riptemp Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 I am a High School student who has been doing a lot of research on direct entry programs that allow you to study in a 3+2 year schedule right out of high school to become a PA. I am wondering what the pros and cons for programs like these are. Is it worth it to try to go down this path or is a more traditional pathway to becoming a PA better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted May 19, 2019 Moderator Share Posted May 19, 2019 I am not a big fan of these programs. I think folks should work in medicine for a few years before starting PA school to make sure they like medicine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MT2PA Posted May 20, 2019 Share Posted May 20, 2019 Pro: You save literally just 1 year of time (maybe more depending on how many gap years you take). Cons: You still have to meet the standards to get into the actual PA part of the program (which means you might not). You are stuck in a single path (what happens if you decide you don't like it? I was NOT the same person at 28 when I started my program as I was when I was 18). You have little to no life experience to bring to your PA career. Don't underestimate the cons. Life experience is HUGE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riptemp Posted May 20, 2019 Author Share Posted May 20, 2019 Thanks for the replies and the wisdom you’ve offered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHU-CH Posted May 20, 2019 Share Posted May 20, 2019 The big pro is that you can save a lot of time - and by association, money - if you get into one of these programs. As noted above, you need to be pretty sure that this is what you want to do. Just in case, I would check the undergrad courses and make sure they cover pre-reqs for other things like medical, dental and vet school. It won't help if you decide to become a lawyer or accountant instead, but a well-structured program should cover most of your bases for heathcare professions to keep options open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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