PA school more focused on Primary Care?

[Casper6060]

I was browsing through several programs through the PA directory page http://directory.paeaonline.org/

 

I noticed several of them stated they focus mostly on primary care in their programs. I am more interested in Radiology (as I'm a CT tech) or some sort of specialty where I can stay hands on. Are these types of programs one's I should avoid, or will I still get proper training in other areas as well? I know from friends in PA school that they rotate through many areas, I just want to clarify this what I'm researching.

 

Thanks!

[surfca40]

A lot of the programs list their rotations on the specific website.  For example, I want to do surgery, but a lot of programs out here have a primary care focus as well.  By looking at the program's website, I learned they still do rotations in surgery and a number of their students go on to work in surgery.  That being said, throughout my research of PA Programs and the PA Profession, I've read the schools that have a primary care focus really are trying to turn out PA's who want to work in primary care, and you'll be severely disadvantaged in the interview process if you don't want to do primary care.  Also, they can usually see through lies if you say you want to work in primary care when you really don't and you only say that to get into the program.  I think a lot of programs have a primary care focus because majority of PA's work in primary care and that's where there is a high demand with the changes to the healthcare system and the aging population.

[Casper6060]

That's exactly what I was thinking. Thank you for your response. I'm not 100% against primary care, but it's definitely not my top choice.

[PACdan]

Every PA program should have a primary care focus, it was the original mandate for the founding of the profession. To send highly skilled providers out into areas of greatest need, where physicians were/are lacking. We were to be trained as generalists. Of course the lure of speciality pay and focus have shifted the numbers, just like our physician counterparts. You will receive broad, proper training at any ARC-PA accredited program. My school is listed as having a primary care focus, but in my current class I am one of only 4/40 who has stated interest in primary care.

 

If you get into PA school, you will have one or more elective spots that allow you to do rotations in an area of personal interest. If it were up to me, all PA students would be required to work for 2 years in IM, FM, Pediatrics, or EM, after graduation. But even if you attend a program with a primary care "focus", you can get a job in any speciality that is hiring.

[UGoLong]

Well said above. Virtually every PA is trained as a generalist. Many of us came to school expecting to graduate and practice "X" and instead fell in love with "Y." That's one good reason for the generalist focus of didactic and the wide range of clinical rotations.

[JtheWorker]

Agree with above. At the school I went to, basically the only acceptable answer during admission interviews to "what do you want to do as a PA" is "rural primary care."

[Casper6060]

Thanks everyone for the answers! They really helped a lot!

 

So should I be honest in the interview and say that primary care is not my top choice? 

[UGoLong]

When you are asked, tell them the truth. You might add that you are open to other areas, including primary care, and hope to refine your selection after your clinical rotations.

 

Half of my class wanted to go into ortho and many of them did. I was thinking of primary care and ultimately opted for cardiology. Lots of people decide based on their clinicals.

[MT2PA]

Thanks everyone for the answers! They really helped a lot!

 

So should I be honest in the interview and say that primary care is not my top choice? 

Be honest, but if primary care isn't your end goal, look for programs that support that.  One school that I applied and interviewed at really focused on primary care and my honesty about PC not being my top choice probably cost me admission - but I personally didn't think the school was a good fit for this and other reasons.

 

The schools I liked best and chose to attend had faculty that worked in a variety of areas and had actually changed areas during their career (I found this important for myself).  All programs must provide rotations through a variety of areas based on ARC standards so that shouldn't be an issue.  If you look at the AAPA stats, only about 30% of PAs work in primary care (family med essentially) or something like that.  I looked for programs that were realistic about this and supported their students pursuing specialties if they want because they ARE out there.  Not all programs are looking to mass produce primary care PAs.