This was so helpful ! I was always in between nursing or med school and I feel like I found the best fit for me and will most likely be doing a PA for neonatology. Thank you for this !
Thank you for the video! I am a respiratory therapist and I have worked with long term ventilator trach patients, hospital ICU and for the last year I have specialized in a level 2 NICU. I have 1 year left to get my business bachelor's that was an addition to my respiratory associates degree, by this time I will have 3 years of ICU and NICU experience. I will then finish my pre admission classes and apply to the PA program. I feel I have a great background in the medical field, especially with respiratory therapists being involved with all code teams and ventilator cares. I was wondering do you think my experience is sufficient or do you have any other recommendations that will help me before the applying process? Also I will have 7 years experience as an RT before applying to PA school. Lastly, I love the NICU and I want to continue in labor and delivery, our hospital doesn't use PA's for this dept, is that true for all hospitals? I want to work in the ER and/or labor and delivery.
This is so helpful! I am actually in the position where I have to start applying to schools and choosing my major soon and this made me realize that I can seriously imagine myself as a PA or Physician. I do have a question... If for some reason one were to become a PA and want to be a physician... Could you go on to medical school?
This is a great video! I've been going back and forth in my mind for months and months. I think the deciding factor for me is that as a PA I would have to work under the supervision of a doctor. When I shadowed an EM doctor, his PAs had lots of autonomy & that eased my mind. However I can't get it out of my head that one day I'd be 50 years old under the supervision of a 30-something doctor. May sound silly but like she said that just may be my personality :) Thank you for this, truly helpful.
@Levi T. Hey Levi, I definitely feel you on the title part, it's something that I can't quite shake. I think they should change the name to Physician Associate.....same letters, but a different name, much better. For me, it's a time factor, if I continue with my path to med school, I won't finish residency till 41, whereas if I do PA school, I'll finish at 35. That means you get to start your life 6 years sooner than a physician and you have income for 6 more years. Also, working under someone younger than me in my 50's definitely is an issue, but again, time is important for me which you can't get back, like money, which you can.
I think when you view the healthcare field as a hierarchy you may get hung up on titles. If your going into the healthcare field the reality is your working on a team. All providers work together. The most important person in a hospital isn't the doctor it's the patients. If you have the time and finances go for med school. Just know medicine will be the focus of your life until retirement. It may vary by specialty but the hours are pretty strenuous. Whereas a PA has a more traditional forty hour work week. Down the line if you wanted to change specialty from say Emer Med to Family Care to lessen your stress and workload. As an MD you would go back and complete another 3-4 yr residency. PAs just apply for a new job
I was on the fence for a while, too. I ultimately decided to go PA, mostly because of my family (I am married with one child). My issue was the same as yours, being a PA with a wealth of experience, likely knowing more than the young physician I am having to report to. I was also hung up on the title; let's look at the path a PA must take. Most have to get their undergraduate degree (usually in the sciences), so that's about 4 years, and they usually have to have health care experience to get accepted to their programs. Then they have to complete a 2.25 year master's program, that's another 2+ years, and those programs usually require either a thesis or a 'capstone project', which is essentially the same thing. A thesis is a very difficult undertaking, considering you are also having to commit so much time to studying for your higher-level science courses like anatomy and pharmacology. All this work and you are called a physician 'assistant'? Really? I understand that PA's are NOT physicians, but referring to them as 'assistants' is just demeaning...one upside, if I ever decide that my disdain for my title is keeping me from enjoying my career, I can always go back to medical school in a few years. (Some medical schools are starting 'bridge' programs for PA's! Shortening medical school to 3 years instead of 4.).
This was wondefully done ladies! Both MD and PA are great was to practice medicine. I get called "doctor" alot at our hospital even though I correct people and tell them I' m a PA!
Hi Andrea, thank you so much for spending your valuable time on creating these super helpful videos. Can you possibly make a video of interviewing an osteopathic physician (DO)? I specifically am interested in differences between pediatric/OBGYN DO and MD physicians. I want to apply to both DO and MD schools. Thank you for everything! :)
This was super helpful! Thank you so much! Can you please do one with a nurse practitioner? I'm really in an awkward position right now and I could use all the information and opinions I can get. Your videos have been so amazing and I'm extremely grateful! ☺️
God you don't know how helpful this video has been, with the pressure of my family picking at me to do something with my life this video really makes me consider a medical life, to stop being so dam lazy and getting mediocre grades. Thank you so much for the video
Hey Andrea! Could you please do a video on NP vs. Physician? I'm having a hard time choosing which route is best for me, and I would love to hear your take on it!
Thanks, I really appreciate your video. I am currently a respiratory therapist and interested in PA school. Thanks again ladies for the informative video.
Very informative!! Thanks!! Quick question, can I become a doctor later in life after becoming a PA? follow up: is it advisable? Is it good to get a feel for the industry as a PA, and then promote yourself to a doctor through med school if desired?
Hi Andrea! Your videos have really helped me. I am still unsure of what my calling is. A doctor, physician assistant, and nurse practitioner are on my radar. I think interviewing a nurse practitioner would be a great idea for a new video. Thanks!
I have been thinking a lot lately about Med school vs PA school.I already work in the medical field, so I KNOW medicine is right for me. I love medicine and love my job. i am continuing my education. Ive definitely been doing pros and cons. But up until recently being a physician was what i was sure but now I've been considering being a mid level provider. I just wish i could open a fortune cookie and it just tell me which to choose. I work with both PAs and Physicians so i see how both operate in the field.
Hi Andrea, this is a great video! I'm just wondering if you could do a video addressing issue/solutions for students with low undergraduate gpa who want to pursuit a career in healthcare field, e.g. Med, PA, or Nursing, etc. Thanks!
I know this a weird interview request, but could you compare being a physician vs a veterinarian? I am passionate about both and can definitely see myself enjoying both fields, but I do not know which one I should pursue. Just so you know, I am currently a sophomore in college majoring in Biology. I also would prefer to do a hands on specialty like surgery.
I dont normally take the time to comment on videos but I feel obligated to in this scenario so I can let you know that these videos are extremely helpful!
Hi Andrea, thank you so much for you awesome videos! Any specific recommendations to strengthen a PA application/ what would stand out in a positive way to the admission committee? Keep up the great videos, I always look forward to them!
this is actually really inspiring, I like the idea of being a mediator between nurses and doctors it's really comforting to hear actually and I would like to have a supervisor at all times!
You are the most warm, sweet person and I just get so positive when I watch your videos!! Thank you so much for giving out all of this information. I am really interested in dermatology but I understand it's a very competitive feild and while I am smart, I'm not the girl to ace all of the AP classes. I'm in high school currently and I really am interested in going to med school and becoming a dermatologist but I heard that a lot of doctors end up not liking their jobs and also I feel like I might go through med school and then end up not getting a residency or anything so I'm kinda stuck on what to do from here but your videos are just great you are a beautiful and smart girl :) I'm sure you will be an amazing doctor!
Thanks for this video! I have a question that maybe you can help me with. If a person decided to become a PA, and then later wanted to become a doctor, roughly how many years of schooling would they need to make the transition?
