Why Med school over PA school?

[missdoctor]

Hey guys, i'm a pre-med (don't hate too much! 🙂) and was wondering something. I've noticed a lot of my friends dropped out of the pre-med track to apply to PA school, and it made me think twice. I know that being a PA doesn't rank nearly as high as a medical doctor, and neither does the pay... but prestige and pay aside, why did you choose medical school over PA school? I am very passionate about the cliche 'helping people' and 'making a difference'.. but can't this also be acheived as a PA?
Thanks!

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[smq123]

I know that being a PA doesn't rank nearly as high as a medical doctor, and neither does the pay... but prestige and pay aside, why did you choose medical school over PA school?

Because, at the time, I didn't even know about the PA option. I'm being honest; I really didn't know it was an option until later.

Now that I'm IN medical school, I guess I would say that scope of practice is a bigger thing for me. I like the surgical fields, and while some PAs do assist in the OR, many do not. And they're never the primary surgeon.

Plus, as a physician, there is always the option of specializing in some very rare and unusual things. The purpose of a PA is to help with the "bread-and-butter," everyday problems that come up. But if ANYTHING bizarre or exotic comes up, it's generally a physician that has to take care of it.

I'm not uncomfortable with being a "leader" if the need arises. Ultimately, every physician may be required to lead a team of nurses, residents, and students. So if you're really uncomfortable being the leader, who has to make the decisions (and take all the responsibility), it may be hard to be a physician.

The lifestyle of PA definitely has the potential to be better than the lifestyle of a physician. The training is shorter as well.

 

[anoncurious]

why did you choose medical school over PA school?

Autonomy.

 

[9000]

One of the reasons I heard through everyday conversations were, because you get to have a somewhat regular life. The hours worked by a PA are, for the most part, set according to your choice. Also, PA's don't really have to worry about all the extensive political issues that physicians deal with on a regular basis. This is why PA schools are starting to gain popularity. 🙂

 

[PeepshowJohnny]

Autonomy, as mentioned above, and honestly, I wanted to be "the boss" as crass as that sounds.

 

[missdoctor]

One of the reasons I heard through everyday conversations were, because you get to have a somewhat regular life. The hours worked by a PA are, for the most part, set according to your choice. Also, PA's don't really have to worry about all the extensive political issues that physicians deal with on a regular basis. This is why PA schools are starting to gain popularity. 🙂

that is true, though i believe that as a physician there is a way to make your own hours, and it is a myth that ALL doctors have horrible hours. you can still have a life and be a doctor. (i hope!! 🙂)

 

[badasshairday]

It is actually really good that you are weighing your options. Feels like some of my classmates should have considered PA or some other health care field before going to med school.

 

[smq123]

that is true, though i believe that as a physician there is a way to make your own hours, and it is a myth that ALL doctors have horrible hours. you can still have a life and be a doctor. (i hope!! 🙂)

Well, yeah, you can - although, as a physician, if you want to keep good "work-life" balance, it takes a fair amount of planning (and some luck) on your part.

I don't think there's ever truly a way to "set your own hours" as a physician, in the vast majority of cases.

If you're lucky enough to find a job in your specialty that has a decent contract, then you're set. But that's not a given in this field.

Also keep in mind that, as a resident, there is no way to "set your own hours." If you're a PA, this is not as big of an issue.

 

[BigRedBeta]

To be frank - ego. Dress it up as autonomy, but that's honestly what it comes down to...

Of course if you have an interest in doing something surgical and actually performing the surgeries, being a PA limits you.

That said, there are a great many advantages to being a PA if you don't care about being the boss. There is a lot more flexibility (I have several friends who bounced around to different specialties before finding their niche), no residency, there's less business pressure, shorter length of course (and thus less debt), and so on.

 

[anoncurious]

a good analogy is probably the distinction between a paralegal and an attorney. The types of things that one does everyday may be similar, but it's a completely different level--in one case you are a professional, in the other, you are an assistant.

