The big question is...MD/DO, PA or NP?

[VFlutter]

3 years of school, 5 years of commitment, why not become a doctor?

MD/DO is not the answer for everyone and every situation.

Getting paid while going to school, at no cost, for 3 years and then working for 5 years, again while getting full pay, is different than going $200k+ in debt spending ~8 years in school and residency.

People can have a comfortable lifestyle, great job, and contribute to the medical field without having MD behind their name.

Call me selfish, lazy, etc but I much rather have the quality of life and work being a CRNA over that of a Hospitalist. Even if the latter is a MD.

That being said, I have no totally decided against MD.

 

[Carlos Danger]

3 years of school, 5 years of commitment, why not become a doctor?

No loss of income and no SL debt?

Something I have been strongly considering is the US Army CRNA program (USGPAN). One of the best CRNA programs in the country. It is a 3 year DNP program. School is paid for, get paid while going to school, and then have a 5 year commitment.

I have a good friend who joined the Navy because he wanted to become a CRNA but didn't want to lose income and go into debt. He went in as an O2, worked as an RN for a couple years, then they sent him to the USUHS program.

 

[Handsome Robb]

I'm very confident I can continue to work full time and get through my ADN and BSN but from what I've read it doesn't seem even remotely possible to work even PRN during a CRNA program. Maybe people exaggerate the workload and intensity although I have no doubt it's a bear.

The military program is really tempting, my question was how difficult would it be to get into school. I'd hate to go in and not be able to get in in those four years rather than be able to increase my odds by applying multiple places on the civilian side during them. How many applicants do they accept? Just seems like there's a lot of military nurses and only one military CRNA school if I'm not mistaken.

I wonder if you could work in a civilian hospital or surgery center PRN during your 5 year commitment?

 

[VFlutter]

I'm very confident I can continue to work full time and get through my ADN and BSN but from what I've read it doesn't seem even remotely possible to work even PRN during a CRNA program. Maybe people exaggerate the workload and intensity although I have no doubt it's a bear.

The military program is really tempting, my question was how difficult would it be to get into school. I'd hate to go in and not be able to get in in those four years rather than be able to increase my odds by applying multiple places on the civilian side during them. How many applicants do they accept? Just seems like there's a lot of military nurses and only one military CRNA school if I'm not mistaken.

I wonder if you could work in a civilian hospital or surgery center PRN during your 5 year commitment?

You can go for direct ascension meaning you apply for the USGPAN program first and then get direct commissioned into the Army once accepted. If commission first and then apply there is no guarantee and if you do not get accepted you will have work as a RN until you can apply again.

There is USGPAN which takes Army, Air Force, and VA applicants and then USUHS for Navy. It is competitive but I have heard they have not filled every class lately.

I think part, if not all, of that 5 year commitment must be active duty with the possibility of deployment. IRRC you are allowed to moonlight in civilian hospitals.

Here is a good breakdown on pay.
http://www.usagpan.org/how-much-will-i-make

 

[Handsome Robb]

You can go for direct ascension meaning you apply for the USGPAN program first and then get direct commissioned into the Army once accepted. If commission first and then apply there is no guarantee and if you do not get accepted you will have work as a RN until you can apply again.

There is USGPAN which takes Army, Air Force, and VA applicants and then USUHS for Navy. It is competitive but I have heard they have not filled every class lately.

I think part, if not all, of that 5 year commitment must be active duty with the possibility of deployment. IRRC you are allowed to moonlight in civilian hospitals.

Here is a good breakdown on pay.
http://www.usagpan.org/how-much-will-i-make

Wow that's really interesting. Pretty legit deal too. How easy would it be to find a consistent job with that few hours per month that to supplement your income? I guess when I was looking at jobs I was looking at full time.

Is it automatically into the army or are you able to go into the other branches as well?

 

[Handsome Robb]

Doesn't look like you can be commissioned into anything other than the Army unless you come in from that branch. Still not a bad deal at all. The Air Force would be legit as well just because they tend to have nicer living quarters.

Lots of time to think about it.

I'm going to this open house type deal at the nursing school next week, looking forward to that.

 

[Summit]

As far as it is from everything else I've thrown my life at, Psychiatric NP is a specialty I'm really thinking about. There is a colossal shortage of psychiatric professionals and the physicians are are not interested enough in filling that gap. 55% of Psychiatrists are over the age of 55 because fewer and fewer MDs go that route because of lack of interst and lack of reimbursement vs other medical specialties. In 25 years on our current trajectory, MD psychiatrists will be primarily research, management, botique, and specialty practice.

I think I'd be good at it. The pay is decent (only CRNA pays more). Set your own hours. The brain is fascinating.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

As far as it is from everything else I've thrown my life at, Psychiatric NP is a specialty I'm really thinking about. There is a colossal shortage of psychiatric professionals and the physicians are are not interested enough in filling that gap.

Any opportunities like that down the PA path that you are aware of?

 

[Brandon O]

Any opportunities like that down the PA path that you are aware of?

There are PAs in psych.

 

[Summit]

Any opportunities like that down the PA path that you are aware of?

I'm sure PAs work in psych.

I think psych is an atypical route for the more typical personality types found in EMS. I think the pace is at the opposite end of the spectrum, the diagnostic path is muddier, the patient interaction dynamic is quite different, and the measure of success is on a different scale than other parts of healthcare.