Thank you Andrea. This was very inspiring for me! I received my Bachelors in Business 2 years ago and am now back at school taking my pre reqs for PA. I'm a personal trainer and do a lot of corrective exercise work, but am so curious about the medical field. I have a Q- I wanted to go to PT school, but recently am finding that PA would better fit me because of the fleixibility of hours, variability of work, etc. However, I work as a Physical Therapist Aide currently. Do you ( or Sarah ) think that PA schools would find that good experience working 'in the field'? I have invested a lot of money in becoming a personal trainer and dont really want to spend more money and time on becoming an EMT or something similar...Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Thanks again! :)
+Krista Kleinhammer I think that would probably count as great experience! But, I'm not sure, so I would check with some PA schools to see what they think
Was Sarah an EMT during her undergrad? If so, how would you become one as PA schools look at your health care experiences. I'm curious to know as I am doing my undergrad right now and interested in becoming a physician assistant.
Hi, does it matter where the pre-requisites for the schools are taken? I'm considering taking the classes at a community college, but I've heard from some friends that colleges look down on courses taken at a community college. Let me know if you have any thoughts on this. Thank you!
Hey Sarah (and Andrea!) So i have a few questions about a PA. Did you do a surgical PA residency program or did you go straight from PA school to surgery? And do you suggest being a EMT before PA school? Is there any other good clinical jobs that you would recommend? Thanks for the video :)
Question for Sarah: I recently applied to PA school and did not get in. I am trying to get more healthcare experience which I believe is my weakness in my resume. I am either planning on getting my CNA or EMT. Would you say there is a preferred type of experience that schools want? And when you got your EMT, were you required to volunteer for a year before actually working?
Hey Andrea! First off, great video. Love seeing real PAs speak about their profession. I'm currently finishing up my pre-reqs for PA. My question is does your friend Sarah have a KZclip or Twitter account or someway to contact her? I have few more questions I was wondering if she could answer. Thanks again!
Hi! I am very curious about which path to take.. I am a junior in college and am interning in the pharmacy at my local hospital. I am not sure that pharmacy is the route I would like to continue on. I am curious about PA though. I was wondering how many hours (shadowing hours, etc.) were a typical amount that most PA schools expect you to have. a range would be great! I am not the best test taker either (SAT's were not very good) so I am nervous for the GRE. Anything that I can do to maybe help compensate that would be fantastic. Thank you and let me know! I really appreciate it!
Super helpful! I am applying to PA school this upcoming cycle and will be graduating with my bachelors this summer. I'm a little worried about the competitiveness. I have a 3.6 with over 2000 hours as a CNA. Hope I can get into one of the programs! Thanks for this video!
My undergraduate major was Health Sciences Pre-Clinical meant for matriculation into a clinical program such as PA, medicine, pt, etc. after graduation.
do you think training in BLA/CPR and Phlebotomy will help my chances in this field? I'm attending my first day of Phleb school (7-week program + externship) today. Also, is it more appealing to get in if i have more training besides just these? I was considering Medical Assisting training as well down the road to better my chances.
This question is to Andrea or Sarah : First off this video was extremely helpful so thank you both so much! :) but my question is, do PAs get respect? For example, if Sarah were to go talk to the patient and exam the patient, would the patient want the doctor to do the exam instead? I know a lot of people aren't informed on what a PA is or the school that they have to go too so I'm just curious as to if PAs are respected. I'm not sure if I want to be a PA or doctor.
Just so everyone knows, PA schools actually do almost always require an entrance exam, and tend to require the GRE (or in some cases they'll accept the MCAT). It's pretty rare that they don't require an entrance exam like in Sarah's experience
This seriously made me consider being a PA. I've wanted to be a pediatrician or pathologist since I was 10, but was always afraid of the excessively long hours that would prevent me from living the life I want. Thank you so much for this video!
Same here. Also once an MD completes their 3 to 4 year residency after four years of medical school. They can only practice within that specialty ie obgyn. In order for an obgyn to go into say surgery. They must complete another 3-8 yr residency depending on specialty and retake board exams. If a PA wants to switch from family care to dermatology they just apply for the position.
This was so helpful as I'm about to dive into my college career. Aspiring future PA here, hoping to pursue an MD after everything seems settled in my future life. Thanks so much for making this video!
Hey Andrea, I absolutely love this video. I've been doing some research on how to become a physician assistant. My major is bio-medical sciences. How would I gain the clinical experience with my major? .
mary evans work in the ER as a scribe or tech. Become a CNA. Get your emt or phlebotomist certification and work for a year. Direct patient contact in any form is fine.
How hard was it getting into Uni of Chicago? It's my goal school and the acceptance rate is under 15% or so. I'm a junior pushing a 3.7 GPA and I volunteer at a hospital. My main worry is not being good enough to make it into uni of chi.
Just a quick question for Sarah. I'm currently taking EMT-Basic courses while working on my Bachelors in order to attend P.A. School. I was wondering what level of EMT would she think is good enough to help you stick out when applying to P.A. School?
I was an EMT-I before PA school. I was never asked about my certification level. As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter if you're an EMT-B, A-EMT, or Paramedic. Total hours in EMS will be more relevant than cert level. If I were you, I would stick with EMT-B as long as you can find a job with patient care hours.
I have been looking at Butler University for my undergrad. How was your friend able to finish PA school and undergrad within 4 years? I looked on Butler's website for an accelerated PA program similar to what you and your friend were talking about, but i was unable to find something like that. Thanks!
I was just wondering if you are eligible to further your education to become a PA, after attaining a Bachelor's degree in Nursing? Or would you need to attain a different degree/qualification to go to PA grad school?
Thanks. My question is coming from the fact that I am a pre-med student considering family medicine. I have heard that a PA can perform about 80% of a primary care physician job. Therefore do you think PA or NP can almost replace a family physician?
This was a great video and was reassuring my decision of becoming a physician assistant =) I'm just wondering if i'm on the right track. So I received my bachelor's in 2014 at 23 years old, but still have about 6 more pre requisites to take before I can apply to the PA schools I want to go to. Which will take about a year to finish these courses since I have to try and take these few classes at a community college. I have a good amount of shadowing hours and experience in health care administration. The year I would apply is Fall 2016 in order to attend for Fall 2017, which is at 26 years old. Am I too old to apply and am I taking the necessary steps to help make my application more competitive? I'm thinking about trying out being an EMT the summer before I apply similar to your friend. I just need a reassuring response to help keep me motivated, inspired, and to keep the momentum going of wanting to pursue this profession. Thank you
+Elizabeth R I spoke with the physician assistant I'm shadowing and she came from the PA school I want to go to western university in Pomona and she said I'm headed in the right direction .
Arnold Lopez I guess. It's just I usually see some PA schools say you need to have direct patient care experience and they wont accept healthcare experience were you did office work. I just didn't want you going in and being disappointed if they told you they wouldn't accept your healthcare administration experience. I hope you get in and not every PA school will require the experience I think.
Sometimes I give the patients blankets and water, and adjust their bed. In triage, I take their weight and height sometimes to assist the nurse. In addition, I interact with the patients through conversation while registering their demographic information and inputting their insurance information and eligibility. I beleive sometimes it's better not to be part of the social norm or what is expected, rather doing something different and having it revolve around the main goal is what matters most, if you have good intentions and passion I believe that's good enough.
Arnold Lopez I would recommend working as an EMT because PA schools will not accept experience in healthcare administration. They will only accept experience in direct patient care and I believe most want about 2000 hours.
