Would you become a PA or ARNP?

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Anonymous

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Veteran rep here- thinking of going back to school and becoming an ARNP. I have my bachelors in business, so I am curious if anyone has gone through of considered the process? I hope by the time I finish there will still be pharma reps left to come call on me! :)
 




I looked into PA school but overall found than NPs and most PAs make a LOT less money than I do. I figure if the industry falls apart I can always go then but it doesn't make financial sense to do it now.
 




Just check the laws and see if you can own a medical practice in your state. That would be a much smarter move. I've considered it myself.

I will be asking my docs what they think and how did they get started.

I know it's ok in Nevada and Florida, so far.
 




Whomever posted that the money is far less is right on. If you want to get ahead in pharma get a Masters in Public Health, or an MBA. If you are smart your career options will open. Also if your company has a reimbursement plan you will get this for free. If you want to have a career outside of pharma don't bother with a PA degree. Go for the NP, they are far more respected and regardless of the laws in the state you have more opportunity for $. NPs can teach and work. Remember though you will have to stop working to complete your training!
 




Remember this, all ARNPs are RNs first. That means you are looking at 5-6 years of school. 3-4 years getting your BSN (depending on how many of your BA in Business classes will count - like Humanities, Language Arts, Math, etc.), but you will no doubt have to add BSN classes such as Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, etc. that you probably did not take for your B.A. And it's not like you can take your nursing classes willy-nilly. Once you are accepted into nursing school, they expect you to follow their nursing curriculum that follows a strict time schedule. Then 2 more years to get your MSN. Think about it, between the BSN and MSN, you will be doing tons of clinical rotations. Not only that, but soon, ARNPs will be required to have PhDs.

Provided you have enough math/science credits, PA school should be 2 or 3 years. If you have to go back and get more science credits, add some time.

I have heard from several sources that since PAs are trained by physicians, the PAs get more respect from them. The PA professional societies are aligned with the physician ones. ARNP professional societies are all comingled with nursing societies. ARNPs are always viewed as nurses by the doctors, and even though they see patients, they never break the nurse stereotype.
 




I disagree with the previous post. ARNP's are not always viewed as nurses by doctors. I have worked with both and quite frankly I would rather be a ARNP with a nursing background. I worked with a PA who had a degree in psych and thought her shit didn't stink and she was so lost... she can work FOR a physician as eventually I can open my own practice! Touche'
 




MBA is the way to go, night school.

You can network with other students, and you can position yourself for better jobs and you can get into management if you want that.

Those that think an MBA is worthless, are usually those without one OR those that got lucky to not get downsized and have had a lot of breaks along the way without an MBA.
 
























Anonymous said:
PAs are trained by MD/DOs and NPs are trained by nurses. Believe me the training is very different.
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I agree wholeheartedly with this poster.

PAs generally have MUCH MORE clinical hours in their training as diagnosticians than do NPs. Nurse practitioners do not have as many hours as PAs do - and NO NPs, YOUR HOURS SPENT AS AN RN DO NOT COUNT in that assessment. You weren't trained as a diagnostician until you started your NP training.

On an apples to apples comparison of training, PAs have more hours AND are trained under the medical model of medical training - not the nursing model. That is why, in my opinion, PA may have a slight edge.

PA or NP are the way to go. Job stability (no annual layoffs liek in sales) and you will have a job until the day you die if you want one. The roller coaster of pharma was fun for a while but it turned into the carni-fun house after a while and I got off that crazy train last year and I'm back in school.

Can't wait for 2014!! Good luck everyone.
 




PA: college, two years of PA school, instatnly "qualified" to diagnose, treat and Rx.
NP: several years as an RN treating/caring for patients, most have hospital experience, hands on caring for sick people wiht understanding of their conditions and the meds used to treat them, two or more years NP school.

Experience counts.
 




Hey Y'all: RN here, who became a drug rep (Pfizer, then Janssen CNS), then went into capital equipment (Puritan Bennett/Nellcor). Decided I would rather wipe ass than kiss it, and went back to nursing. Never been happier.

This December I will be graduating with my MSN/FNP. I would like to clear up a few issues mentioned above.

Yes, if you don't already have a nursing degree, you have to get one before becoming an NP, plus a few years of experience. Kind of a waste of time, you could just go to medical school.

As for the way MD/DO's view NPs vs PA's, it depends. I have met very few docs who pigeon hole midlevels. Some docs like mid-levels, some don't. If they don't like NP's, most likely they don't like PA's either. They like anyone who is good at what they do, and make their jobs easier.

NP's have more freedom to practice than PA's. In many states, NP's can have a solo practice. In all states, PA's must be supervised by an MD pretty much all the time. In many states, PA's cannot prescribe. NP's can prescribe in all 50 states.

NP's are recognized world wide. I go on many mission trips, and as an NP, I am in high demand on mission trips. PA's are not recognized in any other country besides Canada, and cannot do much on a mission trip or work internationally.

As for NP's being trained by nurses, Baloney. I have had 1 rotation with an NP (required for the program), and the rest of my clinicals with MD's. I have a very medical model approach, just my style.

