Is it worth being a PA? High school student

[pacentur]

I’m graduating high school soon, and I am really interested in the health field. I always like helping people and I’m leaning towards PA over MD,Nurse Practioner, Physical Therapist, or a Optometrist. I would love to get to work with patients fast and be done with schooling fast also. The amount of schooling required to become a doctor doesn’t attract me. I want to start a family early and get a job early also. I also want to spend more time with my family. PA’s make a good amount of money to live a comfortable life. Is it financially secure? Will being a PA fulfill me? Or should I just go the MD route? I’m not a big fan of more schooling, too much responsibility and stress. Do PA’s do same thing as doctors ,work even longer hours than doctors and get paid less?

[EMEDPA]

39 minutes ago, pacentur said:

 Do PA’s do same thing as doctors ,work even longer hours than doctors and get paid less?

pretty much. some folks are happy as PAs. after 21 years as a PA and 30 years working in emergency medicine I am getting there. If I had life to do over again I would go to medschool. I should mention that I like having the final say, calling the shots, etc. I don't do subservient or deferential well. that's why the happiest I am is when I work as a solo provider.

[lancer_dancer01]

One thing to note is that PAs carry a lot of responsibility and stress with the job. Yes less education in terms of years but a higher learning curve when done with school, which is quite stressful. I like being a PA but if I could go back I would have went the MD/DO route to be honest and since you are still in high school, I would recommend that. 

[camoman1234]

If I could do it all over again, I would be a Optometrist. I am not happy with medicine (family medicine) as too much placed on us from medicaid, medicare, commercial insurances, paper work that is crazy, PQRS/MIPS measures, patients are never happy, I never feel like I make a difference in most patients, some I do but that is 10% or less. I am not sure if I would like to be an Optometrist, but I did a 1 week rotation with Ophthalmology and hung out with the Optometrist as well and seems to be a low stress job and most people are very happy when they can see. Unsure about all their paperwork, but I am sure it couldn't be any worse than what I do daily. I would not be happy as a MD/DO either.