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Over 40 & becoming a PA? Wise or not...


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Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forums here and have found them helpful, thank you all. I've done quite a bit of research on being a PA (course work, specialties, applying, shadowing, etc), however, I haven't had luck finding many posts on the experiences of people who were over 40 years old and decided to go back to school to become a PA. Can those in this situation please share their experiences and challenges in PA school and afterwards in a job as a PA, please? I would like to hear about your experience overall and any specifics or thoughts you'd like to share that you think are important - if you've become a PA after 40 would you do it again, why or why not? If you want more context here's my situation:

 

I’m 41 years old and am very seriously considering a career as a PA. My reasons being I love to work with and help people and truly enjoy medicine, health and science. I was previously in IT and then I became an elementary and middle school teacher, because I really love working with people and children. I then worked as a nutrition consultant for about 5 years (not a registered dietician or nutritionist). I have a BS in Education (double major in math/science, and cumulative of GPA 3.95). I want to pursue more with my life in a career that provides more opportunities while doing something I really enjoy but while avoiding high levels of stress, pressure and excessive work. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to work hard and keep busy, but I don't want to be stressed out all the time like you see with so many doctors and nurses. Also, I don’t have any big commitments (not married, no house payment, etc), so I’d be free to focus on school and relocate if necessary, so that's a big plus. Some things I'm wondering about:

 

1. Stress...Are stress levels high for PA's? I can't seem to get a consensus on this and yes, I know it depends on your specialty and who you work with. I don’t typically like high pressure/stress situations. I’m naturally more of a methodical, step-by-step, structure-liking, analytical, detail oriented creature. Fast paced/stressful situations tend to cause a fair amount of anxiety for me and although I can deal with this, I still feel stressed from it and no that's not a good long term plan for health. For example, I wouldn't want to be an EMT or paramedic,but have the up most respect for those who do that work.

 

2. Perfectionism…While I’ve done very well in school (GPA=3.95) i admit that I’m a perfectionist. So, I take longer to do things (get caught up in the details) and I don’t manage my time as well as I'd like, though I try REALLY hard! Given the rigor and demands of PA school, I’m guessing this will make PA school VERY hard. I’m trying to be realistic here because I know personality traits don't change much, yet you can learn to manage things better to a degree. Thoughts? Is the PA profession a good choice for someone like this?

 

3. Settling into work....I’m guessing it would take me 2 to 3 years to “settle” into my new career as a PA (meaning extra time and work those years) after I graduated from PA school. Is that a far assessment?

 

4. Real world PA....What would you say are the best 3 ways to get a “big, fat dose of reality” in terms of experiencing what it is REALLY LIKE to work as a PA? I’ve shadowed different PA’s, doctors, NP’s and PT’s, but have not held an official health care job, such as a C.N.A., EMT-B, etc. Watching a PA is clearly not the same as being one with all the responsibility, stress, demands, etc. I've been told becoming an EMT-B is probably the best way to get a feel for what it's like being a PA. Is that accurate?

 

Thank you so much in advance for any help/advice you can provide!

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40 is not old. avg age in my class was 35.

yes, emt or more specifically paramedic or military medic/corpsman is probably the closest thing you can get to pa level stress and workflow as both have delegated practice with large amounts of autonomy. paramedics have "guidelines" they are meant to follow but in real time they make choices based on particular pts without consulting anyone, much like a pa..

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I would be wary to choose a career as a PA as a way to not be 'stressed' like doctors/nurses. I think diagnosing/prescribing medications and treatments and having a more active role in the treatment plan for a patient than a nurse makes the job more inherently stressful than being a nurse but that's just my opinion, and I am not an RN/LPN.

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I can't really comment on age (I was the youngest in my class) but i would like to chime in re stress levels. I feel the stress levels are high for many PAs and I'm not sure why you think it would be lower than a nurses? I respect the highly skilled nurses i work with in the clinic, ER, OR, ICU and floors...but I would say that my stress level is higher (and I think they would agree). Aside from our usual PA duties, we are under pressure to be profitable (we are emailed our "dashboard" of reimbursement data monthly), take trauma call, put in 50-60 hours/week and provide quality care when the stakes are high. We are expected to work well on a team, have good bedside manner, do physical work in the OR and be a leader and a subordinate at the same time. (That said, I love my job!). I'm grateful that I don't have the MD stresses such as overhead, partner issues, hospital issues, etc.

