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Should I be a physician assistant or elementary school teacher?

I'm having a hard time picking which one I should be. I'm stuck between being a physician assistant or an elementary school teacher. I absolutely love little kids and I'll be so happy doing that in life but at the same time teachers are so underpaid. This year I took a lot of high school science related classes since I was thinking about being a physician assistant so maybe it makes sense to just continue with it but I'm not sure. I can't really handle blood either but my school offers so many science classes and less education centered classes.

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Subject: Career question for you

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James Constantine’s Answer

Good Day Emily!

Choosing Between a Physician Assistant and an Elementary School Teacher

When deciding between becoming a physician assistant (PA) or an elementary school teacher, it’s essential to consider several factors, including your interests, strengths, job market outlook, salary expectations, educational requirements, and personal fulfillment. Here’s a detailed breakdown of each career path to help you make an informed decision.

1. Interests and Passion

Your passion for working with children suggests that teaching could be a fulfilling career for you. Elementary school teachers play a crucial role in shaping young minds and fostering a love for learning. If you find joy in nurturing children’s development and engaging them in educational activities, this path may align well with your interests.

On the other hand, if you have an interest in science and healthcare but are concerned about handling blood or medical procedures, it’s important to reflect on how comfortable you would be in clinical settings as a PA. PAs often work closely with patients and may need to perform procedures that involve blood or bodily fluids.

2. Educational Requirements

Physician Assistant: To become a PA, you typically need to complete a bachelor’s degree (often in a science-related field), followed by a master’s degree from an accredited PA program. This usually takes around 6-7 years of education post-high school. Additionally, PAs must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) to practice.

Elementary School Teacher: Becoming an elementary school teacher generally requires earning a bachelor’s degree in education or a related field, which typically takes four years. You will also need to complete student teaching requirements and obtain state licensure or certification.

Given that you’ve taken many high school science classes already, continuing down the PA path might seem logical; however, if your heart is set on teaching young children, pursuing education courses might be more fulfilling.

3. Job Market Outlook

Both professions have positive job outlooks but differ significantly:

Physician Assistants: The demand for PAs is growing rapidly due to an increasing emphasis on healthcare services and the need for providers who can deliver care efficiently. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment for PAs is projected to grow by 31% from 2020 to 2030—much faster than average for all occupations.

Elementary School Teachers: The job outlook for elementary school teachers varies by location but is generally stable. The BLS projects employment growth of about 4% from 2020 to 2030. However, this can vary based on state funding for education and population growth in certain areas.

4. Salary Expectations

Salary can significantly influence your decision:

Physician Assistants: As of May 2022 data from the BLS, the median annual wage for PAs was approximately $121,530. Salaries can vary based on specialization and geographic location but tend to be quite competitive compared to many other professions.

Elementary School Teachers: In contrast, elementary school teachers earn significantly less; the median annual wage was about $61,350 as of May 2022 according to BLS data. While some teachers find fulfillment in their roles despite lower pay compared to PAs, financial considerations are important when making your choice.

5. Personal Fulfillment

Ultimately, personal fulfillment should guide your decision-making process. Consider what aspects of each profession resonate most with you:

If you thrive on making direct impacts on children’s lives through education and enjoy creating lesson plans and engaging activities, teaching may bring you joy.

Conversely, if you’re drawn toward healthcare and helping patients improve their health outcomes—even if it involves some discomfort with medical procedures—you might find satisfaction as a PA.

Conclusion

In summary, both career paths offer unique rewards and challenges:

If your love for children outweighs concerns about salary and you’re excited about fostering learning environments, pursuing elementary education could be ideal.

If you’re passionate about science and healthcare—and willing to confront any discomfort regarding medical procedures—becoming a physician assistant may be more suitable.

Reflecting deeply on these factors will help clarify which path aligns best with your values and aspirations.

Top 3 Authoritative Sources Used:

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) - Provides comprehensive data on job outlooks, salaries, educational requirements across various professions including physician assistants and teachers.

American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) - Offers insights into the role of physician assistants including responsibilities, educational pathways required for entry into the profession.

National Education Association (NEA) - Supplies information regarding teaching careers including salary statistics and job outlook within the field of education.

Probability that the answer is correct: 95%

God Bless You, Richly!
James Constantine,
The Little Old Aussie Battler.
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Jerry’s Answer

What an interesting question! Talk about your choices.

