Undergraduate PA-S Programs

[Birdie]

How do you guys feel about the 4.5 year combined B.S. + M.S. PA-S programs? I feel like it’ll take away from our credibility as providers and don’t feel that 18 year olds with no clinical experience should be able to enter a program like that. But obviously I don’t know much about the program. What do you all think?

[UGoLong]

Not a fan but for a different reason.

I think that it's often better to keep your opinions open when you start college and then see if the 21- year-old version of you has the same interests as the 17-year-old one did. Many college students change majors as undergrads and, even if you don't, you still graduate with other options. 

[EMEDPA]

Not a fan. I don't think an 18 yr old has the life/medical experience to become a PA at 22.5. 

Back in the days of cert and AS programs I knew someone who was a PA at 19. Could order morphine but not beer. Lived with her parents still. 

[rev ronin]

On 8/13/2023 at 12:32 PM, EMEDPA said:

Not a fan. I don't think an 18 yr old has the life/medical experience to become a PA at 22.5.

Life/medical experience is our secret sauce. I would much rather hire a 40 year old recent PA graduate than a 25 year old recent PA graduate.  I would also rather hire a PA who did their undergraduate leveling courses as night or online school while working full time, vs. spending years on campus.

This is entirely my bias, as with (checks spreadsheet) 523 earned semester hours of college/university credit (245 undergrad, 215 masters, 25 postgraduate, 48 doctoral), I only did 12 undergraduate hours while living on campus and attending classes full time. I find this gives me perspective dealing with patients juggling multiple jobs or other time constraints.

[SedRate]

Maybe if there's some residency mandate.

The brain doesn't mature until 25, so personally, I think there should be more time between starting adulthood and counseling folks on important medical and essentially life decisions. Also, some life experience in that timeframe would be good, IMO.