My dilemma (PA or DO)

[sylvanthus]

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I am currently applying to both PA and DO programs and am really really torn between the two of them. I know most on this forum will say go DO, but I am trying to look at things from a realistic standpoint.

I have 9 interviews set up for PA school, so I am pretty solid there. I think my chances for DO are pretty good as well as I have average grades for DO programs, a 36M MCAT, and 6 years of fulltime work in an ER. So, I am not too worried about getting into a DO program either.

This isn't mean to come across as bragging or anything of the sort, I am honestly torn between the two of them. On the one hand, if I was a PA, I would finish much much sooner, make nearly the same money (I would go family practice as a DO anyhow), and my fiancee and I could start having kids. At 31, this is a valid concern. But, on the other hand, I want to become a DO as I believe I would feel "trapped" as a PA and would want more decision making ability.

So, what say you fine Docs, pre-meds, and others? Any of you dealing with this dilemma as well?



Justin

 

[Chocolate Bear]

The only PAs I've talked to are ones applying to med school after practicing for a while. I've met lots of them, and they all cite "occupational restrictions" and "lack of autonomy" as their reasons.

Not an easy decision. Have you gathered the opinions of lots of PAs on the dilemma?

 

[EricH]

I am 31 and faced this same question. My wife and I are having kids anyways, we will just deal with me being a student. Besides, I can set a good example for them as a student.

The argument that swayed me was the airplane dilemma. Imagine you're on an airplane and someone needs emergency medical attention and medication. As a doctor you can open the med kit and save the person's life, as a PA you can't.

It's only a couple more years for school and residency, but it's the rest of your life in practice.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[sylvanthus]

A lot of PAs say go PA as you will have more time for a life and many cite doctors they know who wish they had done PA school instead of med school. Also, they say that many PAs who practice in a rural setting have quite a bit of autonomy.

I would imagine, a lot of DOs will say to become a DO. So, hopefully, someone can offer a more unbiased opinion on the dilemma. Though, I am posting on a premed website, so that may be tough 🙂



Justin

 

[BruceBanner]

If you think the lack of autonomy/decision-makingwill be an issue for you, it probably will be.

31 is not young for med school, but it's not outlandishly old. It really depends on what you want out of the next decade of your life. You have to look beyond that as well. I originally wanted to be a PA, but I changed my mind based on the reasons you cited. Your career will likely last 20-30 years, so look at being a PA for that long. Alternatively, look at the prospect of wanting to go back to school in 5-10 years because you are dissatisfied with being a mid-level. It sounds like having a family is important to you so this should weigh heavily.

You are going to reach an 'intellectual ceiling' as a PA. If you just want a great job as a mid-level, this might be ok. But if you are seriously considering the DO route my guess is you will be bored as a PA in 5-10 years.

Secondly--why arent you applying to MD schools with your MCAT score? Does the osteopathic profession appeal to you more or are there other reasons? Most people would apply (and get in) to an allopathic school with your stats.

 

[EricH]

A lot of PAs say go PA as you will have more time for a life and many cite doctors they know who wish they had done PA school instead of med school.

I have never met a Doc who wanted to be a PA, I have met many of the opposite. As far as the lifestyle goes; my mother in law is a family practice DO and works in a medium sized group in Vegas. She works about 6 hours a day and only works mornings on Friday. Her PA works 8-5.

Obviously, I am pro-DO. And I certainly dont want to compete against you for DO seats. But it sounds to me like you may have already decided....

 

[sylvanthus]

"Secondly--why arent you applying to MD schools with your MCAT score? Does the osteopathic profession appeal to you more or are there other reasons? Most people would apply (and get in) to an allopathic school with your stats. "

I am applying only DO because I prefer the osteopathic approach and also because my poor grades when I first went to college. I am realistic enough to know I stand much better chance at a DO program, but also prefer the osteopathic principles anyhow. So, it is a win win.


Justin

 

[sylvanthus]

"Obviously, I am pro-DO. And I certainly dont want to compete against you for DO seats. But it sounds to me like you may have already decided.... "

Actually, still deciding, though I am about 70% sure I am going DO. I just have that nagging doubt that I am going to be so busy, I will miss out on family life.





