Questions about PAs

[aimeeoum]

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I'm a senior in HS, I'm considering to major as a PA, MD, or Pharmacist. I don't think I can endure the long years as a MD because I want to start a family before I'm 30. I want to know a few things about PAs.

1. Is the job outlook for PAs good?
2. How well do they pay PAs?
3. What classes should I take in HS to prepare for Pre-PA in college?

and any other things you would like to tell me to help me decide...Thanks.

 

[timerick]

Hi there! Thanks for the message.

The PA profession is currently expected to be one of the three fastest growing professions in the USA over the next decade or so. There are, however, lots of PA schools producing lots of new PA's to meet the demand.

Right now the average full-time PA makes $72,457 per year (?19,596). The average new graduate from a PA school makes $64,565 per year (?12,562). Notice that the standard deviations (?) are large, so there's a wide variety in what people make. It depends a lot on the PA's level of experience, the location, and medical specialty.

Besides the obvious math and chemistry and biology, I would encourage you to take Spanish and/or American Sign Language (and get good at them) and any courses that are about interpersonal communication, cross-cultural studies, psychology... anything that will allow you to be able to relate to and appreciate a very broad variety of people in the world.

Also look at volunteering. Especially if you want to get into a PA school, time volunteering at a local hospital, hospice, or homeless shelter can be very important. And spend some time with PA's. Some will allow you to tag along with them all morning and "shadow" them to get to know their profession better.

Enjoy! I wish you the best.

--Tim--

 

[JustaPA]

I would like to suggest that you get a job doing some kind of hands on healthcare while you are getting your basic college out of the way. Become a nurses aid, an EMT, just get some kind of hands on experience. Most PA schools ask for clinical experience or at least prefer that you have some.