Seasonal & International Work for PAs?

[roromo]

I want to be a PA. I also love medical mission work. Ideally I would like to become a PA and work seasonally in the US and then spend the rest of the year doing mission work (perhaps in Central America).

*Is this a reasonable goal or am I being to idealistic?

*What are some different options for seasonal work? I have read that some PAs work seasonally at ski resorts etc. and would love to hear about various options and experiences.

*Is becoming a PA a good option if I want to work internationally in underserved areas? Or would I be better off becoming a nurse practitioner? It seems like nursing is a more recognized profession in other countries from what I have read.

*Does anyone have any recommendations for shadowing/volunteer experience in the US that would relate to these future goals? Maybe shadowing a PA in an underserved area? Any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your advice/thoughts/opinions!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[pamac]

I think if you wanted to work overseas doing mission work, you could certainly find enough opportunities as a PA to keep you as busy as you would want to be. I think that nursing might give you an edge if you wanted to go work for wages internationally, but you still have to jump through some significant hoops to be able to be a nurse that gets to enter the job market in another country. For PAs in some places it might be more complicated, and in others it could be impossible. But you are always hearing about mission trips that PAs can go on. I think some organizations prefer NPs, mostly as a political thing because some of the nations involved don't have an equivalent of a alas at home, but they do nurses, so they are more familiar with nurses. But realistically, I'm certain you'll have enough opportunities for overseas service (and maybe more than you could ever hope to participate in). Also, you could pick up contract work or work as a paid employee for the state deparmtment or military (probably even easier than you could as an NP). Resort work in the states really just depends on how certain states function with regard to your licensing and scope of practice. One of the main things that might limit you more than anything is money. You'll probably have some debt to pay back after school ends, so heading off to do good things in Haiti or working in a lower wage job in a resort town with high cost of living and competition from other providers that want to live there too might Stretch your pocketbook at a time when you could be laying a strong foundation for yourself financially.