Justin

 

[Chocolate Bear]

Hey Justin, do you know about the QUOTE button on the bottom right of each post? No need to use " ", unless that's just your preference.

 

[sylvanthus]

Hey Justin, do you know about the QUOTE button on the bottom right of each post? No need to use " ", unless that's just your preference.

Ahhhhh sorry, am relatively new.

 

[Karen12345]

I have never met a Doc who wanted to be a PA, I have met many of the opposite.

I spoke to an MD (OB-GYN, 3 years post residency training) recently and she tried to discourage me from going to med school, saying PA would be a far better option, suggesting she wished she herself had done it (I'm not sure if she really knew what she was talking about, though --- she's not a PA).

She justified her opinion saying, "everyone could leave the hospital... the nurses went home, the PAs went home, only doctors had to stay... and it's like that all the time" Was she only talking about residency? I don't know.


She also said that as a doctor, she does not have the time to know her patients. Nurses, on the other hand, do. She said something about how nurses are given a better chance to be good providers (as opposed to physicians in the present world).

I took what she said with a grain of salt. Everyone complains. It's life.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

Ahhhhh sorry, am relatively new.

We were all new, at one point. Play around with features by using "Preview Post" instead of "Submit Reply." You'll figure it all out. 👍

 

[EricH]

I took what she said with a grain of salt. Everyone complains. It's life.

About a year ago I got the big dont go into medicine speech from an older attending at a hospital in NV. I agree, there is bitter and upset people everywhere, medicine is no different.

For me medicine is a lifestyle, not a job.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

About a year ago I got the big dont go into medicine speech from an older attending at a hospital

I've heard that a few times. However, I've heard "Medicine is a great field, even with all of its inherent problems. You'll love it." more times. Oh yeah, and the encouraging people were happy with their job, while the discouraging ones weren't. Go figure! 🙄

 

[sylvanthus]

What I would love to see happen in the future is a PA to DO bridge program. But, seriously doubt that will happen. Would be nice though.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

What I would love to see happen in the future is a PA to DO bridge program. But, seriously doubt that will happen. Would be nice though.

Sounds reasonable enough. One of the big problems I notice, off the bat, is OMM. PAs may have a decent foundation in the basic sciences, but they'd have to fully remediate OMM.

Based on this alone, a PA --> MD program seems more feasible. Dunno if one exists already...

 

[primadonna22274]

No bridge programs. At this rate I doubt there ever will be one; it seems that any opportunity to create one was missed in the late 90s before the explosion of new PA programs. I've been hearing "maybe someday" since I was a PA student...that was 10 years ago. At this point I'm just going to bite the bullet and go for med school, either MD/DO, I'm not picky.

To the nice person who gave the airplane analogy: not true. If you're at 30000 feet and you have some medical knowledge you'd better use it to help the person in need in front of you. Now sure, my dependent license may mean that I'm practicing out of my scope at 30000 feet, but then you're covered by any reasonable Samaritan act.

I hit the intellectual ceiling about 3 years into practice. Of course I still learn--something new everyday--but at this point it's more a deepening of what I know already based on a clinical problem (say, chronic constipation and encopresis in a 10 y/o...didn't really learn much about that in school, but I had to learn about it last night with a kiddo who presented to urgent care with a very frustrated mother) 🙄

I advise the OP to go to medical school. If you have the stats for it and you think you might want to do it in the future, you should do it now, because it will be that much harder as you get used to making money and supporting a family. It's much easier to be poor when you're used to being a poor student as opposed to giving up a six-figure income to be poor again, like I'm going to do, if some nice adcom lets me in.......... 😎

Sounds reasonable enough. One of the big problems I notice, off the bat, is OMM. PAs may have a decent foundation in the basic sciences, but they'd have to fully remediate OMM.

Based on this alone, a PA --> MD program seems more feasible. Dunno if one exists already...

