Offered a seat in P.A. school-torn

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My goal has always been to get my B.S.N. and work to become a C.R.N.A. Last fall, out of the blue, I applied at a pretty well known P.A. school thinking there was very little chance I would get in-so much for thinking. I was an alternate but, over the weekend recieved an invitation to join the fall class. I am torn about my future plans. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

Wow!! Congrats!!! If I had it to do over again, I would have went to PA school. I already had a BS degree so it would have been easier. But I decided to go the nursing route and I am starting over as a LPN. I agree with previous post, you need to decide if you want to be a CRNA or PA. me personally i would do the PA thing. but I can't decide for you. how much time do you have to make your decision? go to salary.com and compare the wages for the two. the only advice i can offer is to make an informed decision. you don't want to look back years later and say what if. Look at things like time in school and cost to see how much debt you would be in. also check out local hospitals to see about working practices. like where do the hire PAs. etc... good Luck and let us know what you decide

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Critically evaluate your own career goals... were you really interested in pursuing anesthesia? Would you prefer to work as more of a primary care provider? etc, etc, etc... Contemplating those issues may help you decide...

Good luck making that decision! Keep us posted on your progress! :)

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Specializes in ECMO.
Critically evaluate your own career goals... were you really interested in pursuing anesthesia? Would you prefer to work as more of a primary care provider? etc, etc, etc... Contemplating those issues may help you decide...

Good luck making that decision! Keep us posted on your progress! :)

there is a program i believe at Emory where you canget your PA and then do your AA. its like a combined degree/training. CRNA you will obviously make more than a PA. PA's start off at around 60K and the highest paid make around $130K (usually Cardiothoracic PA's who first assist in the OR) and rural ER PA's. if you really want to a CRNA go for it. you have a great chance and remember you could always go back to CRNA school later on. that would be a great thing for you. PA/CRNA. imagine that!

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Specializes in Neuro, Critical Care.

this might be a stupid question but what does PA stand for? Physicians assistant? what do they do and how are they different from a NP?

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PA is Physician's Assistant and they are just that. They work with physicians in caring for patients. In many instances, the responsibilites are pretty much that of an NP, and the jobs are often advertised PA/NP. The big differences are training and independence. PA's are trained in a medical school model, NPs in a nursing model. NPs in serval states can practice independently, PAs always work under a physician. This is just a condensed explanation. You can go to www.physicianassociate.com and read the sticky there that defines PA. THere is a lot of debate among midlevel providers as to which is "better". Don't want to open that can of worms.

this might be a stupid question but what does PA stand for? Physicians assistant? what do they do and how are they different from a NP?
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Maggie, I know I don't know you, but I am so proud of you!! congratulations!! :balloons:

I agree with everyone else you have to search your heart and really figure out what you want to do.

I too applied to PA school "just in case" thinking that I would not get in because many of my friends did not get in the first time and they invited me to interview and I was accepted within 2 weeks. I was sort of shocked at first because when I applied it was like an after thought not something I was considering all year and working toward. (I have a really good application lots of med exp, fairly high GPA, etc, but so did all my friends too that did not make it.) I decided to go because I think that it was a sign. I too already have my B.S. and it just makes more sense for me. I am really thinking this is the route for me from shadowing and talking to others about it.

Can you do some shadowing of PA's and CRNA's in your area? You should try and find out what a typical day is like in both fields to see what you really want to do.

The PA school I applied to also has a new CRNA program as I think more will be appearing around. I wonder if you could talk to a counselor at a school that offers that nursing path and research it before you decline your PA spot. I know what you mean though the stess of the interview, etc seems like a lot to throw away only to do it again. I am sure though if you made it into PA school that you will probably make it into nursing school too with flying colors, but it will take you much longer to do that route as you will have to work your way up. you just have to search yourself and find out what your goals really are. CRNA's do make more than PA's if that is your ultimate goal, but you will also be in the field faster and will start out higher as a PA initially because the nursing route you will have to be an RN for awhile before you can do the CRNA.

I think they are both promising careers and I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide. My thought is you will be good at either job no matter which you pick.

I have a friend who's husband is a CRNA and he loves his job. She told me thought it was a long process after his RN until he finished school. He went to a really prestigious school and now works at Mayo Clinic which is really a pretigious hospital where I live. I know he makes enough money to support them both and she would not have to work if she did not want to.

Then again every PA I have talked to has told me they love their job too.

I wish you the best of luck with your decision. Congratulations again!! :balloons:

To the poster asking about PA- you may want to see http://www.aapa.org it is a better website to look at as it is the PA official website.

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