"In my life, family will always be my greatest priority. I love my patients like I love life itself, but I love my family even more than life itself." - Stephen Pasquini PA-C.
Years ago, I dreamt of being an MD.
Since I was a small child, in fact, to me, this would be the pinnacle of life. Stethoscope around my neck, working in the trenches, saving lives!
This was my childhood dream and my young adult dream, all the way through college.
Not even Organic Chemistry could stop me. I just pushed through it, head to the grindstone, determined to reach my goal.
Then one year away from finishing all my pre-med training, something happened: I met a physician assistant!
To me, life has always been more than my job. The reason I created this website is that I love art, photography, and technology. I love kids, the outdoors, and my family. I love to surf, bike, and take my son and daughter for long walks. I like to make shapes out of the clouds, go on long weekend getaways, take my wife out dancing.
I love life!
If you don't know already, being a doctor requires a TON of sacrifices.
If you are not prepared to give your life over to medicine, then I encourage you to take a long deep inward look at yourself and decide if what you want is really MD.
Before many hours working at the University of Washington Medical Center, I thought to be a doctor was fun like Michael J. Fox in the movie "Doc Hollywood" or rugged like the doctors on Mash. I wanted to be like George Clooney in the TV show ER.
This is an illusion. Being a Dr. means long hours, late nights on call, missed birthdays, missed anniversaries often second marriages. That last one is the part that is like the movies.
Wants vs. Needs
I realized that what I wanted most out of life was to help people be healthy. I love the human body, I love anatomy, and I love science.
I liked the thought of propping a young child upon the exam room table, making a funny face, and treating their ear infection.
I loved the idea of sewing up a wound, setting a fracture, being there when another human being needed someone to hold onto.
Helping someone come to terms with death while helping another come to terms with life.
I didn't want MD; I wanted all of the above. There was no other way.
Finding Balance
I have met more doctors who want to be PAs than PAs who want to be doctors.
Why? Because there is more to life than medicine. PAs have the unique opportunity to live this.
It is not about being lazy; it is not about a lack of dedication. PAs tend to be some of the most dedicated and hard-working people I know.
PA is the sweet spot! Where life and medicine meet in the middle.
I honestly believe you can be better at compassion when you are more grounded. Having a life outside of work justifies life. It makes for a happy person, which translates to better patient care.
After quite a bit of soul-searching, I realized that I never really needed to be a doctor, but I wanted to feel like one.
If you are on this journey to being a healthcare provider, know that life exists beyond MD. It is a beautiful life, and it has fulfilled every single one of my dreams of being an excellent health care provider.
And every time I prop a small child up on the exam room table and write the script to make their ear feel better, I smile. Then I go home in the evening and give my kids and my wife a big hug and a kiss.
In my life family will always be my highest priority. I love my patients like I love life itself, but I love my family even more than life itself. Click To TweetI don't think I could have found this balance as an MD, and I thank my lucky stars that life, or God or whatever directed me to UMDNJ, to PA School, to the job of my dreams.
Being a PA is truly where life and medicine have found the perfect balance. I hope you, too, will give the physician assistant profession consideration as you go about life and pursue a rewarding career in the field of medicine.
Warmly,
Stephen Pasquini PA-C
Recommended reading:
Often the decision between PA and MD is considered a difficult one, but should it be? Click Here.
You may also like -
MD Versus PA Showdown Round 1 – Show Me The Money!The net hourly wage of an internal medicine physician is 1.13 times that of a high school teacher and 1.25 times LESS THAN that of a physician assistant! Read more...- A Physician Assistant’s Guide to Becoming an Epic Failure
- The #1 Trait that Determines Long Term Success as a Physician Assistant
CASPA Personal Statement Help
We offer comprehensive, start-to-finish personal statement assistance or help to perfect a draft you already have. We have services to fit every budget.
Schedule a Live Recorded PA School Video Interview
We offer 60-minute mock PA school interviews with post-interview feedback and advice. Includes a recorded video of your interview that you can watch, download, or share with family and friends. There is no better way to prepare!