 

[scpod]

A lot of PAs say go PA as you will have more time for a life and many cite doctors they know who wish they had done PA school instead of med school. Also, they say that many PAs who practice in a rural setting have quite a bit of autonomy.

You can have plenty of time for a life as a doctor-- it's up to you. A lot of FP docs no longer admit patients to the hospital, so they work office hours and go home. I worked with a group of IM docs who work 7 days and are off 7 days-- half a year off, and plenty of time for a family. Physicians, in general, don't work as many hours as they used to.

There are a lot of unsatisfied doctors these days-- just as there are unsatisfied people in every profession. Plenty of them have said they might not have gone to medical school if they had it to do all over again-- but I've never heard one say they'd rather have gone to PA school. Sometimes people say things when they get pissed off that they don't really mean. I think this is likely the case.

Autonomy doesn't dependd on what setting you're in. It depends on what state you live in because the scope of practice varies widely. There are states like NC where all a PA has to do is meet with their doctor every six months and show him or her some sample charts. Then, there are others where a doctor has to sign off on every chart within 72 hours and you can't practice more than 60 miles away from your physician.

Go to a practice who hires PAs and see who's working the nights, weekends, holidays and other undesirable times. Is it the PA or the doctor?

 

[RafaTech]

About a year ago I got the big dont go into medicine speech from an older attending at a hospital in NV.

I just got the same speech two days ago from a 1st year family medicine resident!

However, he was telling me he already had his doubts about going into medicine before he started med school, but decided to just go through with it...so I don't think he's the best example. He took a year off between graduating and residency to do consulting. His motivation for starting his residency was that he'd make more money consulting if he was board certified. 👎

 

[primadonna22274]

Hear, hear... I get MOST of the nights and HALF of the weekends... docs don't take any. 🙁

Go to a practice who hires PAs and see who's working the nights, weekends, holidays and other undesirable times. Is it the PA or the doctor?

 

[215512]

lol GO PODIATRY

 

[primadonna22274]

Blech...I hate feet. And eyes. And being limited to one particular region of the body...no thanks.

lol GO PODIATRY

 

[beachblonde]

After being told by everyone from med students up to attendings to stay away from medicine and go the PA route, I understand your dilemma, OP.

But I share the same fear of intellectual ceiling and perhaps some fear of developing an inferiority complex; I just wouldn't feel like I was living up to my full potential if I didn't go for the full on doctor route. It's almost like I might be cheating myself. I'm not saying this to disparage PAs, but I want the whole buffet, not a sampler platter. Plus, I really have intentions of ending up in a fairly urban area, where PAs might have a slightly more diminished role.

Good luck with your decision. Wanting a family sure does make it more difficult, because it's no longer about just what you want.

 

[Bacchus]

I spoke to an MD (OB-GYN, 3 years post residency training) recently and she tried to discourage me from going to med school, saying PA would be a far better option, suggesting she wished she herself had done it (I'm not sure if she really knew what she was talking about, though --- she's not a PA).

She justified her opinion saying, "everyone could leave the hospital... the nurses went home, the PAs went home, only doctors had to stay... and it's like that all the time" Was she only talking about residency? I don't know.


She also said that as a doctor, she does not have the time to know her patients. Nurses, on the other hand, do. She said something about how nurses are given a better chance to be good providers (as opposed to physicians in the present world).

I took what she said with a grain of salt. Everyone complains. It's life.

She's doing OB-GYN - one of the highest stress level specialties. This is probably fueling her.

 

[sylvanthus]

Thanks for the advice guys, I don't have to make a decision anytime reallll soon as I haven't been officially accepted anywhere. But, it does give me some things to think about when and if the time comes in the next 6 months.



Justin

 

[MedStudentWanna]

I just got the same speech two days ago from a 1st year family medicine resident!

However, he was telling me he already had his doubts about going into medicine before he started med school, but decided to just go through with it...so I don't think he's the best example. He took a year off between graduating and residency to do consulting. His motivation for starting his residency was that he'd make more money consulting if he was board certified. 👎

Can someone tell me what consulting is? Where would a doctor consult? Who would they be consulting for? And what's the pay like?

