PA, MD, DO?

[TwoHighways]

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[Medic2MD4me]

You could take the prerequisites that are shared by both pa and md/do and meanwhile do some shadowing of both to see how you like the differences. But don't be disillusioned by thinking that same patient with a panic attack won't also be in your primary care office.

 

[ZhivagoMD]

I understand your frustrations as a paramedic. My advice would be to actually take some time and research and invest some time in shadowing to get a good grasp on what a PA and physician do on a daily basis. Is this something you can actually picture yourself doing or does he glory of the profession seem to be the appealing factor? If you can actually see yourself being a doctor or PA, then look into the best route to get there based on your specific situation as there are no guarantees. PA school is not just for people who couldn't get into med school anywhere. It's EXTREMELY competitive.

I also don't know our undergrad history, but I assume it's at least science related since you said it would only be roughly a year of prerequisite courses. Also, remember, some programs have 5 year limits on most classes. If that's the case you'll be looking at more than a year of classes, unless you plan to drop EVERYTHING and become a student full time. This would include taking all prerequisite course and the MCAT/GRE depending on your path. If that's the case I would recommend a post-bacc. Feel free to message me and I can provide additional help as I come from an nontraditional route.

Good Luck! Stay safe out there brother.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

Ask yourself which job you truly want. Not the idealized version of what you think the job is, but the true job. This can be obtained by shadowing directly.

I applaud your enthusiasm, but I really recommend shadowing so you can see that the reason people over use the ED isn’t because of education. Shadow a family practice doc and watch them alternate restating how not to use the ED and follow up ED visits for people who missused the ED.

If you can really figure out a solution to the overuse of The ED, publish it! It will make you rich.

 

[TwoHighways]

You could take the prerequisites that are shared by both pa and md/do and meanwhile do some shadowing of both to see how you like the differences. But don't be disillusioned by thinking that same patient with a panic attack won't also be in your primary care office.

Well, if I had my own practice, I’m hopeful that I wouldn’t be dealing with it at 3:00 AM.

I understand your frustrations as a paramedic. My advice would be to actually take some time and research and invest some time in shadowing to get a good grasp on what a PA and physician do on a daily basis. Is this something you can actually picture yourself doing or does he glory of the profession seem to be the appealing factor? If you can actually see yourself being a doctor or PA, then look into the best route to get there based on your specific situation as there are no guarantees. PA school is not just for people who couldn't get into med school anywhere. It's EXTREMELY competitive.

I also don't know our undergrad history, but I assume it's at least science related since you said it would only be roughly a year of prerequisite courses. Also, remember, some programs have 5 year limits on most classes. If that's the case you'll be looking at more than a year of classes, unless you plan to drop EVERYTHING and become a student full time. This would include taking all prerequisite course and the MCAT/GRE depending on your path. If that's the case I would recommend a post-bacc. Feel free to message me and I can provide additional help as I come from an nontraditional route.

Good Luck! Stay safe out there brother.

I don’t think it’s the glory or the title of doctor that I’m seeking. I would say that I have a strong sense of intellectual curiousity and a genuine desire to help people. As a paramedic in training, I also have the desire to take a leading role in providing appropriate treatment for patients. There’s just so much we can’t do anything for in the field in regards to providing definitive treatment. And there’s so much we run on that I wish we could just take to an urgent care clinic vs the ER.

As far as prerequisite coursework, I need A&P 1&2 (not the condensed human A&P course I took as a prerequisite to get into paramedic class), OChem 1&2, and physics 1&2. I’m thinking about supplementing with a medical Spanish course, as I live in Texas and it’s important to be able to communicate with the patients you care for. I’m currently registered for A&P 1&2, a lifespan and development course, and biochem. I plan to take physics 1&2 if both are offered over the summer and medical Spanish. OChem 1 next fall since it is only offered in the fall, and OChem 2 the following spring (only offered in the spring).

PA schools are extremely competitive. Probably moreso than the osteopathic medical school here in Texas. And my undergrad GPA was downright terrible at a 2.76 overall. Medical school may very well be a pipe dream. If it’s any consolation, I’m not the same student that I was at 21. I’ve made nothing but A’s in every class I’ve taken since graduating (BS in wildlife management). A’s through EMT, A’s through all paramedic prerequisite coursework, All A’s in every course incorporated into our community college’s paramedic program. I know I’ll have to continue to kick butt at all my medical/pa school prerequisites, which will be no easy task (OChem is not going to come easy, but I’m motivated and not as stupid as my GPA might suggest).