 

[Jwax]

I really thought I that I wouldn't be satisfied if I wasn't the boss. I have a strong aversion to being told what to do, and so I R/O nurse as a career b/c they get bossed around constantly. I think PA's have a pretty decent amount of autonomy in fields such as EM or FM, but they barely get to do anything besides hold the laproscopic light in surgery. In EM, like someone mentioned before, all the cool stuff goes to the doctor so the PA just gets to see endless primary care. So PA is probably a great way to go if you know all you really want is primary care and you don't mind not being the highest on the totem pole. The pay is pretty good and doesn't take nearly as long to get there, plus you can switch fields like nurses do so if you burn out of one you can move on to something else. But if you want to be the boss and get to do all the cool stuff (I don't know if PA's really can say they saved a life very often, if ever), oh and you're a sadist, go MD.

 

[BigRedBeta]

a good analogy is probably the distinction between a paralegal and an attorney. The types of things that one does everyday may be similar, but it's a completely different level--in one case you are a professional, in the other, you are an assistant.

That's an awful comparison - for one a paralegal is barely an associates degree. PA is a master's level degree.
Second, PA's often have a great deal of leeway. I've been in many primary care offices where the PA has their own patient panel and only asks the MD's for help on complex patients.

 

[sirus_virus]

Hey guys, i'm a pre-med (don't hate too much! 🙂) and was wondering something. I've noticed a lot of my friends dropped out of the pre-med track to apply to PA school, and it made me think twice. I know that being a PA doesn't rank nearly as high as a medical doctor, and neither does the pay... but prestige and pay aside, why did you choose medical school over PA school? I am very passionate about the cliche 'helping people' and 'making a difference'.. but can't this also be acheived as a PA?
Thanks!

I don't like the word 'assistant'.

 

[meister]

That's ok, soon the PAs are going to change their degree to "Physician Associate."

 

[sprinkibrio]

Hey guys, i'm a pre-med (don't hate too much! 🙂) and was wondering something. I've noticed a lot of my friends dropped out of the pre-med track to apply to PA school, and it made me think twice. I know that being a PA doesn't rank nearly as high as a medical doctor, and neither does the pay... but prestige and pay aside, why did you choose medical school over PA school? I am very passionate about the cliche 'helping people' and 'making a difference'.. but can't this also be acheived as a PA?
Thanks!

Did you ask your friends how their grades are?

I would guess it's a decision based on prestige/autonomy/desire to work very hard vs. those that care less about prestige and autonomy/desire to have other interests.

 

[anoncurious]

That's an awful comparison - for one a paralegal is barely an associates degree. PA is a master's level degree.
Second, PA's often have a great deal of leeway. I've been in many primary care offices where the PA has their own patient panel and only asks the MD's for help on complex patients.

I was under the impression that you needed a Bachelors to be a paralegal? In any case, I still think its an applicable analogy--paralegals also have some leeway in terms to drafting legal argument, doing the research,etc and consulting the lawyer when they cant figure something out..in any case, my point was that the nature of the relationship was similar..a professional and a professional assistant.

 

[boggvir]

Research.

 

[MSU2012]

I was planning on PA school until June before my final year of college, when I decided I should consider med school and signed up for the MCAT. I actually applied to both PA school and med school, was accepted to both, and honestly considered both. I chose med school and am now halfway through my first year and am absolutely 100% happy with my choice. Although once in a while I think how much nicer it would be to be in PA school, that's usually only when I'm sick of studying or when the tuition bills show up. I'm sure I'll have more of these thoughts when I'm trudging through residency, but med school was definitely the right choice for me.

There are a lots of pros and cons to both routes in terms of length of training, debt load, salary, independence, hours, responsibility, paperwork, etc. I for one was planning on PA school because I want to have a family and I thought that the shorter and cheaper training and the easier hours were better for that (which they probably are). However, I have a pretty strong personality and would have had a lot of trouble being second-in-command for my whole life to people that I know I am as smart and capable as. To have people question my intelligence or skills because of the letters after my name would have been endlessly frustrating. And the last thing in the world I would want is to end up resenting my children someday because I chose to limit myself for their sake.

It's difficult to get an accurate gauge on how happy people are in each profession. Many PAs love their jobs and think they get the best of both worlds, and many others say if they had it to do over again, they would have gone to medical school. They are many doctors who love their jobs, but many others who are very bitter and say not to go into medicine. The grass is always greener.

