Lemon Bars Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I've just started looking into Anesthesiologist Assistant as a possible choice if I can't get into PA school. However, looking at the science pre-requisites and curriculum, it looks even harder than PA. Has anyone else looked into this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSA07 Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I've looked into it recently. You must also take the MCAT before applying to AA programs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LT_Oneal_PAC Posted March 21, 2013 Moderator Share Posted March 21, 2013 Trust me, it ain't. Maybe more prereqs, but that doesn't mean it's competitive. And as former anesthesia, I promise you general medicine is harder. guaranteed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemon Bars Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 Trust me, it ain't. Maybe more prereqs, but that doesn't mean it's competitive. And as former anesthesia, I promise you general medicine is harder. guaranteed. Yeah? Could you please elaborate ONeal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LT_Oneal_PAC Posted March 21, 2013 Moderator Share Posted March 21, 2013 I suppose I shouldn't have said learning general medicine is way harder. They are actually equally as hard, but in different ways. Anesthesia is tough, no doubt. I personally have been through and know that the pharm is way harder, the physiology is way harder, and I'm some diseases are learned more in depth, but the broad spectrum of general medicine is a behemoth. In anesthesia I had the time to know everything about everything involved in the specialty. In GM, I don't have that time. There are just too many disease states, all the different tests that I have to know now that I didn't before, all the different physical exams, the various first and second line treatments. I really could go on for hours about this. Just trust me, it isn't harder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LT_Oneal_PAC Posted March 21, 2013 Moderator Share Posted March 21, 2013 Oh, and as for the getting in, I didn't go to AA school so I can't comment on that personally. However, I've been friends with some who did. It's not easy, but I don't think they have near the number of applicants and those who I know that got it weren't einsteins. Not dumb or anything, just not what I think of when I think "competitive applicant pool." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemon Bars Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Okay thanks for the info, Oneal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Savage Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Oneal... what role were you in your Anesthetizing days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LT_Oneal_PAC Posted March 22, 2013 Moderator Share Posted March 22, 2013 Student nurse anesthetist for 2 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted March 22, 2013 Moderator Share Posted March 22, 2013 as I understand it, they want AAs to be able to meet all medschool prereqs, including mcat, knowing that some may continue on to med school later. This was part of the original design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latina PA Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Yea, I looked into an AA program and all the pre-reqs were the same as for Med school. I shadowed an AA and found it terribly boring. Lots of standing around looking at machines waiting for surgery to be over, Not for me. I am more of a hands on person. I want to participate, maybe as a first assist PA. Yes they do make more $$ than PAs but I would not go into it for the money. Once you are an AA, you are stuck. As a PA you have the option to change specialties, but AAs are trained for Anesthesia and that's all they can do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemon Bars Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Yea, I looked into an AA program and all the pre-reqs were the same as for Med school.I shadowed an AA and found it terribly boring. Lots of standing around looking at machines waiting for surgery to be over, Not for me. I am more of a hands on person. I want to participate, maybe as a first assist PA. Yes they do make more $$ than PAs but I would not go into it for the money. Once you are an AA, you are stuck. As a PA you have the option to change specialties, but AAs are trained for Anesthesia and that's all they can do. I agree with you, Maria70. Watching patients sleep and monitoring machines during surgery does sound pretty boring. But if I can't get into PA school, I may have to do Respiratory Therapy. Hooking up mostly old sick people to breathing machines isn't the most exciting thing, either. That's why I'm considering AA; might as well make three times as much money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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