 

[beachblonde]

A doctor could do consulting for think tanks, pharm companies, NGOs, consulting firms, lobbying firms, and the government.

I know that within the government, regardless of what your GS rank is, you get a bonus to the tune of $20,000 a year for simply being a doc. The fact that you may not have seen a patient in 20 years makes no difference.

I'm not the world's most informed person on this, but within the fields of health care, health care policy, community health, public health, and international health there is room for physicians to move in, away from direct patient care. This is especially true with physicians who work on government contracts (clearly I'm more familiar with this area than others), where they may be overseeing a team that does chart reviews and other patient outcome research.

 

[EricH]

To the nice person who gave the airplane analogy: not true.

Perhaps....but if the patient died and it was out of the scope of your license, you can probably kiss your license, your money, and your freedom goodbye.

Bubba in prison: Hey you got a pretty mouth
You: Oh crap....

Before anyone flames me, I would jeopardize my license to save a person's life, but wouldn't it be nice if you didn't have to? This really gets to the core of it anyways, here we have a PA who is competent and limited by their license....this is a perfect example.

 

[EricH]

Can someone tell me what consulting is? Where would a doctor consult? Who would they be consulting for? And what's the pay like?

You can also be a medical director at an insurance company, 6 figures, 20 hours a week, your soul belongs to satan

 

[beachblonde]

You can also be a medical director at an insurance company, 6 figures, 20 hours a week, your soul belongs to satan

omg, I cannot imagine being the person whose job it is to deny patient claims for treatment.

 

[EastWestN2grt]

Perhaps....but if the patient died and it was out of the scope of your license, you can probably kiss your license, your money, and your freedom goodbye.

Bubba in prison: Hey you got a pretty mouth
You: Oh crap....

Before anyone flames me, I would jeopardize my license to save a person's life, but wouldn't it be nice if you didn't have to? This really gets to the core of it anyways, here we have a PA who is competent and limited by their license....this is a perfect example.

Erich..here just for you:

49 USC 44701
"Sec. 5. Limitations on Liability.

"(a) Liability of air carriers.--An air carrier shall not be liable for damages in any action brought in a Federal or State court arising out of the performance of the air carrier in obtaining or attempting to obtain the assistance of a passenger in an in-flight medical emergency, or out of the acts or omissions of the passenger rendering the assistance, if the passenger is not an employee or agent of the carrier and the carrier in good faith believes that the passenger is a medically qualified individual.

"(b) Liability of individuals.--An individual shall not be liable for damages in any action brought in a Federal or State court arising out of the acts or omissions of the individual in providing or attempting to provide assistance in the case of an in-flight medical emergency unless the individual, while rendering such assistance, is guilty of gross negligence or willful misconduct.

Primadonna said it correctly, she would attempt to help the person to the best of her training--but of course stay within her scope of practice. Same thing goes with anyone who is medically trained in that situation, stick to your scope of practice and you dont have a problem--ie. gross negligence or willfull misconduct. BLS is a skill that almost anyone can get trained in, even the flight attendants will be trained in this.

To the OP: there are many DO students, and DOs who are making it/made it through med school with a family. Your desire to have a family shouldn't be a rationale for choosing the PA route instead. It may mean you need a flexible partner, and are prepared to shoulder more responsibility than your classmates w/out kids...ie. studying at night., weekends , etc. But if you want it enough, then you can make it happen.

Also, listen to Primadonna, I think she is a great source for understanding how life will be as a PA. She has frequently shared on SDN her own reasons for continuing on with her education to become a physician.

good luck.

 

[GamjaXnamjA]

I am currently applying to both PA and DO programs and am really really torn between the two of them. I know most on this forum will say go DO, but I am trying to look at things from a realistic standpoint.

I have 9 interviews set up for PA school, so I am pretty solid there. I think my chances for DO are pretty good as well as I have average grades for DO programs, a 36M MCAT, and 6 years of fulltime work in an ER. So, I am not too worried about getting into a DO program either.