You can absolutely 'help people' and 'make a difference' as a PA, probably as equally as a doctor. But you can also help people as a nurse, social worker, or teacher. There are many other aspects to consider. Talk to practicing doctors and PAs, think about what's really important to you, and most importantly, think about what kind of person you are and what will make you happy. if you're going to think "what if?" or "I could have been..." for your whole life then it's not worth saving a bit of money and time right now.

 

[majahops]

In my case, 99% ego and 1% something substantial and honorable (but I haven't decided what to label it yet). 🙂

 

[Siverhideo1985]

Hey guys, i'm a pre-med (don't hate too much! 🙂) and was wondering something. I've noticed a lot of my friends dropped out of the pre-med track to apply to PA school, and it made me think twice. I know that being a PA doesn't rank nearly as high as a medical doctor, and neither does the pay... but prestige and pay aside, why did you choose medical school over PA school? I am very passionate about the cliche 'helping people' and 'making a difference'.. but can't this also be acheived as a PA?
Thanks!

My girlfriend has got me whipped in this relationship...I need at least one part of my life where I am the boss.

😀

I think it comes down to personal choice....shadow both (and more than one of each) and see what you like better. Personally, I think med school was more attractive to me because of the challenge and the diversity of possibilities. (not that there aren't diverse possibilities in PA school)

 

[glypha1104]

a good analogy is probably the distinction between a paralegal and an attorney. The types of things that one does everyday may be similar, but it's a completely different level--in one case you are a professional, in the other, you are an assistant.

I think this is why some PA's have a problem with the title Physician Assistant. Many people think they are medical assistant who only take their weight and take their temperature. The title truly doesn't reflect what they can do.

Question: Do you view Nurse Practitioners as assistants?

 

[missdoctor]

Thanks so much for the responses!

But I wonder one thing, when you say the doctor is always the boss and essentially has to be a leader, while the PA does as the doctor says, is this always the scenario? Is it necessary for PAs to possess that leadership quality too? And on the other hand, could you ever get away with not being a leader and being a successful physician?

 

[boggvir]

I think the leadership portion means having the final say in patient decisions. The PA cannot practice outside the scope of his or her supervising physician.

 

[portlandcity]

well put MSU.

 

[shnuffles]

I was planning on PA school until June before my final year of college, when I decided I should consider med school and signed up for the MCAT. I actually applied to both PA school and med school, was accepted to both, and honestly considered both. I chose med school and am now halfway through my first year and am absolutely 100% happy with my choice. Although once in a while I think how much nicer it would be to be in PA school, that's usually only when I'm sick of studying or when the tuition bills show up. I'm sure I'll have more of these thoughts when I'm trudging through residency, but med school was definitely the right choice for me.

There are a lots of pros and cons to both routes in terms of length of training, debt load, salary, independence, hours, responsibility, paperwork, etc. I for one was planning on PA school because I want to have a family and I thought that the shorter and cheaper training and the easier hours were better for that (which they probably are). However, I have a pretty strong personality and would have had a lot of trouble being second-in-command for my whole life to people that I know I am as smart and capable as. To have people question my intelligence or skills because of the letters after my name would have been endlessly frustrating. And the last thing in the world I would want is to end up resenting my children someday because I chose to limit myself for their sake.

It's difficult to get an accurate gauge on how happy people are in each profession. Many PAs love their jobs and think they get the best of both worlds, and many others say if they had it to do over again, they would have gone to medical school. They are many doctors who love their jobs, but many others who are very bitter and say not to go into medicine. The grass is always greener.

You can absolutely 'help people' and 'make a difference' as a PA, probably as equally as a doctor. But you can also help people as a nurse, social worker, or teacher. There are many other aspects to consider. Talk to practicing doctors and PAs, think about what's really important to you, and most importantly, think about what kind of person you are and what will make you happy. if you're going to think "what if?" or "I could have been..." for your whole life then it's not worth saving a bit of money and time right now.

