Really confused! Nursing? NP or PA?

[samOSU]

I'm 23 years of age. I have been going to a 4 year college and applied to the nursing program with no luck. I maintain 3.5 GPA, and work at the hospital as a PCA, and decided to transfer to another school to see if I had better chance but they did not accept some courses from previous school so it was basically like starting from scratch.

My parents keep pressuring me to go get into nursing school, because once I graduate, I will have decent income. They tell me to go from there and then apply to an NP or PA program.

BUT with no success with nursing schools, I think I should just graduate with degree in biology and then do the accelerated nursing program or do NP or PA


BUT the problem would be I would not have a decent job from getting a degree in biology, as I would have to continue if I want decent income, versus undergrad in nursing, I would graduate and have a job with decent income.

I'd like to do the accerlated program, but my folks keep pressuring me because of money to get into a nursing program. I'm not sure if undergrad in nursing is the best decision for me because of all I've tried to do, regrading getting into a program, limited on schools due to finances etc.

What is the best decision if I want to go to an NP or PA school?

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[sarjasy]

BUT with no success with nursing schools, I think I should just graduate with degree in biology and then do the accelerated nursing program or do NP or PA

First question is, why are you having trouble getting into nursing school? I'm guessing GPA?

FWIW, admitted GPA's at accelerated programs are usually higher than traditional.

 

[ChillyRN]

Well there is a lot to consider. You do not have to get a BSN to go to NP school (I think you should have to, but the fact remains that you do not, lol), and I don't see much point in getting a BSN to go to PA school at all. If you are leaning toward PA school, I would suspect that a bio or chem degree would be more useful, but I am not a PA and don't hold myself out as any kind of authority on how to get into PA school!

Do you live w/ or near your parents and plan to stay there, or would you be willing to relocate for school? If you can move, why not finish your BS in Bio and then apply to both direct entry NP, and PA programs and just go where fate leads you? If you have geographical boundaries then I'd have to base the decision on what is pragmatic for your circumstances.

In the meantime, I think you will have to pull up that GPA for either nursing or PA. These days I think the average is a lot closer to 4.0. Good luck!

 

[Simann]

Never decide to go into medicine with money as your main motive. You are setting yourself up for failure.

Money will come in time, as in with any career. Sit back, actually think about the roles of a nurse versus a P.A. What do you like or dislike about their job duties, hours, recertifications etc.


As my boss/mentor (EP/Cardiologist) told me when I first started; "Son, if you are going into medicine just to become rich, you are in the wrong place".

 

[TheEarDoc]

This is from the mouth of someone who was in your shoes a long time ago.

I was close to graduation with a psych degree and a bio degree with a 3.5 GPA. I was choosing between med schools, clinical psych, and audiology grad school.

I chose audiology, but took a year off to go work to make some money. Worked in a bio tech company and make decent money and then went back to school. I lived a good life in grad school though and I didn't starve. Now when I look back I wish I had known about PA and NP programs. I would have went straight through and been practicing for several years now and able to better afford my student loans.

The dilemma you have is this:
1. Which style of medicine is more to your liking?
PA - easier to change specialties
- more rigorous program based on the med school model
- would be able to use your bio degree as an entry degree with no need to get a nursing degree
- The down side is they are extremely competitive to get into

NP - more independence from what I've seen
- backed by the nursing boards who fight tooth and nail for better wages and more expanded scope of practice whereas PA is owned by the medical boards and it's been my experience that the doctors protect their own and leave everyone else to starve
- more schools to get into

Cons would be you'd have to at least get your RN, unless you did an accelerated program, but then you still have to get a BSN in 1 year and can't sit for your exams to actually get your license until you complete the MSN program

I am in your shoes right now only I probably more years on you and more gray hair haha.

I am trying to decide NP vs PA and I think odds are I'll do NP for a few reasons
1. More schools closer to my home and I'm to the point in life where I want to finally get married and have kids
2. I can get my RN in less than year because my pre-reqs transfer and can sit for my boards and become an RN and work part time while doing my NP from the same school
3. The nursing board will defend my profession and not leave me hanging out to dry

Either profession you choose, I'd say it do it now while you're young. Money is something you can always re-gain, loans can always be paid back, but years of life are precious.

Good luck!