Why become a NP or PA ????????

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BacktoSchoolBob

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I'm another one of those useless whiners out there wondering how I might become a doctor. The reason I want to be one is because I'm interested in the "field of medicine" (imagine a profound voice saying that) and learning a lot about that, helping people by treating their diseases and injuries, helping people in general (altruistic aren't I :p ), I think I'd be good at it frankly, and it just sounds like good, clean fun.

That said, I think being a doctor is good because you are generally unlimited in your scope, and it seems that you could / would provide better services with more education, training, and experience.

So....why become an NP or PA? Is it because you wanted to do medical things and learn medical stuff without having to devote the time to medical school, residency, etc? Is it because there's something about either of those two fields that interest you specifically.

If you are either an NP or PA do you feel limited? I'm not inferring anything or making any stabs. I'm just interested in why you do what you do and if there is a reason that saps like me should look at those fields rather than simply MD or even DO.

I know most NP programs require you to be an RN, but those programs such as one at Vanderbilt don't. Some PA programs require less documented experience than others.

Looking to hear your words of wisdom. :)

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I went to pa school because it was the next logical step in my medical education.
I was a paramedic with a bs degree and around 10 yrs experience working with pa's in emergency medicine. I liked the job I saw them doing. . I can work as much or as little as I want in a variety of settings from trauma centers to solo coverage of smaller depts.
I have no school loans.
I make more than many primary care physicians. if I ever get tired of emergency medicine I can change specialties without having to go back to school. with time and experience I have gained a huge degree of autonomy and currently work more than half my shifts as the solo provider in a small dept seeing the full spectrum of emergency medicine pts.
my father was a doc and I really didn't want the lifestyle he had. I have virtually no memory of him before my 13th birthday. I go to the majority of my kids school and athletic events and am very active in their lives. I don't take call.
for more info on the pa profession see:
www.aapa.org
www.physicianassistantforum.com
www.appap.org
 
LOL.... you definitely made that sound appealing :D
 
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:thumbup:

I agree! That was a good reply. Thank you for that. I was in EMS myself, but I don't have ten years of experience. Kudos to you for sticking with it. If I were as good as you I'd apply for an M.S. P.A. program now too.
 
the ten years wasn't all in the field. it was 5 yrs er tech then 5 yrs paramedic.
 
the ten years wasn't all in the field. it was 5 yrs er tech then 5 yrs paramedic.


Ah, well, cool beans. I just have maybe a year's experience if you combine it all and squash it together.
 
Eh....I still don't think it's even 2,000 hours. Besides I've encountered a program that wanted that many hours of "direct patient care" which I definitely don't have. A lot of that 2,000 hours was probably sitting around the station being interrupted by emergency calls and transfers. :D
 
My situation is similar to emed.
I became an LPN at 19, not really sure what I was getting into. Worked in L&D while taking classes for RN, got ADN at age 21, still not sure if nursing was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Worked at a teaching hospital for first job, decided that medical school was not for me after watching the interns & residents and the amount of time they dedicated to their studies. Continued to work as RN, finally decided to get BSN after 7 years nursing experience. Joined Navy right after getting BSN- deployed on Hospital ship Comfort during Gulf War so after more years in nursing (telemetry/ER) decided better use GI Bill or lose the benefits, so after years as a nurse became Family Nurse Practitioner to build on the 20 years of med-surg experience. (Did not want to do Nursing admin, wanted to build on the RN experiences I had accumulated, so midwifery or other Master's in Nursing did not make sense to me) and only had to commute 45 miles so graduated FNP in 2001. I currently work in NP owned clinic, part time and teach nursing part time. The path that evolved has made sense for me. I do not think I could have planned it at 21. I did not plan to teach nursing, the opportunity just happened.
:cool:
 
So....why become an NP or PA? Is it because you wanted to do medical things and learn medical stuff without having to devote the time to medical school, residency, etc? Is it because there's something about either of those two fields that interest you specifically.

If you are either an NP or PA do you feel limited? I'm not inferring anything or making any stabs. I'm just interested in why you do what you do and if there is a reason that saps like me should look at those fields rather than simply MD or even DO.

I never really did want to be a physician probably because I'm so lazy and too creative be stuck in left-brained books. (Note that being lazy has spurred me to look at efficient ways to do things so I can knock them out quickly.)

I just kinda evolved from the bottom by working as a nurse's aide, then ARMY medic, LPN, RN, earning a masters in nursing and then an MBA just for the fun of it. Worked in Level I trauma center, helicopter flight nurse, psych, teaching, home health, management, ICU, rehab, Med-surg, school health. You can see I like variety. About four years is all I can stand at one place so need a career than I can move around in. Studied some Asian medicine and became a Zen Shiatsu therapist (I know a German MD who gave up his practice to do Zen Shiatsu; currently studying shamanism for four years and doing psych NP program just for the additional knowledge. Don't owe a dime to anyone...and don't pay taxes :thumbup: I travel all over God's green earth so really don't want to be tied down in a "responsible" job. So, I guess it's been good for me.

PS. I hate insurance companies so much that I'd go berserk if I was a physician. I get paid in cash, liquor, chickens, food, whatever...
 
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