 

Re perfectionism...I am also a perfectionist. I've had to work hard to let go of things that really don't matter. I'm lucky that my supervising physician is much more "big picture" and I'm more detail oriented. It works out well.

 

It does take a year or so to get up and running after you graduate. I don't know much about EMT-B but I think the best way to get to know what being a PA would be like is to shadow a few.

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My Vote: Not Wise.

 

My story is similar to yours. I became a PA in my 40's after a successful academic career and for motivations similar to your stated motivations. Several of my classmates were older than I am. School was long and difficult, but I enjoyed the learning process, the comraderie, and the challenge. However, I have never been as perpetually and highly stressed in my life as I have been since becoming a PA. My quality of life is unquestionably reduced and I think weekly about ways to modify my current situation.

 

Just my two cents worth...

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I was 58 when I went to PA school. I wrote a book about my decision process, the school experience, and what it's like to be a PA, at least for me. The book's citation is below.

 

Being a PA is sometimes stressful, some of it due to the time pressures of "modern medicine." There is also the usual stuff that comes with any job. It is important to be realistic and shadowing is critical to making a good career decision.

 

As I've told others, the big difference is that, several times each day, I know why I am here. I won't be doing this forever, but I will always treasure the experience. I also enjoyed the schooling and the friendship with my classmates.

 

Good luck, whatever you decide.

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Thanks for all replies everyone. I really do appreciate all your insights and advice!!

 

@EMEDPA… I completely agree, I do not think I’m old at all. Thanks for the notes.

 

@gleannfia… It’s not the age really (except for thinking about having a family), rather it’s all the related issues that has me thinking whether it’s a good idea for me or not.

 

@noapostropheplz… Thanks for your comments on stress and perfectionism. Of 5 PA’s (ortho, urgent care, family medicine – haven’t had any luck getting to see an ER PA yet) that I’ve shadowed, they didn’t seem very stressed at all nor did they feel they were too stressed. Also, can you share some of the things you did to learn to “let go of things that really don’t matter???” Thanks.

 

@Avalon… Thanks for your input!

 

@UGoLong… Thank you and what a great resource. I will check it out, but until I read the book… if you were back making the decision of whether to go to PA school or not, would you make the same decision again? Why or why not?

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Stress....

 

I'm 41 and currently in my first year of PA school. To be honest, it isn't that bad for me and I generally enjoy it so far. This said, I have a lot of medical background which is helping out tremendously. I can't really speak specifically of how the stress of being a PA is, but for me, the stress of school hasn't been that great (don't confuse this with me saying it is easy). I think there is validity to stress inoculation theories; I left a profession where I was pretty much in a pressure cooker at most times. This may have a bit to do with my personal reaction to PA school as well.

 

If you have an issue with stress ask yourself this....is it because of work you do and forces it imposes on you, or is it because you tend to have a low threshold for stress/change. This requires an honest gut check. Medical fields CAN be and are very stressful, but there are some areas that aren't that bad at all. Just know that you WILL rotate through some of the more stressful fields during your training....how will you handle it? What will you do when if you can't find the type of position that you desire?

 

Work on getting to know the medical field a bit before you dive into something that you may not be prepared for. 2 cents from a faceless person on the internet.

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I am 45 and three weeks into my first semester of PA school. I am the oldest person in my class but not by much. I was also in IT just like you.

 

I became an EMT-B in 2004 to try out the medical field. Life got in the way and delayed things a bit but you do the math on how long it took me to get enough medical experience and science coursework to feel comfortable that becoming a PA was the right choice for me. I highly recommend becoming an EMT if you're in an area where you can at least ride with a volunteer rescue squad. I think it gives you a good idea of whether you would feel comfortable in the provider role.

 

Also what is stressful to you may be a great day to someone else. I would go nuts in primary care, but my own primary care PA and another that I shadowed look at me like I'm nuts when I talk about how cool it is to be in emergent situations as a tech in the hospital. It all depends on what you like and you won't know that unless you try something out. Medical Assistant? Physical Therapy Aide?

 

Best of luck. It can be done.

