Army RN to Army PA?

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I am currently in the process of getting my application in to the Army Reserves as an RN. I had every intention to continue my schooling and become an NP once I was established in the military. However, further research has guided me down the path of looking into the PA school the military offers. I am wondering if this transition is possible. Can you be a commissioned officer in the nursing corps and apply for the PA program?

Hi StudentNurseRachel,

I've been a Flight Medic for a few years now, and I have applied to the IPAP. Why did you feel the IPAP was superior to your NP program?

Curious,

Jay

Specializes in Adult Critical Care.

I can't speak for the IPAP specifically, but generally PA programs have a great deal more clinical preparation than NP programs. You get a lot more practice with clinical skills. I don't know if that's necessarily better. It depends on the specialty that you're entering. You don't need those to do primary care, a place many PAs and NPs end up (the ones that I came in with without experience all did primary care).

When I was a civilian, it also seemed to me that women's health and pediatrics are mostly NPs and surgery and ER are mostly PAs.

PAs also have the "cooler" jobs with many being in MEDEVAC units, Ranger/SF, infantry line and aviation brigades. NPs don't have that. The only NPs I ever saw on AD were in clinics with a select few as brigade "surgeons" but none in line units.

Yeah, every CSH/FST I delivered to had a PA...and a CRNA pushing gas. Getting into a SOF position would be a dream job. High tempo, but unlimited budget and training.

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