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How do you decide which PA specialty is right for you, especially if you want a good work-life balance and still make a positive impact on patients?

I am a senior in High School and will be attending Slippery Rock University for their Exercise Science, Pre-Physician Assistant (3+2) track in the Fall of 2026

spring25 healthcare physician-assistant
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Rita’s Answer

I believe you don’t need to pick a speciality. That’s the great thing about being a PA. However most doctors want a PA with a few years of experience before they hire so you usually need to do primary care first
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wyatt pressey’s Answer

The moment i walked into my psychiatric clinical rotation in nursing school i loved it before i even saw the first patient no exaggeration lol. Trust me during your didactic classes/lectures and especially during your clinical rotations you will know instantly where you want to be! that one rotation will just click for you. I wish i could say theres a concrete way to know right now, but it really is the clinical roations for me.

Good luck!!
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Katie’s Answer

Hi Arabella,

Thanks for your great question! I'm a pulmonary and critical care doctor, so I'll do my best to help. I didn't train as a PA, but I work with residents, PAs, and NPs. PAs don't specialize in the same way doctors do since they don't go through residency, but some places might require specialty tests. The good news is you don't have to choose a career right out of school, and you can switch if you find something isn't a good fit. People usually pick specialties based on what they love. If you're interested in cardiology, go for a cardiology job. I suggest trying different roles to see what you enjoy. What you like in class might not be the same in practice. Talk to others about their typical patients to see if that matches what you want. Good luck!

Katie
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