Master's or Bachelor's

[saldanamoreno]

I've been reading this forum for a couple months now and don't recall coming across this topic. Obviously having a Master's degree in PA is preferred but what are my chances of finding a job as a new PA with a B.S.? If I graduate from a masters program I would still be a PA with no experience and employers would have to pay me more just because of my degree. Wouldn't it be more cost effective for an employer to hire a PA with a bachelor's and therefore make it easier for me to find a job that way? I am just thinking about this as I begin applying for programs. I am applying to both types of programs. I was wondering what other people thought.

[DizzyJ]

Perhaps you should search a little bit more about this topic. It has been discussed many times on the forum and you would find more answers that would agree with what I'm going to say. There is no difference if PA whether certificate, associates, bachelors or masters. Employers rarely look at the specific degree obtained. They only care that you are a PA-C. There is no pay scale difference dependant upon degree 99% of the time. An exception would be military/government because the degree could bump you up a pale scale or perhaps if you get involved in administration. The only other time is matters what specific degree you have is only if you practice in one of the few states that have a masters requirement.

[saldanamoreno]

Thanks for replying, I'm sure this topic has been discussed before on this forum but there are literally hundreds of pages of threads full of information. Your response was very helpful, but leads me to wonder what, then, is the difference between a PA with a Master's and one with a Bachelor's? I've asked the PA I shadowed and he said their is no real difference other than if I want to teach later on in my career. Would you agree?

[Just Steve]

Historically PAs with Bachelors have more previous health care experience as the schools that issue them have higher entry requirements.

[DizzyJ]

Yes, I would agree that there is no difference between bachelors prepared PAs and masters. If you want to teach, a master's is pretty much a must (but not always). I am a bachelor's prepared PA and yes my program required prior health care experience to get into the program (as mentioned by Just Steve). The difference was that I didn't do a thesis for my program. I now have my masters. When I graduated it was when Ohio was going through the transition of getting prescription authority and unless I had 10+ years experience, then I had to get my master's ASAP in order to prescribe. I am starting a doctorate in September, but it will not get me any more money or autonomy clinically. I'm doing it for teaching or administration down the road.

[greenmood]

Historically PAs with Bachelors have more previous health care experience as the schools that issue them have higher entry requirements.

 

I think this is a chicken/egg thing. Historically, most PAs period got bachelors degrees because the transition to masters programs was/is still occurring. Historically, all PA programs had more stringent entry requirements (re: HCE). So there is a large cohort of PAs in the world who had a lot of health care experience when they started school, and who also acquired bachelor PA degrees. I don't know if this nitpicking makes sense, but it's how I see it.

 

To the OP: there isn't a difference in training. All the programs are accredited the same way. I haven't heard of any employers who pay more for a masters degree (and consequently none that find it more cost-efficient to hire those with bachelors degrees) but I have seen several firsthand who state a masters is a requirement to apply. More, though, state the applicant must be "a graduate of an accredited Physician Assistant program, who is certified or eligible for certification through the NCCPA."

[saldanamoreno]

I do search the job listings for PA's in my city and I see many of them require a masters but they also want someone with experience. If I just get out of PA school I would want an employer who knows I'm new and willing to train or perhaps I should do a residency. I'm still in the middle of applying and as I said earlier I applied to both types of programs but I think I have a better chance to get into the bachelor's programs I applied to because I fit their requirements better. I would like to go to a masters program but at the same time I want to go to A program. Hopefully I'll get into at least one of the nine I applied too. Anyway thanks for everybody's input it has been very informative.