@ Christy. Hello my name is Ryan. Usually PA schools will accept applicants with hands on paid pt experience, where treatment, assessments, vital monitoring, med admin, is involved. I started out as a Emergency Medical Technician-Basic, worked on the ambulance assisting the Paramedic in a very busy EMS system. I continued my education and became a Paramedic where I am trained in Advanced Life Support treatment/skills (i.e. ET intubation, TTJI, IV/IM/IN/ET/IO med administration, chest decompression, etc.) I've worked codes, revived babies (tooting my own horn lol) and treated your ordinary, basic medical/trauma complaints. This is the type of experience PA schools look for.
EMT-Basic school is one semester long. You will learn Basic Life Support (BLS) medical/trauma care and assessment including treatments within your scope of practice. Add another 18-20 months for Paramedic education that included didactic, clinical rotaions in ER,OB/L&D,Respiratory,Burn, Trauma, Cardiac,and OR. They compare medic school to a condensed version of Emergency Physician Residency, it's intense but worth it. You will learn ALOT of medical/trauma knowledge and it will definitely help you with assessments, recognizing acute conditions, and will help with delegating with your subordinates. So I recommend EMT-Basic to get your paid patient contacts, then medic school if you want more education/responsibility. For EMT-B and Paramedic you must receive an 80% or better at course completion and then receive at least 80% or better for national/state/and local certification and licensing.
Other pt care jobs that are easy to get into, perhaps a CNA course, which minimal medical education is emphasized, Clinical Medical Assistant, and/or LVN school which is about 12 months longs. Also, earning your EMT-Basic cert, you are employable in emergency rooms, they are usually called ER Techs.
I hope this info helps you out a bit. I too want to go to PA school once I complete my bachelors. Take care!
Ryan Essepianof CA4:08PM April 06, 2012
I have a BS and am hoping to get into a physician assistant program within the next couple of years and am trying to get a little more information about what PA schools admission boards are looking for. I fall into the unfortunate category of students who didn't realize they wanted to pursue PA school until after graduating from the university, so I didn't take any of the required classes while in school and I do not have a lot of experience in the medical field. The classes I can handle, but I am having trouble understanding exactly what kind of experience/work experience will fill the required medical experience that PA schools are looking for. Do I have to work directly with doctors and patients? Or is working in the reception area of a medical clinic sufficient? Are admission boards looking for specific experience or are many medical related positions applicable.
If there is anyone out there that could shed some light on this question, I would greatly appreciate it. I am willing to do what it takes to get the experience I need, but as I look for jobs, I realize that without prior medical experience or certifications, I am unlikely to be considered for most jobs that I think will apply to the requirements.
Thank you for any time you take to answer my questions.
Christy Hanamaikaiof AZ12:22AM April 03, 2012
Nicole,
Both physicians and physician assistants are trained to be generalists. It is only after school that each professional chooses a specialty. With regard to physicians, this takes place in the form of a residency; however, this is not the case with regard to PA's. Although residencies do exist for PA's, there are few of them, and the majority are not accredited. Therefore, most PA's that specialize learn as they go and gain responsibilities with time (sounds like a residency, although it does not bare the title). In terms of advanced practice nursing, the education is specific to a particular type of medical practice (although family practice NP's are trained as generalists as well). Furthermore, no residency options are available for nurses. I think you may be confusing a residency with clinical rotations; however, these are very different. In the 3rd and part of the 4th year of medical school, and the 2nd year of PA school, students rotate through several different medical specialties as well as general practice clinical experiences. Because nurse practitioners specialize within their curriculum, they do not rotate through specialty practice clinicals, but rather spend 3-4 months in one particular area of practice.
Jasonof UT12:46PM June 11, 2011
Thank you for this concise and clear article. I am currently a senior at Florida A&M University and will be earning a BS in public relations in December. I recently discovered that I wanted to pursue my next degree as a PA. However, I have no experience and my grades in science were not stellar. After graduation I plan to become a certified EMT and maybe take my science classes over. Do you think that plan will improve my chances of getting accepted?
