Plotting an effective course

[test-one]

Greetings to all. I want to say that this site has been amazingly helpful. So much so that I wanted to come out of the lurking shadows and post a question of my very own. The hope is you all could provide direction for a middle aged man attempting to resurrect a dream.

 

I have always wanted to practice medicine but like so many of you, necessity has plotted the course of my life and put me in a career that isn't remotely related.

 

I started out with the major of psychology but by my sophomore year, my parents’ divorce forced me to quit school and find a "job". My father left my sister, mom and I with nothing so the burden of providing began to be shared by me.

 

Fast forward a few years (21) and I find a new job that pays more, by this time college wasn't a distant memory but it wasn't a priority. I had resolved to work hard whatever my employment was and this attitude procured for me a supervisor job at a box plant. It paid 35,000 a year (great money for a 21 year old) so college was still in my rear view but objects in mirrors appear closer than they actually are. This job afforded me the opportunity to move out of my mother’s home and it also allowed me to still contribute financially to my family.

 

Landing the supervisory job provided tremendous job satisfaction for me and it gave me an outlet to quench intellectual and relational thirst. I was in charge of a 25 man team and so in an effort to be the best competent leader I could be, I set goals for myself. I vowed to read 50 books a year, take some online leadership courses and ultimately move up in the company. Ultimately I was chosen at the age of 26 to manage the brand new logistics division of our company.

 

Fast forward 10 years and I have wife, three sons and a very good paying job (80,000) as part of the supply chain management team for a food manufacturing facility. Life is good but the call of medicine still beckons my mind and most of all my heart.

 

I have roughly two and half years’ worth of school credits that are all over the place.

Last year with my motley crew of credits I decided to start the journey again. I dual enrolled at two separate schools. I'm still working 50 hours a week, serve as a teaching youth pastor and take as many classes as my brain can handle. Grades are great (4.0) and I'm really happy that the journey has begun but I want to expedite the process somehow (maybe you all could serve as a guide in this regard).

I have an offer from a local hospital that if I’m accepted into PA school within the next two years, I can sign a contract with them and they will pay for school. With that offer out there, I’ve considered just trying to get accepted into a five university that offers a graduate degree and a masters. I’ve also tried to find reputable schools that do not require a bachelor’s degree’s but they are hard to find, if they even exist at all. Do any of you recommend any schools that fit the criteria listed above?

 

 

My plan right as it stands right now is to complete a business degree (bachelor) and finish a pre-physician assistant degree (associate) within the next two years, possibly sooner.

 

While in this two year time frame I plan to become an EMT level one, hoping to work part time on the weekends by the middle of this year. I also plan to shadow a few physician friends and PA's during early clinic hours before having to report at my own job.

 

 

There are labs coming my way that I will not be able to take unless I quit working and that is a huge area of concern for me as I'm the only income for my family. 80,000 a year jobs just don't fall out of trees for a fellow with no degree.  

 

My wife is stay at home mom and she chose that path so that she could spend time with our little ones before they begin school. I don't think it fair to ask her to give up her dream right now.

 

I can wait three more years at which point our last little one will be in school and my wife will return to teaching providing us with some income, but I will be 38 by this time. Is that too old to apply to schools?

 

I need some guidance and ultimately I need the truth of some of your experiences.  Have any of you walked away from a good "job" to pursue a maybe. Can I better formulate my plan? Is there something I may be missing? Is there a better certification that could allow me to make a decent income? So many questions!

 

Thanks in advance to anyone that takes the time to read this novella and respond!

[UGoLong]

There is nothing at all wrong with setting your own course to a goal in such a way that meets all of your and your family's needs. And 38 (if that's what it turns out to be) is not too old to go to PA school; I was 20 years older than that. And I never quit my day job until I was ready to leave home for a vacation with my wife before my PA program began. That includes the time it took to take prerequisites, become a paramedic, and work part-time as a medic. So it can be done.

 

You would benefit from a bachelors degree ASAP. There are programs that might take you into their "pre-PA" BS degree and then let you enter their masters program. If it were me (and it isn't), I'd get my bachelors in the most expeditious way I could, taking as many of the PA prereqs along with way. In particular, pick something that supports what you do now for a living, something you are interested in, and something you can get through without a big delay (it's only one step on the path after all.) My earlier degrees were not in anything related to biology or chemistry.

 

There is no one way -- nor one age to start the way -- to becoming a PA. What is important is that you know what you are doing and why. After that, it's just a matter of setting goals, getting your finances in order, and executing. You will work hard but, if you are sure you are going in the right direction, you will not be suffering.

 

In the end, I waited some years so that my kids could get through school. Don't miss out on the joys of your kids. In all things, try to have some balance in your life.

 

Best wishes!

[test-one]

uGoLong,

 

Many thanks for the honest reply.

 

Now you've forced into purchasing your book. Any chance I could get a signed copy ;)

 

In all seriousness, I have a compartmentalized plan in place and it involves obtaining a bachelor's asap, sopping up every prerequisite possible along the way and saving, saving and saving.

 

Thanks again for the words of wisdom and your time.

[BeatlesLVR]

I will be 38 by this time. Is that too old to apply to schools?

 

Absolutely not!  I'm still in the DoD, stationed abroad, and plan on "retiring" in ~5 years.  My 2nd job will be trying my darn best to become a PA because it is what I dreamed of doing when I was much younger (I love medicine), but kinda' got seduced into INTEL somewhere along the way.  I am currently 36 years old which, if all goes well, will make me 41-ish when I am able to apply to PA school. 