This isn't mean to come across as bragging or anything of the sort, I am honestly torn between the two of them. On the one hand, if I was a PA, I would finish much much sooner, make nearly the same money (I would go family practice as a DO anyhow), and my fiancee and I could start having kids. At 31, this is a valid concern. But, on the other hand, I want to become a DO as I believe I would feel "trapped" as a PA and would want more decision making ability.

So, what say you fine Docs, pre-meds, and others? Any of you dealing with this dilemma as well?



Justin

I used to wanna be a PA too... until after i gave a LOT of thought.. you only live ONE life. So why not just go ALL THE WAYYY and STUDY YOUR BUTT OFF and become a SEXY DOCTOR??👍

 

[primadonna22274]

You made me chuckle 😳
Sexy doctors unite!

Thanks to EastWest for her very kind compliment. Look at it this way: we're inflight at 30000 feet and a thin 30 y/o smoker gets a spontaneous pneumothorax. Why? Because they do. Now, if I'm the only one there who can do a needle decompression, I will do it, because I've been trained to do it and I am reasonably confident I can save this guy's life if I at least try. If, however, there is an emergency doctor, trauma specialist or a paramedic who does these much more often than I do, I'll gladly hand them the scalpel (or whatever tool we're lucky enough to find in the emergency kit) because I am not the best person for the job. If someone just needs rescue breathing I'll do that. If a very pregnant woman has a precipitous delivery and I'm the most qualified person to assist, I will be there...I would rather be guilty of helping and take my chances with the BME than stand aside afraid to utilize my knowledge and skills for fear of retribution in case somebody gets their knickers in a twist.

I used to wanna be a PA too... until after i gave a LOT of thought.. you only live ONE life. So why not just go ALL THE WAYYY and STUDY YOUR BUTT OFF and become a SEXY DOCTOR??👍

 

[WDeagle]

Honestly, if you are set on Family Medicine as a specialty i would go DO. It will be a lot less stressful knowing that all you have to do is graduate and pass your boards and you will most likely find an FM residency somewhere. I have alot of older classmates who are like you and they seem to balance family life pretty well. Dont get me wrong though, med school is pretty rough.

 

[eforest]

Go for the DO. It'll be more difficult and a longer road, but in the end, you'll have lots of options. For instance, if you decide family medicine or primary care isn't for you, and you have a DO, you can go down other paths. And if you do want to go to family practice, you're all set to have an autonomous practice.

I went to medical school after much debating over alternate careers and don't regret my decision. It is really really hard, but I enjoy what I do. There are people in my class who have had families too. One woman had a baby third year and took maternity leave, and another is pregnant now during fourth year.

Medical school is a long road, but the road isn't so terrible. I find the wards to be overall a lot of fun.

 

[EricH]

Erich..here just for you:

Thanks for digging that out. I completely agree that any reasonable person would try and help, and one's license is certainly less valuable than a person's life.

My point is that people get crazy when a loved one dies. As a PA, it probably will be called willful misconduct, and the PA will deal with inquiries, civil suits, etc... As a physician it will likely be called "doing all that you could." Of couse, if the patient survives you're a hero either way.

I do appreciate the information though. I was under the false impression that the med kit was only able to be accessed by a physician. I'm gonna go ahead and throw the airplane example in my mental trash can.

I am also going to stop

 

[EastWestN2grt]

You made me chuckle 😳
Sexy doctors unite!

Thanks to EastWest for her very kind compliment.

His,,,😉 thanks to the SRY gene aka the "Sorry" gene...Its what we "His" types have to learn to say early on....eg. "East west did you leave the toilet seat up again?!!!"....."yes..Sorry mommy". or "East west did you leave the toilet seat up again...yes honey..sorry..."... the sorry gene!

 

[primadonna22274]

WOOPS....my bad. Why did I think you were a girl? There's no way I can dig myself out of that one so I'll shut up now.... 🙄
thanks

His,,,😉 thanks to the SRY gene aka the "Sorry" gene...Its what we "His" types have to learn to say early on....eg. "East west did you leave the toilet seat up again?!!!"....."yes..Sorry mommy". or "East west did you leave the toilet seat up again...yes honey..sorry..."... the sorry gene!

