Q:I've been thinking about becoming a PA...what's it really like? I've never worked in a medical field before, I know they really want prior medical experience...I was thinking about being an EMT but there are some issues with that (I have scoliosis, bad eyes (my dr say's to avoid driving at night, but i don't even have my permit mostly because driving scares the fuck out of me) and abnormally tight leg and arm muscles, and i'm like, 100 lbs so i'm pretty sure i'd hurt myself) idk where to start.
It’s hard to conceptualize and summarize what being a PA is like in the confines of a single paragraph, so to answer your question about what it’s like to be a PA, I’m going to refer you to the PA Forum (http://www.physicianassistantforum.com/). This forum probably is the best Internet resource that I know of where the members range from those interested in the profession such as yourself and seasoned PAs who have been practicing for decades.
Having prior medical experience is a bonus but not necessarily a requirement. A good portion of my class were admitted to the program from undergraduate schools and a sizable number had little to no prior medical experience prior to their admission. Contact your local state Physician Assistant society and inquire if there are PAs willing to be preceptors. In my opinion, a way to understand what being a PA is like to shadow and follow a PA.