 

Have any of you walked away from a good "job"

Yes.  I am currently in the six-figure salary zone.  I make more than I will when I begin working as a PA… and I probably won't catch up to my current salary as a PA until I have a few years of experience under my belt.  If I stay in past my self-imposed 5-year mark, I can make a lot more (promotions, bonuses, etc.)  But I'm ready to do something that makes me happy, I am excited about moving on to another phase of my life.  I am ready to pursue my dream of working in medicine as a Physician Assistant. 

 

Can I better formulate my plan?

I would complete a bachelor's degree;

I would become an EMT-B at least and volunteer one weekend a month with a Fire and Rescue squad (if your family life permits)-- OR, if you want to be a PA bad enough, you'll just have to figure out a schedule to make it work.  I work full-time, am an EMT with my base's medical clinic on the weekends… and I am preparing for a potential deployment to Kabul in September.  I am married, living overseas, and my husband is a student (so we're a single-income household). I want to become a PA bad, so I manipulate my time and schedule to allow me to achieve my dream.  I have faith you too can do something similar :-)  All schools require clinical HANDS ON experience.  Most schools prefer paid hours vs. voluntary hrs.  And very few places in the States are going to allow a volunteer to handle a patient (esp if the volunteer has no medical certs).  

Lastly, work on those pre-reqs.  Did I mention that I am also in school part-time?  

 

Seriously, with time management, you can do it.  I also believe this is what schools want to see:  SUCCESSFUL time management. Since I've been a member of this forum, I've admired and respected the advice that comes from @uGoLong.  His advice above is a good guide!

 

Is there something I may be missing?

See answer above

 

Is there a better certification that could allow me to make a decent income?

Not sure what you mean by this.  Do you mean a better cert than an EMT to allow you hands on clinical experience? or a better cert than PA school?  There are other certs that will allow you to obtain the necessary clin experience.  Look up a few PA schools, check out what they list as jobs/ways you can get those clin hrs.  Otherwise, if you mean another certifying program other than PA school that will allow you to make a decent income… well, there are thousands of certs out there (plumbing, vet assistant, paralegal, IT tech… :-p).   

 

Good luck!!!!

[test-one]

Very appreciated BeatlesLVR! Really!

 

 

 

 

I will be 38 by this time. Is that too old to apply to schools?

 

Absolutely not!  I'm still in the DoD, stationed abroad, and plan on "retiring" in ~5 years.  My 2nd job will be trying my darn best to become a PA because it is what I dreamed of doing when I was much younger (I love medicine), but kinda' got seduced into INTEL somewhere along the way.  I am currently 36 years old which, if all goes well, will make me 41-ish when I am able to apply to PA school.

 

Do keep me updated on your progress as you and I are so similar in age and scope.

 

 

 

Have any of you walked away from a good "job"

Yes.  I am currently in the six-figure salary zone.  I make more than I will when I begin working as a PA… and I probably won't catch up to my current salary as a PA until I have a few years of experience under my belt.  If I stay in past my self-imposed 5-year mark, I can make a lot more (promotions, bonuses, etc.)  But I'm ready to do something that makes me happy, I am excited about moving on to another phase of my life.  I am ready to pursue my dream of working in medicine as a Physician Assistant. 

 

Exactly! These are my exact sentiments.

 

 

 

Can I better formulate my plan?

I would complete a bachelor's degree;

 

I'm dual enrolled, attempting to take 24 hours.

 

 

 

I would become an EMT-B at least and volunteer one weekend a month with a Fire and Rescue squad (if your family life permits)-- OR, if you want to be a PA bad enough, you'll just have to figure out a schedule to make it work.

 

I'm planning to put an EMT cert under my belt and work part time on the weekends.

 

 

I work full-time, am an EMT with my base's medical clinic on the weekends… and I am preparing for a potential deployment to Kabul in September.  I am married, living overseas, and my husband is a student (so we're a single-income household). I want to become a PA bad, so I manipulate my time and schedule to allow me to achieve my dream.  I have faith you too can do something similar :-)  All schools require clinical HANDS ON experience.  Most schools prefer paid hours vs. voluntary hrs.  And very few places in the States are going to allow a volunteer to handle a patient (esp if the volunteer has no medical certs).  

Lastly, work on those pre-reqs.  Did I mention that I am also in school part-time?  

 

Great advice, yet again.

 

 

 

Seriously, with time management, you can do it.  I also believe this is what schools want to see:  SUCCESSFUL time management. Since I've been a member of this forum, I've admired and respected the advice that comes from @uGoLong.  His advice above is a good guide!

 

Your advice isn't to shabby itself!

 

 

 

Is there something I may be missing?

See answer above

 

Is there a better certification that could allow me to make a decent income?

Not sure what you mean by this.  Do you mean a better cert than an EMT to allow you hands on clinical experience? or a better cert than PA school?  There are other certs that will allow you to obtain the necessary clin experience.  Look up a few PA schools, check out what they list as jobs/ways you can get those clin hrs.  Otherwise, if you mean another certifying program other than PA school that will allow you to make a decent income… well, there are thousands of certs out there (plumbing, vet assistant, paralegal, IT tech… :-p).   

 

I should have clarified that thought a bit better. I was really wanting to know how to compare a nursing cert to the EMT cert hoping to get thoughts on the value of each for experience in general and HCE.

 

 

 

Good luck!!!!

To you as well!