I’m very passionate about this profession. It’s imperative to me that my future colleagues share that same sentiment for this growing field. I’m in no way discouraging you from becoming a PA. Instead, I’m encouraging you to introspectively examine your own heart to ensure that you have chosen this route for the right reasons.
𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐁𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐀 𝐏𝐀 𝐈𝐅…
𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐔𝐏 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐍
If you are applying to PA school, it should be because it's your first choice. If you are using it as plan B, I don’t believe you will be fulfilled by this profession. PA and MD/DO are INCREDIBLE careers, however, they are vastly different in terms of autonomy, responsibility, and career trajectory.
𝐘𝐎𝐔'𝐑𝐄 𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐓 𝐀𝐒 𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐄
I’ve been hearing this one a lot lately. Do you plan on going back to med school? Technically, it is possible and has happened before. With that being said, PA is NOT a stepping stone to becoming a doctor. If a PA were to go back to med school, they would have to start from scratch, regardless of their training as a PA.
𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐆𝐆𝐋𝐄 𝗪𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐁𝐄𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐄
If you cannot stand the idea of not having the final say so or having your decisions overridden at times, this is likely not the profession for you. As a PA, your role is to collaborate with a physician. Often times, this is done very independently with a great amount of autonomy. However, at the end of the day, the physician has the final say so and the legal responsibility for care.
𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐃𝐎𝐍’𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐀 𝐎𝐅 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝗪𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆
PAs receive an accelerated generalist training. This is unique because it allows us a shorter period of education and lateral mobility. You will know “a little about a lot,” until you enter the workforce and delve deep into your specialty. In contrast, a physician completes residency +/- fellowship in one or more specialties. Highly specialized physicians often know “a lot about a little.”
After reading this, I hope you feel more confident in your decision to become a PA. What are your thoughts?
Great work explaining "Why not Pa?" Your last point, 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐃𝐎𝐍’𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐀 𝐎𝐅 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝗪𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆, seems to be the struggle for many PA students. I saw this a lot in my class, especially during clinical rotations. We are learning a "little about a lot" during PA school and our knowledge will enhance once we start practicing.