👍

 

[funkymunkytoes]

Hey guys, i'm a pre-med (don't hate too much! 🙂)

Listen: you made a post in a pre-allopathic forum of student doctor network--most everyone here is a premed...

I've noticed a lot of my friends dropped out of the pre-med track to apply to PA school, and it made me think twice. I know that being a PA doesn't rank nearly as high as a medical doctor, and neither does the pay... but prestige and pay aside, why did you choose medical school over PA school? I am very passionate about the cliche 'helping people' and 'making a difference'.. but can't this also be acheived as a PA?Thanks!

Autonomy. Pay. Respect. Being elbow deep into someone's body cavity. The list goes on and on.

 

[smq123]

Is it necessary for PAs to possess that leadership quality too? And on the other hand, could you ever get away with not being a leader and being a successful physician?

I think it's fairly rare (if it even happens at all!) for PAs to ever "take charge" the same way that a physician does. Ultimately, all decisions need to be approved by a physician - PAs cannot really practice independently, the way that an attending physician can. It's sort of like being a resident forever.

As a physician, you may not need to be a "leader" in the traditional sense. But, at some point, you need to be comfortable realizing that the "buck stops" with you. YOU make the final decision, and YOU are, ultimately, responsible for all the consequences (good and bad) of that decision. It's a scary thought, I will admit.

 

[MrBurns10]

For the most part, I feel the same way as other posters: I wanted autonomy, to be the boss, to be as "high up" as I could go (and do as much as is allowed), etc.

But the fact is that you have absolutely no idea right now what field of medicine you'll want to pursue. It turns out I love radiology and didn't like much of anything else, except psych. What's a PA going to do in radiology? There's one PA that I know of in the rads department at my school, but his job is to consent patients for procedures/set up for those procedures/dictate. That's definitely not what I personally want out of my career.

The fact is that if you go to medical school your specialty options are unlimited (starting out, I mean...step 1/grades notwithstanding). This isn't true if you do PA/CRNA.

 

[crixx]

Because deep down, pre-meds are all masochists who cannot be satisfied knowing that there's another career path that would make thier lives more painful.

 

[missdoctor]

Listen: you made a post in a pre-allopathic forum of student doctor network--most everyone here is a premed...

um didn't realize thought it was the allopathic. deal

 

[missdoctor]

For the most part, I feel the same way as other posters: I wanted autonomy, to be the boss, to be as "high up" as I could go (and do as much as is allowed), etc.

But the fact is that you have absolutely no idea right now what field of medicine you'll want to pursue. It turns out I love radiology and didn't like much of anything else, except psych. What's a PA going to do in radiology? There's one PA that I know of in the rads department at my school, but his job is to consent patients for procedures/set up for those procedures/dictate. That's definitely not what I personally want out of my career.

The fact is that if you go to medical school your specialty options are unlimited (starting out, I mean...step 1/grades notwithstanding). This isn't true if you do PA/CRNA.

I completely agree with that.🙂 Thanks for the advice everyone

 

[unsung]

Listen: you made a post in a pre-allopathic forum of student doctor network--most everyone here is a premed...



Autonomy. Pay. Respect. Being elbow deep into someone's body cavity. The list goes on and on.[/quote]

I would add to this list depth of knowledge. I'm the kind of person who likes to ask why all the time and it'd kill me to be in some kind of allied health profession (i.e. nursing) where I really wouldn't have those answers and would ALWAYS rely on someone above me to give me those answers (if they even bother to). I like to understand the real reasoning behind what I'm doing and what meds I'm giving my patients... and not just have some hazy idea that drug X is an antipsychotic because my teacher told me so and the doc told me to administer it (vs drug Y some other antipsychotic), so I'm going to administer it. If the patient asks, so why drug X and not why drug Y, I'd honestly have no clue and would have to refer that patient to the doc.

It would suck to have that limited level of knowledge the rest of my career life. Yeah, PA seems a bit better than nursing, but still it would always bother me that I'm not as knowledgeable as I could be... because inside I know I could handle the rigor/academic challenge of medical school. So why would I settle for anything less ?

