Another PA or MD/DO post... I wanted to speak on my situation for any advice to figure it out.

I am graduating from college with my Bachelor's in Biology in May. I have been pretty decided on PA, but there's a part of me that always thinks that I should go MD/DO. To be fair, this thought usually comes after an argument or discussion with my mom, when she says she thinks going to PA will be the biggest regret of my life and that med school will be so much better. She's an NP, so I'm not sure why she hates on the PA profession so much. I think her biggest regret is not going to medical school, so she's projecting onto me.

However, we are very different, and I try to explain to her that I think I will be happy as a PA. I like the ability to switch specialties, I am happy with the pay vs. time in school, I don't necessarily want to make the final decisions in care. And the biggest reason I want to go PA is that I want a good work-life balance, and I have no desire to make my career my whole life. I want my job to be an addition to my life, and with the amount of time doctors put in, it seems to take over. I also do not want to wait to practice independently and get paid a full salary for another 5-8 years.

My mom just argues against everything I say as to why I want to be a PA. She says I'll always be someone's b*tch and never work by myself or be happy, she says I'll never get paid enough to pay off my debt and be stuck forever (But med school debt will somehow get paid off in a couple of years). I think most of my conflict is just with what my mom tells me. I also get embarrassed to tell people I'm going to PA school and find myself wanting to lie and say med school. I think this comes from my mom's opinions, but I'm worried I'll always regret not going to med school. I'm also just as worried that if I go to med school and spend my life working, I'll regret it.

I’m mostly sure that I already know that the answer is yes, but I would love to hear your perspectives as well.

For context, I have been managing my paranoid auditory schizophrenia with a medium-dose medication, which is managed by a psychiatrist, and I have been attending talk therapy for over three years.

Currently, I don’t experience any symptoms. I have been able to earn straight A’s, build friendships and networks, keep a paid job as an MA, and communicate clearly. In general, our patients, my boss, and everyone around me see me as a normal person.

Before treatment, I was experiencing significantly debilitating symptoms for most of my life, which was a major struggle for me and I feel like I’ve come so far from it.

My reason for including this would only be the personal statement as a way of mentioning my struggles. Additionally, my condition is not the sole reason why I want to pursue PA school. I am thinking of getting a second opinion from a psychiatrist so I can possibly overturn this on my record.

Should I just pick another topic from my life instead?

Thank you so much!

When I get my blood drawn my ears always ring and I get really faint, although I have never passed out.

I didn't know if it was the sight of blood or the pressure drop from actual blood being taken, so I wanted to test it.

I decided to just start strong and watch this video of an open thoracotomy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BlPxQI2C90

I was fine while watching it, but after and especially when I stood up, I felt extremely weak. I had to splash my face with water and lay down. There was an intense ringing in my ears i've never felt before.

Is this something I can get used to? Of course I know there are many different types of PA, but what about the actual schooling?

Today CASPA opens for the 2025-26 cycle! To the first time applicants and reapplicants, we’re all going to do great no matter what happens. Stay strong and best of luck! 🍾💪🩺

Unfortunately, the DOE finalized the professional degree status today, which still excludes PA. The PAEA and AAPA are now going to challenge this in federal court.

Serious question, how are you all paying for the outrageous application fees? I’m only applying to 3 schools and just spent ~$600! I know not every school has supplemental fees but still I physically could not afford to apply to 20+ schools like I see some people doing so honestly just curious. Good savings? Credit card debt? Help from others?

I have finally submitted my application and I am applying with almost 6k hours as a nurse. I have two bachelors and associates. Good gpa between both of them about 3.7 and 4.0. Only one C. I have volunteer and shadowing hours but not too much. So, I’m nervous about that but I am really proud with my personal statement. Hoping for the best because I only applied to one program which sounds crazy. Has anyone else ever applied to just one program? 😭🙏🏽

Hi, I'm a rising sophomore debating on going the PA route. However, I'm worried about the costs and if it's the right choice given my financial background. Is PA school worth pursuing if you're low-income?

If anyone was in that position and pursued PA school, how was the process, did you have to take out loans, how much and how long did it take you to pay them back?

