[RichL025]

I agree with a lot of the experienced poster's statements.

PAs and 18Ds are NOT equivalent, as Joe (Eagle5US) confirms, but 18D is a great background from which to become a PA.

A nursing degree is a very versatile tool from which you can do many things that would be harder or impossible with a PA degree - administration, public health, many type of businesses etc. A PA degree is probably the best ticket to get directly into hands-on patient care, although as a nurse you have the option of going to Nurse Practitioner school - and in some places you will have MORE independence as a NP than you would as a PA (for historical & legal reasons). Ditto with CRNA (although their does exist an "Anesthesia Assistant" that may be kind of a PA equivalent, but I have never worked with one nor do I know their scope of practice)

In my experience they both provide equivalent (and outstanding) levels of care in the the field I trained in (trauma & critical care) and they are invaluable members of the team. I literally could not have done my job without them.

As an MD, I am a big booster for people going into either the nursing OR PA fields, but understand the differences between the two - and one of the most miserable bastards I ever met was a former 18D who went into nursing on AD, and got stuck doing basic floor nursing which he HATED... so make sure you ask plenty of questions and think hard before you jump!

RL