Regrets not going to med school?

[lzypanda]

Its all about finding the right job. As a PA you can work with great scope and earn more than low level docs (peds, GP etc).

 

As far as I'm concerned I beat the system.

 

I have to agree with this statement. I joined a general surgery team as their first PA... this has been challenging in many ways for me b/c my role is ever changing.. especially since we are a teaching hospital and we get new interns every 1 month or so. it has been difficult in that my attendings, the residents, and I are all "feeling in the dark".. plus I'm a new grad, so I have my insecurities and there is definite lack of knowledge and experience on my part. I have to say that it has gotten better with time (I've not been here only about 4-5months now), but I absolutely love my job! I would not trade this for the world.. my attendings back me up, I learn new kool stuff everyday, my responsibilities include operating as well as inpatient floor work and clinic stuff.. eventually when I gain more experience I will be able to help teach interns to do minor procedures among other things.

 

I made my choice not to attend medical school 4 yrs ago and I've never looked back, even when times are a little rough or when my role is a little unclear. I especially am not looking back when I get to work a 4-day week (though I am working 12-16hr days) and our residents are working 6 days (12-16hr days also) plus taking call.

 

One other advantage is the changing of specialties. I started off working the in the ER as a new grad earlier this year while still waiting to hear back for this position.. also b/c I thought it would be valuable experience, and now I'm in surgery. I have to say that there is such a world of difference when you do what you love. Going to work at the ER (for me) was like pulling teeth.. going to work at my new job.. I'm excited every day.

[quirkymedic]

One other advantage is the changing of specialties. I started off working the in the ER as a new grad earlier this year while still waiting to hear back for this position.. also b/c I thought it would be valuable experience, and now I'm in surgery. I have to say that there is such a world of difference when you do what you love. Going to work at the ER (for me) was like pulling teeth.. going to work at my new job.. I'm excited every day.

 

LOL! good to hear Lzypanda, as I am quitting my ER job and starting a trauma surgery position in January. ER and I are not a good fit, strangely since I was a medic for all those years. I have been somewhat concerned about making the jump, so I am glad to hear it worked well for you! Hope you are doing well! Its funny how fast this year flew by, isn't it?

[EMEDPA]

Going to work at the ER (for me) was like pulling teeth.. going to work at my new job.. I'm excited every day.

 

it's funny how folks vary in what interests them.

the o.r. to me is endless tedium. I want to get out as fast as possible to get moving and get something done.

a good ER shift for me is like endless wonder. I would do it for free.

[quirkymedic]

a good ER shift for me is like endless wonder. I would do it for free.

 

In my ER, I feel like I am bipolar. Yesterday, 20 minutes into my shift I was ready to walk.. no RUN.. out of the ambulance bay doors and never come back, it was so awful. Tonight I enjoyed myself and had an awesome night. I feel used and abused most nights, as we are a rural ER that sees 110+ pts a day and only have 2 providers... at most.. on at the same time. No lunch, no breaks, usually 2-3 hours of OT every night because it is so busy. That leads to long wait times and very VERY angry patients; which means a very crappy day for me. If I could have my way and have an appropriate amount of help, I think I would enjoy the ER. Just not where I am currently employed.

[primadonna22274]

Quick update from this very tired first-year medical student: what a whirlwind this past 21 wk has been. Finished strong, even aced my osteopathic principles practical (which I was VERY nervous for as LECOM is very osteopathic and I pretty much suck at OPP but I'm getting better!). Definitely ready for 2 wk without school and to be home with my husband and pups and work a few ED shifts in sunny SC.

 

In all humility, I feel this must be said: this semester is just about the hardest thing I have ever done. The constant mental stress over exams and pop quizzes is incredible. The intellectual challenge must not be underestimated (and I think we as PAs are often guilty of grossly underestimating physician education. There is nothing "basic" about the basic sciences. I am amazed when I think of how much has been dumped into my brain in the past 5 mos... and maybe in a few days when I'm not bone-tired I'll be able to share some of it. For now though I have 250 more miles to go until I can sleep in my own bed, and I am going to enjoy that!!

