I received an email from someone considering the PA profession. The person was wondering about PAs and NPs and the pros and cons of being a PA. I sent him a reply and I am adding it here.

I have enjoyed being a PA and find these items to be the PROs:

• the pay has progressed from so-so to excellent
• acceptance and understanding of the profession is very good and has made being a PA very pleasant
• the working conditions are great and you get to work with the best and the brightest most of the time
• the work is challenging everyday, although some of it is routine, the responsibility never is
• I get thanked for what I do much more than 10% of the time
• I am delegated as much responsibility as I can accept. I have worked in clinical medicine my entire career
• there is great flexibility in what a PA can do. It is generally no hard to find a place to work if you choose to relocate. American PAs are sought after in Great Britain

The CONs

• I have to get at least 50 hours of CME a year. You can get junk but high quality is expensive and time-consuming
• You will never be “independent”. Even if you own the practice – you have to hire a doctor to be the supervisor and medical administrator
• Your skills should be as good as an M.D. but you will always be paid less.
• You have to take and pass a National Certifying Exam every 6 years.