I am scared. Plan is to take the MCAT in April. Any studying/life advice, words of encouragement, success stories would make my day better.

Don't feel bad. I've been a PA for 14 years. I'm getting ready to apply for the upcoming cycle. My only question is how does the Texas Medical Schools look at older students

 

[anewmanx]

Wrong advice. Go to medical school directly and take advantage of loan forgiveness. There is no point in losing years and making less money. Also, there is no point in getting a degree you don't want

The OP is fairly young. Your advice might be good from a cost-benefit standpoint over the long term, but even 1 year of working as a PA would make for a strong statement of WHY the OP wants to be a physician and would have the added benefit of wiping out a large chunk of debt. It would also give the OP something to fall back on if they wash out.

 

[SWR1913]

I’m about to eclipse the big 40. Not too happy about it, but hey, I’m old. I have a huge family (7 kids in 18 years) I did a cost benefit analysis two years ago and realized it was more logical to become a clinician (np) than an MD or DO because in my youth I nuked some science and math courses when my kid was deathly ill. Fast forward to now, and I have less than 16 months until I’m an NP. I did a direct entry BSN/MSN. Do I still want to be a medical doctor? Yes. Do I recognize that midlevel clinicians are inferior? YES. Is it the best decision financially to go MD? Hell no. I just started a gig as an OR nurse while I wrap up my NP education. A year from now I can take crisis contracts as a circulator and make 8-9k a week. When I finish my post-master’s in ~16 months I will be a PMHNP and can pull upwards of 175-200k a year working 64 hours a week between my two roles (weekday pmhnp, weekend or nurse.) That’s without traveling. I have a whopping 40k in student debt, which my employer will be paying off. Best of all, my kids have a stable home and grow up in one school.

Finish PA school. I won’t even think of going back to the MD path unless it is for personal fulfillment and after my net worth passes 1.5 million, which isn’t that far off because I made the right call.

Congrats on your success. I've done the cost-benefit analysis and if you play your cards right, you definitely can still come out ahead. What most people don't take into account is the opportunities that come into play with being an MD/DO. My best friend is a pediatric anesthesiologist who was just offered 875k per year as a partner with her normal 50 hours per week. In addition, she was offered an opportunity to join 2 other anesthesiologists and 3 surgeons in opening a surgery center that within 5 years will be grossing 7 to 10 million per month. If she takes this opportunity and sells her portion in a few years, she will net between 5 to 7 million. These opportunities are almost never given to NP/PA. If you have the leverage and the desire to go BIG as an MD/DO you can and have a very nice payout.

 

[anewmanx]

Congrats on your success. I've done the cost-benefit analysis and if you play your cards right, you definitely can still come out ahead. What most people don't take into account is the opportunities that come into play with being an MD/DO. My best friend is a pediatric anesthesiologist who was just offered 875k per year as a partner with her normal 50 hours per week. In addition, she was offered an opportunity to join 2 other anesthesiologists and 3 surgeons in opening a surgery center that within 5 years will be grossing 7 to 10 million per month. If she takes this opportunity and sells her portion in a few years, she will net between 5 to 7 million. These opportunities are almost never given to NP/PA. If you have the leverage and the desire to go BIG as an MD/DO you can and have a very nice payout.

I am in hearty agreement with you, and I honestly will heavily consider medical school in 3 years when all of my children are in school. At that point our net worth will be high enough to make the moon shot for MD feasible and I will have midlevel to fall back on if I can’t cut the snuff. But honestly the academic portion does not concern me… more the life/stress/family/crippling injuries combination I have. But in my case I am solid enough financially to not have to take loans for med school and have lucrative income streams available so that changes the risks and benefits significantly. For the OP if they are already almost done becoming a midlevel it would be unfathomable to me personally to not hedge your bets first by securing that license before risking it all and taking on med school debt. Many a med school washout were in my DEMSN program.

 

[SWR1913]

I am in hearty agreement with you, and I honestly will heavily consider medical school in 3 years when all of my children are in school. At that point our net worth will be high enough to make the moon shot for MD feasible and I will have midlevel to fall back on if I can’t cut the snuff. But honestly the academic portion does not concern me… more the life/stress/family/crippling injuries combination I have. But in my case I am solid enough financially to not have to take loans for med school and have lucrative income streams available so that changes the risks and benefits significantly. For the OP if they are already almost done becoming a midlevel it would be unfathomable to me personally to not hedge your bets first by securing that license before risking it all and taking on med school debt. Many a med school washout were in my DEMSN program.