Questions: what undergraduate majors are usually good for PA? Biochemistry, Psychology or chem-E? ( Biology really bores me )2. What if the college I plan on going currently doesn't have human anatomy classes which are pre-requisites for PA? I heard Yale offer online anatomy classes, do the online courses count? 3. Are there any colleges offer BS in PA? 4. What school did Sarah say that she went for her undergraduate and PA? Thank you so much for this video!
+Trustypo it carries from school to school its normally anatomy and physics some basic math stuff like that, you have to look at each college and see everything is different.
Thanks for the video it was really helpful. How easy would it be to graduate from PA school in one state and then immediately begin working in a different state? I'm definitely looking to move after PA school and am curious how easy it is to get licensed in other states and how long that would typically take. Also how easy is it to get a job as a newly graduated PA? Are there websites with job listings aimed at newly graduated PA's?
Austin Cannon It depends on the state, but if you know where you are moving, you can likely start the application process to get licensed there before you move. There are lots of different websites with PA job listings. Good luck!
Hi Andrea, I graduated from the University of Illinois this past May and I am currently working as a Patient Care Tech as I prepare for my PA school apps this coming summer. Would it be possible for me to set up a day to shadow your friend Sarah? I live in Chicago and my scheudle is extremely flexible. Thanks!
Hello. I am wondering how likely it is for someone over forty to be able to get into PA school? Do schools typically choose younger candidates? Thank you for your time!
Summers To my knowledge, most PAs are first assist in surgery- so they are right next to the doctor doing a lot of the surgery, but the main doctor is in charge. My husband did orthopedic surgery and he would do lots of stuff on his own like prepare the tendons, etc. One of my girlfriends is a PA and harvests veins for cardiac surgeries. So you get to do a lot!
I am a junior in college now and have begun preparing for the MCAT next summer. I am torn between nursing school, PA, DO, and MD school. PA school has always been what I saw myself doing, but the autonomy of the field does not always interest me. I tend to be one who is more independent and wants to call the shots. In the end, if I am accepted to my nursing school I am not sure what I want to do. Do I choose nursing school and continue to climb up to a DNP, FNP, etc, or do I continue with my pre-med track and hope for the best in applying for med schools, etc? Overall, I just feel lost and need more guidance. Your videos are very helpful and I enjoy seeing the other side of things through your Instagram as well. Thanks in advance. @Andrea Tooley
+Victoria P. I suggest you try to shadow people in those fields. It's difficult because there are times where it seems like they all can do the same thing, especially if you are only shadowing people working in primary care.
I feel the same way. I want to call the shots, but I also want structure in my life. I'm 18 in Nursing school and I always saw myself becoming a Nurse Anesthtist. During clinicals I always see the PAs and they caught my attention. I'm very young so I have time, but I like to map out my future so I know where I'm headed.
Great video! Helped me a lot! I am considering joining the PA Program at my local College & still working on undergrad courses, what is the best way to get hours & how do you become a EMT like you said you did! I need 500 hours for the PA program I'm applying to. Thank you it would help so much!
Usually local community colleges have EMT courses. Or the Red Cross. Some ambulance companies also have courses. Google EMT programs in your area. You can work towards getting 500 hours over the summers after completing the EMT course and becoming certified in your state. Google NREMT which is the national exam for EMTs to find accredited programs in your area. Usually your individual state will have a exam you must take as well. Courses usually take a few months to complete. Good luck. I'm in an EMT course now to get hours working in the field for PA school
I heard you need a bachelors degree and work experience in a healthcare setting to apply to a PA program. Could you apply to the program with a BSN or would it have to be a specific bachelors degree for example in science or biology?
Looking into PA school now. I'm a current undergraduate student. The two fields I'm most interested in are neurosurgery and anesthesiology. What are the prospects for a PA in those fields? I know they work in neurosurgery, as I've had a few brain surgeries and my neurosurgeon had a few amazing PAs.... Looking for any info to help make the decision! Thanks!
+Ron Blair CRNA's (certified registered nurse anesthetists) are employed for anesthesia practice, rarely PA's. However there are an increasing amount of neurosurgery PA's. Take your pick
how important is one's gpa for pa school? I went to uc berkeley and science classes there were pretty competitive so I'm most worried about my prereq grades. do you think i still have a chance if my gpa is not that high?
HI Andrea, Namia Jai recommended me your videos and I love them :) I have a few questions: 1. Just like Namia, i want to go back to India after medical school, and i'm 100% sure about that. So to do residency in India, do we have to apply from the medical school? Or how does it work? Also, everyone will be planning their residencies in med school, do I just say that I want to do residency in India? 2. This is adding up to number one, but do hospitals for residency in India accept the medical school degree? 3. Can we go to the same medical school as you did your 4 years before med school? For example if I go to Stanford for my major, can I apply at Stanford or med school? Or is it possible I could get in automatically? Thanks! Rachna
LaurenAlexandra711 I think she is generally first assist. That means she does the surgery right next to the doctor and helps the whole time. She probably does a lot of the closing sutures at the end as well.
i would recommend getting a bachelors degree in nursing so you have many opportunities as a nurse, get a few years of experience, then get your masters in nursing if you want to be a practitioner. thats what im planning on doing, might not be right for you. good luck!
Cody Kearns I am someone that is considering doing it. Nurse practitioners are phenomenal providers when they put the effort needed into it. However, NPs must specialize in a specific age group, healthcare type (Primary care vs Tertiary care). There are further forms of specialties such as anesthesia, midwifery (OBGYN care), etc. This is why I am considering transitioning to PA because they are exposed to all forms of medicine and surgery without the need to get other certifications as well as maintaining those certifications which is quite expensive over time. My problem is that I truly liked many areas that I went through during RN school. The experience you get will be phenomenal, and you will improve your patient assessment skills and better understand the nursing profession and be more competent to collaborate with them. I truly love this field and the care I provide my patients. Also, if you don't get accepted to PA school the first time, you can work as an RN and make a great salary and do what you love. Furthermore, you will have many more options to where you want to continue your education (NP, CNS, CRNA, etc). Those options aren't as available with a bio degree, or other degrees you may obtain. Best of luck.
Hi love your vids! Do you know if you can be a PA in preventive health care? :) like working with a DO as a physician assistant, if a DO's PA would be a PA in preventive health care? Thanks
Question: I am currently a senior in high school and I have done some research on what a PA is and does, I have a pretty strong background in science having already taken AP Bio, AP Chem, Honors Anatomy and Physiology, and AP Physics. However, I have not taken Problem stats or Calc I am in Trig/PreCalc though. If I wanted to peruse a career as a PA is it too late or do I apply to programs and school once I'm already in college because I have gotten conflicting information from one of my teachers vs what I have read online. Please help.
i am a single mother of 2 kids 2 yrs old and 7 months and i want to go back to school so badly and ive been extremely interested in becoming a PA. im currently a housekeeper at mayo clinic and ive been accepted to college for an online bach degree in health sciences. mayo has a PA program ive been looking at to do afterwards as well. should i become certified as an emt forst so i can gain more experience first or stay with what im doing and just go to achool? im very confliced because alot of PA schools and jobs want experience first but how do you get that when you havent graduated yet... thank you in advance for your help! :)
I am a junior in High School and I just recently got interested in this Medical stuff lol, I am planning on taking chemistry and calculus my senior year, Is there anything else i should do that could possibly help me out? Andrea Tooley
Do you know if a physician assistant can specialize and do gynecological work such as well woman exams, prescribing birth control and even inserting IUDs? Can PA's deliver babies? I'm very interested in a career similar to an OB/GYN physician but I really like the sounds of this career also!