Schedule an InterviewPre-PA Consulting and Advising
Our pre-PA coaching service consists of a 1-hour phone consultation focused on addressing your specific questions or concerns about becoming a PA and applying to PA school.
Hai, I am a physician assistant and IAPA life member i experience 3 years in hi tech Hospital our state law yet not ruled in India
can i doing practice ?
R.Ramakrishnan B.Sc.(PA) PGD MCH
Hi R Ramakrishnan,
As a medical practitioner/physician assistant in India you will be held to the same standards as a non PA medical provider in the United States. Along with the international requirements (such as TOEFL) that many PA schools require, you will have to complete all the prerequisite requirements, make sure your previous coursework is transferable, have a strong knowledge of the PA profession, along with recommendations and prerequisite health care experience, apply and be accepted into PA school, graduate and pass the national certifying exam. It is not an easy road but it is certainly doable. Make sure to search for schools that accept international students. You can use the search function on my paschoolfinder website to narrow your results to fit your needs http://www.paschoolfinder.com
Stephen
Hi Stephen,
I found your article to be so relatable and well-written! I’m currently an incoming sophomore in college- I always thought of becoming a doctor but enrolled in the nursing program with the goal of becoming an NP because I also am considered about having a better work-life balance. However, I’m not sure that I would want to practice as an RN in the meantime and haven’t taken many nursing courses yet so I am considering switching into the biology major with a PA track. Most people tell me that the jobs of a nurse practitioner and physician assistant are very similar even though the training process is different. As a PA would you be able to tell me if there are any significant differences between the two professions and why one would chose to pursue one over the other?
Thank you so much!
HI Catherine,
Great question. Over the years, having worked with many NPs I have narrowed this down to a few things and I will “brain dump” those here:
First, working as an RN and then being able to transition into NP has the advantage of wonderful, highly paid and in-demand prerequisite healthcare experience that will last a lifetime. You can always go back and forth between NP and RN or work in both roles. I know many NPs who do this.
If you want to go into surgical sub-specialty then PA is a better choice.
If you really aren’t interested in nursing at all I also think PA is a better choice.
In some states NPs can practice independently – this may be a reasons to become an NP.
PAs and NPs are paid similar salaries, with similar job duties in most areas of primary care.
If you wanted to work in the field of psychiatry I think NP would be a better choice as well.
Stephen
Hey Stephen,
I just finished my sophomore year of undergrad and somewhat like you, I’m realizing I wanted to feel like a doctor, but not truly go through all the sacrifices they make and miss out on life and watching my children play sports, etc… Along with the debt and all that fun stuff. I was just wondering what your average day is like as a PA, I’m planning on shadowing some this summer to gain some more experience as to what their life is like. But I wanted to ask you, what can I start doing as an undergrad? Should I be looking to get a certain job? If so, what job? Networking or anything like that?
Thank you for your time and this amazing article!
Hi Stephen,
I am currently in my undergrad years of college. I was planning on becoming an NP, but I have been having similar thoughts of becoming an MD.However, I do not want to go to med school and obtain too much debt (I doubt I can afford it anyway, honestly). At the same time, I am afraid that nursing might not be for me either. Would you recommend a PA track as a compromise or just go ahead as an NP? I would appreciate your feedback!
Great article!
The NP track has certainly changed over the years with many programs offering direct admit or combined undergrad + NP programs which essentially bypass the “nursing” aspect which was once the cornerstone of the NP profession. Although they still consider it to be based on a core “nursing” model, when I speak with NPs who went directly from undergrad – NP school – practice it seems very similar to the training we have had as PAs. And the NPs seem to be equally equipped to handle the rigors of medicine as we PAs. The advantage of PA (in my opinion) is greatest if you would like to pursue surgical specialty as this is not as common in the NP realm. Just as there are few psych PAs when compared to NPs who can choose this track as a major. In some states NPs can open solo practices without the need for direct supervision which is also something to consider. Since I have never been to NP school it is hard for me to make a direct comparison. NPs always stand behind their training but (and this may be completely anecdotal) I feel like PAs in general have more rigorous training that is based strictly on a medical model, which (and again this is completely biased) is to our advantage. But again, this depends on what specialty and type of medicine you wish to practice.