It is true that you can be a PA with an undergraduate degree in art or history, and in 2 years, be a PA. I would rather have an NP (or PA) with an extensive background in some type of healthcare, nursing, paramedic, or even drug rep! NP's have to have several years of experience to get accepted to any reputable NP program. Most NP's have years of experience--very valuable.

I have 2 friends going to PA school at the same time I am completing my NP. My training has been much more rigorous than theirs, even they agree.

NP's and PA's both have a strong future and will play a big role in healthcare. I would encourage any rep to become either one, whichever you can do more quickly and cost effectively.

There are good NP's, good PA's, and bad. As reps, we all know that there are bad docs, too. Don't go stereotyping NP's please, it really is not fair.

PS. The Doctorate thing is on hold indefinitely. Anyone graduating with an MSN before 2015 will be grandfathered. Only CRNA's will have to have a doctorate, but it is by 2018, I believe.

If you do decide to go to NP school, go for an FNP-much more marketable than an ANP or ACNP.

Take care, Peace out,

Tracey
 




  • ~T~   Oct 11, 2012 at 10:54: AM
Anonymous said:
Hey Y'all: RN here, who became a drug rep (Pfizer, then Janssen CNS), then went into capital equipment (Puritan Bennett/Nellcor). Decided I would rather wipe ass than kiss it, and went back to nursing. Never been happier.

This December I will be graduating with my MSN/FNP. I would like to clear up a few issues mentioned above.

Yes, if you don't already have a nursing degree, you have to get one before becoming an NP, plus a few years of experience. Kind of a waste of time, you could just go to medical school.

As for the way MD/DO's view NPs vs PA's, it depends. I have met very few docs who pigeon hole midlevels. Some docs like mid-levels, some don't. If they don't like NP's, most likely they don't like PA's either. They like anyone who is good at what they do, and make their jobs easier.

NP's have more freedom to practice than PA's. In many states, NP's can have a solo practice. In all states, PA's must be supervised by an MD pretty much all the time. In many states, PA's cannot prescribe. NP's can prescribe in all 50 states.

NP's are recognized world wide. I go on many mission trips, and as an NP, I am in high demand on mission trips. PA's are not recognized in any other country besides Canada, and cannot do much on a mission trip or work internationally.

As for NP's being trained by nurses, Baloney. I have had 1 rotation with an NP (required for the program), and the rest of my clinicals with MD's. I have a very medical model approach, just my style.

It is true that you can be a PA with an undergraduate degree in art or history, and in 2 years, be a PA. I would rather have an NP (or PA) with an extensive background in some type of healthcare, nursing, paramedic, or even drug rep! NP's have to have several years of experience to get accepted to any reputable NP program. Most NP's have years of experience--very valuable.

I have 2 friends going to PA school at the same time I am completing my NP. My training has been much more rigorous than theirs, even they agree.

NP's and PA's both have a strong future and will play a big role in healthcare. I would encourage any rep to become either one, whichever you can do more quickly and cost effectively.

There are good NP's, good PA's, and bad. As reps, we all know that there are bad docs, too. Don't go stereotyping NP's please, it really is not fair.

PS. The Doctorate thing is on hold indefinitely. Anyone graduating with an MSN before 2015 will be grandfathered. Only CRNA's will have to have a doctorate, but it is by 2018, I believe.

If you do decide to go to NP school, go for an FNP-much more marketable than an ANP or ACNP.

Take care, Peace out,

Tracey
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Great post..though don't NP's have *varying degrees* of prescriptive authority in all 50 States related to controlled substances & physician involvement?? I thought there were only 13 or so states where NP's can prescribe completely independent of any physician involvement including the writing of controlled substance scripts?? Or has this changed?
 




  • ~T~   Oct 11, 2012 at 10:56: AM
Walking Eagle said:
PA: college, two years of PA school, instatnly "qualified" to diagnose, treat and Rx.
NP: several years as an RN treating/caring for patients, most have hospital experience, hands on caring for sick people wiht understanding of their conditions and the meds used to treat them, two or more years NP school.

Experience counts.
Click to expand...

Indeed!
 




Yes, there is varying prescriptive authority for NP's throughout the country, but last I knew, there were 7 states where PA's could hardly prescribe anything. This may be changing as of late, as their independence is increasing as well.
 




Absolutely. I just took a new position that offers tuition reimbursement and hope to use it to crack away at my PA degree. It will take a long time while working full-time but if a lay-off happens and I continue to be smart with my money, I can use savings and go back full-time and finish up. Would like to work in a dermatology office.
 




Anonymous said:
I disagree with the previous post. ARNP's are not always viewed as nurses by doctors. I have worked with both and quite frankly I would rather be a ARNP with a nursing background. I worked with a PA who had a degree in psych and thought her shit didn't stink and she was so lost... she can work FOR a physician as eventually I can open my own practice! Touche'
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Trust me cupcake. Your practice will never thrive. I'll take the MD over you any day of the week. You're the laughing stock among the medical device reps. And we make a boat load more money than you.
 




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