Interesting, how about PA vs NP, anyone know the pros/cons to that? I have my BSN, and considering a midlevel position. I guess maybe DNP makes more sense for me since I'm already in the nursing field, but I'm wondering what the differences are between the two.
I'm in PA school right now. I can tell you right now that there is very little difference between a PA and an NP. PA's are more common in surgical specialties compared to NPs, who tend to lean more towards primary care. NPs are allowed to have their own practice in certain states. Both have the same skills of diagnosing and treating patients and writing prescriptions. Both have very similar salaries too. I think the biggest difference is the model of education. PA school is like an abridged med school so it follows the same classes and emphasis on training as MDs and DOs. NPs have a nursing background so their training is different. It's basically taking two different routes to get to the same point. I think for you, NP would make more sense because of your strong background in nursing.
Hi Andrea! I am a student in Chicago and looking for shadowing hours as well, what are some tips to get shadowing hours. I know people say look in your family but I am a first generation student so this wouldn't help. Thanks!
Hey i loved this video ! But my question is can PAs decide to "move up" .. if they dont like being under someone. Would they have to go to medical school to become an actual doctor? Would this be time consuming ?
How common is it for a PA to decide that they want to go to Medical School and then take that route to become a doctor? I am considering PA school to start off my medical career but feel that I may want to go to Medical School at a later time down the road. Is this a possible path to take?
JonTheElite There is no fast track to medical school. One must complete the full 4 years in order to obtain their MD. The only one program in the US that bridges you is the LECOM PA to DO program lecom.edu/academics/the-college-of-medicine/accelerated-physician-assistant-pathway/. However it will be much more expensive as PA programs run in the range of 50k in total. furthermore, you are just adding more time to the equation. Don't use PA as a stepping stone, it is highly competitive and is not the easy way out to becoming a physician. PA is good for someone who wishes to have balance in their life, and less debt after graduation. If you are interested in aiding the primary care deficit in this country, go PA. With the Affordable Care Act going in place, primary care is the future of this country. However, If you want to be at the frontier of medicine finding the latest scientific advancements go MD/DO. If you want to be the final say of the decision making tree, go MD/DO.
Question: if a PA decided to go to medical school to specialize in the field that they're currently working in (like a PA practicing in med-peds went to medical school for med-peds), would that take a few years off medical school and could they skip residency since they already specialize in that field of practice?
There is a school in Pennsylvania called Lake Erie school of osteopathic medicine which takes 3 yrs of med school instead of 4 only for pas but you would have to do residency ¥£€
Hi andrea Im looking to do an accelerated program for PA school and wanted to know if your friend, Sarah knew of any highly accredited PA programs? I also have a bit of non-intentional nosey question. I know that physicians and PA salaries are varied depending on where you live and work, but could you give me a possible range for the salary. Thank you so much and I hope you and your friend take care. :)
From my experience seeing both medical doctors and PAs, PAs are definitely more accessible for minor health concerns, like going to the grocery store and being able to see your PA and buy your groceries at the same time. I really wish physicians were a bit more accessible like PAs, but PAs are excellent healthcare providers just like doctors. :)
I'm back and also have another question! I want to get some hours for the PA Program and I want to be an EMT like your friend, and do I have to take courses in college for it or can I just sign up for an exam and be done?
Hi this video was really great! I was wondering if I became a PA but then after a year or 2 wanted to become an MD, could I do that? What would I have to do if I did do that?
+Andrea Tooley got it! what if I went to medical school and after a few years wanted to become a PA would I have to go back and start all over to do that?
You could do that, but you would have to go through all 4 years of medical school and then residency. PA school first doesn't give you any head start in the medical school process. You would also have to make sure you had all the prerequisites for medical school.
Can PAs be involved in research? (Besides positions like the administration of trial drugs or monitoring the patients' wellbeing.) Do PA education have a strong background in the pathophysiology of diseases and the mechanisms of action of various medications? How would this look compared to MD/DO? If there is a complex case, doctors usually take the reign on the matter, right? Any involvement by the PA in the matter? I guess monitoring the patient would be one part of the involvement. I hear that PAs are granted a lot more time with the patient as opposed to a physician--especially in the Internal Medicine branch--whereas the physician is involved with a lot of paper work. Does the physician over the PA take most of the notes on that patient that's cared for by the PA? I'm trying to get my head around what to decide. I'm interested in PA, but I am afraid if I won't have nearly as much exposure to the science side of medicine if I pursue this route. However, I love the idea of more patient interaction as a PA. Please help me out here.
Im going to be a senior in high school next year. Im attenting my local ctc for my senior year where ill be earning my CNA. I dont know where i wanna attend college. My plan was originally to attend the adult LPN program but most PA programs want bachelors. I cant decide if i should do a 3+2 program to get my PA faster, or if i should first get a bachelors in health science then enter a PA program.
This was so helpful ! I was always in between nursing or med school and I feel like I found the best fit for me and will most likely be doing a PA for neonatology. Thank you for this !
Thank you for the video! I am a respiratory therapist and I have worked with long term ventilator trach patients, hospital ICU and for the last year I have specialized in a level 2 NICU. I have 1 year left to get my business bachelor's that was an addition to my respiratory associates degree, by this time I will have 3 years of ICU and NICU experience. I will then finish my pre admission classes and apply to the PA program. I feel I have a great background in the medical field, especially with respiratory therapists being involved with all code teams and ventilator cares.
I was wondering do you think my experience is sufficient or do you have any other recommendations that will help me before the applying process? Also I will have 7 years experience as an RT before applying to PA school.
Lastly, I love the NICU and I want to continue in labor and delivery, our hospital doesn't use PA's for this dept, is that true for all hospitals? I want to work in the ER and/or labor and delivery.
This is so helpful! I am actually in the position where I have to start applying to schools and choosing my major soon and this made me realize that I can seriously imagine myself as a PA or Physician. I do have a question... If for some reason one were to become a PA and want to be a physician... Could you go on to medical school?
This is a great video! I've been going back and forth in my mind for months and months. I think the deciding factor for me is that as a PA I would have to work under the supervision of a doctor. When I shadowed an EM doctor, his PAs had lots of autonomy & that eased my mind. However I can't get it out of my head that one day I'd be 50 years old under the supervision of a 30-something doctor. May sound silly but like she said that just may be my personality :) Thank you for this, truly helpful.
@Meera436 reason I think I will always choose PA over MD
@Levi T. Hey Levi, I definitely feel you on the title part, it's something that I can't quite shake. I think they should change the name to Physician Associate.....same letters, but a different name, much better. For me, it's a time factor, if I continue with my path to med school, I won't finish residency till 41, whereas if I do PA school, I'll finish at 35. That means you get to start your life 6 years sooner than a physician and you have income for 6 more years. Also, working under someone younger than me in my 50's definitely is an issue, but again, time is important for me which you can't get back, like money, which you can.
