bachelors PA vs. masters PA

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what is the difference? can you still be a real PA with just a bachelors? i know a girl and she is dumb as a brick, going for PA bachelors...hard to believe her scope of practice will exceed mine as an RN. she will kill a lot of people...

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not to worry.... if she's just the way you describe her, she won't graduate as a PA and won't be able to "kill a lot of people". but she may get smarter over the next couple of seconds and succeed! :lol2:

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You could always go to a forum specific to the PA profession? In addition, it's rather difficult to take your question seriously when you are throwing around terminology such as "dumb as a brick."

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Lighten up..I'm in the RN forum because I am in a BSN program and have no reason to be on a PA forum. Assuming that RNs work with PAs, I figured you may know a little of their educational background.

I will rephrase my "dumb as a brick" terminology if it offends you.

"Her intellectual capabilities fail to correspond to that of an individual comparable in age. Furthermore, when examined in contrast to a sample of her classmates in a dually accredited Physician Assistant program, she fails to meet the minimal IQ characteristics common within a group of her peers."

Better?

All I want to know...PA Masters Vs. Bachelors...same? or different? If you don't know, ignore the thread and move on. It is obvious why you have 1,650 posts...you must feel the need to comment on everything you read whether it is contributing to the original post or not..in this case, its not.

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Specializes in SRNA.

My understanding is that you need a Bachelor's degree to apply for PA schooling. There are many school that offer a BS for those that intend on pursuing further education to become a PA.

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So, you can not practice as a PA with just a bachelors? I was not aware..Thank you for your response.

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never heard of a bachelor's PA program

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As a nursing student, I am sure that you did not assess her intellectual capabilities. Did you actually administer and interpret a WAIS-III? It's interesting that a health care student like your self is so glibly tossing around terminology like "IQ".

Also, as far as intelligence, there is a handy site that lets you find information like this- it's called "google". Try it.

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I am actually extremely appropriate to make that determination considering I have a Masters in Psych. I am a second degree student. I am glad everyone is so friendly here! Really makes for a family atompshere!

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So, you can not practice as a PA with just a bachelors? I was not aware..Thank you for your response.

The PA profession is competency based. There are multiple areas of entry including certificate, associates, bachelors and masters programs. All programs work off a common blueprint and essentially teach the same material. This is followed up by prescribed clinicals (along with optional clinicals if the program chooses). Finally all PAs have to take the PANCE (PA certification exam) to practice. So someone with a Masters has essentially the same training as someone with an associates.

There are three states that require a Masters to practice. Another 2 that require a bachelors. The overwhelming majority of PA programs are Masters programs.

David Carpenter, PA-C

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You still didn't measure the IQ's, using a standardized validated instrument (except your "professional" opinion, which a Master's degree does not qualify. And a Masters is not a doctorate.) "Dumb as a brick" is not a phrase I have ever read on any psych report I've read.

You described a potential colleague as "dumb as a brick" in a totally different profession on a nursing forum, for crying out loud.

For being so smart as you think you are, you could have gone the physician assistant web site, where it lists out the certificate, bachelors, and masters programs- and actually have gone to the respective web sites to see the pre-requisites for those programs.

If you want a "family atmosphere", how about treating people with respect?

Finally, after reading your initial post about "killing a lot of people"- you know what has killed more people than anything else? Professionals who think they know it all, no matter what their training was.

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

Ok ladies and gentlemen I'm closing this thread for time out and staff review

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