;) Lisa

[physasst]

Good for you Lisa....that is awesome.

 

I will say that my DHSc is in many ways, more difficult than PA school for sure. You could certainly coast through if you wanted, but if you want to treat it as a real research education, it's rough. I'm studying linear programming and queuing theory right now. It's not required for the degree, but if you want to know how to really do systems research (Operations Research) you need to know it. Others on here who have the DHSc may feel differently.

 

What's interesting is that I have a number of friends who are MD/PhD's. Almost to a person, they state that outside of MS I, and the corresponding USMLE Step 1, the PhD was remarkably more difficult than the MD. When I've asked why, the usual response is that med school is simply rote memorization and testing. Learning to conduct original research, and to do applied statistics, and then to defend a dissertation is much harder. Of course, there is likely a distinction of learning styles that leads one to do one or the other.

 

To put it another way, I had a neurosurgeon once, this was back in my very first specialty, say..."Well, you can't really be stupid and be a neurosurgeon, but while I can see a tumor on an MRI and think, 'Hey that needs to come out', Forrest Gump would likely say the same thing....to be honest, the engineers who designed and developed the MRI technology are light years ahead of me in cognitive ability".

[medman2007]

To put it another way, I had a neurosurgeon once, this was back in my very first specialty, say..."Well, you can't really be stupid and be a neurosurgeon, but while I can see a tumor on an MRI and think, 'Hey that needs to come out', Forrest Gump would likely say the same thing....to be honest, the engineers who designed and developed the MRI technology are light years ahead of me in cognitive ability".

 

hmmm...this "neurosurgeon's" quote was remarkably similar to a quote in Frank Vertosick's book When the Air Hits Your Brain - Tales from Neurosurgery. Last paragraph on p.13. Although, this witty "neurosurgeon" does replace Gomer Pyle with Forrest Gump! ....just sayin.

[physasst]

To put it another way, I had a neurosurgeon once, this was back in my very first specialty, say..."Well, you can't really be stupid and be a neurosurgeon, but while I can see a tumor on an MRI and think, 'Hey that needs to come out', Forrest Gump would likely say the same thing....to be honest, the engineers who designed and developed the MRI technology are light years ahead of me in cognitive ability".

 

hmmm...this "neurosurgeon's" quote was remarkably similar to a quote in Frank Vertosick's book When the Air Hits Your Brain - Tales from Neurosurgery. Last paragraph on p.13. Although, this witty "neurosurgeon" does replace Gomer Pyle with Forrest Gump! ....just sayin.

 

Hmmm....maybe....maybe that's where he got it...wouldn't put it past him to steal a line.....knowing his personality. I'll have to check that book out.

[Febrifuge]

easy solution. never say "assistant" again. say "hi, I'm febrifuge, one of the pa's here today".

"what's a pa?"

"well I have a 4 yr degree in xyz then I spent xyz time as an er tech then I did a 2 yr graduate program in medicine with rotations in xyz."

"oh, so like a doctor."

"yeah, like that."

Actually, I always say, "hi, I'm [Feb], I'm a PA, and I run the Urgent Care about half the time, evenings and weekends." I've had a few ask, "what's a PA?," in which case I respond "a Physician Assistant, sometimes called a Physician Associate."

 

I had one guy ask if there was a supervising MD on the premises. I smiled and said, "no sir. I meet with my supervising MD twice a year, email or call when I need to, and we have a great working relationship. She trusts me to handle things here." ... And there was a pause ... And he said, "cool."

[primadonna22274]

Funny side note: did my Standardized Patient visit last week (H&P final). Had to remind myself to add "Student Doctor" after years of introducing myself as "Lisa L--". Managed to NOT say "the PA"...they figured it out anyway. I got an "amazingly thorough!" comment ;) then the evaluator asked what I did before med school and I had to fess up--he had a big grin and said "I knew it!"