Well stated. Great points. You're looking in everything in totality.

 

[ubmd24]

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I'm only 23 y/o (will be 24 before matriculating) and honestly I don't have an answer as to why I want to be a physician other than medicine is my true passion. I have loved medicine since I was quite literally a child and there is NOTHING else I want to do with my life. I went to PA school because I was not in a great place with my mental health at the time and had not yet taken the MCAT. It was coming up on application season and I ultimately chose to go the PA route because I thought I could be happy. But now a year later I realized that I was lying to myself and that I won't be happy unless I am a physician and can become a true expert in my specialty.

To clarify further from my original post and to address one of the poster's above-- I am not "blaming" myself and especially not anyone else. I am choosing to give myself grace because like others mentioned, most recent college graduates don't have life figured out and most going to medical school can't give an exact/precise reason why going into medicine besides they truly love medicine. Which is ME. I am young and I am taking the steps to follow my dreams. And there's nothing about that to be ashamed of.

Again, thanks everyone. I'll keep updating this thread when I take my MCAT in late April.

 

[ubmd24]

If you went to PA school and are regretting it now, you have nobody but yourself to blame.

That's why shadowing is important. I understood that I would never want to become a PA when I encountered an ER PA who could not manage a DVT. In fact, a part of me still believes that they didn't even know what a DVT was. Could have just been a random idiot but it still makes you wonder how different the level of training really is.

And please don't recommend anyone go to PA school and then try for medical school later. That is just plain stupid. You do one or the other; no reason to ever have to go through both because you didn't figure stuff out earlier.

Take your hostility elsewhere, thanks. The fact that this is a throwaway account shows that you don't trust your own opinion enough to say it loud and proud.

And FYI, I worked as a Patient Care Tech in Emergency when I was 17. Scribe in the ER for a year which is basically a year of shadowing. Medical Assistant in Dermatology for 2 years. And over 300 hours of shadowing docs and PAs in various specialties. Observed 50+ surgeries in the main OR. So that was not my problem at all.

AND, I never said I would be recommending that. I actually would never. I regret my decision, meaning I wish I would have gone directly to medical school. I am finishing my PA degree because I will graduate prior to matriculating medical school in August 2024. Like others have mentioned, I am finishing for the experience of learning clinical medicine and completing clinical clerkships, which will only give me a leg up in applying/interviewing and also during medical school, giving me more time to focus on becoming competitive for residency. I am not worried about the debt, it will get paid off eventually and I would rather follow my dreams than worry about money, because I know I won't be happy in life unless I am a physician.

P.S. - I attend a PA program through a very well-known and well-respected medical school in a major city. I don't know where the ER PA you mentioned attended school or how long ago, but I am confident that most programs are not like this and the vast majority of PAs are actually excellent clinicians. As an MD someday, I will ALWAYS respect and trust the PA profession. I wish more people would do the same. PA training is very intense, very thorough, and preceptors respect the hell out of the PA students and PA grads from my university.

 

[johnsonthehopeful]

Take your hostility elsewhere, thanks. The fact that this is a throwaway account shows that you don't trust your own opinion enough to say it loud and proud.

And FYI, I worked as a Patient Care Tech in Emergency when I was 17. Scribe in the ER for a year which is basically a year of shadowing. Medical Assistant in Dermatology for 2 years. And over 300 hours of shadowing docs and PAs in various specialties. Observed 50+ surgeries in the main OR. So that was not my problem at all.

AND, I never said I would be recommending that. I actually would never. I regret my decision, meaning I wish I would have gone directly to medical school. I am finishing my PA degree because I will graduate prior to matriculating medical school in August 2024. Like others have mentioned, I am finishing for the experience of learning clinical medicine and completing clinical clerkships, which will only give me a leg up in applying/interviewing and also during medical school, giving me more time to focus on becoming competitive for residency. I am not worried about the debt, it will get paid off eventually and I would rather follow my dreams than worry about money, because I know I won't be happy in life unless I am a physician.

