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What is the process of becoming a physician assistant and would you recommend this professional path?

Over this past summer I did an internship at Boston Children Hospital, working with the Pathology department. During that time, I was able to spend with Pathology, i viewed many career paths within Pathology. However, one that stood out to me was a Physician Assistant. Unfortunately, I was not able to spend as much time shadowing them as i'd like and also wasn't quite aware of who filled those positions at the time. That being said, if anyone has any information regarding their average salary, life style and projection of success, as well as any other information that would be amazing! I plan to continue to do internships with Boston Children regarding Pathology however I am in need of advice, tips or any comments about this department and physician assistant profession. This would benefit me extremely as it will help build my confidence for continuing this pathway as well as building connecting getting into this program! I am a senior in high school and while I know I have time to figure out my future professional interest it would be so helpful with any info. I am interested in University of Connecticut's Biopathology program and was also wondering if anyone has experience at UCONN as a whole and/or knowledge of their science programs. THANK YOU :)

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Gloria’s Answer

To become a PA, your undergrad degree does not have to be related to the field of medicine. To become a Nurse Practitioner, you must have an undergrad degree in nursing and you must be a Registered Nurse prior to becoming a Nurse Practitioner. Pay is about the same, but there are 24 states that allow Nurse Practitioners to practice independently (meaning you don't have to work under the supervision of a MD). PA's must work under supervision of an MD in all states.
Thank you comment icon Thank you, this is really helpful. Arianna
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Craig’s Answer

Off the top of my head they make about 120k a year! The school is expensive though, not to discourage you but look into being a nurse practiconer. They have a similar scope of practice but NP school is a little cheaper. They also pay about the same.
I also recommend working as an allied health professional too(phlebotomist, lmt, pct, cna, emt) to see if you like it! For a major honestly you can pick any major just make sure you get the medical school requirements out of the way while you're going for your bachelor's. PAs can go anywhere in the medical field so they offer alot of flexibility!
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much I appreciate your response! This helps a lot and will definitely look into a NP Arianna
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