– Stephen
Hi Stephen,
My name is Shehzad Ali and I would love to be a P.A. due to great family-work balance but I do not want to work in a hospital because I want to work 40-45 hours a week! Did you ever have to work in a hospital or did you go straight into private practice?
Hi Shehzad,
I rotated in many hospitals during my clinical rotations but upon graduation wen’t directly into the clinical/outpatient setting. Opportunities abound!!
– Stephen
Hi Stephen,
I myself, just like many of the individuals commenting on your article, am battling between PA and DO. I have been working as a PT for 2 years now and will be starting PA school in just 3-4 months (which I am extremely EXCITED/PROUD about). After 2 years of being a PT, I realized I wanted a bigger role in my patients POC. I do not have any kids, I’m 27, and I definitely don’t want to get into a heavier debt than what I have at the moment. I find myself still at this point (it varies on my day to day experiences at the hospital) battling between PA or DO. I know that my ego is causing this mental struggle. I truly believe that I am more infactuated about the “Medical Doctor Prestige” than anything else–My EGO. At the end of the day, all I care about is being more involved in my patient’s well being, which I know I will be able to do so in either field. Knowing that you also had your ego play the same role, what advice could you offer me to finally help me feel at ease?
Hello
Did you ever encounter someone that attempted to put you down for being a physician and not MD?
My career is not medicine. I’m just curious!
Hello Stephen,
I would first like to say thank you as I found your story very compelling and enlightening. I’ve dedicated the last decade or so preparing myself for the MD path, as I was certain that it was the right path for me. Since graduating with my BA I’ve been preparing for the MCATS, have worked long hours in the medical field as an EMT, and volunteered extensively, akl in an effort to make myself a desirable candidate for medical school. Unfortunate I’ve also become very detached from my wife, family, and friends in the process. The more I alienate myself from everyone, the more I second guess my actions and my long term goals. I have found that I can make a difference everyday even with my current profession and often find that my interest in an MD degree has faded. I’m glad that I found your posting today as your story seems very appropriate to mine, and thanks to you I’ve realized that pethaps there really is a a perfect career for those who want to provide top quality patient care while still maintaining a balanced family life. I would, however, like to ask you some questions about your career. 1. Are you able to change and or move between specialties (ER, surgery, pesa, etc.) as a PA and if so are you required to take additional training? 2. Have you ever felt as though your training as a PA by any means limited the level of care that you can provide within your given specialty? Thanks again for your excellent write up and webpage!
Hi Stephen,
I’m in my last year of highschool and I’m pretty sure I want to be a PA in the future, but the only thing that scares me about it is the work ( essays etc) . My question is when you were in PA school did you find the work difficult or tests? & did you get A’s in all your classes ? & at what age did you graduate PA school ?
Hi Michelle,
This might sound cliche’ but it is true – In my experience, everything in life worth pursuing has been on the other side of fear… I was 27 when I graduated from PA school and I was afraid, I was 24 when I got married and I was afraid, I was 30 when I had our daughter and I was afraid, I was 17 when my dad drove me up to Seattle and dropped me off 1,000 miles away from home to start undergrad and I was really, really afraid – I was equally afraid about 5 months before that when I asked Lisa Pinasco to the Senior Prom!
School is hard, being a teenager and a college student is hard, taking on student loan debt is hard, being a professional, parent and husband is hard. In fact life is hard, but this is also where joy comes from – I am sure you found the same thing to be true in your life.
Don’t worry about the work, of course it’s hard, this is what makes it worth it. Focus on the process, you have everything you need to be successful in life, in school and eventually as a PA (if that’s what you want). What is the alternative of not facing your fears? Of not doing the work?
– Stephen
Hi, sorry this is not related to your article but where did you know a Lisa Pinasco? I thought I was the only one!