First. The physician's assistant. As far as I know, the income is quite reasonable and the "status" in that profession is very good. You would be able to feel comfortable with a decent living standard and being very socially acceptable.

On the other hand,"getting out the door" with the qualifications and the papers is quite demanding. And can take almost as long as doing premed and then med. And in all probability, all your work will not be accomplished at one institution. Maybe yes, maybe no. And then the practicum. Off you go.

So if you're prepared mentally and physically for the long days and what may appear as the endless years and you really want to take up the profession, then off you go. And again, in the end it can be quite rewarding.

And the other choice is teaching grade school kids. How interesting. (I still remember many of my grade school teachers with great fondness.)

And at least you're in an area that offers many institutions of higher learning offering degrees in education.

And in an area that offers a wealth of opportunities to teach grade school. Public and private. Depending upon your personality and attitude you may be able to take your pick. Then there are the subjects you have to teach. And conducting the class. In my view, the proper approach would be to emphasize to the students that the class is a unit,. You are all together, You're on the inside and everyone else is on the outside. You're a single unit.

The income from teaching will undoubtedly be less than your other choice. But you, again, live in an area where the income will get you through, though not as well as the other choice.

One thing you can do is go to two grade schools. One public and one private and ask to talk to some of the teachers. If you're lucky, they may allow you to sit in on a class or two. And freely talk to you about their profession. If one school is not interested, try another. It's to your advantage to get as much insight as possible.

But be assured, staying away from becoming a physician's assistant and teaching at a grade school, will not keep you from avoiding blood.
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Katie’s Answer

There are ways to combine medicine and teaching. For example, you could become a school nurse, or a pediatric physician's assistant, or a child life specialist in a hospital who works with hospitalized children helping them with relevant play activities, such as role-playing an upcoming procedure. You could also become a pediatric occupational o r physical therapist, or a speech-language pathologist, working to help children with disabilities. To find out more about these options, look online for the American Physical Therapy Association, American Occupational Therapy Association or the American Speech Hearing Association. All three fields also have trained assistants, usually requiring an associates degree. The therapists now need a clinical doctorate, because there is so much to learn. The job market for therapists is excellent in te USA!
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Laisha’s Answer

Hi, hi. I can see why it can be so hard to decide what career path you want to pursue. I would say you should also first get experience in both fields, such as working in school-setting programs such as an after-school program, to see how much you like working with kids. When picking a major for college you can also have a minor like for education while still learning to become a physician assistant. In colleges, you can ask for an internship and find stuff in the related field for physical assistance.
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Hwal’s Answer

Emily,

It might seem like the two careers are very different and perhaps they are in many ways, but I hope you know that you aren't the only one with this dilemma. I have also considered both career options, although not at the same time. Your concerns about teachers being underpaid are real and I can relate. As someone who is a PA and comes from Australia where the PA profession as we know it in the US doesn't exist, I can share that I would choose to become a PA if I had a choice between a k-12 teaching career and becoming a PA. PAs practice medicine in all specialties and in all clinical settings, so direct contact with blood likely won't be commonplace for you. Becoming a PA takes hard work and learning never ends, but it's a rewarding career. You might find this article about how to become a PA, on the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) websites, helpful:

https://www.aapa.org/news-central/2018/08/6-steps-become-pa/

Let me know if you have any specific questions I can help with.

Hwal
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Colleen’s Answer

It's clear that you've discovered two promising career routes, and gaining as much practical exposure in both areas will undoubtedly help you make a more informed choice. Both professions offer remarkable job stability. As a person who has navigated through three different career transitions, I assure you that shifting from one career to another is always a feasible choice. So, if you ever find yourself craving a change, remember that it's always within your reach. While I may not be well-versed with the ins and outs of a physician assistant career, I can vouch for the fulfilling nature of working as an educator, based on my personal experience. The role of an educator can be demanding as it involves juggling multiple responsibilities, but the joy of working with children makes it all worthwhile. As life progresses and you consider starting a family, being an educator can be an ideal career choice, given the ample time off it offers for family bonding. Depending on your place of work, you could also enjoy substantial retirement benefits. The field of education opens up numerous advancement opportunities, including administration and curriculum design. Wishing you all the best on your journey!
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