Should I be a PA so I can be a mom?

[annospree]

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I've been browsing through SDN for a while now trying to gain some insight in to my situation. I'm single female, 26, and considering medical school vs. PA school. By the time I got into med school I'd be 27 at least, so I wouldn't be done until I"m 35, which is kinda late for kids. I know that I'd be a good doctor, but don't want to rule out having a family. I know that it's possible to do both, but at tremendous sacrifice. I'm not superwoman and never will be, which is what it sounds like you have to be to make it work. I'm hard-working and persevering, but not awesome at multi-tasking and juggling tons of stressful stuff at once.
I'm considering primary care, which is not as bad as some areas but residency would still entail 80-100 hour weeks, I presume. I guess my question is, should I be a PA so that I have reasonable work loads and a manageable, family-friendly schedule?
A part of me thinks that if I were a PA I'd want more, but that might not be the case. 😕 Thanks for your help!

 

[Marine1]

I know this depends on what state you live in; but, why not look at AA school? I am approaching 30 and I have children. I was going to do pod school, but I wanted something faster, flexible, and that paid fairly well. I do not want to miss a thing when it comes to my children. Just my quick two cents. Good luck annospree.

PS - I am shadowing some AA's and anesthesiologists at UF and the docs and residents are throwing around the ama's idea of reducing the resident work week down to 60 then to 50. This would make a 4 year residency about 7 years. Food for thought.

 

[xanthines]

PA sounds like it might be a good way to go from what you describe. The ones I've interacted with function on a level similar to general practitioner, although they've "been around the block" so to speak. Their level of competency was probably built up over decades.

It's hard to say whether or not you'd want more if you were PA, but that could be problem depending on what you wanted to do. That's the nice thing about having an MD. There are, of course, many negatives to go along with it. 🙂

I'd also like to point out that the risk of something bad happening during pregnancy is still pretty low after 35, despite the increased risk.

-X

 

[herpes]

Pa

 

[Dystopia]

If you are even remotely considering going to medical school, I would say to just do it.

Your statement about worrying that you'll "want more" as a PA rings so true to me. I just graduated PA school and had never considered being a physician until my second year of PA school. Now it is a major regret. I am a few years older than you and just do not want to impose medical school on my marriage.

I believe that there are a good deal of PAs that end up wishing they had just gone to medical school. As a physician, there is no glass ceiling to hit. As a PA, there is a huge glass ceiling.

In the end, you will figure out what is best for you. But I feel that it is easier to regret *not* going to medical school than it is to regret actually going to medical school.

 

[Sunfire]

Dystopia, I'm not sure I wholeheartedly agree with you. While Doctors do have a larger scope of practice, they as much as anyone do have restrictions reasonable to their position. As one example, it's infinitely more difficult for Doctors to switch specialties.

annospree, feel free to come over and do some research at http://www.physicianassistantforum.com. There's a greater amount of opinion and material to go through there, from the PA perspective. Speaking to your questions about being a mom and a Doctor, people do it all the time. Just as some moms who are PAs do it all the time. Life is what you make it, don't let anything stop you from reaching all your goals whatever they may be.

However, don't be fooled into thinking that PAs somehow have it so easy. Practicing medicine in any capacity is rigorous and requiring of a great deal of dedication, not to mention substantial sacrifice during educational training (albeit of shorter duration in PA education). Dystopia makes some very good points, including what would prove to be a greater regret for you. Ultimately you need to choose a profession based upon what you want to do professionally for the rest of your life, not on scheduling. That will all undoubtedly fall into place either way.

 

[175961]

What?!?! You have to be a PA so you can be a mom, I didnt know that was a requirement. j/k....I did some volunteering at a clinic this year and the PA working was a chick and she had a bunch of kids and everything. She said that she enjoyed it a lot not only because of the less demanding education part but also because of how the work schedule is. it allowed her to a "normal" work schedule and time to be a mom. Thats only one example, but its working out for her

 

[Sunfire]

Then too, I know a Doctor who has two beautiful kids, and she's the head of her clinic. So...I think it must all be relative.

 

[dotdash]

You didn't mention whether you were married. If not and you want to go to medical school and have kids, do it -- but choose your spouse with that in mind. It's one thing to go to medical school and be a doctor and have kids if you have a stay-at-home spouse. It's an entirely different thing if you have a working spouse. Choose a husband who can bear some (or most) of the burden.

My husband is in medical school now (a second career) and we have 2 kids, 8 and 10. There is NO WAY we could manage his residency if I didn't work from home (not sure we can anyway, but that's a different thread....)