Medicine is one of the most popular fields that students choose to go into. This is self-explanatory, as this isn’t only a lucrative field, it’s also a very altruistic field. Often when people think about medicine, they think of doctors and nurses. However, although obvious, not all of medicine is about doctors and nurses. Often, new students who want to pursue the field only consider these two options, yet, not only do these two require extensive schooling and are often expensive, other options might often be more aligned with a student’s goals. The pathways listed in this article is not comprehensive; readers are encouraged to research further; however, this article should offer a good point to start one’s research to see if other pathways in the medical field might be more fit for them.
Physician Assistant
A physician assistant (or PA) is a type of clinician who are very talented in multiple aspects of medicine. Physician assistants were originally designed to combat the primary care physician shortage during the 60s and 70s, but now, PAs are present in all parts of medicine. They play essential roles in healthcare. PAs can diagnose patients, interpret labs, do simple medical procedures (diabetes management, bedside ultrasound, intubation, etc.), aid the surgeon in the operating room, and so much more (Med School Insiders, 2020). The average pay of a PA was $115,390 in 2020, with a range of $95,730 to $135,220.
Typical requirements to become a PA
Bachelors’s Degree with prerequisite courses (e.g. biology, chemistry, anatomy, psychology, etc.)
Earn clinical and patient care hours (e.g. CNA, medical assistant, etc.)
Take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Physician Assistant College Admission Test (PA-CAT)
Get accepted into PA program and graduate from it
Pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE)
Pros:
Less schooling compared to a medical doctor (2-3 years compared to 4+ years)
Able to start practicing medicine right after PA program, as compared to physicians who have to go through residency
Very flexible in specialties, as compared to physicians who become more specialized
Easier to matriculate than medical schools
Costs less to become a PA than a physician
PAs can easier diagnose patients than RNs
More relaxing lifestyle than a physician
Cons:
Despite the flexibility in specialities, PAs’ abilities are limited compared to doctors (e.g they can only do so much in an operating room compared to a surgeon)
Less autonomy (still has to work under the supervision of a physician)
Less prestige than a physician, which can be trouble when treating patients who are skeptical
Despite PA programs being shorter and less rigorous than medical school, PA programs are still graduate programs; therefore requiring students to put in significant effort.
PAs have less opportunities in research compared to a physician.
Perfusionist
Perfusionists are cardiovascular specialists aiding surgeons in the operating room. They are needed when the heart needs to be still during operation, so perfusionists operate on a machine called the heart-lung machine. This machine essentially replaces the function of the heart while it’s being operated on by surgeon, so it’s not doubted that a perfusionist is an important career in medicine. They also take care of other cardiovascular tasks such as measuring blood cell count or monitoring circulation of blood (What, 2020). A perfusionist’s average pay in 2022 is $147,132 and the range is $132,725 to $160,419.
Typical requirements to be a perfusionist:
Obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree with prerequisite courses such as biology and psychology
Completing a Master’s Degree from an Accredited Perfusion Technology Program or authorized program of Extracorporeal Technology
Become a Certified Clinical Perfusionist through certification from the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion.
Pros:
Pay is great for a master’s degree (more than a typical Nurse Practitioner)
Tuition costs less than a physician.
Play a direct role in saving patients’ lives
Great job Security
Cons:
Limited scope of practice compared to other health professionals like NP or PA.
Heavy schooling
Long hours (surgery)
Stressful environment
Cardiac Sonographer
Cardiac Sonographers are trained medical professionals specializing in imaging technology of the heart to help in identification and treatment of cardiac problems. According ot The Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, some responsibilities of a cardiac sonographer include performing echocardiogram test to identify problems in the patient’s heart, examining aspects of the circulatory system such as valves and blood flow to diagnose the heart, and collecting data about the patient’s heart issues or the lack thereof (Mayo). A cardiac sonographer’s average pay is $86,523, with a range of $37,500 to $136,500 (ZipRecruiter, 2022).
Typical requirements to be a cardiac sonographer:
Completion of an associate’s or bachelor’s degree (typically in radiology)
Completion of a cardiac sonographer or echocardiography certificate program
(Depends on state or region) Obtaining a cardiac sonographer’s license
Pros:
Impressive pay for undergraduate degree
Less education requirements
Tuition is less expensive than other medical pathways
Good job outlook
High job security
Cons:
Least paid healthcare profession on this list
Limited scope of practice (can’t diagnose and can’t treat patients as much as a cardiologist)
Operation of heavy machinery
Standing for most of one’s shift
References
American Academy of Physician Associates. (2022, July). What is a PA? [Infographics]. American Academy of Physician Associates. https://www.aapa.org/download/80021/
Lich, B. (2018, November 28). How do I become a perfusionist? Perfusion.com. Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://www.perfusion.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-become-a-perfusionist/
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. (n.d.). Cardiac sonographer - explore health care careers - mayo clinic college of medicine & science. Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://college.mayo.edu/academics/explore-health-care-careers/careers-a-z/cardiac-sonographer/#:~:text=Cardiac%20sonographers%2C%20also%20known%20as,diagnose%20heart%20problems%20in%20patients.
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. (n.d.). Cardiovascular perfusionist - explore health care careers - mayo clinic college of medicine & science. Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://college.mayo.edu/academics/explore-health-care-careers/careers-a-z/cardiovascular-perfusionist/#:~:text=Obtaining%20a%20bachelor's%20degree,a%20certified%20clinical%20perfusionist%20(CCP)
Med School Insiders. 2020, October 10. So You Want to Be a Physician Assistant [Ep. 17] [Youtube]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyZCMcq4zVY
Meier, K. S. (2020, September 4). The cons of a career in Sonography. Chron. Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://work.chron.com/cons-career-sonography-21699.html
Pacific College. (2022, July 4). Registered nurse vs physician assistant: What's the difference? Pacific College. Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://www.pacific-college.edu/blog/registered-nurse-vs-physician-assistant
Palm, B. (2022, January 26). 6 steps to become a PA. AAPA. Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://www.aapa.org/news-central/2018/08/6-steps-become-pa/
Paul. (2019, November 11). What do physician assistants do? more than you think. Inside PA Training. Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://mypatraining.com/physician-assistants-think/
Salary.com. (2022). Cardio-pulmonary perfusionist salary. Salary.com. Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://www.salary.com/research/salary/benchmark/perfusionist-salary
Texas Heart Institute. (2020, September 30). What is a perfusionist? Texas Heart Institute. Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://www.texasheart.org/heart-health/heart-information-center/topics/what-is-a-perfusionist/
US News. (n.d.). Physician assistant overview - U.S. news & world report. US News. Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/physician-assistant
ZipRecruiter. (2022). Cardiac sonographer salary ($86,532) ZipRecruiter. ZipRecruiter. Retrieved September 10, 2022, from https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Cardiac-Sonographer-Salary
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