3 cheers for the PAs ;)

[KMD16]

Nice Lisa! I've read your amazing post on sdn.

[GeneValgene]

Quick update from this very tired first-year medical student: what a whirlwind this past 21 wk has been. Finished strong, even aced my osteopathic principles practical (which I was VERY nervous for as LECOM is very osteopathic and I pretty much suck at OPP but I'm getting better!). Definitely ready for 2 wk without school and to be home with my husband and pups and work a few ED shifts in sunny SC.

 

In all humility, I feel this must be said: this semester is just about the hardest thing I have ever done. The constant mental stress over exams and pop quizzes is incredible. The intellectual challenge must not be underestimated (and I think we as PAs are often guilty of grossly underestimating physician education. There is nothing "basic" about the basic sciences. I am amazed when I think of how much has been dumped into my brain in the past 5 mos... and maybe in a few days when I'm not bone-tired I'll be able to share some of it. For now though I have 250 more miles to go until I can sleep in my own bed, and I am going to enjoy that!!

;) Lisa

 

congrats! strong work!!

[NeuroNate24]

On 12/9/2011 at 7:49 AM, alster said:

 

I definitely agree with you that not all physicians go into medicine for the status. I have met some amazingly smart and caring physicians through shadowing that certainly went through all the schooling and financial distress because of their desire to help people to the best of their abilities. I would say though, from everything I've read on this forum and elsewhere, that the status argument seems to be the tipping point for people trying to decide between PA and MD. If you're someone trying to decide between the two and one of your big concerns is that you will eventually feel like you want to have the final say on patients, or even just the status that comes with having the MD behind your name, then I would vote med school for you. Age seems to be a big factor that pushes people toward PA instead - again, specifically for the people deciding between the two, and typically for much older candidates as opposed to people in their late 20s thinking they're running out of time, haha.

 

CloverRain - good luck figuring it out!

Very well put. I can resonate with the status being a tipping point for med school but the age being a tipping point for PA school (will be 32 in November).

[sas5814]

This conversation started years ago and it comes around again and again. I guess I'm fortunate in that most of my career was spent in places where I had high autonomy and didn't work in corporate medicine. Now I do and the entire nature of health care delivery has changed.

Physicians seem to have it a bit better but are far from immune to the same things that plague us.

[Grinder993]

Any PA worth there salt who says they have never had regrets about not going to Med school is lying.  I can tell you I regret it.  As an experienced ER PA, it infuriates me that I am handling the exact same cases the MD handles, I am intubating, RSI, chest tubes, central lines, consulting with specialists, etc..etc...etc....     I make 1/4th what the MD makes. 

Yes, I regret it every pay day. 

On the flip side, if you are a meek PA who wants to only see sniffles and colds and don't want to push the envelope or challenge yourself then you may be happy as a PA.  

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

Any PA worth there salt who says they have never had regrets about not going to Med school is lying.  I can tell you I regret it.  As an experienced ER PA, it infuriates me that I am handling the exact same cases the MD handles, I am intubating, RSI, chest tubes, central lines, consulting with specialists, etc..etc...etc....     I make 1/4th what the MD makes. 
Yes, I regret it every pay day. 
On the flip side, if you are a meek PA who wants to only see sniffles and colds and don't want to push the envelope or challenge yourself then you may be happy as a PA.  

Or on the about as back end of your career as you can be. [emoji6]

[Guest HanSolo]

I'm satisfied. I haven't been out of school that long, but I've come to realize I am not really that passionate about medicine. I like it enough. I do like working with people, though. I'm well respected and my peers/colleagues have reinforced the fact that I am competent. It's a good profession with flexibility. I also get to put tubes in people's necks and pie holes, so that's fun. 

