mamatan Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 I'm trying to decide whether or not to pursue PA school (I know, I know), and I'm having a hard time. Let me explain... I graduated from dental hygiene school in 2011 after which I worked as a public health dental hygienist for 1 year. I knew during dental hygiene school that it wasn't necessarily for me, but I needed a trade and I'd already given up scholarships, etc to transfer to dental hygiene school. After working for a year, I moved to Ecuador to live and work in Quito and learn Spanish. It was great. After that year, I moved back to the US and got my masters in health sciences while I taught as a TA at a local university and continued to temp dental hygiene full time. I'd decided that the master's would help me because I knew I really didn't want to do dental hygiene and I'd started developing issues with my wrists that made it painful to work full time as a hygienist. Fast-forward 2 years and I'm extremely unsatisfied with my career in public health partially due to the horrible pay and partially because I miss the patient contact. I currently work in Health Literacy and while I get to spend a lot of time training providers it's really not the same as being a provider. Also, job availability in public health in my area consists of the state health department and a medical science university. Dental hygiene jobs are non-existent with a new class graduating each year, but I'm working on getting my wrists rehabilitated through occupational therapy. I have a couple of dental hygiene friends who've made the switch to PA and it seems like a good career for getting back into patient contact and making a living for me and my family. I actually love the idea of being a middle level provider, and have considered the NP route, but it's too long. I'm not able to move because my husband and I own an electrical business here. After that bit of history, my question is two-fold. Is PA a good investment? Cost of PA school - 55k Current salary - 40k Salary in full time hygiene (if I can find a job) - 50k-65k/4 day work week and...I'm nervous that my personality won't fit being a PA. I love my patients, but I chose dental hygiene originally because I wasn't sure how I'd do with large amount of blood and other parts of the body. Also because you really can't do a person great amounts of harm in their mouth like you can in other areas. Has any one made the switch from dental to medical? Also, has any become a PA know you wanted to go into one of the "non-clinical" sectors like psychiatry/mental health, derm, radiology, etc. Sorry, so long. Just looking for different perspectives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcox87 Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 Your last paragraph concerns me. If you haven't shadowed a provider (PA, NP, MD/DO) yet, I would highly recommend it. This will help you greatly in determining if this is your path. If your have concerns about return on investment, go check out the contract negotiation sub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiggySRNA Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 I think identifying your weak spots helps you select against certain professions. For me, I don't think I can handle looking in mouths all day. I rather blood, vomit, and feces any day...but cavities? I'll pass. EM/UC/Surgery = incision and drainage galore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MT2PA Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 A world of caution: the 'non-clinical' areas you mention may sometimes still be very much clinical for a PA. Derm is a highly coveted speciality and jobs may be hard to come by, especially if moving isn't an option for you. Depending on the area you are in, you may be grossly underestimating the cost of PA school (maybe you've checked). Are you willing to relocate for school? If not, you are greatly reducing your chances of getting in as you likely have fewer local options. As someone else mentioned, you really need to shadow a PA/NP or even MD to really see what the career is about. If you don't like blood and guts and making life changing/saving decisions about patient care, this may simply not be the career for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamatan Posted March 8, 2016 Author Share Posted March 8, 2016 Thanks for your responses. I have checked into the costs of the 3 schools around me and they all cost 50-60k including fees and other requirements such as health insurance and a laptop which I already have. I absolutely cannot move for school, so those are my options. I'm aware of the limitations when faced with only applying to a limited number of schools. I will be shadowing several PAs including ortho, urology, and pediatrics starting this Friday. I guess I"m just at a cross roads and am exploring all of the options around me. Again, thanks for the feedback. There seems to be a consensus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyM2 Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 Blood and "other body parts" is not the worst part of medicine, by a long shot. Patients can be shockingly slovenly, malodorous, ungrateful, demanding, entitled, and lacking of any interest or ability to participate in their own care. I am always amazed to see the low life's hanging around waiting rooms and feel bad for their providers. I am not a provider, so that may be easy for me to say. I don't have to be that compassionate. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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