P.S. - I attend a PA program through a very well-known and well-respected medical school in a major city. I don't know where the ER PA you mentioned attended school or how long ago, but I am confident that most programs are not like this and the vast majority of PAs are actually excellent clinicians. As an MD someday, I will ALWAYS respect and trust the PA profession. I wish more people would do the same. PA training is very intense, very thorough, and preceptors respect the hell out of the PA students and PA grads from my university.

Actually, they had a real username at the time I was responding to them, though I can't remember what it was. I'm unsure if they deleted their account or if they were removed, but regardless, they're not around anymore. I had the impression that they totally misread your tone and perspective, so I'm glad you further clarified that. Regardless, I'm sorry you had to deal with that. Words like theirs can be pretty demotivating. I do think you'll have to dig a bit deeper to have a stronger answer to "why medicine," (which probably lies in you asking yourself what made you realize you would not be happy as a PA and taking a deep dive into that) but once you've figured that out, you should be in good shape. Again, I wish you the best of luck!

 

[operaman]

I’ll add another vote for working at least a little bit as a PA before jumping into med school. Some other thoughts:

1) if you go direct and have no clinical experience as a PA, it might create issues with jobs/licensure if you drop out of Med school part way and need to fall back on your PA training. Having a couple years of PA working experience would help secure that as a future backup option.

2) a little time working day in and day out as a PA could help you better understand if you do want to become an MD. The actual day to day work is very similar to a lot of MD specialties, especially primary care, EM, etc. If your goal is to become a surgeon then yeah the MD is your only path, but if it’s EM or IM, then it would give you time to think how different your day to day would be PA vs MD in those fields. I would argue not that different in many places. You don’t want to spend 7 years and $300k to end up with almost the same job you had before making nearly the same salary.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

The OP is fairly young. Your advice might be good from a cost-benefit standpoint over the long term, but even 1 year of working as a PA would make for a strong statement of WHY the OP wants to be a physician and would have the added benefit of wiping out a large chunk of debt. It would also give the OP something to fall back on if they wash out.

Might make a statement or it may not. What it will certainly do is lose on 300k+ of a year as an attending

 

[anewmanx]

Might make a statement or it may not. What it will certainly do is lose on 300k+ of a year as an attending

Extremely true, but knocking out the student loan interest and subtracting the PA salary for that time makes the bite less. Especially if they work once a week during med school, which many a PA or NP have successfully done.

I would personally lean toward hedging my bets unless I was darn sure I could cut it. Otherwise you’re staring at a mountain of debt and nothing to show for it.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Extremely true, but knocking out the student loan interest and subtracting the PA salary for that time makes the bite less. Especially if they work once a week during med school, which many a PA or NP have successfully done.

I would personally lean toward hedging my bets unless I was darn sure I could cut it. Otherwise you’re staring at a mountain of debt and nothing to show for it.

Most medical schools have a hard rule that you may not work while in medical school. Also, most students cannot handle taking a job once a week while in medical school

 

[nutter4netters]

Most medical schools have a hard rule that you may not work while in medical school. Also, most students cannot handle taking a job once a week while in medical school

How would the med schools know and even if they did you can always justify why and of course provided you have the grades to show that youre capable of juggling everything.

I think working/having to work highly depends on the person's background. E.g are you having to work because you have no financial support whatsoever vs needing to work just so that you can afford additional things that are wants rather than needs.

Having said that, I tried working during med school and it was quite difficult. I wouldn't recommend it if you have a choice. Also the amount that you get from say a retail job is so low its not worth it. However, if you got a job for private tutoring and earning 70 dollars an hour then definitely. Especially if it relates to subjects that you yourself are studying eg biol/pharmacology when you are in your clinical years.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

How would the med schools know and even if they did you can always justify why and of course provided you have the grades to show that youre capable of juggling everything.

I think working/having to work highly depends on the person's background. E.g are you having to work because you have no financial support whatsoever vs needing to work just so that you can afford additional things that are wants rather than needs.

Having said that, I tried working during med school and it was quite difficult. I wouldn't recommend it if you have a choice. Also the amount that you get from say a retail job is so low its not worth it. However, if you got a job for private tutoring and earning 70 dollars an hour then definitely. Especially if it relates to subjects that you yourself are studying eg biol/pharmacology when you are in your clinical years.

It's if they find out that they can kick you out. Is it really worth it to gamble all your years of effort for some cash?