Soon to be PA student

[jendez]

Hi everyone, I am new to the forum, and it has been interesting reading all the postings. I am starting PA school in the fall at Stanford University. The program is a combination of Stanford and Foothill college. It is not a graduate program and I recently heard from a friend of mine that because it does not offer a graduate degree it's not that good. But I figured what does a Master's in Physician Assistant studies really mean? In the end, we all take the same certification exams. Anyway I am taking off my senior year of college to do this and then after I'm done with the program I planned to return to school and finish up my BS in dietetics, I have 2 semesters left. But now I'm wondering should I have applied to a Master's program instead? I thought of pursuing an MPH in the future which I thought would be better. What do you guys think?

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[deleted6669]

there are alsp joint pa/mph programs(touro, medex, others) if your long term goal is to have an mph. also see www.physicianassociate.com for a dedicated pa forum.

 

[hospPA]

Hi everyone, I am new to the forum, and it has been interesting reading all the postings. I am starting PA school in the fall at Stanford University. The program is a combination of Stanford and Foothill college. It is not a graduate program and I recently heard from a friend of mine that because it does not offer a graduate degree it's not that good. But I figured what does a Master's in Physician Assistant studies really mean? In the end, we all take the same certification exams. Anyway I am taking off my senior year of college to do this and then after I'm done with the program I planned to return to school and finish up my BS in dietetics, I have 2 semesters left. But now I'm wondering should I have applied to a Master's program instead? I thought of pursuing an MPH in the future which I thought would be better. What do you guys think?

I would plan on getting a master's some time soon. It WILL be required soon enough. You will be grandfathered in, but may get passed over for jobs, etc. in the future if you don't have one and someone else does.
Bottom line, the masters degree doesn't get you any more clinical knowledge. It is just a name, but necessary in this day and age.

Isn't Stanford the combined NP/PA program?

Pat

 

[jendez]

I would plan on getting a master's some time soon. It WILL be required soon enough. You will be grandfathered in, but may get passed over for jobs, etc. in the future if you don't have one and someone else does.
Bottom line, the masters degree doesn't get you any more clinical knowledge. It is just a name, but necessary in this day and age.

Isn't Stanford the combined NP/PA program?

Pat

Yes, it is a combined program. Does this matter?

 

[hospPA]

Yes, it is a combined program. Does this matter?

I think that is for certain, a plus. I wish I would have done a combined program. That way, I wouldn't see PA's being passed over because of the signature requirement PA's have here in my state that NP's do not have. We are working on that though!

Pat