"lifestyle" etc. considerations doesn't matter too much to me. Yes, I plan to have a family and spend time with them. But like my male components in medicine or the business world or whatever, I see no reason to "sacrifice" my career goals... how many male CEOs think "oh I have to stay single because of my career"? For the most part, they see no contradiction between a fulfilling intense career and a loving family. Also I think being a doctor DOES offer a more flexible lifestyle than most other professions... esp if one starts their own private practice. So yeah... all signs point to med school. PA school just doesn't appeal (unless I couldn't get into med school.. which I did get in yeehaw!)

 

[Depakote]

Listen: you made a post in a pre-allopathic forum of student doctor network--most everyone here is a premed...

um didn't realize thought it was the allopathic. deal

thread was moved from allo to pre-allo. 😉

 

[facetedforms]

I am a pre-med, and close to applying. I also have a very good friend (ex GF) who is in a top 5 PA program right now. I see what she goes through day in and out. This is also a girl that could have gone to just about any top tier medical school she wanted to. That being said, the knowledge base they are given is disjointed, not thorough, and relies A LOT on practical learning to fill in what is not taught in classes. They are about done with their didactic learning after about 7 months out of 27 month program. I see that the medicine is superficial at times and basically just a need-to-know basis.

PAs are not doctors. I hear: "that PA practically runs the ICU" or "is practically doing surgery" well not quite. If you are a PA in a surgical subspecialty, yes maybe you attend in the trauma bay if the **** isn't too deep, but you are basically a junior resident for your whole career. However if you want to be the person that makes THE decision when decisions are tough, you need to be the physician.

As for academic rigor, I think many students in PA school are just as qualified as med students as far as what they can handle. In that same light, I know two people, one started Yale med and the other Yale PA. The Yale PA student worked about twice as hard as the med student just because they cram a lot of the classes together. Now he is done and the med student is a 3rd year.

Many of the PA students that I know are older, and saw the PA profession as a logical step, and med school as a cumbersome choice.

So all things considered, if you want to think, treat, and learn like a doctor, don't go to PA school. If you want a short stint with less depth, go PA.

 

[smq123]

"lifestyle" etc. considerations doesn't matter too much to me. Yes, I plan to have a family and spend time with them. But like my male components in medicine or the business world or whatever, I see no reason to "sacrifice" my career goals... how many male CEOs think "oh I have to stay single because of my career"? For the most part, they see no contradiction between a fulfilling intense career and a loving family. Also I think being a doctor DOES offer a more flexible lifestyle than most other professions... esp if one starts their own private practice.

"Lifestyle" considerations don't mean much to you now. But when you see the PAs come in to work, 2 hours after you do, and then leave work, 3-4 hours before you do, you might change your mind.

There IS some contradiction between a fulfilling intense career and a loving family. The time commitment that goes into creating the intense career is somewhat frightening. It's not unusual to work with a physician for months at a time, and not know if he's married or that he has kids....because he never talks about them. Heck, he may not see them half the time!

If you're not already in a relationship with someone, starting a relationship while in med school can be daunting. It can take a LOT of self-discipline to make yourself go out and find someone. In my class, med school has also broken up a lot of long-term relationships, and even led to a few divorces.

Starting your own private practice is NOT, in my mind, a great path towards a more flexible lifestyle. A start-up business is incredibly difficult, and many physician practices do end up getting bought out, because the physician in charge makes some crappy business decisions. The overhead for your office space, staff, and supplies, in addition to your malpractice needs, can be overwhelming. There are physicians who have opened their own private practices, and are barely making it from paycheck to paycheck.

I'm not saying that you should not pursue medicine. Like I said, I'm glad that I chose medicine over being a PA....most days 😉. But don't write off the toll that medicine may potentially take on your personal life.

 

[redsquareblack]

that is true, though i believe that as a physician there is a way to make your own hours, and it is a myth that ALL doctors have horrible hours. you can still have a life and be a doctor. (i hope!! 🙂)

There's a reason why dermatology and radiology residencies are competitive.