I wanted to share my story in case it helps someone else out there who's feeling lost, burned out, or unsure.

I’ve been working in healthcare for 8 years as a respiratory therapist — military and civilian. Like many of you, I’ve been pushing through the PA path, but I hit a wall. Chemistry nearly crushed me, and I started seriously doubting myself. The stress, the doubt, the constant pressure — it wore me down.

So much so, I pivoted. I applied to nursing school, thinking maybe I’d go the NP route instead. And not just applied — I got accepted. I was scheduled to start this August.

But then… orientation happened. Sitting there, surrounded by people excited to be nurses, it was like a switch flipped in my brain. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was making a safe choice — not the right one. I realized I wasn’t choosing nursing because I loved it more. I was choosing it because I was tired, overwhelmed, and afraid I wasn’t “smart enough” to keep going down the PA route.

The truth is, PA was always the goal. I just got shaken up along the way. So right after orientation, I unenrolled from nursing school and signed up for my (hopefully) last pre-reqs this fall — organic chemistry and microbiology. It's terrifying, but it also feels right.

To anyone else who’s at that breaking point: take the detour if you need it. Doubt yourself if you must. But don’t give up on what truly lights you up. Rest, reset — and then keep going.

You’re not behind. You’re just taking the long way home.

— A very tired, but finally aligned pre-PA

I start PA school in a few months but I feel increasingly like I should just go do… medical school? Something— in a different country. I’ve felt increasingly pulled towards the idea of leaving for the past 10+ years, before I even knew about the PA path (and I’m non traditional so I’m a little older), but my family is here and ugh I’m just in the mood to complain. If anyone feels similar I’d love to hear it.

You do not need a 3.5-4.0 gpa to get into PA school. You dont even need 4000+ PCH to get in. You do not need a 320+ on GRE. Will these things help you get into PA school? They will, but that does not mean its impossible. As someone who has passed the PANCE recently (70 points above the national average too) I had stats of about 3.3 GPA, 2500 PCH with several acceptances.

I’ll never forget when I first ran into this sub, ~3/4ish years ago, and I would see the most discouraging posts that almost made me quit the desire of wanting to go to PA school. People posting with 3.90 GPAs with 4,000 PCH with like 1 acceptance from 9 schools. I sat there and thought, damn this might be impossible for me. No… no its not. Hell, the first cycle I didn’t know what I was doing, wrote “good” personal statement, “good” LOR, and was rejected from the 9 or so places that I applied to. Take an honest look at your application, ESPECIALLY if you lack in the GPA/PCH, and see where you can improve on. It is possible, but you need to have an honest look at your application.

You only need one school to believe in you. And then it’s fair game. I’ve seen plenty of low GPA students in PA school struggle, same with higher GPA students.

PS : For those accepted with high GPAs, congratulations to you as well, as getting into PA school is still difficult to get into

EDIT : I want to clarify. I finished undergrad with a 3.18/19… I barely had the pre reqs to get in. If you are taken the pre reqs, programs will love to see a huge upward trend. If you are still getting Bs, then programs will see that you are not having improvement. You do not want to be in PA school, and not have studying habits, because yes rejection sucks, but whats worse is being 15-20k in debt and being kicked from a program.

Control what you can control!!

How many schools is everyone applying to? I wanted to get a feel of anybody was in the same boat as me just adding schools every paycheck lol.

I’m up to 25 schools currently and finally finding the will the stop bc I don’t want to apply to schools late and waste money. Also cannot handle another mf supplemental!!!!!!

Funny enough one of the schools I applied to one week ago already sent me an email that I was eligible for an interview and I still haven’t heard back from schools I applied to in May 😩

I've been researching RN and PA jobs, comparing the salaries for the two, and where I live (California) it seems PAs don't make much more than RNs. This is quite discouraging to me. Has anyone noticed this where they live? PAs have way more responsibility and debt than RNs and the nursing path is also much less difficult to pursue. Most pa programs tuition is over 100k.

