I Want to be a PA?

[blea30]

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Hello everyone, I have been lurking here for a couple of days and finally registered. I have a lot of questions. I have been a RRT for 17yrs. in the adult and neonate ICUs. I have always been interested in Anesthesia and once half tried to become a CRNA but I finally realized that it would take me as much time to do that as to be a MDA ( well almost as much). 4-5 yrs BSN then at least yr as ICU nurse even though I have worked in Critical Care forever it seems. Finally, because of family circumstances I just finished up my BS in Respiratory. What I have realized is that after all of this time is that I really wanted to be a Anesthesiologist but with the way medical school is and the family sacrifices they must make, not to mention the bum deal they are given during residency( little pay and respect ), and to find out that there would be no gaurantee to do Anesthesia, I am considering PA school due to my age and lifestyle at this time. I have always respected MD's even when it would have been so easy to get caught up in the "Better than them" conversations of the SICU nurses.(That is a whole other story, especially since all I see is Nurses trying to compare themselves to or say they should have the right to practice independently of MDs.WHY!!!) I now enjoy the thought of helping to releive the workloads of MDs and assisting them in diagnosing or whatever else a PA is allowed to do. My goal is to become a PA now and had a question. When I graduated from high school I went to college because all of my friends went and all I did was party 🙁 So needless to say never showed up for classes and failed a few. (Chem I, History) but I actually did pass a few classes with C's. Now that I have grown up 😉 I have retaken all of my classes and I have A's and B's in all of my other classes. Do you think that with my previous ICU experience and drive to become a PA that first, it would be wise choice and second, a realistic choice considering my first yr mistakes. BTW it has been at least several yrs since I first took those classes. (will those older classes affect my gpa)
Thanks,

 

[Noreaster]

Don't give up on your approach to PA if you have a coupld of "Cs." You asked if would effect your GPA: If you go take classes elsewhere, the credits may or may not transfer but--if you're taking classes at a different school--the actual grades will not transfer, just the credits. That's how it worked for me when I transferred from one undergrad college to an other. You need to do your homework and find out how it works based on your personal situation. If you want to go for PA, you may be fine if your more recent grades are good; you can always state in your interviews for PA school that you've matured, etc, etc... I know some who've done that and got in. You may also consider repeating any class that is considered the more relevent, such as A & P, chem, etc... In some ways, you won't get all your answers from this kind of media. You have to really search things out in terms of looking at the profession very closely, looking at programs and their pre-reqs. and making the approprate decissions and actions. As you go, you'll have a better idea. I'd recommend doing that and then you'll have more focused questions, which this type of media would better accommodate you with.
Best of luck

 

[deleted6669]

have you considered an anesthesia assistant program? they are equivalent to crna scope of practice but do not require you to be an rn 1st. if you had all the prereqs it would be a 2 yr m.s. anesthesia degree.

 

[blea30]

I actually was preparing to do just that. Got all prereq's except Organic Chem. which I just registered for this fall. Here is the problem. With all that is going on between the CRNA's and the MDA's I wasn't sure about the future of it. Also, I checked with the AAAA I believe but they said that here in Arkansas AA's did not have any authority to practice not even delegatory. So back to the drawing board. I really need to come back here to work because of reasons I explained for not going to medical school. I do however wonder why a PA could not come back and practice Anesthesia if I were able to get the training in that area. Not sure how that one would happen. So again back to PA. I am not looking to change a profession just like some health care professionals are actively and politically doing nor trying to be a MD wannabe just trying to gain more knowledge and yes more responsibility but with MD's as the bosses since in my opinion is end all in medicine. I am too old to get into that kind of a battle and besides I have some Anesthesia and Surgeon and yes F.P. physician friends that would love to have me come back. Sorry, usually no short answers from me. Thanks for the info though.

 

[JustaPA]

Blea, Looks to me like you would have very little trouble getting into a PA program. I'd say go for it. I do think you will have problems trying to work in anesthesia in most if not all states though.

