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.
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.