[TessaMarie]

Thanks core0. I really appreciate the information.

[Praise,RN]

Hi friends,

How long do you think if would take to become a PA with already having a MSN/Ed, BSN, RN and healthcare experience already? Do anyone know any online PA schools that would be a good route considering educational credentials already? I know most PA schools are 2 years in length. Do any one know a quicker route based on credentials already?

Thanks

[core0]

Originally Posted by Praise,RN

Hi friends,

How long do you think if would take to become a PA with already having a MSN/Ed, BSN, RN and healthcare experience already? Do anyone know any online PA schools that would be a good route considering educational credentials already? I know most PA schools are 2 years in length. Do any one know a quicker route based on credentials already?

Thanks

There is only one program that is dramatically shorter. That is the Stanford program. It can be accomplished in as little as 16 months, however my understanding is that most students take longer with more clinical. The South Dakota program has traditionally been an RN only program. They now take non-RNs but that remains an option. This is as far as I know the only program that has a significant distance learning component. Also the UC Davis program still offers an FNP option in addition to the PA-C.

The reason that most PA programs have standardized around 2 years is that is the time it takes to get through all the information that ARC-PA requires. Since there is no consistent way to evaluate your experience or training there usually isn't much credit given for this. The credit comes from those programs that require medical experience. In my class we had a pharmacist and an IMG (practicing vascular surgeon in his home country). Neither of them got any credit for their previous education.

David Carpenter, PA-C

[Praise,RN]

Thanks David, I am just researching right now. You mentioned UC Davis program, is there a website address and also for South Dakota program?

[core0]

Originally Posted by Praise,RN

Thanks David, I am just researching right now. You mentioned UC Davis program, is there a website address and also for South Dakota program?

Here is the UC Davis info. One problem is that you have your MSN but the NP is from CSU Sacramento. I would guess that you would have to take enough coursework from them to get the degree which means you would have to take your MSN over. Not sure how that would work, but I would guess that they have dealt with this before.
http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/fnppa/a...ogram.html#MT3
http://www.usd.edu/pa/

David Carpenter, PA-C

[disneydiva21]

if PA and NP'S do almost the same job why do NP's get paid more ?

[disneydiva21]

charles drew and riverside community college are pretty short

Originally Posted by core0

There is only one program that is dramatically shorter. That is the Stanford program. It can be accomplished in as little as 16 months, however my understanding is that most students take longer with more clinical. The South Dakota program has traditionally been an RN only program. They now take non-RNs but that remains an option. This is as far as I know the only program that has a significant distance learning component. Also the UC Davis program still offers an FNP option in addition to the PA-C.

The reason that most PA programs have standardized around 2 years is that is the time it takes to get through all the information that ARC-PA requires. Since there is no consistent way to evaluate your experience or training there usually isn't much credit given for this. The credit comes from those programs that require medical experience. In my class we had a pharmacist and an IMG (practicing vascular surgeon in his home country). Neither of them got any credit for their previous education.

David Carpenter, PA-C

[core0]

Originally Posted by disneydiva21

if PA and NP'S do almost the same job why do NP's get paid more ?

Average salary for PAs last year was $86,214
Average salary for NPs (from Advance) was $81,397
Thats the closest its ever been. Usually the difference has been more on the order of $7-9k. The general thought is that the salary difference is due to more PAs working in surgery.

Originally Posted by disneydiva21

charles drew and riverside community college are pretty short

PAEA directory lists both of these programs as 24 months which is slightly less than the average of 27 months.

David Carpenter, PA-C

[jzzy88]

What sorts of things do PAs do in surgery. How do they participate in surgical procedures?

[core0]

Originally Posted by jzzy88

What sorts of things do PAs do in surgery. How do they participate in surgical procedures?

It depends on the type of surgery. For example in ortho the PA may get the ACL graft and prepare it on the back table while the orthopod prepares the knee. There are some PAs that have a very good relationship with their SP that will do one side of a bilateral TKA.

In CV its pretty common for the PA to prepare the saphenous graft either open or more commonly endoscopically. While they do this the surgeon gets exposure and mobilizes the heart. Then the PA moves up and helps sew in the graft. They also will typically place the chest tubes at the end of the case.

In general surgery PAs mostly first assist which entails exposure, tissue dissection and hemostasis. I do transplant so I either second assist which is mostly exposure and hemostasis or first assist where I also do some tissue dissection. I help close and of course there are always the post op orders. In my case we mostly do medicine with an occasional 3 AM foray into surgery. There are a lot of different roles for PAs in surgery and many different areas of surgery to practice.

David Carpenter, PA-C