changing careers to be a PA

[snow426]

Hello all! I have been thinking of changing careers from OT to PA. Been rotating between outpatient and hospital as I work. I have worked with countless amounts of PAs and love what they do. Because I want to change doesn't mean I don't like my profession or that it doesn't make me happy but it does make feel like I could do more. I am highly interested in medicine and always have been since college. I am about 3 years in working as OT. Any advice for someone making the change?! Also is anyone out there who is also making a similar change? 

[Potatolife]

If this is what you want, go for it! You already have a degree and good patient care experience. I would recommend watching some videos on PAs and PA students, exploring the PA forum, the "physicianassistant" and "prephysicianassistant" threads on reddit, talking to a few PA students, definitely attending PA school information meetings near you, etc. If you know this is what you want to do, look up the prerequisites for each school and begin your journey as a pre-PA student  

Edited March 20, 2019 by Potatolife

[UGoLong]

We have an OT in our current didactic class. She’s doing fine!


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[Guest PAhopeful85]

I was a PTA for 3 years before going back to cc to do the PA prereqs. Got accepted into a program my first year applying. We also have an OT in our upcoming cohort. 

I believe the therapy profession is on decline. You’re making a great choice!!

[snow426]

Thank you for all the encouragement to make the change! It is really nerve-racking to change careers. I keep reading that therapy is on the downhill and that medicine like PA is on the rise with the health trend lately. Are there any OT or PTs out there that changed their careers as well? Would love to get an insight into how you guys make the change. 

[snow426]

On 3/20/2019 at 7:57 PM, PAhopeful85 said:

I was a PTA for 3 years before going back to cc to do the PA prereqs. Got accepted into a program my first year applying. We also have an OT in our upcoming cohort. 

I believe the therapy profession is on decline. You’re making a great choice!!

Hey, do you mind elaborating on your process in making the change? Did you do additional research or anything extra besides taking classes to get accepted? 

[Guest PAhopeful85]

12 hours ago, snow426 said:

Hey, do you mind elaborating on your process in making the change? Did you do additional research or anything extra besides taking classes to get accepted? 

Just went back for 35 science credits and got a 4.0 in them while juggling multiple PRN jobs. No research or anything. I wrote a very good and non generic essay and rocked the interview. 

[UGoLong]

Hey, do you mind elaborating on your process in making the change? Did you do additional research or anything extra besides taking classes to get accepted? 

The profession started as a second career way back in the late 1960s and many of us more recent graduates have done rhe same.

Like many changes, the first thing is to shadow enough PAs to be certain that it’s what you really want because we tend to idealize our choices. In parallel with that is getting enough patient care time that you understand what a life of working with patients on what is seldom their best days is like.

Once you think you know what you’re doing, the rest of it is adjusting your life to fit in taking prereqs, etc.




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[snow426]

On 5/31/2019 at 5:54 AM, UGoLong said:

 

The profession started as a second career way back in the late 1960s and many of us more recent graduates have done rhe same.

Like many changes, the first thing is to shadow enough PAs to be certain that it’s what you really want because we tend to idealize our choices. In parallel with that is getting enough patient care time that you understand what a life of working with patients on what is seldom their best days is like.

Once you think you know what you’re doing, the rest of it is adjusting your life to fit in taking prereqs, etc.




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I have a lot of experience working with patients at bedside for sure. So far, I had worked with patients in the hospital of varying diagnoses such as stroke, medicine, oncology, MICU, SICU, and orthopedics for 2 years. Orthopedic and stroke was the biggest population that I worked with. I have seen patients who were doing really well in overall recovery to those that fight for their lives and are unable to make it in the end. I round with PAs and MDs every morning for orthopedic and stroke in the hospital. I also work in outpatient clinic treating orthopedic cases as well. My job allows me to rotate between hospital and outpatient to gain as much experience as possible as OT and to expose me to all aspect of interdisciplinary health care. I decided to choose PA based on my interactions with them at work.

 

My biggest issue now is the pre-reqs because I am told my classes have "expired" or have surpassed the 5 year mark. Based on the open houses and requirements I have narrowed down to 60 credits worth of classes to take. I am trying to get a feel to see if others have also taken a whole 60 credits worth over and/or how they have managed to apply and prepare for PA school.