Physician Assistants questions

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Hey guys, Victor here!

Broke my hand a couple days ago so I had to go get it re aligned and casted today, was talking to the doctor, I told hm i wanted to go into nursing. He said its a great idea but to also look into becoming a Physician Assistant ( PA).

I dont know much about them, but he said its very similar to what he was doing. It looks like fun!

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos081.htm

Anyone know anything about PAs, is it hard to find a job -- etc? Just want to know if anyone can share any insight on me!

Thanks!

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I don't know a ton about it - but it's closer to being a Nurse Practitioner than an RN. It's a Master's degree program possibly with some additional training, not sure . . . but you can get an RN with a 2 year program. Really depends on your goals.

Good luck!

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Thanks a bunch for the reply!

The salary difference is pretty big, am I right?

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Specializes in Oncology, Triage, Tele, Med-Surg.

I seriously thought about becoming a PA instead of an RN. I went the RN route because there are more possibilities and because I know many people don't like being treated by a PA (myself and my family included.) My family has suffered life-threatening errors d/t poor judgement by PA's. I refuse to see one unless it's something VERY minor. I know there are good and bad in any profession, but when I go to the doctor I want to go to an actual physician.

Good luck with your decision.

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Sure, the salary difference is big between an RN and a PA. Like I said, the PA has a lot more schooling. You can also consider becoming an NP, which is a nurse, but also has a lot more responsibility (and a larger salary).

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So what is the difference between a PA or a NP?

Slightly confused here

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Specializes in Acute post op ortho.

PA school is modeled on medical school, an NP is an advanced practice nurse.

My husband is a PA. He has a masters in Physician Assistant Studies. There used to be some BS level PA programs, but I'm not sure where, or if, they still exist.

As for pay, yea, BIG difference. It was well worth the cost of school.

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So, let me see if I got my info straight

RN

- 2 or 4 year programs.

- Can become a CRNA ( but needs a 4 year nursing program first, correct? Cant go from 2 year RN to CRNA? )

- Medium pay/good pay

NP

- 6 year program (Masters)

- Specializes in a specific field and sticks to it

-Great pay

PA

- 2 year program, but requires RN degree ( can it be a 2 year associates ?)

-Great pay

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Specializes in Acute post op ortho.
So, let me see if I got my info straight

RN

- 2 or 4 year programs.

- Can become a CRNA ( but needs a 4 year nursing program first, correct? Cant go from 2 year RN to CRNA? )

- Medium pay/good pay

NP

- 6 year program (Masters)

- Specializes in a specific field and sticks to it

-Great pay

PA

- 2 year program, but requires RN degree ( can it be a 2 year associates ?)

-Great pay

You do not have to be an RN to be a PA. My husband had a BS in molecular biology, took the GRE & was accepted to PA school.

Heck, you don't even have to be a RN to be a NP. You can have a bachelor's degree in art & if you do well on the GRE be accepted to Vanderbilt's 1 year fast track to NP. Yes, I know, that's insane....art major to nurse with prescription writing privileges in 1 year.

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It sounds as if you want to either be an NP or PA. If you like people alot, being a CRNA is not for you, because the patient is asleep. 6 figure income - but you will be on call all sorts of hours, and again, little patient contact. You'd have to like working with machines and numbers, too.

PA pays $80K and up. You work the days the MD has office visits. You may do rounds in a hospital and write medical reports, which means you may work weekends and be on call. You have prescription writing privileges. However, the poster is correct when she/he says that alot of patients do not like to see the PA. They want to see the doctor, so you will hear this alot if you become a PA. However, the insurance companies reimburse the PA less than the doctor, so they have really pushed this profession into the forefront. 2 year study after a 4 year degree I think, but check on that.

NP's make around $70K. Some much more if hired into a hard to hire rural area. Can become an NP in one year at Vanderbilt's fast track, as already posted, after a 4 year degree. Can write prescriptions. May work in the doctor's office seeing patients and rounding on MD patients. Write medical reports. NP's run the drug store clinics and walk in clinics.

RN. 2 or 4 year degree. Money less than the others, but if you work alot of shifts, can do very well, $60K and above (but you'll work your tail off.) Typically start out in a hospital and go into specialties from there. Right now it is tough to find a nursing job because of the economy.

PAs work almost exclusively with docs. NPs work almost exclusively with docs and other RNs. RNs work with each other - the docs give orders and we don't see much of them except maybe at rounds and phone calls. RNs work their tails off from day one and have alot of patient contact.

Depends what you want to do and what you want to earn. And what kinds of responsibilities you want to have. My advice is to talk to some PAs and NPs and hospital nurses to find out more.

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Wow thank you so much for taking your time to write all that up, its really appreciated!

I still don't see the difference between PAs and NPs really... NPs work in hospitals, and PAs work in clinics?

I wouldnt mind not being around patients, but youre saying numbers and crazy hours, these things scare me.

I'm so lost =(

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Here is a thread that might help you found in the NP forum:

Differences (Educative/Clinical) between NP & PA

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