 

[GreenShirt]

What's with the airplane analogy? I doubt airplanes carry more than an AED, O2, and maybe a first aid kit with some bandaids. Even a person who hasn't taken a first aid class in their life can use most of these items and be covered by Good Samaritans. You're not likely to have a toolkit full of needles and drugs with you on an airplane. Either way you're reduced to basic first aid. It's a ridiculous analogy upon which to make a career decision.

Things to consider:
Liability: Doctor>>>>>>>>>>PA. Can you live with having to make big decisions autonomously?
Family: How big and when? If your spouse is planning on working full-time while you're in school this is going to be less feasible as a DO.
Pay: DO PCP still has a higher income than a PA (although might not be a huge advantage when loans are factored in).
Time spent in training: 2 yrs vrs 7-9+yrs. Huge difference in the body of knowledge and training you'll recieve.

 

[MossPoh]

Who gives a $h!t about the airplane thing. Just ditch it.

The core of the question is whether you are comfortable receiving orders and always having someone be the boss. Many people can, and that is fine. PA is a versatile medical degree where you can go into just about any speciality.

Honestly, with that MCAT you could stand a shot at a lot of MDs. Ignore the philosophy crap...it really isn't true anymore. My dad is an MD and he believes in conservative approaches too....big deal. You might want family medicine now, but leave that decision out. Break it down to the core reasons and compare what you can deal with. I know I'm going to be told "but I'm 1000000% certain I want family medicine". I've heard it a million times, and then about half of those people find another speciality they love more during their clinical years and pursue that. So, just ignore that aspect of it.

Anyway, the family thing is tough but doable. A good percentage of med students are raising kids as is. You are not completely devoid of a life. Things are tough, but not impossible.

I will tell you my personal reasons for choosing doctor over PA.
1) I don't like people looking over my shoulder or being my boss.
2) I am very all or nothing in life, and if I'm going to pursue a field, I will go hardcore into it and learn everything.
3) I like the responsibility and hate the feeling of leaving things whether done or not. If I wanted a standard 8-5 gig, I would've stuck with IT.
4) I KNOW when done with that PA degree, I'd sit there and think "what if" a decade later. Its in my nature to look up the ladder and not down. (Not saying PA is a "lower" profession. Just saying that in the rungs of the hospital, they aren't the very top.)
5) I enjoy being THE guy to come to. I like small town life and the respect one gets. It sounds trivial, but people tend to hold you in higher esteem as a physician.
6) I believe in living medicine as my lifestyle. That means not dropping my responsibilities as soon as it is time to clock out. (Kind of the same as the above ones)

 

[Terpskins99]

I am currently applying to both PA and DO programs and am really really torn between the two of them. I know most on this forum will say go DO, but I am trying to look at things from a realistic standpoint.

If you have a strong idea of how you plan to build a career as a PA (especially if you're flexible with location), I see nothing wrong with going the PA route. Most of the PA's I have come across don't see themselves as subordinates to doctors, as much as being integral members of a team (though this varies with the field they are in... surgical PA's, for example, routinely are given orders/instructions from surgeons. whereas clinic PA's pretty much carry themselves as physicians).

It is certainly a bigger investment (time, money, education/studying) to pursue a medical degree. For me, I went the doctor route partially because I wanted to have more options to specialize in a career. As a fourth year med student, I am deciding whether to pursue a residency in either neurology or radiology (neither of which would be available as a PA).

 

[EricH]

It's a ridiculous analogy upon which to make a career decision.

It was actually my volunteer work with people that were dying from AIDS that made me want to go into medicine. The analogy served as a tool to help decide what level of autonomy I wanted in practice.

Perhaps we could focus on the issue and not get into insults....

 

[punkiedad]

To OP of DO or PA question.....I will be glad to share my insight.

