sb2203 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Former Corpsman who are currently PA's: I just wanted to see how your experience has been as a PA. I am researching and trying to shadow some PA's to get a better idea of what the job entails. How was the journey to become one? Do you recommend the career? I've seen some threads on here about some who have burned out. I see so many positives on the job and job outlook in the coming years. If anyone has anything, it will be much appreciated. Have a good afternoon guys. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joelseff Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Former Corpsman who are currently PA's: I just wanted to see how your experience has been as a PA. I am researching and trying to shadow some PA's to get a better idea of what the job entails. How was the journey to become one? Do you recommend the career? I've seen some threads on here about some who have burned out. I see so many positives on the job and job outlook in the coming years. If anyone has anything, it will be much appreciated. Have a good afternoon guys. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I was a former corpsman in the 90's. Got out and worked as a MA in Primary Care and HIV while finishing up pre-reqs. I applied 3 times around 1999-2001 but didn't get in. Took a break and started a family and applied to PA school again in 2007, and 2008 and got in. Graduated in 2010. I recommend being a PA if Med School is not for you. Look (search is your friend) around this forum. There are many of us ex-corpsmen who became PAs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb2203 Posted April 17, 2014 Author Share Posted April 17, 2014 Hey thanks for the reply. I'm getting married in July to a kindergarten teacher. She is incredibly supportive of this goal. I think being 30 and basically just starting school is doable. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joelseff Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Hey thanks for the reply. I'm getting married in July to a kindergarten teacher. She is incredibly supportive of this goal. I think being 30 and basically just starting school is doable. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk No worries. Having a very supportive wife was a huge benefit. 30 is the new 29! LOL I wish you the best in all your PA endeavors! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FBIDoc Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I too was a Corpsman in the early 90s. After I got out I was tracking toward med school, working as a deputy sheriff/paramedic and firefighter/paramedic. Got engaged and did a cost-benefit analysis of PA vs MD school...PA school won on paper but the career has been a personal challenge at times. I would say if you can swing med school do it...especially if you don't have kids, mortgage, etc and your future wife is mobile. Being a PA, for me, is like having bipolar disorder: large swings of ups and downs, and no real good meds to even things out. I looked at med school a couple of times after working as a PA for several years...now I'm too old to incur the debt/put my family through that so I am going to open a distillery. Hope it helps Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Paula Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I too was a Corpsman in the early 90s. After I got out I was tracking toward med school, working as a deputy sheriff/paramedic and firefighter/paramedic. Got engaged and did a cost-benefit analysis of PA vs MD school...PA school won on paper but the career has been a personal challenge at times. I would say if you can swing med school do it...especially if you don't have kids, mortgage, etc and your future wife is mobile. Being a PA, for me, is like having bipolar disorder: large swings of ups and downs, and no real good meds to even things out. I looked at med school a couple of times after working as a PA for several years...now I'm too old to incur the debt/put my family through that so I am going to open a distillery. Hope it helps Cheers I had to laugh at this post. I started telling people PAs practice professional schizophrenia and are like Gumby. Need to be able to flex with crazy doc's. Some let you practice nearly independently, some tell you they are babysitting us and won't let us do anything except runny noses. I've learned the adage: "you're damned if you do and damned if you don't" applies in some settings. I don't work in them anymore! I'm off to the frig for a glass of wine. I also considered med school on and off and realized I couldn't do it realistically for the exact same reasons as FBIDoc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc56 Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Not a Navy corpsman but an Ex Army medic/Flight medic. I have only been in practice for about 16 months as a PA. I graduated just before I turned 30, most in my class were older 20's with a few 40+ people. When you look on paper average age is 28 but there were a few more whipper snappers than I liked. I think it has been a good career. I do Ortho right now, but want to get back in to emergency medicine. I was an ER tech/Mil Medic before PA school and miss it. I do not think that 30 is too late to go to PA school. It will be nice if you have the post 9-11/GI bill to help pay for it!! Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
physasst Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Former Navy Corpsman here. Served in early 90's. Graduated PA school at 28, so 30 is not too old. My career is anomalous, so I won't get into that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpsman2PA Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 I got out in 2010, did prereqs while working UC as an MA. I'll graduate a few months shy of my 30th this year. I think if you're serious about it, and your wife is supportive, you might as well pick the schools you want to apply to and start hammering out prereqs for them. Shadowing isn't a bad idea, especially if you don't have any experience working with PAs. Just make sure you don't get a disgruntled PA, or they might skew your view of the profession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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