Hi Lisa, I think I knew a Caroline Pinasco from High School, but not a Lisa! Good Italian name 🙂
Hi Stephen ! I cannot begin to explain how grateful I am for coming across this article. The timing could not have been more perfect. I am a third year undergrad at a university in Canada. PA’s are not as popular here and many people, including my parents, did not quite understand what it even meant. My dream has always been to help people and I too felt medicine was the only way for me to achieve that. After doing much research and looking at the lives my aunts live (both doctors in the US that end up spending very little time with their kids) I can finally say that I have found something that truly appeals to me. Your article is so well written and after showing it to my dad he was all on board to help me achieve my goal. Your website is a wonderful resource and I want to thank you for all the time you put into it ! 🙂
Hi Alia,
It is wonderful to hear that your family is behind you all the way. As more and more people are now being treated routinely by PAs knowledge and understanding of our profession is growing rapidly. It’s great to see this is also happening in the international community! Where would you look to attend PA school? The US or in Canada? Does a US PA school degree allow you to practice in Canada?
– Stephen
Stephen
Hi Stephen,
The acknowledgement of PA’s in Ontario has really grow in the past few years. I have still had a little trouble trying to find information sessions about the career/lifestyle or PA’s to ask questions to. However I recently changed family doctor’s and her clinic has a physician assistant so I am excited to meet them! There are currently three schools in Canada (aside from the military) that offer a PA degree, two of which are Bachelor degrees and one that is a Master’s, and they each accept around 12-24 students every year. A US trained PA can practice in Canada but not vice versa. In order to not limit myself I am currently researching different schools, programs and their requirements in the US and planning on applying to both Canadian and US schools. I am looking forward to and excited for the process !
Aila
Hello! I am a junior in high school and have currently been stressing on what I would want to study in college. I have always wanted to work in the medical fiend but was discouraged by the many hours and amazing opportunities to truly enjoy life that it could possibly take away. I wish to find a happy medium where I too can enjoy both life and my job. I am curious as to what you had to study in college in order to become a PA? How many years of schooling? And all the things that your job as a PA requires you to do? Thank you for this lovely article, it really did speak to me because I do want both an interesting job that I love, and being able to have time to enjoy my life, friends, and family.
Hey Ali!
I’m a college student and I have been studying biology with a focus on medicine (my universities “pre-med” program). But if you take all the required classes needed for the PA program that you want to attend then you can major in almost anything! My only concern with that is that many PA schools will prefer it if your major is based around science. In addition to your post, in order to get into PA school (which is approximately 2 years) you need to obtain a bachelors degree which usually takes about 4 years to complete. I calculated that if I take summer & winter classes (with a full schedule) then I should be able to graduate with a bachelors in 2.5-3 years! But graduating as fast as possible shouldn’t be your goal, but rather acquiring as much experience, knowledge, and get as best grades possible!
If you haven’t already, then please refer to these articles that Steven has written!
Who Gets Into PA School? https://www.thepalife.com/who-gets-in/
PA vs NP vs MD https://www.thepalife.com/physician-assistant-vs-nurse-practitioner-vs-medical-doctor/
Good luck! 🙂
Great advice Catherine, and you are right about graduating fast although nowadays fast often means less debt which can free up cash for graduate school! Sounds like you are on a track, keep up the great work!
– Stephen
I’m in a similar position to you right now.
You can get a bachelors in whatever you want although you’d probably be better off getting a degree in something related to what you’re gonna be doing. After your bachelor’s you’ll go to PA school which is usually 2 years.
So overall you’re looking at 6 years of schooling after high school. What you do widely depends on your specialty. There’s specialties for just about every field in medicine.
i am a doctor practicing in Southeast Asia. i was wondering about the process on becoming a PA in the states. do i have to study the full course? pls help me out. thanks.
Hi Stephen!
As a Mom of two high school young men who both are looking towards being involved in the medical field I am trying to open their eyes to a life as a PA rather than dedicating a lot of time and money (debt) toward medical school and becoming an MD. They both love the idea of helping people and being “doctors” and are afraid that a PA just wouldn’t be the same. Any advice?
Hi Rachel,
For me, the idea really took hold in college when I met a wonderful PA working in our campus health clinic in the orthopedic department. When I witnessed the true scope of his practice I could immediately picture my life as a future physician assistant. Up to that point, like most people at the time, I was very familiar with medical doctors and although I wasn’t really excited about the lifestyle tradeoffs I wasn’t convinced there was a viable option outside of doctor as a profession. This changed the minute I met a PA. Now PAs are much more commonplace and as a result more and more people are gaining exposure early on and choosing this as a career path. It make me so happy to see.