Janae French I am also interested in the pa career we should team up & talk about it
I think when you view the healthcare field as a hierarchy you may get hung up on titles. If your going into the healthcare field the reality is your working on a team. All providers work together. The most important person in a hospital isn't the doctor it's the patients. If you have the time and finances go for med school. Just know medicine will be the focus of your life until retirement. It may vary by specialty but the hours are pretty strenuous. Whereas a PA has a more traditional forty hour work week. Down the line if you wanted to change specialty from say Emer Med to Family Care to lessen your stress and workload. As an MD you would go back and complete another 3-4 yr residency. PAs just apply for a new job
I was on the fence for a while, too. I ultimately decided to go PA, mostly because of my family (I am married with one child). My issue was the same as yours, being a PA with a wealth of experience, likely knowing more than the young physician I am having to report to. I was also hung up on the title; let's look at the path a PA must take. Most have to get their undergraduate degree (usually in the sciences), so that's about 4 years, and they usually have to have health care experience to get accepted to their programs. Then they have to complete a 2.25 year master's program, that's another 2+ years, and those programs usually require either a thesis or a 'capstone project', which is essentially the same thing. A thesis is a very difficult undertaking, considering you are also having to commit so much time to studying for your higher-level science courses like anatomy and pharmacology. All this work and you are called a physician 'assistant'? Really? I understand that PA's are NOT physicians, but referring to them as 'assistants' is just demeaning...one upside, if I ever decide that my disdain for my title is keeping me from enjoying my career, I can always go back to medical school in a few years. (Some medical schools are starting 'bridge' programs for PA's! Shortening medical school to 3 years instead of 4.).
This was wondefully done ladies! Both MD and PA are great was to practice medicine. I get called "doctor" alot at our hospital even though I correct people and tell them I' m a PA!
Hi Andrea, thank you so much for spending your valuable time on creating these super helpful videos. Can you possibly make a video of interviewing an osteopathic physician (DO)? I specifically am interested in differences between pediatric/OBGYN DO and MD physicians. I want to apply to both DO and MD schools. Thank you for everything! :)
ThanhThanh Vo I have a DO interview scheduled next week!!! Stay tuned!
This was super helpful! Thank you so much! Can you please do one with a nurse practitioner? I'm really in an awkward position right now and I could use all the information and opinions I can get. Your videos have been so amazing and I'm extremely grateful! ☺️
That would be great.
I agree.. PA vs NP is such a controversial topic ...
God you don't know how helpful this video has been, with the pressure of my family picking at me to do something with my life this video really makes me consider a medical life, to stop being so dam lazy and getting mediocre grades. Thank you so much for the video
Great video. I am currently working as a PA and planning to go back to med school. Love being a PA but desiring more responsibility.
Hey Andrea! Could you please do a video on NP vs. Physician? I'm having a hard time choosing which route is best for me, and I would love to hear your take on it!
Elise Friloux Yes!! I'm working on finding an NP to interview :-)
Thanks, I really appreciate your video. I am currently a respiratory therapist and interested in PA school. Thanks again ladies for the informative video.
Very informative!! Thanks!! Quick question, can I become a doctor later in life after becoming a PA? follow up: is it advisable? Is it good to get a feel for the industry as a PA, and then promote yourself to a doctor through med school if desired?
Hi Andrea! Your videos have really helped me. I am still unsure of what my calling is. A doctor, physician assistant, and nurse practitioner are on my radar. I think interviewing a nurse practitioner would be a great idea for a new video. Thanks!
I have been thinking a lot lately about Med school vs PA school.I already work in the medical field, so I KNOW medicine is right for me. I love medicine and love my job. i am continuing my education. Ive definitely been doing pros and cons. But up until recently being a physician was what i was sure but now I've been considering being a mid level provider. I just wish i could open a fortune cookie and it just tell me which to choose. I work with both PAs and Physicians so i see how both operate in the field.
Hi Andrea, this is a great video! I'm just wondering if you could do a video addressing issue/solutions for students with low undergraduate gpa who want to pursuit a career in healthcare field, e.g. Med, PA, or Nursing, etc. Thanks!
I know this a weird interview request, but could you compare being a physician vs a veterinarian? I am passionate about both and can definitely see myself enjoying both fields, but I do not know which one I should pursue. Just so you know, I am currently a sophomore in college majoring in Biology. I also would prefer to do a hands on specialty like surgery.
I dont normally take the time to comment on videos but I feel obligated to in this scenario so I can let you know that these videos are extremely helpful!
Hi Andrea, thank you so much for you awesome videos! Any specific recommendations to strengthen a PA application/ what would stand out in a positive way to the admission committee? Keep up the great videos, I always look forward to them!
This video came at exactly the right time! I was considering PA school & your friend explained perfectly. Thank you!
this is actually really inspiring, I like the idea of being a mediator between nurses and doctors it's really comforting to hear actually and I would like to have a supervisor at all times!
Love your videos Andrea! Thank you so much, they are very helpful!
This video was SUPER helpful. Thank you so much Andrea and Sarah!
Great video! You should interview a veterinarian and make a DVM vs MD if you can that would be cool!
You are the most warm, sweet person and I just get so positive when I watch your videos!! Thank you so much for giving out all of this information. I am really interested in dermatology but I understand it's a very competitive feild and while I am smart, I'm not the girl to ace all of the AP classes. I'm in high school currently and I really am interested in going to med school and becoming a dermatologist but I heard that a lot of doctors end up not liking their jobs and also I feel like I might go through med school and then end up not getting a residency or anything so I'm kinda stuck on what to do from here but your videos are just great you are a beautiful and smart girl :) I'm sure you will be an amazing doctor!
Thanks for this video! I have a question that maybe you can help me with. If a person decided to become a PA, and then later wanted to become a doctor, roughly how many years of schooling would they need to make the transition?
Thank you Andrea. This was very inspiring for me! I received my Bachelors in Business 2 years ago and am now back at school taking my pre reqs for PA. I'm a personal trainer and do a lot of corrective exercise work, but am so curious about the medical field.
I have a Q- I wanted to go to PT school, but recently am finding that PA would better fit me because of the fleixibility of hours, variability of work, etc. However, I work as a Physical Therapist Aide currently. Do you ( or Sarah ) think that PA schools would find that good experience working 'in the field'? I have invested a lot of money in becoming a personal trainer and dont really want to spend more money and time on becoming an EMT or something similar...Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Thanks again! :)
+Krista Kleinhammer I think that would probably count as great experience! But, I'm not sure, so I would check with some PA schools to see what they think
Was Sarah an EMT during her undergrad? If so, how would you become one as PA schools look at your health care experiences. I'm curious to know as I am doing my undergrad right now and interested in becoming a physician assistant.
Hi, does it matter where the pre-requisites for the schools are taken? I'm considering taking the classes at a community college, but I've heard from some friends that colleges look down on courses taken at a community college. Let me know if you have any thoughts on this. Thank you!
Hey Sarah (and Andrea!) So i have a few questions about a PA. Did you do a surgical PA residency program or did you go straight from PA school to surgery? And do you suggest being a EMT before PA school? Is there any other good clinical jobs that you would recommend? Thanks for the video :)
Question for Sarah: I recently applied to PA school and did not get in. I am trying to get more healthcare experience which I believe is my weakness in my resume. I am either planning on getting my CNA or EMT. Would you say there is a preferred type of experience that schools want? And when you got your EMT, were you required to volunteer for a year before actually working?
Hey Andrea!
