Going to PA school

[Coach]

Not a medical question per se.
While registering for my Paramedic training, the registrar asked me if I would be interested in going for my Physician's Assistant.
I said I dunno, and was wondering if you could help me out on some info..
1) How long is the training?
2) Are any programs better than another?
3) What would I need to take class wise?
4) How are they different from Nurses?
5) Is there some way or somewhere to bridge it into a full blown MD like they had on ER?

[Dr Steve]

Not a medical question per se.
While registering for my Paramedic training, the registrar asked me if I would be interested in going for my Physician's Assistant.
I said I dunno, and was wondering if you could help me out on some info..
1) How long is the training?
2) Are any programs better than another?
3) What would I need to take class wise?
4) How are they different from Nurses?
5) Is there some way or somewhere to bridge it into a full blown MD like they had on ER?

PA's are physician assistants and they rule. they're different from nurses in a lot of ways; Nurses go to nursing school and are trained in the hands-on minute-to-minute assessment and care of patients, while PAs are trained in the "doctor model" of disease management. Honestly, PA John, actually being a PA could answer your question better than I could. You can write to him at drsteve202@gmail.com and he'll get it.

your pal,


steve

[spoon]

Of course you're going to a PA school silly, you live in Scranton!

Seriously though, I have a few friends who are PA's (one specialized in Neuro, another works in an ER) and both love it. The one who works in the ER wishes he went on to med school, so weigh that factor. The other is soooo happy he didn't waste his time as he put it and makes good money working side by side (in most cases) with a great doc he paired up with.