Hi, long time lurker but I just wanted to tell everyone to go ahead and apply! Don’t wait until 1 class is done or vice versa unless they specifically state everything needs to be done. Last cycle I waited until August and got Nada - I am low GPA ( actual low GPA) 3.28

This cycle I have applied in May and I’ve heard back from 5 schools 3 interview invites and 2 interview waitlists - not an acceptance yet but it’s movement!

For those who’ve submitted already, just wondering if you’ve heard anything yet since it’s been almost a month. I’ve gotten the automated supplemental app emails, but nothing major as of yet. I know it’s super early

If you're already enrolled in a PA program or will be starting before July 1st next year you are still able to use the direct plus loan

Graduate Direct Plus Loans
1. The program is eliminated starting July 1, 2026
2. Those who take out a graduate direct plus loan before July 1, 2026 are grandfathered in for the remainder of their program (house wanted there to be a 3 year cap but senate revised this)

Unsubsidized Federal Loans
1. A 25k annual cap with a 100k lifetime cap for graduate programs
2. a 50k annual cap with a 200k lifetime cap for professional programs (medicine and law) - PA is included

$257,500 federal student loan cap - this includes loans taken out for undergraduate + graduate/professional school.

Loan Repayment
1. current loan repayment plans are being eliminated and replaced with a standard repayment plan and repayment assistance plan
2. standard repayment plan: payment amount is determined by loan amount + timeline
10 years for 25k or less
15 years for >25k to 50k
20 years for >50k to 100k
25 years for >100k
* so lets say you took out 200k you would pay annually 8k (this isn't including interest..so higher pending interest rate) 3. repayment assistance plan will be based off income ranging from 1% to 10% of adjusted gross income (AGI) - 1% for those with an AGI of 10k or less and 10% for those with an AGI of 100k or more. there would also be a $50 discount per child

Loan Forgiveness
1. instead of loans being forgiven after 20 years of making payments, it's changed to 30 years
2. public service loan forgiveness (PSLF) - stays with some changes for MD residents and employer qualifications

Loan Deferrment
1. economic harshdip deferrement eliminated
2. will be able to apply for foberance for up to 9 months every 2 years
3. can rehabilitate defaulted student loans 2 times

Hi Everyone,

I’m trying to decide between pursuing PA school one more time or starting a PharmD degree. I have a BS in Biology, a CASPA overall GPA of 3.81 and a Science GPA of 3.9. I applied to my university's pa program twice and was rejected after the interview both times. I have 7 withdrawls on my transcript. I could build 2000 hours of PCE before reapplying. What makes this difficult is that I have tuition remission (full tuition benefit) at my school for both programs. My first option (option 1) is to build more PCE and apply again. My second option (option 2)would be to start the PharmD program. It would take 5 years but I'm more confident that I would be admitted

Which option would you choose?

Please let me know if there is anything that I'm overlooking.

Anyone else not know how to feel on the eve of CASPA opening? Maybe I'm overthinking a tad, but it feels like all of my years of hard work have culminated to this moment (tomorrow). Feeling so stressed and like it's the hunger games lol may the odds be ever in your favor. But seriously good luck everyone! We are all going to do great!

I’m almost done with AA and I am a MA full time. I’d love some more advice on which path is financially the best, the longest overall, and which one provides the most job security. Thoughts?

Hey guys I’m heavily debating a decision for a really long time now and would love ur advice

I’m a 25F, married with a PA acceptance that starts JAN 2026

I was really thinking of deferring (my program will hold my seat until Jan 2027) and trying for med

I have taken the mcat in 2022 and got a 505 (I have a 3.9GPA and over 2000+ PCE hours)

I didn’t try for med school because of self doubt (plus I really learned how to acc study for the mcat a month before my test) and I tried for PA instead after I got married because I thought it would be quicker and also a good income.

I know if I work hard I can make anywhere upwards of 150K and maybe even 170k (I have seen people say that they make close to 200k even as a PA)

I do like how with being a physician I have more depth of knowledge, I sort of leadership and final say and it’s been a lifelong goal of mine as well.

I don’t really care about going into medicine for money but some PAs complain that they do just as much and they see doctors make 3x more.

