Selecting a school on location?

[your mother]

Hi Everyone,

 

I currently live in Kansas City, MO, but have lived on the east coast for a long time. I like big cities (bigger than KC) and would eventually like to end up in one as a PA. I'm in KC for my gf's school.

 

I will be applying to PA schools in May 2012. As you know, there are 2 schools in Missouri - SLU and Missouri State. I plan on applying to both among other schools, but am wondering how easy/hard it will be to find a job in a bigger city if I attend Missouri State. I mean absolutely no disrespect to MSU, but since it is in a smaller city, would I be prepared for practicing in a big city or even looked at by employers in Chicago, for example? I have heard that it doesn't matter which school you go to as a PA, but was just wondering if anyone has any experience being trained in a smaller city and moving to a big city, or vice versa. I'm not trying to count my chickens before they are hatched, but am just curious.

 

Thanks!

[Just Steve]

Here is something to consider....let us pretend you get picked up by the big city school...most likely that big city school is attached to a med school. Rotations will be shoulder to shoulder with med students, fellow PA students, and fellow PA students from other programs who rotate to your big city for their clinical experience as well. As a result, you are having to hustle to get your turn on doing whatever "thing" needs to get done. Always on the hustle...like an adult version of a pinata...everyone bumping into each other for their slice of the action.

 

Small town clinic...you may be the only student around. The volume may be a little less but you are the only student around. You won't get worn out from hustling for your spot anymore...you'll get worn out because you'll get to lay hands on every patient coming through.

 

On the other hand I have heard a lot of PAs mention how clinical rotations can be a chance to network, maybe land a job.

 

Many schools send their students to the four corners of the nation for their rotations...any chance that your small MO school sends their students to the big city?

[your mother]

Thanks for your reply. I had never really thought about having to compete with other students to see/do procedures, but it makes perfect sense.

 

After doing some digging, I found out that MSU requires students to do rotations away, but they mention smallish cities in MO and AR. I dont know if it would be acceptable to do them in a bigger city - probably a question for the school itself.

 

I guess I'll have to way the in state tuition costs versus being in school in a bigger city with a bigger name (if I have the options, of course).