dkwee Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I'm looking forward to apply this next cycle, and I'm absolutely certain the PA path is what I'm doing. However, I've got a few questions. As a pre-PA student or PA-S, How would you answer the following questions from friends/patients? (Bare with me, I know this can potentially frustrate you.) 1. "I heard you're studying medicine?" 2. "Are you in medical school?" 3. "So can I call you Doctor now?" 4. "Physician Assistant? How much do you get paid an hour? Can you hook me up?" 5. "In our country we've never heard of the PA. So what are you? Nurse or Physician?" Feel free to add more questions to the list! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mktalon Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 1. "Yes, I am." 2 "No, I'm in PA school." 3. "No, you can call me a Physician ASSOCIATE ; )" 4. "Huh? No!" 5. "I'm neither, now will you please stop asking questions. It is making this prostate examination very awkward for me to perform!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mktalon Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Oh, and the last 3 questions would not apply to a pre-PA or a PA-S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkwee Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 1. "Yes, I am."2 "No, I'm in PA school." 3. "No, you can call me a Physician ASSOCIATE ; )" 4. "Huh? No!" 5. "I'm neither, now will you please stop asking questions. It is making this prostate examination very awkward for me to perform!" Haha, funny! And I agree with #3.. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 We're looking at a paradigm shift in the US where physicians are no longer the sole primary providers for many patients. PAs and NPs are the gatekeepers at the primary care level. PAs practice medicine. Having said that, some are taekn aback that anyone other than a MD/DO formally studies "medicine", and I bet most of the lay public would not believe that PAs are LICENSED to practice medicine. So technically it is correct, but don't be surprised that it is not common knowledge that we study medicine (#1), NOT in "medical school" (which most people associate w/ MD; #2), and are not called doctor (#3). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HopefulPA Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 1. Yes I (did) and continue to do so. 2. Nope went to PA School 3. No but I play one on TV 4. No I can't hook you up and none of your business. 5. Neither I am an Advanced Practice Provider! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterallsummer Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 1. "I heard you're studying medicine?" Yes I am. 2. "Are you in medical school?" No, PA school. It's similar to med school but shorter, and focuses on the clinical aspects instead of theory. 3. "So can I call you Doctor now?" No, the title is PA. 4. "Physician Assistant? How much do you get paid an hour? Can you hook me up?" Most jobs are salary and pay 80-100K. No I cannot hook you up but you can come see me at my clinic if you need health care! 5. "In our country we've never heard of the PA. So what are you? Nurse or Physician?" It's similar to physician except for less training in school and more training on the job. Also PAs are more limited than physicians. For example, they cannot perform surgery on their own. They are not comparable to nurses. Remember, don't get frustrated, EDUCATE people! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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