guest2

Okay but if you check out AAPA or NYSSPA, PA programs are going to move toward a doctorate degree as well; which, in my opinion is retarded for both professions. If your going to do a masters and\or doctorate you might as well have gone to medical school and received your D.O. or M.D. And statistically speaking--throughout the country, PAs are paid more. This is a national statistic however, so it might be different per state and that might change in the next couple of years. Regardless, in general NPs have more autonomy and PAs are gradually getting more autonomy which is stupid because that does not adhere to the defintion of the Physician Assistant's role. PAs have great ties and support from the AMA; so, what's going to happen if they can practice independently like NPs? This is going to cut a lot of strings with their supervising physicians. And NPs are still NURSES that are trained under the nursing model and have independence according to where they work--again not the medical model. A hospital may MANDATE the NP to have a collaborative physician. On the other hand, as we all very well know--they may open up their own practice--it depends. Being that I live in New York, I know PAs that are making 200-250 K (my dad sold a car to them a couple of months ago). I know PAs that are making a little less than that however, have dual roles because they are academic coordinators at PA programs as well. So yes, PAs and NPs in reality pretty much do the same thing, however, PAs training is equivalent to the MD minus an internship and residency because again it is defined by the AMA's medical model. Remember, PAs came about in 1967 when there were a shortage of DOCTORS in world war II. So they took 3rd year medical students and fast-tracked them to be these spring-chicken physicians due to the shortage of health care professionals trained under this medical model. This turned out to be a great success and as a result Dr. Stead established the PA profession--hence, a profession that was started by a physician who saw the benefit of this 'fast-tracking' doctor. In addition, HMOs saw that PAs were providing 79% of care DONE by primary care physicians at half the cost---another reason why the profession has been on the rise. The training of a PA is equivalent to a primary care doctor and because of the obsession of specializing and sub-specializing (because it's more money)--PAs have ultimately filled that gap and they have also filled the gap of reduced MD hours (the law nobody follows that residents can only work 80 hours a week). But listen in the end--to each his own, we all have to work together and one of my best friends is an NP and we duke it out like this all the time. lol this is funny to me b\c you guys know this debate is never going to end. And since PA degrees are headed towards a doctorate--it should probably just be one profession and call it the "physician practicioner" instead of PA or NP alone. Maybe that would resolve all the bickering. take care- back to my soap note and crying that I have no social life until 2012.

I am in PA school right now and it's EXTREMELY intense--it is medical school in 2 years instead of 4 which is probably why docs have more respect for us than NPs b\c whatever they learned we have to learn in less time. But let me break it down for you because we have this discussion all the time. PAs and NPs generally do the same thing, however, PAs are trained under the medical model and NPs are trained under the nursing model. PAs get paid more because their scope of practice is broad and negotiable because it is defined by their laws in addition to their supervising physician. Basically, they can do everything the doctor can as long as the doctor allows it which is probably why they get paid more. NPs have a little bit more freedom but it depends on the state--I know NPs that have to have collaberating doctors. But again depending on the state they can practice independently which is probably why a lot of people go this route. However, PAs can specialize now and surgical PAs can make up 250 K. So if you wanna be your own boss go the NP route, if you want the extra pay go the PA route.