Regrets? Only fleetingly. My lifestyle is much simpler than my physician colleagues. I don't need a Mercedes or 4000 square foot home. I also didn't have to put up with years and years of built in systemic disrespect and mental abuse I see the medical students and residents go through. Sometimes it makes me cringe and I'm glad I am somewhat removed from that whole game. 

Honestly, I feel most of the time I lucked out and somehow was given the training to do what most of my colleagues do for a fraction of the cost/time investment. Yeah, I get paid quite a bit less, and I do work on average 5-10 hours per week more, but it really doesn't bother me. My whole professional life wasn't determined by some random Step score. 

 

[sas5814]

1 hour ago, Grinder993 said:

Any PA worth there salt who says they have never had regrets about not going to Med school is lying.

Easy there stud. don't project your frustrations on the rest of us or suggest we are lying because we don't share your angst. Med school never crossed my mind. It was never a fleeting thought much less a regret.

I went where the phsycians wouldn't or didn't. The only reason I'd want to be a physician these days is to have a seat at the table.

[Grinder993]

40 minutes ago, sas5814 said:

The only reason I'd want to be a physician these days is to have a seat at the table.

If you have a reason, you have a regret.  

Having a seat at the table is as good a reason as any, personally I am tired of being the dog eating scraps and taking sh*t.  

I teach at a local PA program and it is harder and harder for me to encourage anyone to go to PA school.

[sas5814]

Not really... not for me. I am at the end of my career and it has been a pretty good one. Its somebody else's table now. I'm just working on things that, hopefully, will make sure the new people in the profession have a place to go.

 

I used to occasionally give some thought to teaching but friends in academia used to talk so much about college politics and how many people would cut each other's throat to get a promotion or tenure and the egos....lord the egos.

I think things have been pretty grim in the profession politically but are starting to turn. The next 5 years is going to be critical to our very survival. Its no time to quit. Its time to dig in and fight to the last breath for what we deserve.

[Cideous]

3 minutes ago, sas5814 said:

 

I think things have been pretty grim in the profession politically but are starting to turn. The next 5 years is going to be critical to our very survival. Its no time to quit. Its time to dig in and fight to the last breath for what we deserve.

So true.

[CAdamsPAC]

I see a bit of "projection"here. It's pretty bold to place one's own regrets onto others in the profession.

[CAdamsPAC]

36 minutes ago, sas5814 said:

Not really... not for me. I am at the end of my career and it has been a pretty good one. Its somebody else's table now. I'm just working on things that, hopefully, will make sure the new people in the profession have a place to go.

 

I used to occasionally give some thought to teaching but friends in academia used to talk so much about college politics and how many people would cut each other's throat to get a promotion or tenure and the egos....lord the egos.

I think things have been pretty grim in the profession politically but are starting to turn. The next 5 years is going to be critical to our very survival. Its no time to quit. Its time to dig in and fight to the last breath for what we deserve.

It was "Academic Medicine" that convinced me to walk away and seek meaningful positions where my efforts made a difference and were respected. I have encountered more than a few  physicians who said if they had a redo in their lives , they would attend PA School instead of Medical School. Water will seek it's own level as will one's life events.

[Cideous]

I regretted not going to Medical school around year 7 of my career.  Then over the last 20 years after seeing the complete and total surrender of docs to corporate medicine/investor groups in all things medicine, I am VERY glad I did not go to medical school.  My current supervising doc is a young guy out only a few years and he has no concept of self determination.  All he and his class know is being an employee.  It's sad.

[TexasPA28]

On 8/20/2019 at 9:35 AM, Cideous said:

I regretted not going to Medical school around year 7 of my career.  Then over the last 20 years after seeing the complete and total surrender of docs to corporate medicine/investor groups in all things medicine, I am VERY glad I did not go to medical school.  My current supervising doc is a young guy out only a few years and he has no concept of self determination.  All he and his class know is being an employee.  It's sad.

That's not any different than a PA.  All of medicine is corporatized.  If anything MDs have more flexibility to escape corporate medicine than PAs do