Do I have a good plan?

[TheHopefulGuy]

I plan on getting my Associates Of Applied Science In Radiologic Technology. The program at my CC will take three years and some of the credits you can transfer towards a bachelors degree. I was planning on getting my degree to become an X Tay Tech and then once I get a job start working on my bachelors degree part time at a local four year university. It would take several years though to do this and I wouldn’t be able to apply to any PA program until i’m in my late 20’s. I have also thought about becoming a surg tech because the program is shorter and i’m interested in maybe becoming an Ortho PA. Should I go the surg tech route or the X Ray Tech? With either it will still take about 8 to 9 years to earn my B.S. in Biology. This is because I would work full time and only take two classes per semester once I start working full time. 

[hustleforthePAC]

14 minutes ago, TheHopefulGuy said:

I plan on getting my Associates Of Applied Science In Radiologic Technology. The program at my CC will take three years and some of the credits you can transfer towards a bachelors degree. I was planning on getting my degree to become an X Tay Tech and then once I get a job start working on my bachelors degree part time at a local four year university. It would take several years though to do this and I wouldn’t be able to apply to any PA program until i’m in my late 20’s. I have also thought about becoming a surg tech because the program is shorter and i’m interested in maybe becoming an Ortho PA. Should I go the surg tech route or the X Ray Tech? With either it will still take about 8 to 9 years to earn my B.S. in Biology. This is because I would work full time and only take two classes per semester once I start working full time. 

Great plan while getting paid, I'd recommend trying make that connection while working to shadow an ortho pa and also try to do a little bit of volunteering while protecting your gpa 

Good luck! 

[Guest hcruz496]

I am an x-ray tech and I start PA school this spring.  I didn't didn't become a tech knowing I wanted to become a PA.  I would think few of your radiography courses would count toward a B.S. in Biology, as few of mine actually did.  If you know your plan is to become a PA there may be a shorter route.  9 years to earn a bachelors sounds like a long time, then add to that the 2.5 years for PA school.  I would compare degree plans between the associates and bachelors, mine didn't have much overlap at all.  

That said, you could totally take 2 classes a semester while working as an x-ray tech.  There are many tech jobs where you can do 3-13's.  One good thing about being a tech is that you will likely have a lot of down time on the job.  While you will have peak times with lots of patients, there is quite a bit of time where you aren't doing much, at least from what I have experienced.  Not every patient needs an x-ray, but they will want to have you there just in case they do need an x-ray.  This allowed me to take 16 credit hours and work full-time.  

[lccalbert]

I commend you for your plan. I think its hard to see students these days commit to a long-term like this. It took me 11 years to get my bachelors, Its because I had to pay my way through school myself as an EMT. As for which route, either are great jobs, so I would say which one will you like the most. I think you would learn a lot more as an X-ray tech that will help you later in your PA career but you will learn everything you will need to know in the PA program. I really wish you good luck. Keep your head down and work hard.

[PA-SGuy]

Be careful with your timeline of classes, a lot of programs want the core classes (anatomy, chem, bio, etc) completed within 5 years of starting school which could be difficult if you take 9 years to complete a degree.