Opinions on my education plan

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Specializes in ICU Stepdown.

So I have decided to major in Human Development and Family Science with a specialization in pre med at OSU, as well as a minor in Cognitive Science. My ultimate plan is to be a midwife, but I want to be a physician assistant before then. I am volunteering at a hospital, have been working in a health care environement, albeit a call center, and am attending a doula workshop in October. I do not plan on completing my undergrad in four years, that is unrealistic. But, would it make more sense when I am done to enroll in a second degree program to get my BSN at Mount Carmel College of Nursing, then get my master's in physician assistant, then eventually my master's in midwifery OR to cut out physician's assistant completely and just get my second degree BSN then master's in midwifery? I am conflicted because I really want to be able to do both, and even though they are two different paths I would have the pre-reqs for either one. Please let me know what your opinions are.

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Cut out PA. Get your BSN then midwifery. Majoring in nursing will help you start to build your nursing network. Believe me even though nursing is a large profession at the provider level, they all know each other it seems. Instructors will have access to all sorts of places you can network with others also. Plus if you're going to be at a teaching hospital you can make a GREAT impression while you're there, get a job in OB department work as a nurse there, then go to midwife school. Also learn prenatal massage which is all the rage right now.

Option 2 would is to become an OB doc. Shadow both for a week or so. If you're into surgery then going to medical school would be more beneficial to you.

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Specializes in ICU Stepdown.

That is what I've been leaning more toward. In that case, if I do cut out the PA step, how useful do you think having a pre-med specialization would be? Not in terms of getting into a master's program, but would having all of those science courses but helpful in the field?

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Specializes in ICU Stepdown.

*be helpful

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Science courses will not help you in the field. They will help you in the classroom, but focusing on your foundation sciences will be the most beneficial. Especially anatomy and physiology. By the time you get into any healthcare program material moves FAST and it will feel like you're "drinking through a fire hose" but having a solid foundation in your basic sciences will help tremendously. If you cant apply basic science to your health courses it will hurt a lot.

As far as "the field" goes. Every graduate will tell you that school did not prepare them from the "real world" and most of your true clinical experience will come from when you start working. The point of school is to make sure you have the tools not to kill someone. I have to go. Talk to you later.

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.

Yeah, I'm not seeing how getting your PA will help you towards your goal of being a midwife. It makes more sense to table that for now, and come back to it after you get your CNM credential, if you really want it. Another option is to pursue a different APN certification after getting your CNM. More crossover in coursework means a shorter education path overall. Why do you want to be a PA, exactly? What are you hoping to do with that credential that you couldn't do as an APRN?

I am a CPM and a student CNM :) Midwifery is a wonderful, grueling, difficult, tremendously rewarding career.

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