First off, great video. Love seeing real PAs speak about their profession. I'm currently finishing up my pre-reqs for PA. My question is does your friend Sarah have a KZclip or Twitter account or someway to contact her? I have few more questions I was wondering if she could answer. Thanks again!
Hi! I am very curious about which path to take.. I am a junior in college and am interning in the pharmacy at my local hospital. I am not sure that pharmacy is the route I would like to continue on. I am curious about PA though. I was wondering how many hours (shadowing hours, etc.) were a typical amount that most PA schools expect you to have. a range would be great! I am not the best test taker either (SAT's were not very good) so I am nervous for the GRE. Anything that I can do to maybe help compensate that would be fantastic. Thank you and let me know! I really appreciate it!
Wow this helped me a lot! I wasn't sure if I want to be a PA or a Physician so this helped!
Super helpful! I am applying to PA school this upcoming cycle and will be graduating with my bachelors this summer. I'm a little worried about the competitiveness. I have a 3.6 with over 2000 hours as a CNA. Hope I can get into one of the programs! Thanks for this video!
lovemandypie
Nice!! I have my undergraduate in health sciences
My undergraduate major was Health Sciences Pre-Clinical meant for matriculation into a clinical program such as PA, medicine, pt, etc. after graduation.
lovemandypie what was your undergraduate major? if I may ask
do you think training in BLA/CPR and Phlebotomy will help my chances in this field? I'm attending my first day of Phleb school (7-week program + externship) today. Also, is it more appealing to get in if i have more training besides just these? I was considering Medical Assisting training as well down the road to better my chances.
Thanks Andrea! Your videos are always super helpful :)
This question is to Andrea or Sarah :
First off this video was extremely helpful so thank you both so much! :) but my question is, do PAs get respect? For example, if Sarah were to go talk to the patient and exam the patient, would the patient want the doctor to do the exam instead? I know a lot of people aren't informed on what a PA is or the school that they have to go too so I'm just curious as to if PAs are respected. I'm not sure if I want to be a PA or doctor.
Just love how all the video questions are an order. Very good and informative!
Just so everyone knows, PA schools actually do almost always require an entrance exam, and tend to require the GRE (or in some cases they'll accept the MCAT). It's pretty rare that they don't require an entrance exam like in Sarah's experience
Almost always meaning that about 98/250 DON'T require the GRE. In other words, 39%--not what I would consider "rare".
Ryan Phelps Yeah, it's standard now. I took the GRE back in the 90s but it was for grad school in Genetics.
Depending on the PA school, you might have to take the GRE as a requirement
This seriously made me consider being a PA. I've wanted to be a pediatrician or pathologist since I was 10, but was always afraid of the excessively long hours that would prevent me from living the life I want. Thank you so much for this video!
Same here. Also once an MD completes their 3 to 4 year residency after four years of medical school. They can only practice within that specialty ie obgyn. In order for an obgyn to go into say surgery. They must complete another 3-8 yr residency depending on specialty and retake board exams. If a PA wants to switch from family care to dermatology they just apply for the position.
This was so helpful as I'm about to dive into my college career. Aspiring future PA here, hoping to pursue an MD after everything seems settled in my future life. Thanks so much for making this video!
Hey Andrea, I absolutely love this video. I've been doing some research on how to become a physician assistant. My major is bio-medical sciences. How would I gain the clinical experience with my major? .
mary evans work in the ER as a scribe or tech. Become a CNA. Get your emt or phlebotomist certification and work for a year. Direct patient contact in any form is fine.
How hard was it getting into Uni of Chicago? It's my goal school and the acceptance rate is under 15% or so. I'm a junior pushing a 3.7 GPA and I volunteer at a hospital. My main worry is not being good enough to make it into uni of chi.
Just a quick question for Sarah. I'm currently taking EMT-Basic courses while working on my Bachelors in order to attend P.A. School. I was wondering what level of EMT would she think is good enough to help you stick out when applying to P.A. School?
I was an EMT-I before PA school. I was never asked about my certification level. As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter if you're an EMT-B, A-EMT, or Paramedic. Total hours in EMS will be more relevant than cert level. If I were you, I would stick with EMT-B as long as you can find a job with patient care hours.
This was very enlighting!!!. I enjoyed lots too think about when choosing a career path.
I have been looking at Butler University for my undergrad. How was your friend able to finish PA school and undergrad within 4 years? I looked on Butler's website for an accelerated PA program similar to what you and your friend were talking about, but i was unable to find something like that. Thanks!
I was just wondering if you are eligible to further your education to become a PA, after attaining a Bachelor's degree in Nursing? Or would you need to attain a different degree/qualification to go to PA grad school?
Thank you for posting this! Start "Pre-PA" school this fall- excited and nervous at the same time :) ps love your instgram pics lol
MafiaMike123 Yay!!! Good luck!!
Thanks. My question is coming from the fact that I am a pre-med student considering family medicine. I have heard that a PA can perform about 80% of a primary care physician job. Therefore do you think PA or NP can almost replace a family physician?
This was such a great question and answer! Thank you so much!
This was a great video and was reassuring my decision of becoming a physician assistant =) I'm just wondering if i'm on the right track. So I received my bachelor's in 2014 at 23 years old, but still have about 6 more pre requisites to take before I can apply to the PA schools I want to go to. Which will take about a year to finish these courses since I have to try and take these few classes at a community college. I have a good amount of shadowing hours and experience in health care administration. The year I would apply is Fall 2016 in order to attend for Fall 2017, which is at 26 years old. Am I too old to apply and am I taking the necessary steps to help make my application more competitive? I'm thinking about trying out being an EMT the summer before I apply similar to your friend. I just need a reassuring response to help keep me motivated, inspired, and to keep the momentum going of wanting to pursue this profession.
Thank you
+Elizabeth R I spoke with the physician assistant I'm shadowing and she came from the PA school I want to go to western university in Pomona and she said I'm headed in the right direction .
Arnold Lopez I guess. It's just I usually see some PA schools say you need to have direct patient care experience and they wont accept healthcare experience were you did office work. I just didn't want you going in and being disappointed if they told you they wouldn't accept your healthcare administration experience. I hope you get in and not every PA school will require the experience I think.
Sometimes I give the patients blankets and water, and adjust their bed. In triage, I take their weight and height sometimes to assist the nurse. In addition, I interact with the patients through conversation while registering their demographic information and inputting their insurance information and eligibility. I beleive sometimes it's better not to be part of the social norm or what is expected, rather doing something different and having it revolve around the main goal is what matters most, if you have good intentions and passion I believe that's good enough.
Arnold Lopez I would recommend working as an EMT because PA schools will not accept experience in healthcare administration. They will only accept experience in direct patient care and I believe most want about 2000 hours.
Elizabeth R I appreciate your feedback, thank you!
Questions: what undergraduate majors are usually good for PA? Biochemistry, Psychology or chem-E? ( Biology really bores me )2. What if the college I plan on going currently doesn't have human anatomy classes which are pre-requisites for PA? I heard Yale offer online anatomy classes, do the online courses count? 3. Are there any colleges offer BS in PA? 4. What school did Sarah say that she went for her undergraduate and PA?
Thank you so much for this video!
+Trustypo it carries from school to school its normally anatomy and physics some basic math stuff like that, you have to look at each college and see everything is different.
