Physican Assistants?

[PrincessPatty]

Do we have any here? Tell me about your schooling and if you enjoy your job!

Im at a fork in the road. This past August I graduated with my bachelors degree, focusing on psychology.

I enjoyed what I learned but I dont enjoy what they make So Im looking to get my master degree in something. I've been researching what I want to do, and a physican assistant seems like something I may enjoy.

So basically Im looking for some input and if anybody has any other recommendations I would love to hear about them!..and thanks ahead of time!

 

[BethR]

I am not a PA nor do I play one on TV. But I am a mom of a DD who is studying to be one.

DD grew up always wanted to work in medicine, but she as she got older, she decided that she wanted to be more than a part time mom - so she gave up on the idea of going to med school. She went to undergrad school to study chemistry.

Well, half way through her junior year she had an epiphany which told her that she really DID want to work in the medical field and that that being a PA would give her what she wanted:

1. Hands on work with diagnosing patients.
2. A flexible schedule.
3. The ability to complete her education and be in the work force after 2 years.

She shuffled her last classes around a bit to get in anatomy, physiology, etc in as an undergrad.
After she graduated, she took a year off of school in order to get in her "patient care" hours that most schools require. The number that each school requires differs, but I seem to recall that the school that she goes to required 800.

In that year off of school, she applied and interviewed at about a half dozen schools. The PA programs at all of the schools that she applied to required interviews - and as she learned, it is the interview that will get you into a school.

She was told a number of times that anyone who is interviewed for a PA program has the "smarts" to get into med school. With PA school - it is all about personality - what kind of "people person" that you are. And now that DD has completed 2/3rds of her first year, she can tell you that the people that are in her class, may not have been the smartest in their undergrad program, it is more about how you relate to others.

Now this is not to say that this program is academically a piece of cake. It definitely is not. They tell you that you will learn what a med student learns in his first two years of med school in ONE year of PA school. The PA program is one full year of classroom learning, then a year of clinical work. Our oldest, who is a pharmacist, has said that she thought that her program was hard, but after hearing about her sister's program, she said that comparatively to PA school, it was a piece of cake.

Of course, since she is still a student, I cannot tell you if she will enjoy her job. But I can tell you that there have been NUMEROUS times since she started school that I KNEW that she was where she belonged. Whenever I would talk to her on the phone and she would be so excited about learning this thing or that thing. Last night she was getting together with classmates to watch Gray's Anatomy and to practice inserting IVs on each other! Then there was the time several months ago when she was visiting her sister and her sister ended up in the ER. DD#2 was just so jazzed to - first of all - correctly diagnose the problem (gall bladder) before she went to the hospital -and second of all - to be around all of the history taking, testing and diagnosing. She was in her GLORY! (And the fact that she and her sister the pharmacist were being treated as "medical equals" with all of those who were working with them made them feel great too!

DD spoke to a number of PAs before going down this path, and every one was happy with their career choice. And I cannot tell you how many people I have spoken to who see a PA routinely and LOVE the care and communication that they receive from their PA. So I would say that when you start assessing yourself for this program, start with care and communication, then go from there.

Good Luck with your decision! If I can answer any other questions, or if you would like me to ask DD anything specific, just ask.

 

[PrincessPatty]

Thanks BethR!!! That was very informative!

I actually talked to my dermatologist yesterday who is a PA, and he told me that this specific job has the highest job satisfaction of ANY job.

I see that you are from Pittsburgh too, what school does your daughter attend if you dont mind me asking? Im looking into Seton Hill.

Im not afraid of hard work (I got a 4.0 from Cal-U's bachelor program! ) But I havent had a science since my second year of school (BIO I and II) So that makes me a little nervous - Im also planning on taking A & P I at the community college, just to give me a 'refresher' course in some science to see if I think I could hack it.

Thanks for everything and if your daughter has any more advice - I would love to know!

 

[BethR]

Hi Patty!

DD goes to Duke in NC. She also interviewed at Yale, Drexel, St. Francis of Loretto, Georgetown, and Wake Forest. She applied to Chatham as well and was invited to interview there, but was never able to arrange a time that worked for her and them.

I would not be afraid of the sciences. Although you will have to work hard to get through A&P, once you get through them, then, if I recall correctly, there are not any other real science courses - except your medical courses, of course. DD took anatomy at Bucknell, but had to retake it with physiology at CCAC because Bucknell's course did not have a lab with cadavers. All of the schools that she applied to must have accepted CCAC's credits for A&P then or she wouldn't applied there.

Congratulations on graduating summa cum laude! What a wonderful honor! I hope that you are able to figure out your life's path.

I will ask DD if she has any words of wisdom for you. Her cousin, who is in her second semester of her junior year at Westminster, just called DD a week or so ago and told DD that she too had an epiphany and thinks that becoming a PA would be the right path for her too. I will ask her what she told her cousin...

 

[PrincessPatty]

Thanks so much! And good luck to your DD!