Freshmen in Community College

Hey im a freshmen in community college i was told that after a year and a half when im done with my major classes, that i can apply for BHS , im so scared i may not get in, i want to be a PA but i thought i should become a nurse first, thinking it took 2 years, as everyone thinks, for there associates, i didnt know that it takes 3 with nursing school, etc,(l((ike why would i go for 3 years for my associates when i can go for 4 at a university get me?)) i def want my bachelors, but im sort of thinkin of going for mathematics/science concentration instead of nursing and gettin my degree in Arts and then doing the same for my bachelors, and then applying for PA school what should i do, and whats the best advice?

My first request is please change your font. It's really hard to read.

As for your question, I would talk to advisers at the PA programs you want to apply to. They'll give you an idea of what majors/coursework they recommend in order to be a competitive applicant.

Yeah, that font is brutal!

The source for what I'm about to tell you: I got my BSN at a university that also has a physician's assistant program which awards an MPA degree. My suitemate in the dorms was a PA student.

From our frequent conversations comparing what we were each learning and doing, I don't think nursing is a great idea for you. PAs are taught using a medical model, and thus approach their job from a significantly different perspective. A nursing degree would be unnecessary, and also make going to PA school an exercise in reinventing the wheel in terms of how you think about the care you provide.

Get a B.S. in mathematics or science, or better yet a health science, and then go to PA school. It'll take less time and you'll be better served.

hmmmm....so, i'm curious why you've decided on the pa route. have you looked at advanced practice nursing (nurse practitioner, certified registered nurse anesthetist, etc)? it just seems that it would be more in line with your educational goals....

oh and thanks for the font change!

PA is a good profession but also look at NP's. They have a lot more freedom and can work on their own without supervision in most states. As a PA you will ALWAYS answer to a Physician.

Thanks Mike!! Lol

What im going to do is go to housatonic community college for a year and a half get my pre-req's done, and if i dont get accepted into nursing school then i still will get my associates in general studies, and then ill go to a university and get my bachelors in science/mathematics and then go the PA route, but if i do get into nursing school, then im going to get my associates nursing degree.. and then go and get my bachelors in nursing and then do that for a year or two to get experience, and then apply for PA school if im not satisfied as a rn, so you get what im saying? im taking everything in babysteps.lol like 2 years associate, or if nursing school 3 years associates, and then if i wanna continue my education, ill go and get my bachelors to get paid better. and then, IF i want ill go to PA school.. So yeah as you can see im very confused and a highschool graduate, so dont mind me if i sound like i dont know what im talking about lol.

David------

No sweat man, I was confused about my career choices well past high school, so you're ahead of the game.

Ditto what the last two posters said. I'd highly encourage you to look at being a either nurse practitioner or a clinical nurse specialist as an alternative to physician assistant. They're really interesting jobs and you'll find some pretty good information on these forums about both. If you want to work in a hospital I think NP and CNS are better routes.