 

[cpants]

Hey guys, i'm a pre-med (don't hate too much! 🙂) and was wondering something. I've noticed a lot of my friends dropped out of the pre-med track to apply to PA school, and it made me think twice. I know that being a PA doesn't rank nearly as high as a medical doctor, and neither does the pay... but prestige and pay aside, why did you choose medical school over PA school? I am very passionate about the cliche 'helping people' and 'making a difference'.. but can't this also be acheived as a PA?
Thanks!

I think the jobs are pretty different. It's not like a PA is just a doctor who is paid less and works less hours. A PA is more of a grunt, handling the more simple cases so that the physicians can maximize the use of their superior knowledge base, and ultimately, their earning potential. I don't say that to disparage PA's. They are in general very knowledgeable and truly help the patients they see. They have a valuable role in the clinic/hospital.

There are definitely reasons to choose the PA route. It's less competitive, better lifestyle, less schooling, no residency, etc, but it is not an alternate route to being a doctor.

 

[turtledog]

Wouldn't it behoove the American health system to train more PA's if they can really do as much as the above posters say? I mean two years of training and no MCAT, and they can do most of the grunt work? What's that MD for then? (I realize that MDs are still necessary for hard to handle cases, surgery and research, but would we still need tens of thousands of primary care doctors every year?)

Strangely, the current number of PA's admitted and trained is minuscule compared to the number of doctors being trained each year.

So either we have a severe case of over-training for our medical students, or PA's are just a small niche profession. Hopefully, it's not the former case. 11+ years of cut-throat schooling and training for something a PA with 4-6 years of total schooling can do 90% of? That's over-training.

And in Europe, the first medical degree (pre-residency) is a Bachelor's degree (MBBS, MB, BAO, BCh), straight from high school. So it does seem like the American system is a bit overkill.

 

[cpants]

Wouldn't it behoove the American health system to train more PA's if they can really do as much as the above posters say? I mean two years of training and no MCAT, and they can do most of the grunt work? What's that MD for then?

Instead, the current number of PA's admitted and trained is minuscule compared to the number of doctors being trained each year.

So either we have a severe case of over-training for our medical students, or PA's are just a small niche profession. Hopefully, it's not the former case. 11+ years of schooling and training for something a PA with 4-6 years of total schooling can do 90% of? That's over-training.

You could certainly argue that physicians are overeducated (I don't think an undergraduate degree should necessarily be required to become an MD), but don't forget overutilization of the system as a factor. The fact that everyone goes to the doctor when they get a sore throat or the flu puts a huge burden on the system. These are just the areas where PA/NP providers can help to ease the load. There are a lot of times where MD's will draw on every ounce of that education and experience to make a tough dx, design a complex treatment plan for a patient, or get through an emergency situation.

 

[eze8923]

One of the reasons I heard through everyday conversations were, because you get to have a somewhat regular life. The hours worked by a PA are, for the most part, set according to your choice. Also, PA's don't really have to worry about all the extensive political issues that physicians deal with on a regular basis. This is why PA schools are starting to gain popularity. 🙂

only if it were true that PAs could achieve this "regular life." i always say, it all depends on the clinical setting or specialty that you practice in. especially in surgical specialties, PAs are on when their SP is on... compared to a private clinic that works a 9am-5pm schedule. if it's a "regular life" you seek, then choose your setting and specialty wisely, not your profession IMHO.

to the OP, there is some worthy insight to consider from previous posts. coming from a current PA student who also considered med school, i would agree with many of the comments posted on this thread. i can say that there is no single specific reason necessarily, but it depends on your personal circumstances. the PA applicant pool (although becoming younger) is typically of an older age group, who also have a considerable medical experience before matriculating (which is a MUST). in some cases, people just can't afford to commit that amount of time for additional training due to family obligations, financial circumstances, etc.

in the end, it was a personal decision made based on my current personal situation. i would encourage you, like others have, to shadow and get in contact with both physicians and PAs in different settings to get some of their perspective and to watch them in their daily routine. best of luck with your endeavors.

 

[eze8923]

sorry, double post.

 

[melanoleuca]

Wouldn't it behoove the American health system to train more PA's if they can really do as much as the above posters say? I mean two years of training and no MCAT, and they can do most of the grunt work? What's that MD for then? (I realize that MDs are still necessary for hard to handle cases, surgery and research, but would we still need tens of thousands of primary care doctors every year?)