Alisaof GA7:55PM March 26, 2011
(*branching out)
Nicoleof ID8:38PM March 19, 2011
PAs are trained for one job just like physicians. Physicians have the same limitations, they are trained to be a doctor and that is all. PAs have the same braching out that MDs do (peds, surgery, OB, etc.)Just as physicians do, PAs have to obtain more training to do these things in residency. It is the same way with nurses or any other job for that matter. A lawyer can't be a PA, but PAs have much more "brancing out" than you state.
Nicoleof ID8:36PM March 19, 2011
Well Angela you do get what you pay for, that is very, very true. With that six figure salary I make as a PA-C (apparently one who only knows a few smattering of pathologies) I bought my son this awesome looking radio controlled car (with my six figure salary) and it broke within a day.
So it is true you do get what you pay for.
Guillhome P Pa-Cof PA10:38PM March 11, 2011
Obviously PA's have less knowledge, they have less training, but they are quite capable to do the job they are hired for. If they knew as much as doctors they would not need doctors over them.
Secondly, PA is a great job, pays well, get to help people, but thats what you are, a PA. There is very little room to maneuver, you were trained for one job. And besides you have tell everyone you are a PA :(
Mr. Smithof KS10:29AM March 03, 2011
I am responding to Angela of il
I have been a PA for 12 years working in emergency rooms and urgent cares. I believe that when a pa graduates, he she probably is at an interns level. However, you must consider the medical experience they may already have when entering school. I have worked in hospitals since I was 18years of age. Many are RNs, paramedics, military corps men ect. Have years of experience before they even apply To disregard that medical experience, and how that affects the learning curve would be a mistake. Also keep in mind that after 3+years of practice in an area of medicine many are up to par with most physicians. Also all studies regarding PAs show that their pt outcomes are in line with the outcomes for patients seen by MDs.
In response to you get what you pay for, actually most PAs I know make great money as we are in high demand. Yes it is less then a physician, but only specialties like neurosurgery and cardiovascular surgery have large disparities between PA and MD salaries. In areas such as family practice, pediatrics, and urgent care the difference on average is usually around 30% less then the physician. But I also had only one third of the school loans to repay. also remember, the more you make, the more taxes you pay. The other day at work, a physician and I calculated that I make more then him in take home pay because he pays 30%alimony to his ex wife. It's all relative. And no one should go into medicine to make money anyways. Much easier ways to make money.
Finally, it has been my experience that when someone speaks the way you did, they have already made up their mind about the profession without doing their homework and looking up any actual data or stats on PAs. I wish you the best of luck in your career, and maybe someday you will meet a PA who might open your mind further to the profession.
Brianof NV1:26AM October 30, 2010
If You are a newly graduated Physician Assistant looking for your first position, or are a Physician Assistant that has been practicing for a while, but you are looking to relocate, you should contact Cornerstone Medical Recruiting.Cornerstone Medical Recruiting, LLC , based in St. Louis Missouri, is a medical recruiting firm that specializes in recruiting Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Practitioners, and Physician Assistants. Through the vast database resources that Cornerstone Medical Recruiting has at it’s disposal, Cornerstone is able to find many career opportunities in many different medical facilities throughout the United States.You may contact Cornerstone Medical Recruiting in the St. Louis, Missouri area by calling (314)868-7390, or toll free at (877) 868-7390. You may also visit their website at www.cmrmedcareers.com
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Ryan Essepian of CA 4:08PM April 06, 2012
Christy Hanamaikai of AZ 12:22AM April 03, 2012
Jason of UT 12:46PM June 11, 2011
Alisa of GA 7:55PM March 26, 2011
Nicole of ID 8:38PM March 19, 2011
Nicole of ID 8:36PM March 19, 2011
Guillhome P Pa-C of PA 10:38PM March 11, 2011
Mr. Smith of KS 10:29AM March 03, 2011
Brian of NV 1:26AM October 30, 2010
Mark of MO 10:42PM September 25, 2010