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Start doing online research into colleges and vocational schools that offer health related degree programs. You have two years to declare a major if you attend a liberal arts school because you will be taking courses during your last two years for your major. That may involve clinical work and internships while you are still working on your bachelor's degree. A friend of mine is a four year licensed medical technician who kept her license active by taking exams when she was not working as a medical technologist. Talk to your counselors and academic advisers while you are working on your undergraduate degree. My soul sister and her husband are both M.D.s who teach nursing students, nursing assistants and medical office supervisors and PAs. Part of their jobs is advising students on what courses to take. Both of them were private practice for more than twenty years, until her husband had an epiphany and realized he was practicing medicine to his own death. He put himself in rehab because he was burning himself out. He loves teaching, but he has a standing invitation from a group of cardiologists if and when he wants to go into private practice again. My soul sister is working part time at a clinic, and it drives her right up the wall figuratively, because all the clinic wants is the highest volume of patients they can get in and out in the least amount of time possible. The well-being of the patients is irrelevant to the people who manage the clinic. Before Katrina, part of my soul sister's job was being paid expert medical witness in court. I think she still does that occasionally.

Just sit down and do some online research into colleges that offer health field related degrees. P,A. or medical school decisions comes later.

Thank you US..for a balanced answer. The question which has opportunity for advancement into other fields is a bit confusing as you go to school to do medicine generally and don't really advance into other areas (except maybe teaching or managerial type stuff. Do you mean advancement into other specialties of medicine? In that case, a PA is more poised to move into other specialties as they wish since PA education is always generalist with any specialization after graduation, whereas NPs are often trained solely in one field (Pediatric NP, GYN NP etc). This of course is a general statement, some individuals can always extend beyond. PAs and NPs can often be used interchangeably in family practice except in areas where a specialty NP has no training. The biggest difference is the autonomy issue, but really, as a midlevel, I have NO desire to go into practice on my own. The Doc is a welcome backup, pays the bills, provides a second opinion, and takes the malpractice hump. You are also correct, your duties as a PA are pretty much what you are comfortable with, what the doc lets you do, and what you are trained for (the law is very vague on the real description). They are paid less because they shoulder less malpractice burden and have less schooling (let's not lose sight of the fact that all midlevels did not go to medical school); maybe in some instances you are better than the MD via experience etc; but in reality he or she is always the captain. Hours and schedule vary according to the job--its all over the map; hospital-based, clinic, private office, etc. The nice thing about it is you can pretty much find a job that fits exactly what hours you want (except you usually have to work some holidays). I work just in the summers now, as a traveler, I pick the number of shifts (10 to 12 hour) I want based on how much $ I want that week (the schedule is a free-for all sign up). Before, I worked just 2 to 3 - 12 hour shifts a week in the ER and those days rotated witht the other PAs there. Best thing is to try and shadow one or more of each for a week or so & get a feel for it. Best!

I'm studying to be a pa and its harder to get in that md.. But its cheaper .. Pas make 75000 and its 2 years of med school and u don't need malpratice insurance.go for pa