PA vs allied health

[Maynard]

Instead of PA, why not study another graduate-level health profession like OT, PT, ST, or pharmacy?

 

There is a lot of discussion here about the merits of PA school versus med school (or NP school), but we don't often talk about other careers, perhaps because they're so different that it makes the comparison more difficult. I had worked for two years on an in-patient rehab ward, so I had gotten to see a lot of what these professions do and firmly believe that I'm better suited for work on the medical side. However, when I got asked at an interview recently why I didn't opt for OT or PT I had difficulty articulating exactly what it was I didn't like about these jobs without sounding ignorant or trivializing the work in these fields. It was something I haven't really sat down and given a lot of deliberate thought to, so I'm interested in hearing other people's perspectives on the subject.

[EMEDPA]

I wanted to evaluate patients, make decisions, and write orders, not follow orders written by other people.

[Maynard]

I wanted to evaluate patients, make decisions, and write orders, not follow orders written by other people.

I can understand that logic with respect to something like pharmacy, but don't physical therapists evaluate patients and make decisions (e.g. by prescribing an exercise regimen)?

[EMEDPA]

I can understand that logic with respect to something like pharmacy, but don't physical therapists evaluate patients and make decisions (e.g. by prescribing an exercise regimen)?

after they get a referral order from a doc/pa/np.....

[G. Davenport]

Maynard, I say do it. If that's your path. Shadow all options, read, and reflect. Pt has good and bad as does it, speech, and PA. Each profession impacts many lives. My advice to anyone, Don't base your career decision on income. Seek fulfillment.

[whoRyou]

^^^^

[Lemon Bars]

I looked into a large number of health careers including nursing, PT, OT, ST, rad tech, respiratory therapist, and dietician. There careers all require four to seven years of schooling, but mostly they pay less than PA and are in far less demand than PA. Some careers have a narrow scope of practice. I fear going to school for so long only to find that a new type of automatic respirator has made the entire field of respiratory therapy obsolete, or a new scanner makes rad techs obsolete (or makes the job simpler so that nurses end up taking it over). Speech therapy is out because is has an entirely different set of prerequisites and I'm not going back for all those.

 

PT are OT could be good careers, I think. But, regarding OT, I don't think I want to spend many long sessions working with the disabled - I'd rather see more patients with a variety of issues. Also, PT is now a doctorate even though compensation for PT is decreasing (that's what I read). I was pretty bored when I shadowed a PT - he was at his computer while a bunch of out of shape middle aged clients glumly did their required exercises. Occasionally a new client would come in for evaluation and that was the only interesting part for me.

 

I like talking to people, doing some education along with investigation. For me PA would be best, though a Public Health Nurse job might do alright if I can't get into PA school.

[Whitcc1]

For me personally I came into undergrad with a PT focus, however junior year I did a fairly lengthy internship at a PT office. I saw a lot of frustration from the PTs. Often times they were working with elderly populations who would constantly fail to exercise at home; and their once a week session soon became the only exercise... This ultimately led to an exhaustion of the 12 sessions (or whatever insurance allowed) and the pt would be discharged with little to no gains. Sure you can try to get in to the sports side of PT but that is extremely competitive and very coveted!

 

I also saw that the PTs scope of practice limited them from doing a lot of things which further added to the frustration.

 

Additionally: it's a doctorate program so more $ in loans with a lower pay...

 

I actually found out about PAs from a PT who's husband was in PA school at MEDEX. She said if she could redo it she would choose the PA route :)

 

 

 

 

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[SHU-CH]

PA is a remarkable career due to the flexibility. In addition to the fact that you get to do some really complex decision making, you can work in the White House, Antarctica, and a lot of places in between.

[jbscoops20]

I know a well-respected, knowledgable PT who owns 4 clinics in the northeast who told me he does not encourage younger people to go the PT route these days due to the current climate in the field....shrinking reimbursement has hit the private clinics hard, market is a bit saturated in the northeast, less flexibility than PA as mentioned above.  DPT debt is often more that PA school and starting income quite a bit lower.  He told me smart decision opting for PA as outlook is much brighter currently.