AAPANP Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Hi! I just left medical school halfway through my second year to pursue PA school instead for many reasons! I talked to several docs and PAs before making my decision, and I feel good about it. I was just wondering if anyone else switched from a MD student to a PA student? One of the schools that I am looking to apply to said that they have had several MD students switch to their PA school. Just interested to hear from others who have went through a similar situation. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ztahoe71 Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 I did not switch from MD to PA after matriculating into a MD program but I did decide to go the PA route instead of MD. For a 9 yr span (entering HS and completing undergraduate work) I thought that I wanted to practice medicine as a M.D. I think that a lot of this was because I was misinformed regarding the PA profession and how similar the scope of practice is with added benefits in my opinion. In short, I have a desire to long term medical missions and the PA route seemed much more appropriate for me. I spent some time processing the fact that PA is truly what I am looking forward to matriculating this fall, should I get accepted to a program. What were some of the reasons you decided to switch paths? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted December 30, 2009 Moderator Share Posted December 30, 2009 keep in mind re: medical missions that a lot of places like drs without borders don't take pa's.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joelseff Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 ^ Emed beat me to it but if you are looking for a long term Christian medical mission, PM me. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Savage Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 keep in mind re: medical missions that a lot of places like drs without borders don't take pa's.... I also heard that some mission programs will not accept DO's either. Is there any truth to this :confused: I would think a DO would be just as good as an MD and that if they are truly in need they would take what they could get! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ztahoe71 Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 redonems80, While it may be true that some mission programs will not accept this, that or the other, I share your assertion that M.D's and D.O's are equivalent in nature. Further, having spent several months in northen Nicaragua, I observed that DO's seemed to be much much in their element as compared to the MD's. I presume this was because they were more versed in bilateral comparsions, relying on palpation and a simple stethoscope to diagnose and treat. The majority of the time, access to fancy medical equipment and testing is not available. Emed, You bring up a good point in saying that some programs such as Doctors without borders will not accept PA's. However, there are many organizations that would love to have a PA come on board and I dont think I will have trouble finding medical need. It will be about finding the right contacts and praying over where you should be. In the end, a new medical team can always be organized. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradtPA Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 You bring up a good point in saying that some programs such as Doctors without borders will not accept PA's. However, there are many organizations that would love to have a PA come on board and I dont think I will have trouble finding medical need. It will be about finding the right contacts and praying over where you should be. In the end, a new medical team can always be organized. Its not a matter of need that dictates our utilization as PAs on medical missions; its more a factor that in many of these countries we are not recognized as licensed medical professionals, and therefore have no practice rights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AAPANP Posted January 4, 2010 Author Share Posted January 4, 2010 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradtPA Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 ...but their part time was still taking call and their hours would still be 32+ but only making half of the docs salary. I just need a profession where I will be done in a couple years and ready to support my family. And what about PA makes you think this is going to change? As a PA, I am in the office first, leave last, and make half his salary, and thats for full time work;). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfwpa Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Well, to be honest, there are 8-5 M-F no call PA jobs out there that pay a decent wage. I don't have one, but I have seen them listed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just_me Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 AA is a good profession---I looked at it and you should all of the pre-reqs neccessary for it but just remember its anesthesiology and that is ALL you do--i dont even think they are involved post and pre operative care...I hear it gets boring BUT according to the jobsearches I have done, they tend to start off with more than a PA--even one going into a specialty. I saw job postings advertising 120K to start It does suck they are only recognized in about 18 states I changed from MD to PA school for sooooooo many reasons! I had never heard of a PA profession or program until my senior year of undergrad (I had already been accepted into medical school). As I gained more experience as a medical student...I really felt myself aligning with the PAs in the operating room and in clinical offices. Also, medical school and residency and fellowships etc takes such a long hard path to getting where I wanted to be in life! At first, this was fine with me as I was single when I applied to medical school and was prepared for a long path of hard work to get to where I wanted to be. BUT then I met my now husband and we were married after my first year of medical school and then (SURPRISE!) we got pregnant halfway thru my second year of medical school. My medical school let me take a year off to have the baby/spend time with the baby before coming back. Over the year, I realized that I really wanted more time to spend with my family and that I was feeling ready to find a job and settle down in life....rather than being in huge amounts of debt and being a slave to medical school/residency. I also really liked how I could switch fields in medicine and that residency is always an OPTION (not required!). I talked to several docs and several PAs before making my decision...especially ones that were moms. Also, I would say that 90% of all the docs that I worked with all were not happy! Many of them told me to pick another profession in medicine....especially if you have a family, because many of them were divorced or seperated because of all the stress and lack of time to spend with their family during medical school and residency. ALL of the PAs I talked to were SOOOO happy with their profession! I've also been really impressed with all the PAs I worked with...I thought they were all wonderful clincians and the type of clinician I hope to be one day! A few doctors told me to stick with medical school just to get the Dr. before my name, but that's never why I went to medical school. Also many of the mom MDs were working part time....but their part time was still taking call and their hours would still be 32+ but only making half of the docs salary. I just need a profession where I will be done in a couple years and ready to support my family. Anyway, I let my school know that I wasn't coming back and now I am in the process of getting ready to apply to some PA schools. I also saw an anesthesia assistant profession that I may be interested in but I would need more information on it. I still like the flexibility of the PA profession much better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradtPA Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Well, to be honest, there are 8-5 M-F no call PA jobs out there that pay a decent wage. I don't have one, but I have seen them listed. Agreed:). But there are also MD positions that have the same hours as well. I just think the myth of "if I become a PA I will have more time for family" needs to be debunked. Time and time again on this site I read from people that they want to be a PA "because I want to have a family life". Its true, it takes less time to train us, and we don't have mandatory residencies that take a commitment of 80 hours per week for 3-4 years to fullfill; that said, the training for the time you are in school is long, difficult, and very unfriendly to family life. Work afterwards is no picnic either. There are some no call low volume jobs out there, but they also tend to be lower paying from my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joelseff Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Its not a matter of need that dictates our utilization as PAs on medical missions; its more a factor that in many of these countries we are not recognized as licensed medical professionals, and therefore have no practice rights. Really, arent the MD's and DO's who go there also not licensed in those countries? I remember going on a mission where i was asked to suture a patient. I told the Doc, but i have no license to do that, he said with a wink "My license is not in this country either so we are in the same boat." