PA to MD

[ericWONT]

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Ok, so I've done some searches on this entire concept and have seen how much crap people get for even suggesting this. However, my path is a little different and some opinions would be awesome.

I'm currently entering my sophomore year in college. I'm enrolled in a 5-year accelerated degree program to receive my B.S. in Health Sciences/my M.S. in Physician Assistant studies. I've always dreamed of becoming a doctor, but I decided to settle on becoming a PA for a number of reasons (relatively general reasons that everyone already knows.) However, after doing a number of shadowing hours in a NICU, I have honestly fallen in love with the position of being a neonatologist and my urge to become an MD has rekindled itself.

I understand that going to school to become a PA and then going to med school is redundant and generally pointless to some. However, going along the path that I have set will only put me behind by a year, since I'll graduate in 5 years as opposed to 4 before applying to med school. I will not be applying to PA school, since part of this path involves the fact that I am already accepted into PA school due to the accelerated degree program. If I decide to follow through with this path, I will be picking up extra classes (only a handful; Calc I/II, physics/lab, etc.) to fulfill the prereq's for applying. I feel as though having my Master's will help me out a little in the competition for med school. Also, if I were to fail to get in, I would have the PA profession to fall back on.

Now, to answer the other questions I'm sure to receive. I think I could work very well as either a doc or a PA. I don't need total autonomy, but I can handle it as well. I work well in a team environment, and understand the hierarchy of the medical world and that working under a physician as a PA will frustrate sometimes. However, I don't hate that whole idea.

Strictly, and most simply speaking, this whole plan is simply for the higher salary and the experience of being a neo. Is this all too farfetched, or is it worth undertaking?

Thanks everyone.

 

[Holmwood]

Ok, so I've done some searches on this entire concept and have seen how much crap people get for even suggesting this. However, my path is a little different and some opinions would be awesome.

I'm currently entering my sophomore year in college. I'm enrolled in a 5-year accelerated degree program to receive my B.S. in Health Sciences/my M.S. in Physician Assistant studies. I've always dreamed of becoming a doctor, but I decided to settle on becoming a PA for a number of reasons (relatively general reasons that everyone already knows.) However, after doing a number of shadowing hours in a NICU, I have honestly fallen in love with the position of being a neonatologist and my urge to become an MD has rekindled itself.

I understand that going to school to become a PA and then going to med school is redundant and generally pointless to some. However, going along the path that I have set will only put me behind by a year, since I'll graduate in 5 years as opposed to 4 before applying to med school. I will not be applying to PA school, since part of this path involves the fact that I am already accepted into PA school due to the accelerated degree program. If I decide to follow through with this path, I will be picking up extra classes (only a handful; Calc I/II, physics/lab, etc.) to fulfill the prereq's for applying. I feel as though having my Master's will help me out a little in the competition for med school. Also, if I were to fail to get in, I would have the PA profession to fall back on.

Now, to answer the other questions I'm sure to receive. I think I could work very well as either a doc or a PA. I don't need total autonomy, but I can handle it as well. I work well in a team environment, and understand the hierarchy of the medical world and that working under a physician as a PA will frustrate sometimes. However, I don't hate that whole idea.

Strictly, and most simply speaking, this whole plan is simply for the higher salary and the experience of being a neo. Is this all too farfetched, or is it worth undertaking?

Thanks everyone.

inb4 "Go to PA school. Give me your MD seat."

In all due seriousness, this thread is basically the same as all the other PA or MD threads.
Many physicians see PAs as partners. Sort of like a Dear Watson to a Sherlock Holmes, or a Gus to a Shawn. Sure, physicians are the go to person for advice and harder cases, but they generally work together to deal with the majority of the patients.

If absolute autonomy is meh to you (and dude trust me, I'm the same way) , then go the PA route. PAs get plenty of autonomy for a lifetime anyway.

 

[ericWONT]

inb4 "Go to PA school. Give me your MD seat."

In all due seriousness, this thread is basically the same as all the other PA or MD threads.
Many physicians see PAs as partners. Sort of like a Dear Watson to a Sherlock Holmes, or a Gus to a Shawn. Sure, physicians are the go to person for advice and harder cases, but they generally work together to deal with the majority of the patients.

If absolute autonomy is meh to you (and dude trust me, I'm the same way) , then go the PA route. PAs get plenty of autonomy for a lifetime anyway.

This kind of beats around where my whole quip is though. A lot of PA's choose this route as a slightly easier route to being a doc. I believe I can handle med school and do have the opportunity to go.

 

[DokterMom]

This kind of beats around where my whole quip is though. A lot of PA's choose this route as a slightly easier route to being a doc. I believe I can handle med school and do have the opportunity to go.

Frankly, I think your plan makes sense. In your case the decision to go PA was made entering the program as a pre-freshman, right? And over the course of your 4-5 years of study, you realized you really wanted the whole enchilada, and decided not to 'settle' -- Makes perfect sense. Your opting to complete Plan B (now PA) also makes sense. You've explained yourself well here. Condense that explanation into a 60-second sound bite and go for it.

