ChillerK:
Actually, you have two statements there - so lets address them both. The first statement is that PA's don't have the autonomy that physicians do. That is completly, 100% correct. PA's must work with physician supervision - to what degree is determined greatly by where you work, the type of procedures you are doing, state rules, etc etc etc. A PA is not a physician and few if any of the profession think they are. You do not go through the pain of PA school without having had to look into the career and understood what you are getting in to. So yes - physicians have more autonomy (but not unlimited actually...) than PA's. But PA's can also change their career emphasis much quicker and easier than a physician can also as a side note.
The second comment is that you should just go to med school instead. This is not a factual comment, but an individual decision to make. I would suggest that if you want to go to med school for what ever personal reasons you have then you should go to med school. Don't become a PA with the intent to become a mini-doc or a doc-wanna-be. Instead, go to PA school to become a PA. People have all sorts of reasons for everything they do - from hair styles, to life styles to career styles. I am completly overjoyed to be where I am as a PA student and what my future career will be. Would I have enjoyed going to med school. Sure - but at this point in my life, another 7-10 years of limited time with my family, non-existant to low income, etc etc etc wern't worth the benifits of being a physician. Instead, the PA life fits my and my family's needs perfectly. Do I realize that what I can do will be limited - of course. That is the trade off I am willing to make at this time. So in any case - don't think PA school is any easier than med school - it isn't. You cover slightly less depth of material, but you do it in much less time. Obviously I'm not talking residency period here, but just the med school portion of things. In the end however, you need to make the decesion about which road you wish to travel- make up your own mind after getting input from various people. Enjoy your choice - it is a good one either way.
Dennis
