I’m 45, married, and my youngest just started college. I only have 3 years undergrad with very good grades (I was pre-med with a major in biology). My military training allows me to work basically as a PA, without prescribing authority. I have been considering going back to school for some time now. My passion for medicine seems to be growing, and I feel I will never really be satisfied, intellectually anyway, until I continue my quest for my M.D. I sit for the boards in Feb. to be an OPA-C, (orthopedic physicians assistant-certified). My license will only apply in a couple of states, and I still won’t have prescibing authority unless I graduate from a civilian PA program,(3 yrs in length). My thought is why not finish my undergrad and just apply to medical school instead, as I am seriously considering PA school; which has even fewer seats per applicant.
I was a 911 paramedic for a few years. I was accepted to few PA schools a few years ago, but decided to turn them down and pursue medical school instead. If a stateside PA-to-physician program had existed, then I would have gone the PA route.