 

[styphon]

I am not sure about PA's as I did not seem them in our local NICU - but I saw lots of Neonatal Nurse Practioner (NNP). At our local childrens hospital, the NICUs and nursies are staffed both by Neonatal MD's and NNPs. Most deliveries are attending by NNP's or by neonatal fellows. Of course, this is only my regional area - I am unsure if other areas practice differently.

 

[Holmwood]

This kind of beats around where my whole quip is though. A lot of PA's choose this route as a slightly easier route to being a doc. I believe I can handle med school and do have the opportunity to go.

Many PA's also choose that path even if their stats would make them highly competitive for medical school.

It's not about stats and work ethic. It's about time commitment and diminishing returns. Some people do fear wasting away their 20s and getting massive amounts of debt. That fear doesn't get better over time. Rather, it consumes you and corrupts you to become some of the money-grubbing ***hats you hear about in hospital anecdotes.

Just make sure to assess your primary motivation for practicing medicine. Also look at anecdotes of people who want to switch from Md/DO to PA and PA to Md/DO. You have to know both sides of the story and see which one you can relate to more.

 

[DermViser]

Ok, so I've done some searches on this entire concept and have seen how much crap people get for even suggesting this. However, my path is a little different and some opinions would be awesome.

I'm currently entering my sophomore year in college. I'm enrolled in a 5-year accelerated degree program to receive my B.S. in Health Sciences/my M.S. in Physician Assistant studies. I've always dreamed of becoming a doctor, but I decided to settle on becoming a PA for a number of reasons (relatively general reasons that everyone already knows.) However, after doing a number of shadowing hours in a NICU, I have honestly fallen in love with the position of being a neonatologist and my urge to become an MD has rekindled itself.

I understand that going to school to become a PA and then going to med school is redundant and generally pointless to some. However, going along the path that I have set will only put me behind by a year, since I'll graduate in 5 years as opposed to 4 before applying to med school. I will not be applying to PA school, since part of this path involves the fact that I am already accepted into PA school due to the accelerated degree program. If I decide to follow through with this path, I will be picking up extra classes (only a handful; Calc I/II, physics/lab, etc.) to fulfill the prereq's for applying. I feel as though having my Master's will help me out a little in the competition for med school. Also, if I were to fail to get in, I would have the PA profession to fall back on.

Now, to answer the other questions I'm sure to receive. I think I could work very well as either a doc or a PA. I don't need total autonomy, but I can handle it as well. I work well in a team environment, and understand the hierarchy of the medical world and that working under a physician as a PA will frustrate sometimes. However, I don't hate that whole idea.

Strictly, and most simply speaking, this whole plan is simply for the higher salary and the experience of being a neo. Is this all too farfetched, or is it worth undertaking?

Thanks everyone.

Seriously, why would you think you would be beat up on SDN for this? PA is a perfectly logical career choice. Good for you for thinking deeply about your career path.

 

[DermViser]

This kind of beats around where my whole quip is though. A lot of PA's choose this route as a slightly easier route to being a doc. I believe I can handle med school and do have the opportunity to go.

Wrong.

 

[Mr Roboto]

Don't go to med school because you want to do [residency]. Your mind may change, you might not match into it, etc. Go to med school because you wan't to be a doctor.

Why couldn't you work with neonates as a PA?

Ok, so I've done some searches on this entire concept and have seen how much crap people get for even suggesting this. However, my path is a little different and some opinions would be awesome.

I'm currently entering my sophomore year in college. I'm enrolled in a 5-year accelerated degree program to receive my B.S. in Health Sciences/my M.S. in Physician Assistant studies. I've always dreamed of becoming a doctor, but I decided to settle on becoming a PA for a number of reasons (relatively general reasons that everyone already knows.) However, after doing a number of shadowing hours in a NICU, I have honestly fallen in love with the position of being a neonatologist and my urge to become an MD has rekindled itself.

I understand that going to school to become a PA and then going to med school is redundant and generally pointless to some. However, going along the path that I have set will only put me behind by a year, since I'll graduate in 5 years as opposed to 4 before applying to med school. I will not be applying to PA school, since part of this path involves the fact that I am already accepted into PA school due to the accelerated degree program. If I decide to follow through with this path, I will be picking up extra classes (only a handful; Calc I/II, physics/lab, etc.) to fulfill the prereq's for applying. I feel as though having my Master's will help me out a little in the competition for med school. Also, if I were to fail to get in, I would have the PA profession to fall back on.

Now, to answer the other questions I'm sure to receive. I think I could work very well as either a doc or a PA. I don't need total autonomy, but I can handle it as well. I work well in a team environment, and understand the hierarchy of the medical world and that working under a physician as a PA will frustrate sometimes. However, I don't hate that whole idea.

Strictly, and most simply speaking, this whole plan is simply for the higher salary and the experience of being a neo. Is this all too farfetched, or is it worth undertaking?

Thanks everyone.