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I was 45 when I entered PA school. I went from a low stress job (public health nutrition/dietitian) to a high stress job (PA) and I love it. Low stress jobs made me depressed and the stress from my current job in rural care family practice is a mix of high stress that lasts for moments, then back to the normal stress of caring for patients with chronic problems, then back to an emergency to get the adrenaline pumping (i.e. chest pain with little resources and a 45 minute wait for the EMS to come), then back to normalcy for a while. I love the variety. Rural care is more stressful than working in a big box HMO with lots of other providers around who you can immediately call for help.

 

You definitely can do this...but know what you will be getting into and remember the grass is not greener on the other side.

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Re: @UGoLong… Thank you and what a great resource. I will check it out, but until I read the book… if you were back making the decision of whether to go to PA school or not, would you make the same decision again? Why or why not?

 

Yes, I'd do it again. The job is high stress at times, mostly trying to get everything done and running all over town seeing patients. But I really enjoy the satisfaction of making a difference. I used to think that you had to do something really big in life for it to be meaningful but, after 7 years as a PA, I realize that some of our biggest contributions can involve just helping someone have a few months more of a better life, or just calming a fear by helping someone understand what is happening to them.

 

School wasn't bad for me really. It was a lot of work, but so too were all-nighters I pulled at work at one time or another. I think that my time in EMS was a big help, especially making that "sick-not sick" decision that you have to make in the first few moments of seeing a new patient.

 

So yes, I'd do it again. It would not have been realistic to become a physician when I started taking prereqs at age 51. This path has let me do things I could never have done otherwise. I gave up money to go to school and I used to make more money in my other jobs, so it wasn't a financial decision. It was finding something meaningful to do with some of the rest of my life.

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43 y/o pre-PA here. I am applying in this cycle and can't wait to start PA school!!! I decided to pursue this dream at the age of 39, and I have no regrets!! I think I will be able to handle the stress, I have always been good at that so I see no worries. Bring it on!!

Have you looked into AA (Anesthesiologist Assistant)? Maybe that would be something you would like if you want something slow.

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My answer is by all means go to PA school. As long as you are healthy and can withstand some of the clinical rotations of long hours not much sleep and standing in the OR. Also, will spend time on the mucroscope, so be sure your vision is good, if not get an eye exam with the appropraite lenses. I had asked an anesthesiologist the same question before I went to PA school. She looked at me and said, " What will be your age when you graduate ?" I told her. She then said, it doesnt matter, you will be that age in 4 years reguardless if you go to PA school or not, so why not go, do what you wish to do and do it well. Joanne

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quote_icon.png Originally Posted by MedievalKnight8

Thanks for your comments on stress and perfectionism. Of 5 PA’s (ortho, urgent care, family medicine – haven’t had any luck getting to see an ER PA yet) that I’ve shadowed, they didn’t seem very stressed at all nor did they feel they were too stressed. What area of medicine do you work in primary care, ER, other? Also, can you share some of the things you did to learn to “let go of things that really don’t matter???” Thanks.

 

 

 

I work in orthopedics. Something that helped me learn more about myself was the DiSC assessment. It's basically a survey/"quiz" that you can take online and it gave me useful insight on how I relate to others in the workplace, what motivates me, how I relate to others and solve conflict, what my shortcomings are, etc. Interestingly my supervising physician had also taken it so it was great to compare notes. In fact, I mentioned it to our CEO and she had the middle managers in our clinic take it as well. Just another tool to be more self-aware of our tendencies...

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I think the biggest shock to an older student will be the poor quality of PA education. As PA schools have realized that they can make a lot of money by offering programs, they have opened new programs and dramatically increased the size of existing programs. The problem is that schools don't have the teaching faculty for the didactic program and they don't have sufficient clinical sites for the clinical program. In my program, we were taught many classes by PAs who didn't have the knowledge and experience to teach the subject that they were assigned. For example, we were taught pharmacology, a one year course, by a PA who never took organic chemistry or biochemistry. Our class was deeply disappointed. There are many other examples where the teacher read the textbook the night before the lecture and made their best effort to explain it. Most faculty lack actual professional experience in the subject they teach. The clinical year is frustrating because there are not enough sites (due to expansion). Thus, for Emergency Medicine, you may end going to do Urgent Care instead. You may never see a stroke case, an MI, a trauma. Instead, you'll see what PAs see in outpatient clinics with same day or walk-in appointments. Schools will pressure students to find their own sites away from the school to ease the school's burden while still enjoying the revenue. As you get older, you will have worked hard and appreciate the value of money. You'll need to accept that you are being seriously shortchanged in the education process and just focus on passing the board and getting a license and a new career. The work as a PA is thoroughly enjoyable and intellectually interesting. The pathway to become a PA is terribly frustrating, expensive, and a poor value.

