What about becoming a PA?

[Anonymous]

Ok - so if one wants to become a NP in Maryland, practically speaking what are the steps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really think that's the future of health care, OP. I will not see an MD unless I have no choice. I always choose a NP or PA as our PCP. The level of care is consistently so much better. Go for it!

Not to derail the OP's thread, but to respond to this post: Just be sure you recognize that the level of training of NPs and PAs is nowhere near that of physicians before you write off MD/DOs completely. Some NP programs involve online degrees for people with no prior nursing background. The total number of clinical hours required by some NP/PA training programs is less than what an MD/DO would complete in just a month or two of residency training (=3 years plus), yet in some states they can practice independently.

I like NPs much better than MDs. I have not experienced "lack of training" translates into "lack of adequate care" at all.

+1 million. Non one cares about the amount of schooling you had 15 years ago if you are not providing quality, patient-focused care. I too choose PAs and NPs over doctors

The problem is that you don't know what you're not getting until something bad happens. I have personally had some truly nonstandard, appalling care from midlevel providers that required "fixing" by a physician. Never again. Evidence-based medical management and "quality, patient-focused care" aren't mutually exclusive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am an MD and realize that NP and PA office care will become the wave of the further. I support this and think its great. I do want to point out that NP and PA programs are significantly less education that MD/DO programs. This is leading to some tension in my industry because sometimes a PA in a busy practice can make almost as much as the physical itself if its a low paying field like peds or family med. Im a female surgeon so me dealing with pissed off old men because I am making good money doesn't bother me though! Healthcare is changing guys!

I am in full support of NPs and PAs when used in the model that their training intended, to work under the supervision of a (more highly trained) physician. In that model: yes absolutely, that's medicine of the future. The tension in primary care fields is not about salaries, but rather inappropriate scope of practice. The lower level of training does not prepare NPs and PAs for independent practice, yet they are increasingly used that way by health systems because they are "cheaper", i.e. their salaries are lower than physicians, in contrast to your point.

[Anonymous]

To the OP: A Physician Assistant degree is typically a 24-26 month post grad degree. Each school has their own science requirements (chemistry, biology, microbiology, anatomy) that you can take at the undergraduate level. If you have been out of college for 15 years, these science classes might have to be retaken depending upon the school. The GRE exam is also required. And finally, many PA programs require extensive patient experience (in the 1000's of hours). This is why you often see nurses move into the PA field.

Personally, I only want to see the doctor unless it's a sick appointment and I am desperate. I am paying the same amount and prefer the more highly trained person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really think that's the future of health care, OP. I will not see an MD unless I have no choice. I always choose a NP or PA as our PCP. The level of care is consistently so much better. Go for it!

+1. Department of Labor marks it as an occupation with demand growth.

It travels - there’s a need wherever you go.

National Health Service Corps could help pay for the cost of training in exchange for a commitment to work in an underserved area. (Some states also have scholarship and loan repayment).

Downside is that training might be tough on a parent. Short term pain, long term gain.

[Anonymous]

I know a PA who earns $250k and works 3 days a week (hospital setting assisting a surgical team). I think it's a sweet gig.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an MD and realize that NP and PA office care will become the wave of the further. I support this and think its great. I do want to point out that NP and PA programs are significantly less education that MD/DO programs. This is leading to some tension in my industry because sometimes a PA in a busy practice can make almost as much as the physical itself if its a low paying field like peds or family med. Im a female surgeon so me dealing with pissed off old men because I am making good money doesn't bother me though! Healthcare is changing guys!

I am in full support of NPs and PAs when used in the model that their training intended, to work under the supervision of a (more highly trained) physician. In that model: yes absolutely, that's medicine of the future. The tension in primary care fields is not about salaries, but rather inappropriate scope of practice. The lower level of training does not prepare NPs and PAs for independent practice, yet they are increasingly used that way by health systems because they are "cheaper", i.e. their salaries are lower than physicians, in contrast to your point.

+1. I would be not comfortable at all getting routinely examined by a NP or PA. The years of valuable training counts for something in my book. Bedside manner and the sweety-sweety talk that a lot of people fall for from NPs and PAs is not something I really care about. Give me a competent, no bullshit MD any day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an MD and realize that NP and PA office care will become the wave of the further. I support this and think its great. I do want to point out that NP and PA programs are significantly less education that MD/DO programs. This is leading to some tension in my industry because sometimes a PA in a busy practice can make almost as much as the physical itself if its a low paying field like peds or family med. Im a female surgeon so me dealing with pissed off old men because I am making good money doesn't bother me though! Healthcare is changing guys!