Thanks for the video it was really helpful. How easy would it be to graduate from PA school in one state and then immediately begin working in a different state? I'm definitely looking to move after PA school and am curious how easy it is to get licensed in other states and how long that would typically take. Also how easy is it to get a job as a newly graduated PA? Are there websites with job listings aimed at newly graduated PA's?
Austin Cannon It depends on the state, but if you know where you are moving, you can likely start the application process to get licensed there before you move. There are lots of different websites with PA job listings. Good luck!
Such an awesome and very helpful video! Thank you!
Hi Andrea,
I graduated from the University of Illinois this past May and I am currently working as a Patient Care Tech as I prepare for my PA school apps this coming summer. Would it be possible for me to set up a day to shadow your friend Sarah? I live in Chicago and my scheudle is extremely flexible. Thanks!
Hello. I am wondering how likely it is for someone over forty to be able to get into PA school? Do schools typically choose younger candidates? Thank you for your time!
Hi there! Thanks for the video. Quick question - for a surgical PA, what procedures would the PA be allowed to do vs. the doctor during surgery?
@Andrea Tooley thanks for the information. Your husband is a surgical PA or surgeon?
Summers To my knowledge, most PAs are first assist in surgery- so they are right next to the doctor doing a lot of the surgery, but the main doctor is in charge. My husband did orthopedic surgery and he would do lots of stuff on his own like prepare the tendons, etc. One of my girlfriends is a PA and harvests veins for cardiac surgeries. So you get to do a lot!
I am a junior in college now and have begun preparing for the MCAT next summer. I am torn between nursing school, PA, DO, and MD school. PA school has always been what I saw myself doing, but the autonomy of the field does not always interest me. I tend to be one who is more independent and wants to call the shots. In the end, if I am accepted to my nursing school I am not sure what I want to do. Do I choose nursing school and continue to climb up to a DNP, FNP, etc, or do I continue with my pre-med track and hope for the best in applying for med schools, etc? Overall, I just feel lost and need more guidance. Your videos are very helpful and I enjoy seeing the other side of things through your Instagram as well. Thanks in advance. @Andrea Tooley
Brett Jackson What did you end up choosing?
+Victoria P. I suggest you try to shadow people in those fields. It's difficult because there are times where it seems like they all can do the same thing, especially if you are only shadowing people working in primary care.
I feel the same way. I want to call the shots, but I also want structure in my life. I'm 18 in Nursing school and I always saw myself becoming a Nurse Anesthtist. During clinicals I always see the PAs and they caught my attention. I'm very young so I have time, but I like to map out my future so I know where I'm headed.
Great video! Helped me a lot! I am considering joining the PA Program at my local College & still working on undergrad courses, what is the best way to get hours & how do you become a EMT like you said you did! I need 500 hours for the PA program I'm applying to. Thank you it would help so much!
Usually local community colleges have EMT courses. Or the Red Cross. Some ambulance companies also have courses. Google EMT programs in your area. You can work towards getting 500 hours over the summers after completing the EMT course and becoming certified in your state. Google NREMT which is the national exam for EMTs to find accredited programs in your area. Usually your individual state will have a exam you must take as well. Courses usually take a few months to complete. Good luck. I'm in an EMT course now to get hours working in the field for PA school
I heard you need a bachelors degree and work experience in a healthcare setting to apply to a PA program. Could you apply to the program with a BSN or would it have to be a specific bachelors degree for example in science or biology?
Looking into PA school now. I'm a current undergraduate student. The two fields I'm most interested in are neurosurgery and anesthesiology. What are the prospects for a PA in those fields? I know they work in neurosurgery, as I've had a few brain surgeries and my neurosurgeon had a few amazing PAs.... Looking for any info to help make the decision! Thanks!
+Ron Blair CRNA's (certified registered nurse anesthetists) are employed for anesthesia practice, rarely PA's. However there are an increasing amount of neurosurgery PA's. Take your pick
This was truly helpful. Thank you for making this video. Just subscribed.
how important is one's gpa for pa school? I went to uc berkeley and science classes there were pretty competitive so I'm most worried about my prereq grades. do you think i still have a chance if my gpa is not that high?
Excellent video.This really helped. Answered up a lot of questions.
HI Andrea, Namia Jai recommended me your videos and I love them :)
I have a few questions:
1. Just like Namia, i want to go back to India after medical school, and i'm 100% sure about that. So to do residency in India, do we have to apply from the medical school? Or how does it work? Also, everyone will be planning their residencies in med school, do I just say that I want to do residency in India?
2. This is adding up to number one, but do hospitals for residency in India accept the medical school degree?
3. Can we go to the same medical school as you did your 4 years before med school? For example if I go to Stanford for my major, can I apply at Stanford or med school? Or is it possible I could get in automatically?
Thanks!
Rachna
This was a great video! I was just wondering what her duties during surgery are?
LaurenAlexandra711 I think she is generally first assist. That means she does the surgery right next to the doctor and helps the whole time. She probably does a lot of the closing sutures at the end as well.
Do you guys believe becoming an RN before PA school is to much? What is the fastest undergrad degree you can obtain prior to PA school? Thanks!
i would recommend getting a bachelors degree in nursing so you have many opportunities as a nurse, get a few years of experience, then get your masters in nursing if you want to be a practitioner. thats what im planning on doing, might not be right for you. good luck!
Cody Kearns I am someone that is considering doing it. Nurse practitioners are phenomenal providers when they put the effort needed into it. However, NPs must specialize in a specific age group, healthcare type (Primary care vs Tertiary care). There are further forms of specialties such as anesthesia, midwifery (OBGYN care), etc. This is why I am considering transitioning to PA because they are exposed to all forms of medicine and surgery without the need to get other certifications as well as maintaining those certifications which is quite expensive over time. My problem is that I truly liked many areas that I went through during RN school.
The experience you get will be phenomenal, and you will improve your patient assessment skills and better understand the nursing profession and be more competent to collaborate with them. I truly love this field and the care I provide my patients. Also, if you don't get accepted to PA school the first time, you can work as an RN and make a great salary and do what you love. Furthermore, you will have many more options to where you want to continue your education (NP, CNS, CRNA, etc). Those options aren't as available with a bio degree, or other degrees you may obtain. Best of luck.
If youre going to become a rn you should try for becoming a nurse practitioner instead of heading to PA
these videos are soooo helpful!! thank you so much!!
Hi Andrea,
I was wondering what your husband majored in during undergrad.
Thank you Andrea!
Hi love your vids! Do you know if you can be a PA in preventive health care? :) like working with a DO as a physician assistant, if a DO's PA would be a PA in preventive health care? Thanks
Question: I am currently a senior in high school and I have done some research on what a PA is and does, I have a pretty strong background in science having already taken AP Bio, AP Chem, Honors Anatomy and Physiology, and AP Physics. However, I have not taken Problem stats or Calc I am in Trig/PreCalc though. If I wanted to peruse a career as a PA is it too late or do I apply to programs and school once I'm already in college because I have gotten conflicting information from one of my teachers vs what I have read online. Please help.
+thegarbageman21 Thank you so much lol been wondering but I could not find anything saying that directly.
