Are physician assistants blue collar?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm not in the medical field, but appreciate your question. I don't like the idea of being an "assistant" with all of the formal education and training required to be an PA. I would find the word "assistant" rather insulting as such playing second fiddle to a full fledged "MD". If you played sports, I would liken it to being a "backup" playing second fiddle. No one wants that. Why not give it another name without the word "assistant" in it?

So are the titles Secretary of Commerce or Secretary of Labor insulting because they are "secretaries?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm not in the medical field, but appreciate your question. I don't like the idea of being an "assistant" with all of the formal education and training required to be an PA. I would find the word "assistant" rather insulting as such playing second fiddle to a full fledged "MD". If you played sports, I would liken it to being a "backup" playing second fiddle. No one wants that. Why not give it another name without the word "assistant" in it?

So are the titles Secretary of Commerce or Secretary of Labor insulting because they are "secretaries?"

What about assistant US attorney.

[Anonymous]

PA here. We have toyed with name change to physician associate, but it would just confuse folks too much.


But to be honest , I do feel blue collar sometimes. And so do the docs I work with. Patients can be very demanding and bossy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm not in the medical field, but appreciate your question. I don't like the idea of being an "assistant" with all of the formal education and training required to be an PA. I would find the word "assistant" rather insulting as such playing second fiddle to a full fledged "MD". If you played sports, I would liken it to being a "backup" playing second fiddle. No one wants that. Why not give it another name without the word "assistant" in it?

MD here. You guys are way overthinking this. PAs play vital roles in pretty much all aspects of healthcare and are in demand. Although I will say I haven't seen many in administrative positions but I'm certain many would excel if given the chance. It's probably just a matter of time

I think white collar. With the demand for primary care, physician extenders NPs and PAs will get more and more independence.

[Anonymous]

What is the difference between a CNA nurse and a nurse and paramedics?

[Anonymous]

People with bachelor and grad/master degrees and practicing in their fields are called blue collar workers? That would be the first.

[Anonymous]

What a ridiculous question. I wonder if OP comes from one of those insecure, striver families that expects everyone to be either a doctor or lawyer and looks down on anything else.

[Anonymous]

PA requires a masters degree

[Anonymous]

of course

MD or bust

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: PA here. We have toyed with name change to physician associate, but it would just confuse folks too much.


But to be honest , I do feel blue collar sometimes. And so do the docs I work with. Patients can be very demanding and bossy.

maybe because they're pissed they couldn't see a real doctor?

[Anonymous]

A quick google tells me the average salary for a PA is 99K-144K--not blue collar in my book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm not in the medical field, but appreciate your question. I don't like the idea of being an "assistant" with all of the formal education and training required to be an PA. I would find the word "assistant" rather insulting as such playing second fiddle to a full fledged "MD". If you played sports, I would liken it to being a "backup" playing second fiddle. No one wants that. Why not give it another name without the word "assistant" in it?

MD here. You guys are way overthinking this. PAs play vital roles in pretty much all aspects of healthcare and are in demand. Although I will say I haven't seen many in administrative positions but I'm certain many would excel if given the chance. It's probably just a matter of time

I've seen a ton move up the ladder on the administrative side. The ones I know who are most successful add a masters or MBA along the way

[Anonymous]

Definitely not blue collar which means manual labor. Probably a hybrid between white collar and pink collar, and I say that from the perspective that many physicians may "feel" like they are pink collar workers.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you wouldn’t make a good pa, op.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm not in the medical field, but appreciate your question. I don't like the idea of being an "assistant" with all of the formal education and training required to be an PA. I would find the word "assistant" rather insulting as such playing second fiddle to a full fledged "MD". If you played sports, I would liken it to being a "backup" playing second fiddle. No one wants that. Why not give it another name without the word "assistant" in it?

So are the titles Secretary of Commerce or Secretary of Labor insulting because they are "secretaries?"

Imagine how the poor Undersecretary must feel