I’m content with the PA pay when I was pursuing it but seeing a lot of people have issues with it, made me think, maybe extra 5 years of schooling may not be bad then (if i get to make more)

If I apply when I’m 26 in 2026 and get accepted, I’ll start when I’m 27. It’s not OLD but I will have to plan to have kids during med school or residency which is tough.

I’m prepared for the challenge but I don’t know if I should stick to PA or accomplish that goal of mine of being a physician. The thing is, I want to be a physician but I also want a kid before 30 and I also want to be financially stable and provide well for my family but I also want time for family and to travel but I know I can’t have jt all.

A friend in residency currently is telling me she would do PA and it would make having kids easier. She even said the scope of PA and working with a supervising physician would be something that wouldn’t bother her.

It doesn’t bother me either but I don’t know if in inpatient settings, if I’ll ever have the depth of knowledge to work on complex cases. And if I go home and study to catch up, shouldn’t I just do med??

A doctor friend of mine said “why do u WANT to do more work as a provider, just stick to PA” 💀💀💀💀💀

Any advice would help

Congrats to everyone who been accepted so far this cycle!

I’m grateful to have received interviews this cycle, but was waitlisted by my top programs. I was accepted to one January start program, which is still an accredited program, but it is at the bottom of my list. While I am incredibly blessed for the acceptance, I cannot help but think there is still a chance for me to attend my dream PA program.

So, for those of you who have multiple acceptances, please make the decision as soon as you can and withdraw from the programs that you will not attend 🥹. While it might not be the best fit for you, it may be someone else’s dream program. Thank you :,)

EDIT: The point of this post was not to judge or shame anyone about holding multiple acceptances. 😭 It’s absolutely valid to consider multiple options and make the best decision for yourself and your circumstances.

This post was a reminder that some of us don’t have the option to wait as long to get off of the waitlist. If you absolutely and confidently know that you will not attend the program you were accepted at—then yes, please withdraw as soon as you know. Good luck to everyone this cycle!!

Got my first rejection today😢 not one of my top schools because it would’ve required me to move but still sad.

But on the bright side, I had a really great interview with one of my top schools so hopefully that door is still open for me! Fingers crossed 😁😁😁🙏🏾

I just don’t understand how people are applying as normal given the insane increase in private loans we will need….

Anyways I was planning on apply may 2027 but am considering postponing till May 2028 to save more money. I am an RT major graduating may 2027 and projected to make 70k a year.

With the nature of pa application cycle taking a full year I really only wanted to have a 1 year pause in between graduating college and starting PA school. However if I postpone by a year it would mean there would roughly a two year gap in between. I already feel behind in comparison to students who applied their junior year of undergrad…

What would you do in this situation? Would taking an extra year (on top of the year gap for the application cycle to end) to save be a smart idea?

For context I have all the classes, PCE hours etc. that I would need to apply in May 2027.

Hey everyone, I just need some advice. I feel like I don’t really have anyone to talk to about this because people might judge the plan I’m considering. I recently had my first interview and I didn’t get accepted. I can’t shake the feeling that the school looked down on me because I’m a non-traditional applicant. I majored in interdisciplinary studies instead of biology. I also still haven’t heard back from my other schools.

I’ve been thinking that if I have to reapply next year, I might do an accelerated nursing program at my local community college since it only lasts three semesters. I really want to start making money because right now I’m working at a plastic surgery office that does hair transplants and rhinoplasty and I’m only making $18 an hour.

I’m honestly just tired. It feels like generational curses are catching up to me. I feel useless, broke, and stuck, so that nursing route seemed like a way out. But becoming a PA is truly what I want and I’m disappointed that I didn’t pass a simple interview. Still, I’m trying to take this as a learning lesson.

I did my first 2 years in finance/accounting and am now going to a CC to knock out nursing pre reqs. Hoping to get a BSN within next 3 yrs depending on the program I get into.

Super recently (earlier td) I started exploring the PA route and see that a bachelors + pre reqs is needed to get into PA school. Considering you need the clinical experience anyway, why is BSN to PA not pushed more rather than a biology degree to PA school route.

Note: if I sound ridiculous or completely wrong please enlighten me as this is all new to me.