Would you do it again?

[KaiteKakes]

For all the PAs out there... If you could go back to the beginning, would you become a PA again? Do something different (NP, MD, RN, etc). Or would you skip medicine all together? 

[wilso2ar]

If I could go back to where I was just out of high school I would go pre-med then med school.  I was basically pre-med in undergrad, but did not start until I was 25. I already had a wife and a child at that time, so I thought med school would have been impossible.  I lived in a town that had a PA program.  Once I became a physician I would work the same amount of time I am now except make twice as much money.  

[iconic]

I would have majored in nursing in undergrad or done something different entirely, like be a pilot. It's too frustrating waiting for PA leadership to do anything for the profession, while NPs have basically everything already we strive for. 

Edited April 29, 2020 by iconic

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

Late 70's/early 80's then, knowing what I know now, in spite of the knock down, drag out competition to get into the then limited number of medical schools; I'd have tried medical school.  When I didn't get in, who knows?  I believe that it worked out the way that it was intended and it did provide me for a nice lifestyle and now retirement.

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

3 hours ago, iconic said:

I would have majored in nursing in undergrad or done something different entirely, like be a pilot. It's too frustrating waiting for PA leadership to do anything for the profession, while NPs have basically everything already we strive for. 

I thought about the pilot route as well and visited with a well respected small college in SE Oklahoma who had a flight program that would allow me to bypass the military.  Cost at that time would've been $10K.  Looking back, I would've timed that career perfectly as well as the demand began to skyrocket at that time just as it is now for folks my age being forced out of the cockpit.

[iconic]

1 hour ago, pajohn said:

What aspects make you particularly unhappy as of now?

They are dragging their feet with a proper name change. Even during this crisis NPs have made more progress. It's not just our leadership, lots of PAs are opposed to any change.