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I disagree with the previous comment. I am sure there are some programs that do have poorly trained teachers, but on the other hand, there are others that have instructors that have been in PA education for many years.

It's a great question for an open house or info session

Some programs attract the older student and have more experience dealing with older students...

One example and I am sure there are others is the Touro manhattan program. It is full time, yet the classes are Mon -Thurs 4p-9p and 9-5 on Sun

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I was the oldest person in my class at 41. I was in IT then an RN for 3 yrs. I am a year in to my PA career in IM. I m a high anxiety person, always have been. All my careers brought me anxiety in different ways. pA school was vey hard, but I don't think it had anything to do with my age. It is extraordinarily hard due to the demands on your time. Not having a spouse, children, mortgage is definitely a plus.

 

I have anxiety in this job, I don't believe it is realistic to go into any medical career not expecting anxiety. You are responsible for people's health, that is a big responsibility. There will be times you don't know what to do and finding someone to ask may not be possible. That is stressful.

 

One of the best things I thought I did was shadowed PAs in specialties, surgery, family practice and in the hospital. I also worked shifts in as many different nursing units in the hospital. These were all very helpful.

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

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NoapOstrophelpz presented an accurate synsopsis from my point of view. *Went to PA school age 41, been out 3 years. *Worked neurosurgery and ED (currently). I wont waste time saying you should listen to anyone but yourself bc learning, goal setting etc, should never be discouraged by other people. I apologize for the ramblings :) and its just my two cents.*

 

In general PAs are in high stress, high pressure positions and need to work quickly and accurately. The hours are long 55 average a week if you want a benefitted position, you are often treated as a physician and expected to perform like one. Which has been scary at times. *The amount of autonomy a PA is given shocked me a little. My previous experience was hospital respiratory therapy. Its helped a lot. *But there is a significant difference between taking orders, completimg orders given to you.... and starting from a blank slate, taking hx, examining and developing an accurate tx plan to get an accurate dx.

 

*I finished near top of my class, am detail oriented, had no trouble getting employment and I think age actually helped a little. i worked neurosurg (loved it but long hrs) peds while waiting for credentialling for ED, it was funnest job but low pay, and chose ER to control the hours I put in to this job. I work 15 ****s a month. But they are tough, compressed shifts. *Worked both small and inner city (now). The field you choose makes a difference in stress level but ALL of the fileds in general require high productivity.*

 

*You must love this job and want to be a producer. One of the ED docs said to me if you work in medicine and arent stressed, you're either brilliant (as in intelligence) or unaware of the actual risks inherent to your job. Mind you he ran a residency*program in inner city NY.*

 

Its my opinion the PA program essentially teaches one how to approach patients, but you will teach yourself the material. *I think that is what one person above was trying to say w/ regard to feeling unprepared. *Dont expect anyone to give you the formula for being a good PA. you have to "synthesize" kind of like you do in math. *This was not meant to be a discouraging messgae, simply a single snap shot. Good luck!*

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Blanket statements make you lose all credibility. You have N-1 knowledge of PA education. Sorry you didn't like your program.

 

Sometimes contrarian views are not well tolerated so allow me to help make it go down smoother.

 

Highly variable quality dilutes the brand. The MDs recognized this problem when they commissioned the Flexner report. The result was to cement the Doctor brand in the minds of the public as the highest level of medical care.

 

People complain frequently about the disrespect PAs received and the inherent problems associated with our title. Part of the problem is that PAs have no brand identity. One factor, of many, that prevents the establishment of a brand is the highly variable quality of PA education.

 

Th NCCPA is supposed to serve as a monitor to ensure the same consistent high quality but that doesn't happen.

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