RN to PA

Specialties Advanced

Published

Has anyone ever thought about doing a PA program or is anyone doing a PA program? This is what I really want to do and I even moved two hours to the town where the school is to do this. Im still in the process of RN to BSN as a bachelors degree is necessary to do the program but I was wondering if anyone had any tips or advice or if they could share their experience? Thank you!

But I guess on the serious note I am not sure which one I would do. Of course if you dont mind the sacrifice med school is worth it but if that is out of the question I would ask yourself the following:

1. Do I want to take all the prereqs for PA school - gen chem, o chem, physics, biochem, etc

2. Cost- PA school usually costs more

3. respect- overall PAs do have more respect from their medical counterparts

4. what do you want to work in- if primary care or psych i would lean toward NP. specialists usually (not always) hire more PAs

5. please dont take the medical vs nursing philosophy into account, the holistic care tag nurses use to stand out is taught in MD schools also, and DO schools, and PA schools, prior to popular belief it is NOT nurse-specific. We just do not call it "holistic" we call it "patient centered" which is the SAME THING.

6. consider the credentialing agencies that keep your license worthwhile. who does a better job at this.

Specializes in Psych.

Given the option, I'd have gotten both - PA and PMHNP - because I feel the PA training is much more rigorous, med school based, and would have given me more equal footing in some conversations specifically related to pathophysiology and pharmacology... but I've done independent study to get most of the same information. I'd also have enjoyed the more generalist base.

Having had to choose, I'm a nurse practitioner and proud to be one.

Specializes in Family Nursing & Psychiatry.
Really? Then what does that make an FNP? A generalist. Yet...they don't require physician supervision?

Hmm.

Family nurse practitioners are not "generalists." I don't think you're very much familiar with the details of the APRN Consensus Model. FNPs have a specific focus and population (primary care and lifespan). As opposed to acute care, adult/gero, pediatric, women's health and psych/mental health. Because of the specific focus and population, NPs are trained more in depth in their specialty. PAs may have a breadth of knowledge across the board... but the strength of NP education comes from the depth. This is a big reason why PAs, governed by the medical board, will never be granted full practice authority. Which is fine if that is the route you choose.

Just please don't discredit my education and training as an NP. Mine may be different from a PA, but in no way is it less "science" or inferior.

These threads always digress into who is better. The same thing happens on the PA forums.

If you take a new grad PA and NP and put them in the same practice, there will some differences, but minor. Fast forward a couple of years you will see no real difference in the way they practice. Sure, you will see slight differences based on personality and motivation, but at the end of the day...medicine is medicine.

My group hires NP's and PA's. Just about 50/50, no preference, it's in a busy ER. When we are put side by side as colleagues nobody cares about titles or superiority. We do the same thing.

Specializes in Family Nursing & Psychiatry.
These threads always digress into who is better. The same thing happens on the PA forums.

If you take a new grad PA and NP and put them in the same practice, there will some differences, but minor. Fast forward a couple of years you will see no real difference in the way they practice. Sure, you will see slight differences based on personality and motivation, but at the end of the day...medicine is medicine.

My group hires NP's and PA's. Just about 50/50, no preference, it's in a busy ER. When we are put side by side as colleagues nobody cares about titles or superiority. We do the same thing.

agreed.

Do what is best for you and seek out a PA information site. You may get some help here however it will be limited because this is a nurse's information site. There are nurses out there that do the switch and are successful. It is all up to you and what you are capable of. Good luck. As much as I enjoy nursing and am flourishing in it, I myself am considering becoming a MD. I started out as a nurses aide working in a nursing home and now I work at a very well known, top hospital in my area on a progressive care unit. Money won't be an issue (as far as the MD program) and my husband is supportive of whatever I decide to do.

Thank you for your input everyone. I have of course considered both NP and PA and I have chosen PA. I have reasons for choosing it but I would like to stop the debate on which is better, who is smarter blah blah blah. I have already completed a lot of the pre reqs needed for the PA program and have done a lot of research on it and it is just what I have my heart set on. Thank you all for the advice!

Specializes in Cardiology nurse practitioner.
Please share a specific example of this.

Any NP practicing independently in an indepent state. I know several. Is that enough?

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
NPs not only have graduate degrees "based in science" but they are also able to build their knowledge from their previous hands-on nursing experience. .

I only wish this was still the case. From what I have seen the majority of NP programs now require zero actual nursing experience. A tenured professor at a well known university/teaching hospital in my area said they school is deliberately telling students there is no need to practice as a RN prior to continuing for NP in an effort to gain retention because when students start to practice with their BSN some will not return to school and some will return to another school. True story.

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
A bold comment to think you can speak for what so many physicians prefer.

You realize many physicians check the NP's orders before signing off in many practices? The same that they do for a PA. So really, the extra autonomy depends on the practice setting.

Anecdotally speaking the physicians I have had this conversation with prefer PAs because they were trained in the medical model and don't mind the co-sign part because they are used to it.

TBH everybody should have to sit for at least USMLE step 3 in order to prescribe medications, even PAs and NPs. I say at least since its the easiest step to pass but its still harder than the NP exam as per studies that have been done. At least that would end a lot of these arguments over what is better because of course most people will think that their degree is the best in the whole world. Even back when I was in nursing school I thought I was "far superior" to many of the medical students out there. Man I was silly.

This huge stupid tri-chotomy of who can prescribe causes so many problems its ridiculous with its three pathways to provider.

I do wish everybody who thinks np school has enough science would have to sit through a few medical school block exams. it would totally change their minds

Oh yeah Jules, I was browsing the psych forums on SDN to make sure I didnt have to do any extracurriculars to do a psych residency (luckily its the least competitive specialty and I dont have to do squat and I cant stand extra curriculars) and saw a person named Jules A. Coincidence, I think not lol!

+ Add a Comment