 

[blea30]

Why would it not be possible to become a PA and since PAs are not AA's therefore not restricted in locale as such, then get formal training in anesthesia(probably have to go thru an AA program though). Would they then not be able to serve in a greater capacity in helping the Anesthesiologist as a PA. I believe that is similar to how the speciality PAs perform except thru some sort of residency but I figure with anesthesia being a very specific field then it would require the formal training needed especially if you were to bring it to the medical board for approval. Any one have any experience with this?

 

[jwk]

Why would it not be possible to become a PA and since PAs are not AA's therefore not restricted in locale as such, then get formal training in anesthesia(probably have to go thru an AA program though). Would they then not be able to serve in a greater capacity in helping the Anesthesiologist as a PA. I believe that is similar to how the speciality PAs perform except thru some sort of residency but I figure with anesthesia being a very specific field then it would require the formal training needed especially if you were to bring it to the medical board for approval. Any one have any experience with this?

There have been several PA's that have gone through the AA programs at Case and Emory and they do very well. They are definitely more mobile than an AA because of licensing issues, but if you're wanting to do anesthesia anyway, you're just adding to the time by going PA first. Respiratory Therapists also do very well in the program, particularly from a clinical standpoint. As you have discovered, the organic and perhaps physics sometimes delay their entry into the programs.

Obviously if moving is a concern, your options become more limited. I don't know where you are in Arkansas, but note that AA's are working in Texas and Missouri.

It's unfortunate that nurse anesthesia organizations all rally against AA's when they attempt to enter practice in a "new" state. They can say all they want about our education and background, but it's all a smokescreen - they're simply afraid of the competition. (let's see how long it takes for a CRNA to find this post and come back at me 🙂 )

I'm not sure how a PA could serve in a "greater capacity in helping the Anesthesiologist" than an AA. They would be doing the same thing, same scope of practice.

Finally, there may be reimbursement issues involved in paying PA's for doing anesthesia. AA's are a recognized specialty group by CMS, TriCare, and private insurers, and are reimbursed at the same rates as CRNA's. I think there have been some problems with PA's billing for anesthesia. That being said, there are a handful of PA's doing anesthesia now (<50 ??) that could shed some light on this, although I think most of them have actually cross-certified as AA's as well.

If you need any further information about AA's, please don't hesitate to contact me via email.

 

[blea30]

Well, as you can tell I am not familiar with the ins and outs of the Anesthesia profession. What I meant I think("greater capacity") was since a PA was not as limited on where they could practice and I thought that AA's had to have a Anesthesiologist immediately present and a PA did not, at least that is what I read about them in the Arkansas medical act, that the MDA would probably just have to be somewhere on the hospital campus. Obviously not sure about all of that though that is why I am posting. It is a shame that some don't think a MDA is necessary though. Just my limited opinion, please don't start a flaming 🙁 . I am just curious as to why a PA would not be able to do anesthesia but be able to do surgery or work in a critical care setting.
Thanks JWK,

 

[jwk]

Well, as you can tell I am not familiar with the ins and outs of the Anesthesia profession. What I meant I think("greater capacity") was since a PA was not as limited on where they could practice and I thought that AA's had to have a Anesthesiologist immediately present and a PA did not, at least that is what I read about them in the Arkansas medical act, that the MDA would probably just have to be somewhere on the hospital campus. Obviously not sure about all of that though that is why I am posting. It is a shame that some don't think a MDA is necessary though. Just my limited opinion, please don't start a flaming 🙁 . I am just curious as to why a PA would not be able to do anesthesia but be able to do surgery or work in a critical care setting.
Thanks JWK,

Anesthesia is a specialty with pretty specific procedures, and a whole additional set of pharmacology and physiology. AA's practice under an anesthesia care team, where an anesthesiologist provides medical direction or supervision to anesthetists. As such, the anesthesiologist has to be immediately available to come to the OR, but does not have to remain physically in the same room at all times. CRNA's may have more independent practice, depending on the state and their employer or hospital policies.