I am in full support of NPs and PAs when used in the model that their training intended, to work under the supervision of a (more highly trained) physician. In that model: yes absolutely, that's medicine of the future. The tension in primary care fields is not about salaries, but rather inappropriate scope of practice. The lower level of training does not prepare NPs and PAs for independent practice, yet they are increasingly used that way by health systems because they are "cheaper", i.e. their salaries are lower than physicians, in contrast to your point.

+1. I would be not comfortable at all getting routinely examined by a NP or PA. The years of valuable training counts for something in my book. Bedside manner and the sweety-sweety talk that a lot of people fall for from NPs and PAs is not something I really care about. Give me a competent, no bullshit MD any day.

+1000. I'll take a jerk MD who I know is highly competent over a warm-fuzzy NP/PA who is practicing out of scope. I'm not there to make friends, I'm there to get medical advice!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really think that's the future of health care, OP. I will not see an MD unless I have no choice. I always choose a NP or PA as our PCP. The level of care is consistently so much better. Go for it!

Not to derail the OP's thread, but to respond to this post: Just be sure you recognize that the level of training of NPs and PAs is nowhere near that of physicians before you write off MD/DOs completely. Some NP programs involve online degrees for people with no prior nursing background. The total number of clinical hours required by some NP/PA training programs is less than what an MD/DO would complete in just a month or two of residency training (=3 years plus), yet in some states they can practice independently.

I like NPs much better than MDs. I have not experienced "lack of training" translates into "lack of adequate care" at all.

+1 million. Non one cares about the amount of schooling you had 15 years ago if you are not providing quality, patient-focused care. I too choose PAs and NPs over doctors

I care. How can a NP or a PA provide better care than an MD with a lot more experience and education? Get real. A NP can give me an antibiotic or a PA can give me baseline physical, but if there is a chance I need decent medical care for something serious, no way in hell.

When I was pregnant, HMO wanted me to have a midwife and LaMaze. Hell NO... I had an epidural and a OB. BTW: Where are the LaMaze classes now?

[Anonymous]

NP & PA were brought in to reduce the price of healthcare. In pharmacy, they started with pharmacy techs. How can a pharmacy tech with a HS diploma have the skills & knowledge of a pharmacist? They can't. Look at all the problems we had with compounded products.

Why don't we cut back on Healthcare CEO multimillion dollar salaries to save money?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As far as I can see from a mom friend that is one at a hospital, it seems close to ideal as a "mom job" for the right personality: professional job but "shift work" in terms of stress is contained to the workplace (no taking work home, work emails outside of working hours, etc), choice of what shifts you take with the option of taking on more when there's a financial need or trading shifts when family's schedule changes, and highly portable with open positions found almost anywhere. And I don't have a lot to gauge this on, but there doesn't seem to be the ageism in the medical field that there is in private sector companies.

All this is true but never any working at home...I can do this 3 times a week which helps a ton

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PA programs are pretty hard to get into.

This. My daughter is in the process of applying to PA schools. She had a 3.68 GPA as a biology major (3.82 GPA in the science classes) three years working as a CNA, a GRE verbal in the 77th percentile and 62nd quantitative, and two semesters doing research with a professor. She was only accepted to 3 of the 7 programs she applied to (and she was not applying to the top ranked schools).

To be competitive, applicants generally will have at least three years direct patient experience. Do you have that?

It’s *extremely* competitive. And once she actually gets there, it’s an incredibly demanding, rigorous curriculum.

Once you actually become a PA, it’s fairly flexible. But do NOT underestimate the amount of work it takes to get in and the amount of work it takes to stay in.

[Anonymous]

What is your background, OP? If not something medical/healthcare, you’ll need at least two years getting direct patient experience (most common routes are EMT, CNA, scribe, phlebotomist...) to be a competitive applicant. If you’ve been out of college for 10+ years and/or haven’t taken the science prerequisites, you’ll need to spend at least a year taking classes biology, chemistry, microbiology, and psychology (including lab components). Are you willing to commit to that? If you don’t have the science/healthcare background, you’re looking at a minimum of two years before you’d even be able to apply.

I get the sense that you don’t really understand what it takes to become a physician’s assistant. This is not just something you wake up in the morning and decide to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a PA who earns $250k and works 3 days a week (hospital setting assisting a surgical team). I think it's a sweet gig.

That may be the case but far from the norm. For PA in academic centers in DC, average pay is around 90-100k which is still a very good salary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a PA who earns $250k and works 3 days a week (hospital setting assisting a surgical team). I think it's a sweet gig.

highly doubt it.