BSNs at Disadvantage for PA School?

Hi everyone!

I'm 29 years old and headed back to school after burning out in another field. I already know I'd like to stay with it through an advanced degree, but the question of "Nurse Practitioner" vs "Physician Assistant" is one I'm still trying to grok.

Anyway, I stopped six months short of my first bachelor's degree, so I'm not quite a 'second-degree'er. I thought it would be best for me to pursue a BSN in nursing first, as then I could get that coveted "healthcare experience" (and an income, hooboy) and have a few years to get a better idea of what the different roles in the medical world really do. And then when I was comfortable with a decision on my path, apply to NP or PA school.

But recently, I was told by a PA that people who get their BSN are actually at a disadvantage when applying to PA school, and that this wasn't a good idea at all. She said if you get a BSN you've basically trapped yourself in nursing; you've got to make the decision about "nursing" or "medical" straight off the bat, and do BSN for the former and biology/chemistry for the latter.

This has kind of panicked me. Do I really have to make this "path" decision RIGHT NOW, before any experience or anything? Have any of you found this to be true/not true?

((If I put this in the wrong forum, I apologize!))

The only reason I can see someone choosing PA school over NP school is they may feel the education is similar to medical school, thereby giving them an advantage. They probably get better practicum experience (xrays, suturing, procedures, etc) than NPs do. However I think PA school is designed that way because someone can theoretically enter without having prior medical knowledge or experience. Therefore to make sure PAs are completely competent the program is more rigorous. That's just my theory. Most NPs have been nurses for a number of years before having gone back to school. I understand the role of an RN is different than an NP's, but I do believe the RN experience counts for something.