Psychiatric PA or Behavioral Neuroscience PhD?

Career Opportunities & Internships
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<p>Hello! This is my first post, so please forgive me if it is long-winded.</p>

<p>I am a senior in college and will be receiving a BA in behavioral neuroscience in May. I have had a passion for learning about the brain throughout my undergraduate career, such that I am absolutely engrossed in any conversation about the brain and/or human behavior. Deep down, I know that one day, I want to be an expert on it. Additionally, I know that in order to be happy, I must interact with humans every day. I genuinely enjoy talking to people one-on-one and carefully listening to their problems, so that I may offer my perspective.</p>

<p>Initially, my plan was to go to graduate school in pursuit of a PhD in behavioral neuroscience, so I may one day be able to apply alternative teaching strategies to children diagnosed with ADHD. I have enjoyed working with children in the past as both a lifeguard and camp counselor. As someone diagnosed with ADHD, I wish to effect positive change in the lives of ADHD children who struggle in the traditional classroom setting.</p>

<p>I also know that a PhD requires much research. I'm not certain on what exactly I would eventually want to study, but it would involve learning more about ADHD. However, after reading a thread on CC about earning a PhD, I gathered that one must be extremely passionate about the topic and not be concerned about earning an average income. While I have no doubt that I am passionate enough to earn a PhD, the latter realization slightly troubles me. It has always been my goal to make a salary allowing for comfortable upper-middle class living, while having some discretionary income.</p>

<p>This is where the possibility of being a psychiatric PA comes in. Not only does its average yearly income appeal to me, but also I think I would be happy doing the actual work that psychiatric PAs do on a daily basis. I gathered information about this from the following blog: Physician</a> Assistant Specialty: Psychiatry
Additionally, since the beginning of my study of neuroscience, I have always wanted to be a psychiatrist. However, I am not premed, and I am not the type of person who would survive med school.</p>

<p>Now, as far as the practicality of all this goes, my GPA is far from being competitive. It is well below a 3.0, but slightly above a 2.5. However, I attend a prestigious, challenging undergraduate institution notorious for its grade deflation. I also have experience in conducting independent research. I have been advised to apply to master's degree programs before tackling graduate school, to make up for my poor GPA. Particularly, I hope to earn a master's in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA).</p>

<p>I know that I need to get my master's before applying to graduate or PA school. The research I have done thus far indicates that in order to be a psychiatric PA, I need to go to PA school, and then specialize in psychiatry. Before even applying to PA school, I would need to take courses in anatomy, physiology, and organic chemistry, none of which I have done in college. I am also aware of the many required hours of volunteer medical work.</p>

<p>So, I have the following questions:</p>

<p>Is it even possible for me to pursue PA school?</p>

<p>After earning my master's, how feasible would it be to complete the required prerequisites for PA school?</p>

<p>Would being a psychiatric PA without a PhD entail being an expert on the brain and how it produces behavior, or is it worth getting a PhD in addition to being a psychiatric PA?</p>

<p>Could I do master's, PhD, then PA school? Or would it be better to do master's, PA school, and then a PhD?</p>

<p>If I completely forgo PA school, and solely get a PhD, what is the ratio of research to clinical work involving human interaction?</p>

<p>I welcome any sort of insight and/or advice. Thank you for taking the time to read about my situation!</p>

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<p>I don’t know the answers to any of your specific questions, except maybe this one;</p>

<p>"Would being a psychiatric PA without a PhD entail being an expert on the brain and how it produces behavior, " No. The link doesn’t describe any particulars of your specialty training, but I went to school/training for at least 14 years, and would not claim that. (I am a Child Psychiatrist).</p>

<p>In addition to income, you might want to consider how hands on you want to be. On the surface, psychiatric PA sounds hands on, but I have never met one. I have worked in almost all the settings in your link. If it is anything like being a psychiatrist or a physicians assistant, you will not be spending time learning about, or helping kids with ADHD learn. </p>

<p>I would check out getting credentialed in Applied Behavioral Analysis. That could be just the ticket for reasonable employment for hands on work in some school districts and regional centers. You could also get contracted work with places providing “THERAPEUTIC BEHAVIORAL SERVICES”, but I doubt they pay as well as being a PA does.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/MH/Documents/1-StatewideTBSProviderRoster.pdf[/url]”>http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/MH/Documents/1-StatewideTBSProviderRoster.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Thank you for your response. </p>

<p>Now that I think about it, I wouldn’t necessarily want to be hands-on every single day, though definitely more often than conducting research. But, I am not sure what the balance between clinical work and research is, realistically (i.e., are there some days that only consist of research or clinical work, or are days split between the two?)</p>

<p>I forgot to mention this in my first post, but I know that if I were to become a psychiatric PA, specializing in ADHD and working with children would be thrown out the window. Nevertheless, I am also immensely interested in general psychopathology.</p>

<p>I’m starting to think I’m better off pursuing my original idea. However, I would still like to learn more about fulfilling PA prerequisites after earning a master’s degree.</p>