I am 37 with two kids (15 and 3...yeah I know...) and a wife that is a teacher who is VERY dedicated to her job teahcing in an inner city school. I currently am a drug rep (yes, yes I know) that is interviewing for a spot in a DO school.... SO, I will be giving up a six figure income and time with the family to pursue my dream. So it sounds as if I am in a similar spot. Just some thoughts below:

--The first question you have to ask is what does your spouse say and or support?? They will be a major factor in deciding (moving for school and or residency, money for loans, lost income now, etc....) if you can pull this off.

--being a drug rep, I talk to people all day long. A LOT of the docs that are 50+ are bitter. I think this is mainly cause they were here for the grand pay for service days and feel beat up by PPOs and HMOs, whereas the younger ones have never known anything different.

--Although PAs may be limited in their decision making, so are DOs. The number one complaint I hear form the docs is that Insurance Companies are dictating how they practice medicine. this is not only from what they prescribe, but also what diagnostic tests they order (need to hand insurance geek a broken bone and first born to auth. an MRI!!). So your decision making wqill be quesitoned either way.

--PA decision making lower on the food chain might seem bad, but also lesser chance of getting sued. this usually comes to the DR you are working for.

--PAs ARE NOT limited to their respective field. If you have a short attention span you could do surgery for five years, then PEDS for another fice years when you have kids, etc....

--Time is relative. I can argue that when I went back to school to do all my pre reqs (had never had a science clas in life before 2 years ago) I was more effective at my job (won president's club), aced my classes (except for OCHEM w/ a B+) and had a stronger relationship with my kids....When you know you do not have a spare minute in the day, you become an expert planner and utilize every single minute of the day. This is especially true with thekids. I owuld make sure I spent time devoted to them. This was better than the come home, relax and get to playing with the kids that many other parents do......

--I know this is long, so I will wrap it up. In the end, the grass is always greener, but will still need mowed. Look at your priorities and your PASSION, and jump in with both feet. If you have passion for what you do, you will be successful.

Hope that helps. Best of luck to you,

 

[Bleurberry]

I am currently applying to both PA and DO programs and am really really torn between the two of them. I know most on this forum will say go DO, but I am trying to look at things from a realistic standpoint.

I have 9 interviews set up for PA school, so I am pretty solid there. I think my chances for DO are pretty good as well as I have average grades for DO programs, a 36M MCAT, and 6 years of fulltime work in an ER. So, I am not too worried about getting into a DO program either.

This isn't mean to come across as bragging or anything of the sort, I am honestly torn between the two of them. On the one hand, if I was a PA, I would finish much much sooner, make nearly the same money (I would go family practice as a DO anyhow), and my fiancee and I could start having kids. At 31, this is a valid concern. But, on the other hand, I want to become a DO as I believe I would feel "trapped" as a PA and would want more decision making ability.

So, what say you fine Docs, pre-meds, and others? Any of you dealing with this dilemma as well?



Justin

I'll be 31 next June, and hopefully I'll be entering the class of 2013.
I am not married, but am in a 3 year supportive relationship with my girlfriend. We're not dead-set on kids; a big difference in our situations.
I'm heading into the DO studies wanting to come out either an OMM doctor, or a PM&R doctor. I'll be planning for my own practice, my own integrative medicine model, my own volunteer pursuits integrated throughout. (Could be more problematic up-starting a practice in PM&R, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it).
I'm not altogether familiar with PA practice rights, but there's my situation.

 

[gasapple]

For those teetering on the fence, do consider Home Depot (see SDN banners).

 

[Bleurberry]

For those teetering on the fence, do consider Home Depot (see SDN banners).

Let's count our blessings Walmart hasn't tracked us down yet!

 

[punkiedad]

good point regarding the home depot banners. They might have a wave of wall streeters to compete with.

The DO I shadowed said every time there is a recession, the apps to med schools spikes. Not sure how accurate this info was, but thoughtit was interesting.

As far as my own words of wisdom? I don't care what Wall St. or people on CNBC say about being in a recession. I just take a look around Wal Mart. There are many more attractive people shopping there now than there was a couple years ago......That tells me we are in a recession.