Ask yourself which job you truly want. Not the idealized version of what you think the job is, but the true job. This can be obtained by shadowing directly.

I applaud your enthusiasm, but I really recommend shadowing so you can see that the reason people over use the ED isn’t because of education. Shadow a family practice doc and watch them alternate restating how not to use the ED and follow up ED visits for people who missused the ED.

If you can really figure out a solution to the overuse of The ED, publish it! It will make you rich.

I’ve got a physician shadowing opportunity lined up through a connection with my current paramedic instructor. I do need to shadow a PA as well, but I’ve been talking to one at our local ER, and she has suggested that if I’m not 100% okay with accepting working under someone else’s supervision/medical license, I’d be better off going to medical school.

 

[popopopop]

How are you taking biochem before ochem?

 

[TwoHighways]

How are you taking biochem before ochem?

Apparently OChem isn’t a prerequisite for biochem at my CC.

 

[LookForZebras]

If you feel like PA is the natural next step for you, go for that. Don't let the autonomy aspect hold you back. I've practiced (as an MD) in a couple of settings where I've seen PAs have a large amount of autonomy. The physician oversight was there, but it wasn't a frequent collaboration by any means. I think you'd just need to be selective about the job you take, and put in extra effort during the application and interview process to find out as much as you can about the culture, expectations, and relationships between PAs and MDs. Also, as you mentioned, you'd get back into the workforce more quickly than if you went the MD or DO route.

 

[Robin-jay]

Apparently OChem isn’t a prerequisite for biochem at my CC.

Are you sure you're taking the right biochem?

I used to teach courses with "biochem." in the title for nursing students.

 

[TwoHighways]

How are you taking biochem before ochem?

Are you sure you're taking the right biochem?

I used to teach courses with "biochem." in the title for nursing students.

Y’all are both right. I was mistaken (I registered for classes over a month ago and it was microbiology I was signed up for). I’m probably going to drop it and sign up for physics 1, if a Thursday-Thursday class is still available. Honestly, I probably need to refreshen my chem knowledge as well, so I may redo Chem 1&2 prior to taking organic chem (plus it will be a chance to improve upon the C’s I made in both).

 

[calivianya]

You can educate all you want, but in regards to people using the ED for their PCP, free is free, and free healthcare trumps paying for healthcare for a lot of people. The ED has to treat people regardless of ability to pay, so people can just run up whatever ED bills they want and choose not to pay them. The worst it does is hurt these people's credit scores, and most of these people likely don't give a crap about that anyway. I have seen people come into the ED and wait ten hours because they didn't want to pay $5 at a CVS for a pregnancy test and would rather get it done at the ED instead. Really.

I think single payer would go a long way towards this - if people could go to their PCPs for free, they would, because nobody likes waiting in the ED for 12 hours - but I don't see that happening any time soon.

I don't see these same people changing their diets either, when, for the same amount of money, you can choose to either buy a weeks' worth of Hamburger Helper/potato chips or two days' worth of fresh vegetables. When you have to worry about keeping the electricity on and paying your rent just so you aren't homeless, buying expensive food is not a priority.

The system is broken in a way that no physician/PA/whatever can fix, IMO. As long as you're okay with still not being able to fix anything, but at least having more autonomy to do your job, being a provider would be a good fit for you.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Some people will jump on me for saying this, but if you are a male and childless and choose to become a PA... I mean, come on.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Overstated

And long experience has taught me that having a lot of money attracts a very particular and not very desireable partner

I guess you have to rationalize ways to justify your choices.

I certainly don't feel forced to flaunt money just because i'll have it, and I know good women from bad.

 

[RNthenDoc]

If you want to do family med and don’t have little man syndrome, being a mid level isn’t a bad choice at all. Take your time, do your shadowing, and make a thoughtful decision!

Nobody In healthcare starves.

 

[futuremdforme]

If you are interested in medicine, it will bring more options than PA.

Just be aware that if you're already annoyed at resource mismanagement, it will get worse not better, as you get more deeply involved in healthcare.

 

[NTF]

do your shadowing, and make a thoughtful decision!

If you can be happy being a PA, I think that route makes the most sense and offers a better work/life balance in my opinion. A good motivated PA can expand their autonomy and role in the right setting. But definitely shadow both roles and collect data for yourself. The physician route does offer a higher ceiling of reward in some ways but at significant cost (debt, time lost, work/life balance, more liability). That's an assessment only you can make.