If you can expose them to the PA profession in an area that interests them this is often a good place to start – consider scheduling their next screening health physical with a physician assistant.
Keep up the amazing work Rachel, your boys are lucky to have such a great mom!
– Stephen
Thank you so much for this article. This really speaks to me as I’m a junior in college and am currently stuck deciding between PA and MD. I’m curious if you could tell me 1) did you go to PA school directly after undergrad (no gap year?) and 2) what did you do to complete the hefty clinical hours part of the PA application?
Hi Catherine,
1. Did you go to PA school directly after undergrad (no gap year)?
– I spent 2 years working after undergrad for both Seattle Parks and Recreation – through their youth with disabilities summer program and for the Puget Sound Blood Center as a lead technician running a mobile blood donation unit through the greater Seattle area. During that time I also trained and took classes in order to get my EMT certification. So I guess this would qualify as a “gap year” although I didn’t get to take my trip to Thailand until 13 years after graduation from PA school 🙂
2. What did you do to complete the hefty clinical hours part of the PA application?
– I started working part time in health care through the campus health center as a sophomore at the University of Washington and as a junior began working part time as a phlebotomist in the campus health center Later during my Junior and Senior years I also worked as a phlebotomist at the University affiliated Roosevelt Clinic and the University of Washington Hospital. I volunteered in patient transport and spent some time at the UW Children’s hospital. After graduation I worked as I mentioned above. The key is to start early, and get out there and get as much varied and diverse experience as you can. The more the merrier. There are many, many options!
Best of luck,
– Stephen
This article was so amazing and definitely made me so much more comfortable in considering PA school. I’m doing my bachelors right now and I’ve been premed for years now but I’m seriously considering the PA life. I really want to be able to spend more time with family and friends and being a doctor you’re basically giving most of your time and life away, and it’s only worth it if you’re passionate about it which I’m not. I want to be in healthcare but not go through so many hrs constantly fighting and stressing to be a doctor and never have time to live my life. my only concern is if it’s difficult to get into PA school.. does it require a high GPA and any experience? Also is it competitive?
Hi Manisha,
Some sources claim that PA school is now more competitive than medical school, I am not sure if this is true, or just hearsay, but given the rising popularity and constant high rankings of the PA profession, I wouldn’t be surprised if this is indeed true!
Every school has different GPA requirements and your GPA and its competitiveness will be determined by your prerequisite coursework and it’s level of difficulty. You can see the averages here: https://www.thepalife.com/who-gets-in/
Healthcare experience is also dependent on the school to which you are applying, you can see a breakdown of that here: https://www.thepalife.com/hce-paschool/
I hope some of these resources help, if you have any more questions or need additional help drop me a line – I am here to help!
– Stephen
Thank you for sharing your perspective. However, I would have to disagree. My physician husband has a 9-5 schedule. Although there are the doctors that have the “busy” schedule, there are also the ones that work regular hours. He has a great work/family life balance and so do a lot of other physician families we know. So to those who dream of being a medical doctor, go for it. Hard work and dedication will always pay off.
Thanks Julia, we all like to hear more stories like this! Curiously, what type of medical doctor is your husband and in what type of practice setting?
Stephen
This is exactly what I needed to read. Heaven sent really. I’m currently a pre-nursing major (on the road to getting my BSN) and I’ve spent the last 2 weeks researching whether or not becoming an MD is for me. I actally just spoke with my anatomy teacher today about my desire to pursue medicine further. Like you, I also love life and couldn’t imagine devoting more time to my career (even though it is my passion) than to my family. My husband and son are my whole world. Not to mention my son deserves a mom that isn’t absorbed in work. Thank you Thank you Thank you for writing this article. My heart is in the right place now. Looks like I’ll be applying for PA school in the next few years. 🙂
Hi Corinne,
It’s wonderful to find a career that provides balance, and probably even more important than one’s career choice is having the right priorities. I wish you the very best on your journey to PA school and how blessed we are to have loved ones to care for us and support us along the way. This is what life is about anyway right! Take care and feel free to send me an email if you ever have questions along the way.