Strangely, the current number of PA's admitted and trained is minuscule compared to the number of doctors being trained each year.

So either we have a severe case of over-training for our medical students, or PA's are just a small niche profession. Hopefully, it's not the former case. 11+ years of cut-throat schooling and training for something a PA with 4-6 years of total schooling can do 90% of? That's over-training.

And in Europe, the first medical degree (pre-residency) is a Bachelor's degree (MBBS, MB, BAO, BCh), straight from high school. So it does seem like the American system is a bit overkill.

Why even train mid-levels when in fact, most of the grunt work could be handled by a reasonably motivated high school graduate with an associates degree (or similar) in Medical Assisting?

Heck, a reasonably observant unit secretary probably knows what to order for most of the common presentations of common things...and they have no formal medical training whatsoever. Just give them a stack of laminated cards for the twenty or so common things and let them manage the wards and the clinics.

 

[melanoleuca]

....11+ years of cut-throat schooling and training for something a PA with 4-6 years of total schooling can do 90% of? That's over-training...

Speak for yourself. While there are certainly outliers-exceptional PAs and really, really crappy doctors-most PAs cannot do 90 percent of what doctors do. Ideally, they would do 90 percent of the paperwork and other menial tasks which, while they do take up a lot of time, should not be confused with the practice of medicine, something that goes on despite all of the bureaucratic obstacles thrown in our paths.

"Whee! Look at me! I'm just like a doctor because I can do all of the paperwork!" is not exactly how you want to sell your mid-level prowess.

 

[ODorDO]

do PA's pay for malpractice insurance? if they do, i wonder how much cheaper it is compare to physicians.

 

[Orthotist ATC]

that is true, though i believe that as a physician there is a way to make your own hours, and it is a myth that ALL doctors have horrible hours. you can still have a life and be a doctor. (i hope!! 🙂)

im sure doctors can have a great life, if they set their minds on a particular schedule/work load and seek it out. Then all you have to do is defend that to the rest of SDN 😉

 

[usermike8500]

If you want a great lifestyle, become a PA

If you want to make money, become a nurse ($250,000+ for chief nurse anesthetists, no joke, they earn more than the GDP of many small nations)

If you want an interesting, dynamic career where the sky is the limit to what you can do, get an MD or DO. Surgery, Research, Business, it will all be open to you.

That's my 2 cents.

 

[Shawn Not Sean]

Speak for yourself. While there are certainly outliers-exceptional PAs and really, really crappy doctors-most PAs cannot do 90 percent of what doctors do. Ideally, they would do 90 percent of the paperwork and other menial tasks which, while they do take up a lot of time, should not be confused with the practice of medicine, something that goes on despite all of the bureaucratic obstacles thrown in our paths.

"Whee! Look at me! I'm just like a doctor because I can do all of the paperwork!" is not exactly how you want to sell your mid-level prowess.

Horribly, grossly over-simplifying the role of a PA. But that's OK. This is a special interest group afterall.

 

[tiedyeddog]

Blew by the other posts. I want to be my own boss or at least a partner at some point.

 

[Perrotfish]

do PA's pay for malpractice insurance? if they do, i wonder how much cheaper it is compare to physicians.

Very few people, Doctors or PAs, pay for their own malpractice insurance. Generally the exceptions are rural docs who decide to set up shop on their own or in a small group practice, free lancing rads people, independent plastics guys, etc. Your average doc, though, has malpractice taken care of as part of his contract.

Also whoever said that PAs don't need to worry about political issues is nuts. PAs are very much part of the three war for practice rights with NPs and Doctors. Actually I think that one of the biggest concerns I would have becoming a PA is that I think that there is a fairly good chance that the nurses union, which is much more powerful than the PA people, is gong to drive them right out of business. Wouldn't it suck to find out that your career was the Betamax to the (D)NP VHS?

 

[Rendar5]

MD over PA for me because I"m a damn educational junkie and like to know the details and the sometimes useless trivia that actually becomes useful in 5% of my cases