PA vs MD

Apr 27, 2021
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Students often wonder the exact difference between a PA and an MD. While they perform similar duties, the academic and extracurricular requirements look slightly different. Here are the definitions of PA and MD:

PA - A physician assistant is a mid-level medical practitioner who works under the supervision of a licensed doctor (an MD) or osteopathic physician (a DO).

Physician - The term generally refers to a person who has earned a Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Osteopathy (DO), or Doctor of Naturopathy (ND) degree and who is accepted as a practitioner of medicine under the laws of the state, province, and/or nation in which he or she practices.

Reference: MedicineNet

Let’s dive into some of the differences between a PA and an MD.

Education:

Both PA’s and MD’s require 4 years of undergraduate learning. Most medical schools have a defined set of pre-requisite courses that every pre-medical student must take. PA schools have different pre-requisite courses required for admission – so it is all dependent on the school.

Medical Schools typically require:

Anatomy
General Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Biology
Biochemistry
Physiology
Physics
Psychology
Sociology
Mathematics

Physician Assistant Schools typically require (can vary):

Anatomy
General Chemistry
Biochemistry
Developmental Psychology
Microbiology
Medical Terminology
Mathematics

To find more information on pre-requisites in Michigan, visit: https://natsci.msu.edu/academics/prehealth/health-careers/

Extracurriculars:

Both tracks like to see applicants participate in extracurricular activities, primarily in a leadership position. However, the hours required can be different with PA schools generally requiring paid patient contact hours.

Medical School:

Generally, 150-1000 hours of clinical experience, volunteering, extracurriculars (leadership).

Physician Assistant School:

Requires 500+ direct patient contact hours – therefore, scribing does NOT count. You want to seek clinical experience that allows you to directly interact and assess the patients. For example, being a CNA, EMT, or Phlebotomist.

And around 150+ hours of extracurricular activities.

Salaries:

Most MD’s make about $140,000 to $200,000 per year.

Most PA’s make about $90,000 to $130,000 per year.

Some common questions we get include:

Can PA’s have their own practice?

No. PA’s must work under the supervision of a physician. However, I heard a rumor that PA’s may get the opportunity to open their own practice in the future if they have enough experience (but again, that is speculation).

How do I choose between PA or MD?

Shadow! You will gain a better understanding of what path you would like to take if you shadowed both a PA and an MD. Most pre-med students ONLY shadow MD’s and assume that is what they want to do. However, shadowing a PA is well worth it.

Am I considered a “doctor” if I pursue the PA route?

While you are not technically a doctor (since those require a doctoral degree or medical school background), most patients will often see you as their doctor. You will perform many of the same duties where you would go in and assess the patient and then report back to your physician. Ultimately, you are caring for the patient and running everything by the attending physician before you start a treatment plan. I cannot recall how many times I have called a PA by “doctor” just because it seemed like they were doing everything the doctor’s would do.

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