Nurse Practitioner or PA

[carti, BSN, RN]

Hello, this is my first post and I am new here, so what's up lol.

I just graduated highschool, and I want to become a PA like my dad. I am going to major in Biology, and getting all my prerequisites for the PA school I want to attend that my dad attended. But I was researching stuff about PA school's, and I noticed I needed alot of HCE to be accepted to most schools. My dad did not become a PA until he was like 35 ( he used to be a teacher), and now I am in a pickle. He told me alot of the students in his class where also in thier mid-to-late 20's with bunch of experience in the health field. How would I stand a chance freshly graduating college applying to PA school with very little hours in HCE vs older people?

I know that NP and PA's are pretty much the same in the sense that they both get paid equally and nearly do similar work. Should I just major in nursing, and work as an RN for a while, then apply to become a Nurse Practioner? I think it's a better route since I can find more highly paid jobs as an RN, then a biology major before PA school.

thanks for the advice/help

[twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN]

You may want to flame me after this but here is goes...

I think you need to look beyond what your father does. It doesn't seem just from your writing that you are mature enough yet to make this decision, and that isn't a bad thing. You need to do some research and maybe shadow someone in both of those positions and ask yourself what lights you up inside when you think about working. You may find you want to change your mind when you enter school to something totally different and that's ok.

What I'm getting down to is you still have time to make this decision and it shouldn't be made by coming here and asking total strangers. Good luck!

[Jensmom7, BSN, RN]

Since when do PAs have to go to medical school?

I was under the impression that it's a Master's Degree in Medical Science.

[carti, BSN, RN]

Since when do PAs have to go to medical school?

I was under the impression that it's a Master's Degree in Medical Science.

I meant applying to PA School with way less experience than older adults. It was typo, my bad.

[TheGooch]

PA's don't go to med school, physicians do. Also, don't most PA programs require a certain number of hands on medical field experience hours before they even consider you? I also believe you have to write some kind of an essay as to why you want to be a PA when trying for admittance.

[carti, BSN, RN]

PA's don't go to med school, physicians do. Also, don't most PA programs require a certain number of hands on medical field experience hours before they even consider you? I also believe you have to write some kind of an essay as to why you want to be a PA when trying for admittance.

dude lol no one ever said anything about medical school, why are you even bringing it up lol? I know PA schools require medical field experience, that is what my question is about......cmon now read my post dude

[Jensmom7, BSN, RN]

I meant applying to PA School with way less experience than older adults. It was typo, my bad.

Ah, ok, I thought maybe criteria had changed drastically over the past few years.

As to your question, no one can really answer it for you. My suggestion is you talk to some PAs (you already have your dad to start with, and he could probably hook you up with some colleagues), find out what their experiences have been, and make a list of pros and cons.

You're still very young. Even if you aren't 100% sure what you want to do by the time you get to your first semester in college, the courses you will be taking at that time will be Gen Ed anyway, and could probably be used as pre reqs for either Nursing or Biology.

I understand the pressure on youngsters to hurry up and figure out what they want to do with their lives (higher education is pricey), you do have some breathing room. Good luck, whatever you decide.

[carti, BSN, RN]

Ah, ok, I thought maybe criteria had changed drastically over the past few years.

As to your question, no one can really answer it for you. My suggestion is you talk to some PAs (you already have your dad to start with, and he could probably hook you up with some colleagues), find out what their experiences have been, and make a list of pros and cons.

You're still very young. Even if you aren't 100% sure what you want to do by the time you get to your first semester in college, the courses you will be taking at that time will be Gen Ed anyway, and could probably be used as pre reqs for either Nursing or Biology.

I understand the pressure on youngsters to hurry up and figure out what they want to do with their lives (higher education is pricey), you do have some breathing room. Good luck, whatever you decide.

thanks for the response. I think going RN to NP is the best route