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What career/college do I choose?

I am a 10th grader, I want my future career to be in the medical field, but I don't know what I want to land on. I know I have a lot of time to figure it out, but I want to start early. I was looking at a physician assistant, the job description/what they do really intrigues me and I'm almost certain that's what I'm gonna look at more in-depth. I just wanted an opinion on what I should/could do. I have been looking at colleges, but I also don't know which one would be best.

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Nick’s Answer

The great news is that there's no right (or wrong) answer here! Ultimately, the best career for you will be something that you're passionate about - if you aren't excited to wake up and go to work everyday, you won't find happiness / success. If a Physician Assistant role is something that excites you, I would recommend looking for opportunities to work in the medical field. The best advice I can give is to try a lot of different things - when I was younger, I had an internship with a large non-profit healthcare organization, and that helped me realize it wasn't a field / company that I was personally interested in long-term. So sometimes different jobs helps you learn what you DON'T want to do so you can narrow down what you DO want to do. If you end up in a career that you end up liking less than you thought, there will also be plenty of opportunities to pivot to something different - you're never "locked in" to what you choose now.

From a college perspective, I would recommend making a list of the "must-haves" for you and use that as a starting point for your University application / selection process. That could be things like certain courses / industries you're interested in, geographic location (maybe you really want to be somewhere warm or close to home), and overall culture. Take advantage of college visits if possible - similar to an internship, it'll help you realize whether the place you're visiting is for you.

Best of luck w/ this exciting time in your life - rest assured that there's no wrong decision here, and there are always opportunities to pivot out of something you thought you'd enjoy but didn't.
Thank you comment icon Thank you! It does make me feel better that I can move around and choose what I want to do. I will take your advice on writing a list of "must haves", and I just want to say again, Thank you. Camryn
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Tina’s Answer

There are a wide variety of opportunities in the medical field. I would recommend keeping your options open at this stage and continue to gather feedback and research opportunities. If you are considering a physician assistant path, I would recommend looking online at the undergraduate course requirements that PA schools are looking for in their applicants. You can select a few PA schools near where you live and where you may be interested in living in the future. This will help you as you consider colleges & their bachelor's degree programs. A few potential college majors might include Biology, Microbiology, Human Development & Health, etc. You can do the similar research of medical programs, optometry programs, dental programs or others. As you are considering universities, it will be helpful to keep an eye on the metrics that they publish regarding the % of their students who are accepted into PA school, medical school, or specific programs. Also, I would recommend that you look for local mentors and opportunities to "shadow" local professionals (shadowing will likely consist of following that professional for a day while they go about their tasks). For example, your high school may have a nurse on staff, or you may need to get a sports physical - ask the medical professional if they'd be willing to have you follow them for a day as they perform their job. Ask them where they went to college and medical school, and what they would recommend regarding those programs. Good luck!
Thank you comment icon Thank you! Camryn
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Godfrey’s Answer

Good question
Welcome to the medical field
You need to be welcomed in building your career in the medical world.
First you need be perform well in science subjects in order to get better placement credits in the medical college.
You also need to identify which medical field you want to join be it Nursing,MD, Physician associate, Health administration, Nutrition, Sonography etc the list is endless.
From there you can easily find a path in medicine that fits your passion.
Thanks in advance again as I welcome you
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