– Stephen
Hi Stephen,
Your article is very well written, powerful in meaning, and I sincerely wish I had read this or received this message in a way I could understand when I was in college. I am now finishing residency in Ophthalmology, I have a husband and 8 month- old son, and to keep it very brief- I would have made different choices if I could do it over again. I have been burned out and exhausted for so long that I’m starting to decide that I will need to work part-time once I complete my fellowship and begin practice.
A word to the wise.. What Stephen is saying is true! If you ENJOY life, love family, like being active, it’s a good idea to truly take these sentiments to heart. However, if you LOVE to work and you have no problem devoting the vast majority of your heart, time, and energy to career and don’t expect that will change with a future family, then MD is for you 🙂 there are different kinds of people in the world and different jobs that suit them best.
Thank you TS so much for your honestly and feedback, I think it will help many people who are reading this. I work with many doctors who have decided to reduce their hours or work part-time in an effort to find greater balance in life and work. This is a very good idea – it is also good that you are willing to take the necessary steps now to assure the happiness of yourself and your family. Many people don’t do this or wait until it is too late. Hang in there and work to design a career that revolves around your needs as a mom, a loving partner and a “liver of life” – I am sure you will find the balance you are looking for if you don’t take no for an answer!
I wish you the very best as you finish your fellowship and begin your career!
Stephen
Well put Stephen! Reading this has put it in so much perspective on the idea of having a life while still having a dream to pursue medicine! After reading this it has made me even more excited to apply for PA school in a couple years. Thank you for making this blog, I enjoy reading it!
Thank you Erin!
Really nice article! It’s great to be able to see this written by someone working in the profession. Too often, you get a great deal of misinformation from those who think they know, and it can deter many. I’m currently weighing the options for heading back downthe healthcare tract and becoming a PA. My degree is actually in Applied Science – PreMed, and my original intent was to go to medical school, but decided not to. (I had considered PA at one point early on, but I think the idea of “prestiege” had my mind clouded.) I’m glad that I actually made the decision not to go. I would not have been happy, nor ready. I needed time to mature and experience myself. I actually ended up getting married, starting a career as a server (yes, a waiter) and now I find myself almost two years later still unhappy with my life. (Career-wise, of course! =) My wife, and 3 mo. old daughter, I love very much and will forever declare as the best things in my life.) Anyway, at first, when these feelings of uncertainty began to plague me, I started looking back at what interested me. Language! My wife is from Central America. So, I’d been brushing back up on my Spanish, and was actually doing very well. I loved it! So, I started down that path, even took a summer course in ESL methodology. Thankfully, the course revealed something to me, or better yet, prompted me to ask an important question: “Do I like teaching languages, or do I simply like learning them?” The harsh reality being that my passion for language seems like more of a hobby, like singing and playing piano. I actually, recently, discovered I have a knack for translating materials, and really enjoy it; however, this too is not the best career option to make as the field is beyond competitive, and many translators are freelance- no benefits, etc.
So, fast-forward to now and you’d discover an ambivalent man. Then, I started to think. “What were the reasons I wanted to do medicine:” to help people; medicine was interesting and challenging; interacting with people. On the other hand, why did I not want to go to medical school? Your article includes several mutual reasons. You see, I want what you have. The ability to be debt free by my mid-thirties. The ability to see my family. The ability to change my specialty, should I decide to do so. So, perhaps my calling could be in the profession after all. Now, I’ve been struggling to get traction again. Although, I contacted an admissions officer of a PA program right here in my current location. The one thing that worries me would be the previous healthcare experience. You see, I worked as a homemaker/medical caretaker for ~4 years while I was in college. However, I’m uncertain as to whether this particular experience would even be eligible. What would be your advice on this matter? I obviously would up and quit my job as a server if it were necessary to work in a medical setting, but given current personal circumstances it would not be the best for my family. I would really love the opportunity to converse with you on my dilemma when you have time, of course. So, please, at your earliest convenience, any advice that you could give would be truly appreciated! I look forward to it!
-Regards