2 answers
Marlee
Student
Syracuse, New York
1
Question
Asked
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What is the best part of being a PA? Will all of my hard work translate into a job that I love going to every day? I wonder how successful I would be as a PA?
I am a senior in high school. I attend a program through my school that allows me to do clinical rotations. I am interested in pediatric care, but I don't necessarily like aspects of nursing. I wonder if I should be a biology major or a nursing major, though.
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2 answers
Dino Ubalde
Educator/Psychologist/Life Coach
231
Answers
Tracy, California
Updated
Dino’s Answer
Hi Marlee, thanks for reaching out to us. We appreciate your questions and your desire to make informed decisions. It's great to see you thinking ahead. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? Do you imagine working in a hospital setting? Both Biology and Nursing are science programs with similar foundational courses. Understanding your interests, strengths, and weaknesses can help guide your career choices.
To get a clearer picture, consider these steps:
1. Visit a hospital or watch shows about hospital life to see if you enjoy that environment.
2. Reflect on your interests and strengths from school. What subjects did you excel in? Do you enjoy working with people, or do you prefer working alone?
3. Talk to your school counselor for more insights and guidance.
4. Use library and online resources to explore different careers.
5. Interview professionals in fields you're interested in.
Your future depends on the choices you make, so take the time to explore and understand what you truly want. Good luck, and I wish you success in your future career!
To get a clearer picture, consider these steps:
1. Visit a hospital or watch shows about hospital life to see if you enjoy that environment.
2. Reflect on your interests and strengths from school. What subjects did you excel in? Do you enjoy working with people, or do you prefer working alone?
3. Talk to your school counselor for more insights and guidance.
4. Use library and online resources to explore different careers.
5. Interview professionals in fields you're interested in.
Your future depends on the choices you make, so take the time to explore and understand what you truly want. Good luck, and I wish you success in your future career!
Hwal Lee
DMSc, PA-C
275
Answers
Albany, New York
Updated
Hwal’s Answer
Marlee,
I'm a primary care internal medicine PA in my 6th year of practice. If your heart is set on becoming a PA, I encourage you to choose a biology, not nursing, major. That's an easy question to answer. PAs, like physicians, practice medicine, whereas nurses practice nursing. A biology major would give you a solid biological science background, but it would help you take the prerequisite classes typically required for PA school application, such as biology, chemistry, biochemistry, psychology, and statistics.
The best part about being a PA, to me, is helping people using the tools of medicine. If you, like me, enjoy helping others in need, and love science and medicine, a PA career can offer a range of opportunities to do that, including moving between medical specialties. From my experience, you will find out the answers to your other questions once you start practicing as a PA, and that's when the real fun begins because you get to put your training to practice and start growing personally and professionally.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any specific questions I can help with.
Hwal
I'm a primary care internal medicine PA in my 6th year of practice. If your heart is set on becoming a PA, I encourage you to choose a biology, not nursing, major. That's an easy question to answer. PAs, like physicians, practice medicine, whereas nurses practice nursing. A biology major would give you a solid biological science background, but it would help you take the prerequisite classes typically required for PA school application, such as biology, chemistry, biochemistry, psychology, and statistics.
The best part about being a PA, to me, is helping people using the tools of medicine. If you, like me, enjoy helping others in need, and love science and medicine, a PA career can offer a range of opportunities to do that, including moving between medical specialties. From my experience, you will find out the answers to your other questions once you start practicing as a PA, and that's when the real fun begins because you get to put your training to practice and start growing personally and professionally.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any specific questions I can help with.
Hwal