A crazy idea
Posted on October 1st, 2012
I have two crazy ideas for my professional future. (By crazy, I mean a sharp deviation from what my work history would indicate I ought to do.) One is secret for now. The other is…
…well, very different.
Yesterday I spent time looking at what it would take to become a physician’s assistant (PA). It’s a 26-month master’s degree at the university in town.
Why? Well, employability. The estimated need for PAs skyrockets by 2020 and hits low earth orbit in 2030. The average salary now is $86K. (Statistic NOT provided by the school.)
And the reality is, at least academically, I wouldn’t have much to do to get ready. Because of my university minor and the other science classes I took, I’d only need four classes: microbiology with lab, statistics, and then re-take two semesters of anatomy and physiology, because it’s been more than 7 years since I took A&P in undergrad.
There are two hangups. Another requirement, at least for the school here (which is a good one, unlike my law school), is a year’s worth (2000 hours) of experience of patient care/health care experience (but direct patient care being the most competitive). I have no idea how I’d get that, at least not now. Because, you know, I’m a lawyer, not a health care worker.
The other hang up is money. The school in town — the state school — estimates tuition for the program at $78K. The state school.
I find it really funny I would need to completely change careers in order to pay off my law school loans. Funny-ironic, not funny-amusing.
I don’t find it funny at all that the chances I could finance that career change are pretty much zero.
My sister-in-law also wants to be a PA because her current career isn’t financially stable, and she’s running into the same problem. The training is really expensive.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seriously pondered getting into health care, even as a tech. Especially with a bio/chem BS. It’s not totally crazy.
I have totally had the same kinds of discussions with myself and looked into other careers – like becoming a consultant at my mother’s workplace, for instance. But every time I think about it, I mean really consider it, I have to be honest with myself that I would hate it. The money would be fantastic, but I would hate my life. Like more than I do now, even! At least now I’m at home, even if I can’t be at home just raising my kids.
When I first started working with Physical Therapists, I looked into the requirements for becoming one myself. And the same thing… I don’t want to have to sink another $50K+ into another degree…
I don’t think it’s totally crazy either! I’ve always thought being a PA sounded fascinating. Almost like being a doctor without the intensity or expenses of med school. Although, I guess it’s not exactly inexpensive…. good luck with your decisions.
And now I’m TOTALLY curious what your other crazy idea is and why it has to be so secretive!….Stripper?…..lol….j/k
I’m a few days behind on this post, but a lot of my friends went to school to become PAs. (I have a bio degree, but went the IP attorney route myself.) To execute their experience hours, many of them worked as Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), which also requires a bit of training. Not the most glorious job in the world, but one step towards the goal of becoming a PA.
Thank you for the comment! And I think that would ultimately be the best way for me to get the experience. Hard work, but definitely worth it.