Need HELP deciding on PA school, as well as guidance on career path(s).

[medicineforall]

Hey everyone, so just to give you some context to my dilemma: I am currently about to graduate from a Canadian university with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Microbiology and minoring in Biology. My plan was to apply for a Masters degree in Physician Assistant studies (to which a Microbiology degree is considered an asset degree at my university), but my question is this - if I have managerial aspirations and wish to pursue management positions later on in my career (but do some rewarding clinical work and gain experience with the PA degree first), should I do PA school and THEN complete a Masters degree in Health Administration down the road for when/if managerial opportunities arise, or does that not make any sense?

 

More importantly, do PAs often start doing clinical work and then move on to managerial roles, or do PAs usually prefer to stay/are stuck (I don't mean to sound rude) in their positions? Has anyone else walked down this road? Would love to get some insight on this.

 

Could there even be a better way to go about all of this? Possibly even a more lucrative route given my current stage of education (B.Sc)?

 

Thanks for helping a stressed out student!

[SocialMedicine]

PA's often stay in clinical roles. Some become director/codirector of a clinic or chief of a PA/NP service within a department. Not many PAs have moved into a major leadership role  .... probably because many PA's want to be PA's and once you leave clinic/dept level administration usually there is not much clinic hours. If you wanted to lead a hospital or health system I would absolutely consider an MBA or MPH in health admin at some point in your career. Personally I would wait until after PA school to do. I would join a large hospital system and possibly receive tuition credits as part of my salary package. I would do an health related MBA over an MPH if the decision was to be a CEO COO level role and consider one of the top executive MBA programs for this. For example near me is a part time MBA w a focus on health care that one can do evenings/ weekends. I absolutely think your career aspirations are possible. Might not be much mentorship at this point but you will find people. 

[ventana]

PA first

 

then MBA or MPH

 

Then admin