Choosing between Health Care Majors
By Melody GoughQuestion
I am a certified nursing assistant and medical assistant. I want to further my education and become a physician's assistant or a registered nurse. I am not sure what the best pathway is for me to reach my goal. How many classes am I looking at to get where I want to be with my career?
Answer
As the first step in your plan of action, come to some conclusions about what it is you want from your career. How long are you willing to go to school? What level of responsibility are you willing to assume on the job? After you've answered some of the truly hard questions, make an appointment with an academic counselor at your local accredited college campus of choice. If you are interested in online learning, make sure you ask about that option as well as traditional classroom learning. You want to find a program that is the best fit for you. Bring transcripts from all schools you've attended because you want the advisor to have all of your records so your questions are answered correctly.
Some schools require a bachelor's degree before granting admission to a physician assistant program. If a career in nursing sounds more appealing, talk about options with your advisor. Will it mean a shorter time spent in the classroom if you are certified as a nursing assistant? Be honest with yourself about what your ultimate career goal is and you will soon be headed in that direction.
University of Nevada Reno professor Melody Gough is here to answer your questions every week. Professor Gough has taught poetry in both online and community college classrooms for almost a decade and has also taught English composition at the local university for the past five years. In addition to advising her students and inspiring them with witty classroom exercises, Professor Gough writes both poetry and memoir. Her Master of Arts in Teaching English is from the University of Nevada, Reno.
