by dorisemoore1

I was wondering if any of you guys thought about going for your PA. I talk to the woman in my forum and all of them wants to go on to NP. I want to be a PA b/c I always wanted to go to Medical school. So I feel PA is best thing to it. The woman kind made it seem like PA was for a man and NP was for a woman. Kind of studid if you ask me I know being in the RN or LPN you are surround by woman who don't think you should be there. Just wondering if you would be more comfortable as a PA?

Thanks from the twin cities

Gender has nothing to do with it. It used to be that only men became doctors and the nursing profession was all-female but those days are long gone. NPs and PAs are qualified to do pretty much the same things, but the big difference between them is that NPs are independent practitioners and PAs are not. This means that as a PA you don't have the autonomy that an NP has, and I think this is one reason some MDs prefer to work with PAs than with NPs (the MD has total control over everything his/her PA does). I also believe that PAs have to do a recertification every 6 years, and NPs don't.

It would be a good idea to research both professions more before you make a decision.

Thanks Tony for the feedback

Thanks for the feedback. I was curious about a man's view. But I think I want to do the PA anyway. I talk to the Dr.'s at the hosp. I volunteer at and they say NP do have more independent but PA's is the closest thing to medical school than a NP course ( it just doesn't come close) They respect NP input but PA's have a different look on things b/c of the way they were taught.
I respect both professionals but I think PA is for me

thank again Tony

Dorise,

I'm not surprised that you would get that response from an MD. As I mentioned in my previous post, some physicians prefer to work with PAs because they know they can control everything the PA does, and they can't do that with NPs. Its also misleading for the doctors you're speaking with to suggest that PAs receive more technical training than NPs. PAs are no more qualified than NPs in any area of their practice. The reason PAs have a different perspective on patient care than NPs is because PAs are trained in the medical model of patient care while NPs are trained in the nursing model of patient care. For this reason, I'm inclined to believe that NPs are more wholistic in their practice because they tend to view patient care as much more than just diagnosis of disease and writing drug orders. In any case, both are good career options, and I wish you success in your future plans to become a PA.

I'm troubled by a lot of people saying that NP training 'doesn't come close' to PA training. This is a fallacy. Furthermore, just as some docs prefer to work with PAs, other docs prefer to work with NPs.

While I had thought of medical school in the past, I still plan on doing the NP route. I am a nurse with skills and some experience (gonna get more folks) and I can't imagine changing to PA school. I kinda think the PA route is a more "prestigous and sexy" option for a lot of people, I don't know.

I was just talking to a friend of mine's mom and I was telling her my plans. She works as a teacher at U of M in minneapolis and she told me with a BSN in nursing I could go to Medical school. Being doctor is still alive dream in me, and I'm only 20 years old. So how knows maybe after I get my BSN I will go ahead to Medical school.

Thanks everybody for your input
from the twin cities

I had considered the PA route, but in the end decided BSN/NP path would have more flexibility and marketability, aside from the increased independence. Once I learned nurses can be first assists, CRNAs, NPs in many specialties, I never looked back to the PA side again.

I'll admit, PA's have a slightly more in-depth medical education, but it would be a more expensive path for me, as AZ has zero PA programs at the state universities.

I'm a dude and have no desire to be a PA. I might consider going back and becoming an NP but don't feel the PA thing. The main reason is that I am a NURSE, not a doctor wannabe. Maybe we should make that a thread, how many guys get asked if they wanted to be doctors and went to nursing school as a second choice.

Say it loud and say it proud, I'M A NURSE!!!

I have been treated by and talked to both an NP and a PA. In my opinion NPs ROCK! While it may just be because of the individual care giver and not the title I feel like NPs focus more on me a person, they take time and explain and listen. Whereas the PA just saw my injury. Nursing is Nursing and that is an incredible, I'm gonna be a NP because I want to nurse people and heal them not cure and illness. But everyone's different and has different views, just my 2 cents!

In most cases in utah and other states I have worked. Most of the docs prefer NP's because they have more than two years of medical background and have learned time managment and to deal with crisis. Either way you really can't go wrong but the NP does give you more freedom