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To go to PA school now or work and save up money and go later?


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Greetings All--

 

Asking for some advice here: I'm a 27 yo female and have been accepted to PA school that starts the end of this summer. The program is pretty affordable: 45k and with cost of living I'll be looking at roughly 90k in debt for the 2 years. I also just got a promotion at my sales job this year where I will be making between 90-100k. 

 

If it were you, would you:

 

A. go to PA school now since I've already gotten accepted and gone through the hell that is the CASPA application. PA is something I've always wanted to do, and I know would be more fulfilling than sales

 

OR

 

B. Work this sales job for a couple years, save up $$, and then reapply in a couple years and be able to pay for school up front instead of taking out loans

 

Also, I'm single and mobile right now. Not sure if it's going to stay that way for the next 2 or 3 years.

 

Any advice is appreciated from those out there living the PA life!

 

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

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As an aside - depending on your school and when you actually start - maybe deferring for a year is an option?  You could make that killer salary for a year and maybe need less loans.  But not all schools allow deferment and not all would consider financial reasons a good enough reason to let someone defer...proceed with caution.

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Guest ERCat

From a practical standpoint I totally feel you on the saving money thing. It sounds like a great decision but in reality... If you got into PA school that's an opportunity so many would love to have so just do it! Save as much as you can before it starts and live like a poor poor poor person to minimize your debt. You'll make it up in no time.

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I am in a similar situation - I was in the process of applying for PA school, and got a great promotion. I had to really think through what I wanted to do for the rest of my career (and ignore my practical side and avoid making the decision based on money). I have decided to go to school. Yes, I will accumulate debt during PA school, and will start off making less as an entry level PA than what I make now (I know because I will be working for the same hospital as a PA where I have my current management position), but I know in the long run I will prefer being a PA. Go to school :-)

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Thanks everyone! I just think it is a much harder choice when you are super practical (like me), and come from a higher paying job vs most PA students that come from a med tech job etc. where it is a no-brainer financially. This will definitely be a lateral move for me financially--maybe even a step down once you consider the loss of potential income for 2 years.

 

However, sometimes you have to suppress your practical side and say "life is short--I'm going to follow my passions"...and with that mantra I think it is clear that I need to go to school. Thanks for all the input!

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If you want to be a PA go now.  Pre-reqs can expire, competition can get more competitive, life changes can stop you from doing it later (parents get sick, pregnancy, injury...).  If you are wobbling on being a PA work a high paying job and see if you like it.  

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I was in your very predicament when I applied at your age. I was a flight paramedic and just took a new position flying with and air medical program in Saudi Arabia. The money was triple what I was making in the states. I was quickly saving loads of money and the secure feeling of having a padded bank account was very nice. I knew I wanted to go to PA school to further my knowledge and autonomy in medicine as I knew working this type of work wasn't conducive to a long term future / aspirations of having a family in the future. I too was single as well so I had the freedom to move about. 

 

So, I applied just to see if I would even get granted an interview. That happened and so I thought ok, I'll go interview but I doubt I'll get accepted my first time around. I planned on interviewing and if I get denied then no big deal, I have this great job to fall back on with a great income and I'd try again the following year plus have more money in the bank account to pay for those dreaded expenses. Well, I was accepted...So, I had a decision to make. I called my program and told them of my situation. They understood the issues of finances as that is life for a lot of prospective candidates. They denied my request however and said, either you accept the position we are offering or good luck next year. I can tell you with 100% certainty that had I decided to decline their acceptance offer it would not have been so easier the second time around with the same program. 

 

I think it's better to seize the opportunity you have in front of you now that way you're where you WANT to be that much sooner. You'll easily make up the money over the long run and you won't hate your job while you're doing it. 

 

I am VERY thankful that I made the decision to attend and that I have the rest of my medical career in front of me as I am nearing graduation in August this year. Sure, are there days that I look back and talk to some of my colleagues who are still working the same overseas contract I was raking in cash, traveling, having fun, etc. etc. Absolutely but then I remember I'm about to become one of the most needed entities in healthcare and the job outlook and security of those jobs has never looked better and only gets better every year. 

 

In short summary...STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT! 

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