is going to school to become a PA worth it? is it a good career? is the paying worth it?

Question

I like to be a doctor but I'm just not ready for the hard work, and you spend 11 or more years of your life studying.... that's just not for me, I just want to graduate in 4 years not more than that.
so I thought about becoming a PA I know it's not easy but at least it doesn't take more than 4 years to graduate, but I'm not sure how's the proffession and the salary and how people see you....and stuff like that

Answer 1

INCOME - Results of the 2005 AAPA Physician Assistant Census Survey indicate that the mean total income from primary employer for PAs who are not self-employed and who work at least 32 hours per week for their primary employer is $81,129 (standard deviation $21,254); the median is $77,402. The comparable mean for PAs who have been in clinical practice for less than one year is $68,116 (standard deviation $13,077); the median is $66,591.

OUTLOOK ON PROFESSION - According to the findings published in AAPA's Information Update: Projected Number of People in Clinical Practice as PAs as of January 1, 2006, 91 percent of 2005 PA program graduates were estimated to be in clinical practice as PAs in 2006. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the number of PA jobs will increase by 50 percent between 2004 and 2014. The BLS predicts the total number of jobs in the country will grow by 13 percent over this 10-year period. The physician assistant profession was ranked the fourth fastest growing profession in the country.

The PA profession was also ranked by CNN and Money magazine in May 2006 as one of the top five jobs in the country.

For more information visit:
http://www.aapa.org

Post & Speak with current PA's:
http://www.physicianassistantforum.com

Answer 2

The PA is an amazing degree, stuck between heaven and hell. Doctors don't know how to treat you (although doctors don't treat anyone who is below doctor very well), and nurses won't like you, either. The pay is decent; national average is reported as around $75,000 (reference 1), but- I have no idea where these sites come up with crappy numbers like that. I've seen them quote average salaries in my field as being substantially more than anything I've ever seen advertised. So, call it $60K just to be safe.

The job market for all medical positions (doctor, nurse, PA, paramedics, etc.) seems to be pretty good right now; salaries aren't what they should be, and people tend to work long hours because there aren't enough people to hold down the work. But then you have to deal with people- usually icky people who are sick, frequently rude, and have all sorts of germs coming out of them.

My recommendation? Veterinarian. You get bit and scratched a lot, but it's awful tough to contract influenza or Hep A from your patients.

Still want to work with humans? Heart/lung machine operator. A couple of years of school to become a button-pusher that makes $60K a year for running a machine that- thank gawd- requires absolutely no talking to the patient (who, in all likelihood, is on the operating table for surgery required by lifestyle preferences that are frequently avoidable). No anaesthesia, and if you know which buttons to push, your liability is low- and handled by the hospital in any case.

Best of all- heart disease is unlikely to go away entirely despite any unforseen medical advances. Job assurance.

Answer 3

Yes it is. join the reserves and get a free education for it. The acceptance rates are really high and only require 30 hours in certain classes.

Answer 4

There's a shortage of PA's and nurses in this country. Your residency will be tough,but then it'll get better because you will be in great demand especially in hospitals in large cities. Good luck!

Answer 5

Put it this way...They will always be sick people and they will always need help

Answer 6

good for you