+Colin H You apply to PA school during or after college just like law or medical school. They are all postgraduate programs.
i am a single mother of 2 kids 2 yrs old and 7 months and i want to go back to school so badly and ive been extremely interested in becoming a PA. im currently a housekeeper at mayo clinic and ive been accepted to college for an online bach degree in health sciences. mayo has a PA program ive been looking at to do afterwards as well. should i become certified as an emt forst so i can gain more experience first or stay with what im doing and just go to achool? im very confliced because alot of PA schools and jobs want experience first but how do you get that when you havent graduated yet... thank you in advance for your help! :)
Thank you soo much for this...it gave me a real insight and answered a lot of my questions
Hey Andrea, thanks for your videos as always. Do you plan on interviewing your husband since he is a PA as well? :)
I am a junior in High School and I just recently got interested in this Medical stuff lol, I am planning on taking chemistry and calculus my senior year, Is there anything else i should do that could possibly help me out? Andrea Tooley
Do you know if a physician assistant can specialize and do gynecological work such as well woman exams, prescribing birth control and even inserting IUDs? Can PA's deliver babies? I'm very interested in a career similar to an OB/GYN physician but I really like the sounds of this career also!
mackenzieros3 Yes to all those things!
Interesting, how about PA vs NP, anyone know the pros/cons to that? I have my BSN, and considering a midlevel position. I guess maybe DNP makes more sense for me since I'm already in the nursing field, but I'm wondering what the differences are between the two.
keepinitreal you can be a surgical NP i believe! It's just that the majority of NPs tend to be in family practice or OBGYN or something like that
Jon Tabzz Thank you! yes I think for me it makes a lot more sense to do NP. Although, surgical side of things has always been more appealing to me.
I'm in PA school right now. I can tell you right now that there is very little difference between a PA and an NP. PA's are more common in surgical specialties compared to NPs, who tend to lean more towards primary care. NPs are allowed to have their own practice in certain states. Both have the same skills of diagnosing and treating patients and writing prescriptions. Both have very similar salaries too. I think the biggest difference is the model of education. PA school is like an abridged med school so it follows the same classes and emphasis on training as MDs and DOs. NPs have a nursing background so their training is different. It's basically taking two different routes to get to the same point. I think for you, NP would make more sense because of your strong background in nursing.
Wow, thank you so much for this interview. It helped!
If your bachelor's course wasnt' health care related, how is one to achieve the pre-requisite health care service hours? any ideas?
Great video!! Super helpful!! Thank you :)
Sweet. Going from military chaplain to medical field. I have been highly considering P.A, or anesthesiologist. Just depends on if I have a family.
Wow great video! I learned so much, thank you. 😀👍🏾
Hi Andrea! I am a student in Chicago and looking for shadowing hours as well, what are some tips to get shadowing hours. I know people say look in your family but I am a first generation student so this wouldn't help. Thanks!
Hey i loved this video ! But my question is can PAs decide to "move up" .. if they dont like being under someone. Would they have to go to medical school to become an actual doctor? Would this be time consuming ?
How common is it for a PA to decide that they want to go to Medical School and then take that route to become a doctor? I am considering PA school to start off my medical career but feel that I may want to go to Medical School at a later time down the road. Is this a possible path to take?
JonTheElite There is no fast track to medical school. One must complete the full 4 years in order to obtain their MD. The only one program in the US that bridges you is the LECOM PA to DO program lecom.edu/academics/the-college-of-medicine/accelerated-physician-assistant-pathway/.
However it will be much more expensive as PA programs run in the range of 50k in total. furthermore, you are just adding more time to the equation. Don't use PA as a stepping stone, it is highly competitive and is not the easy way out to becoming a physician. PA is good for someone who wishes to have balance in their life, and less debt after graduation. If you are interested in aiding the primary care deficit in this country, go PA. With the Affordable Care Act going in place, primary care is the future of this country. However, If you want to be at the frontier of medicine finding the latest scientific advancements go MD/DO. If you want to be the final say of the decision making tree, go MD/DO.
Andrea Tooley Do you know if there are ways to fast track medical school if I am already an experienced PA?
JonTheElite I suppose it's possible, but I think it's unusual because you can basically do everything as a PA as you could with an MD
Question: if a PA decided to go to medical school to specialize in the field that they're currently working in (like a PA practicing in med-peds went to medical school for med-peds), would that take a few years off medical school and could they skip residency since they already specialize in that field of practice?
There is a school in Pennsylvania called Lake Erie school of osteopathic medicine which takes 3 yrs of med school instead of 4 only for pas but you would have to do residency ¥£€
+wesley ogilvie There are some institutions that have programs specified for PAs to medical doctor.
+wesley ogilvie Unfortunately no :-( You would still have to go through medical school and residency
Hi andrea Im looking to do an accelerated program for PA school and wanted to know if your friend, Sarah knew of any highly accredited PA programs? I also have a bit of non-intentional nosey question. I know that physicians and PA salaries are varied depending on where you live and work, but could you give me a possible range for the salary. Thank you so much and I hope you and your friend take care. :)
Andrea Tooley Thank you for your help i wish you the best of luck!!
Bella Sierp The salaries vary a lot, but I think most PAs make somewhere between 80-150K. Anything more or less than that isn't as common.
Interesting and informative. Good job.
From my experience seeing both medical doctors and PAs, PAs are definitely more accessible for minor health concerns, like going to the grocery store and being able to see your PA and buy your groceries at the same time. I really wish physicians were a bit more accessible like PAs, but PAs are excellent healthcare providers just like doctors. :)
I'm back and also have another question! I want to get some hours for the PA Program and I want to be an EMT like your friend, and do I have to take courses in college for it or can I just sign up for an exam and be done?
pshyeah1128 I'm pretty sure you have to take a course. But, I'm sure there are lots of difference course options- try googling it! :-)
Hi this video was really great! I was wondering if I became a PA but then after a year or 2 wanted to become an MD, could I do that? What would I have to do if I did do that?
Talya B don't really see why anyone wud wanna do that lol
+Andrea Tooley got it! what if I went to medical school and after a few years wanted to become a PA would I have to go back and start all over to do that?
You could do that, but you would have to go through all 4 years of medical school and then residency. PA school first doesn't give you any head start in the medical school process. You would also have to make sure you had all the prerequisites for medical school.
thanks for this video! it would be so cool if you could do one with a D.O. and even an N.D. ! :)
Can PAs be involved in research? (Besides positions like the administration of trial drugs or monitoring the patients' wellbeing.)
Do PA education have a strong background in the pathophysiology of diseases and the mechanisms of action of various medications? How would this look compared to MD/DO?
If there is a complex case, doctors usually take the reign on the matter, right? Any involvement by the PA in the matter? I guess monitoring the patient would be one part of the involvement.
I hear that PAs are granted a lot more time with the patient as opposed to a physician--especially in the Internal Medicine branch--whereas the physician is involved with a lot of paper work. Does the physician over the PA take most of the notes on that patient that's cared for by the PA?
I'm trying to get my head around what to decide. I'm interested in PA, but I am afraid if I won't have nearly as much exposure to the science side of medicine if I pursue this route. However, I love the idea of more patient interaction as a PA. Please help me out here.
This video was so helpful, thank you!!
This video was so helpful thank you so much!
Im going to be a senior in high school next year. Im attenting my local ctc for my senior year where ill be earning my CNA. I dont know where i wanna attend college. My plan was originally to attend the adult LPN program but most PA programs want bachelors. I cant decide if i should do a 3+2 program to get my PA faster, or if i should first get a bachelors in health science then enter a PA program.
Really good questions! Great video!