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joelseff Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Oh BTW, here are medical missions who are looking for PA's: http://www.medicalmissions.org/physician-assistant/ Google is your friend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 5, 2010 Moderator Share Posted January 5, 2010 Oh BTW, here are medical missions who are looking for PA's: http://www.medicalmissions.org/physician-assistant/ Google is your friend! northwest medical teams also uses pa's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHAD Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 And what about PA makes you think this is going to change? As a PA, I am in the office first, leave last, and make half his salary, and thats for full time work;). man...this forum is starting to sound like studentdoctor.net, i understand you want people to know the real deal, but do most of you hate your jobs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AAPANP Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share Posted January 5, 2010 It is true that some MDs can go into specialties with great lifestyles and no call....BUT you have to be soooo incredibly competitive to get into those programs. For example, dermatology is the most competitive residency for a doc because of the 8-5 Monday to Friday. To get into a derm residency, you need honors grades in almost all classes and a very high USMLE score. People in my classes were taking stimulants and NEVER sleeping just to get honors in their classes so they can get into competitive residencies with great lifestyles. It was crazy. I have done a few job searches for PA jobs and found ones with great hours that paid well and I've also found some with bad hours (the ones that the docs don't want to work) and better pay, but ultimately going PA gives me more flexibility in all choices. Also, medical school is so expensive. I paid in-state tuition and still took out loans for 50K each year. By the time you graduate...most MDs have 200,000+ to pay off and then head into residency where you get paid very little. I have a little one to support both emotionally and financially so I really can't afford to keep going to medical school and then head to residency. Three or more years of residency is really really hard on a family and I just don't want to put myself or my family through that. Also, once I found myself in medical school, I found myself to be very different from my fellow classmates, doctors and medical residents. I just didn't feel like going for an MD was "me." It's hard to explain. I do want to look more into anesthesia, but I agree that it might get boring. hmmmmm sooo many decisions to make before applying to schools! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradtPA Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 man...this forum is starting to sound like studentdoctor.net, i understand you want people to know the real deal, but do most of you hate your jobs? I love my job. I hate misinformation. Big difference, sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHAD Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 I love my job. I hate misinformation. Big difference, sport. I am a grown man, thanks for the ignorance in calling me "Sport", Just because you have that type of PA job doesn't mean everybody does. every Doc i shadowed said go PA and every PA i shadowed had the schedule most of you say doesn't exist...monday through friday 9-5 no call, and they make great money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradtPA Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 I am a grown man, thanks for the ignorance in calling me "Sport", Just because you have that type of PA job doesn't mean everybody does. every Doc i shadowed said go PA and every PA i shadowed had the schedule most of you say doesn't exist...monday through friday 9-5 no call, and they make great money. Then act like one, and stop criticizing people for telling the truth about the career field that you only have experienced through shadowing for Christ's sake, instead of working in the medical field like I have for 27 years..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHAD Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Then act like one, and stop criticizing people for telling the truth about the career field that you only have experienced through shadowing for Christ's sake, instead of working in the medical field like I have for 27 years..... A lot of Character shown here. Have you thought about saying what you like about your job if you love it so much. You make it sound like you are a martyr...speaking of acting your age, poor pity you. you knew what you where getting into, if you didn't like it you should have gone to medical school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just_me Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 talk about off topic........... how about you guys argue about whose stick is older and has more character in pm land :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 5, 2010 Moderator Share Posted January 5, 2010 I am a grown man, thanks for the ignorance in calling me "Sport", Just because you have that type of PA job doesn't mean everybody does. every Doc i shadowed said go PA and every PA i shadowed had the schedule most of you say doesn't exist...monday through friday 9-5 no call, and they make great money. the m-f 9-5 thing is available in outpt primary care but I don't know any specialty pa's who work out of the hospital with a schedule like this. em/trauma= nights/weekends/holidays surgery/ortho = same as em + call most hospitalists do 7 on/7 off there are outpt specialty clinic jobs with the m-f 9-5 thing but most don't pay well unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 5, 2010 Moderator Share Posted January 5, 2010 Then act like one, and stop criticizing people for telling the truth about the career field that you only have experienced through shadowing for Christ's sake, instead of working in the medical field like I have for 27 years..... you have a valid point here but let's go easy on calling folks out. *(ok ,sport?;)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 5, 2010 Moderator Share Posted January 5, 2010 A lot of Character shown here. Have you thought about saying what you like about your job if you love it so much. You make it sound like you are a martyr...speaking of acting your age, poor pity you. you knew what you where getting into, if you didn't like it you should have gone to medical school. many of us should have gone to medschool, myself included. unfortunately it takes about 5 yrs as a pa to figure this out....it's not something any amt of shadowing or working in medicine can show you before hand. you reach a point where you hit a glass ceiling(not in terms of pay but generally in terms of scope of practice) where you realize that you should have taken another path. there are options of course to fix this. for me they would involve uprooting my family and moving to a better job across country.....something I can't do right now. instead I have worked myself into a position where I work lots of hrs and mostly at night. I like the work I am doing now but would much prefer to work 1/2 as much at 2x the salary like the docs I work with who are scheduled interchangeably with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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