How hard would it be to get into Grad medicine?

Just from first principles, does that make sense? Why is it that a doctor has to have the finest academic qualifications to even get a foot in the door, then pass an entry test, then do a hard medical degree, then further training and still at SHO, have to be supervised in certain areas of prescribing, not to mention increasingly hard professional examinations if prescribing is as simple as being able to do a PA degree for a couple of years and be 'competent'.

It's as if the PAs have found some magic trick that generations of doctors have been entirely blind to - oh, that prescribing malarky, it's a piece of piss really...

Okay so this going to be quite a unique set of academics so I'm just curious.


GCSE'S = 8 D'S AND 1 C (Never cared)
BTEC = MMM in Engineering (Never cared)
Degree = 85% first in Law (top of the class) (I started to care)

I know this is going to sound quite ridiculous but how hard would it be for someone like this to get into Grad medicine?

I’m just sharing what I’m thinking, no need to get heated

I’m confused on why American PAs who also do 2 years postgrad study can prescribe, but the idea of uk PAs prescribing becomes shocking and absurd

I’m confused on why American PAs who also do 2 years postgrad study can prescribe, but the idea of uk PAs prescribing becomes shocking and absurd

Just because the USA allows it, doesn't mean it's necessarily a good thing.

I've been reading around PA's in the USA and from I can gather it isn't necessarily a good thing that they're getting extra responsibilty. The lines between PA and Dr are so blurred that patients often think they're getting treatment from a Doc when they're actually being treated by a PA. You can google it and see that there's been a few cases where this has led to massive errors because the PA has missed something that would've been otherwise routine to a Dr.

Now I'm not saying all PA's are that incompetent, of course they're not, but it's important to think about these things instead of just saying that they should get prescribing rights because their colleagues overseas do. There's a reason it takes so long to train to be a Dr.

From my research both doctors and PAs have demonstrated frustration numerous times to the fact that they cannot prescribe. Many times the PA has to get a doctors signature for a prescription when it would make more sense if they could just do it themselves to save time( obviously if they have demonstrated enough competency)

If PA is originally a nurse can they do the independent prescriber course?

From my research both doctors and PAs have demonstrated frustration numerous times to the fact that they cannot prescribe. Many times the PA has to get a doctors signature for a prescription when it would make more sense if they could just do it themselves to save time( obviously if they have demonstrated enough competency)

But where does that frustration from the Dr's come from? Is it because they're understaffed and are swept off their feet so they don't have to time to sign off a prescription? If so, wouldn't it be of a greater benefit to have more Dr's on staff?

I don't have the answer, I just think it's a contentious topic that needs to be discussed in detail before extra responsibilities are given.

One last question I want to ask you. How tough is a PAs role compared to a doctors? You mentioned that 100k is not enough for the work of a doctor and not worth it, so if PAs do somewhat similar role, but get paid half that, wouldn’t that mean PA is not worth it at all, from the monetary aspect.

PA can provide continuity of care, so be left in a certain position for as long as they want whilst junior doctors keep rotating for training. So giving them prescription rights would mean they can provide continuity of care without having to keep chasing doctors to sign the prescriptions

You mentioned that 100k is not enough for the work of a doctor and not worth it, so if PAs do somewhat similar role, but get paid half that, wouldn’t that mean PA is not worth it at all, from the monetary aspect.

From my research both doctors and PAs have demonstrated frustration numerous times to the fact that they cannot prescribe. Many times the PA has to get a doctors signature for a prescription when it would make more sense if they could just do it themselves to save time( obviously if they have demonstrated enough competency)

Also since doctors are so underpaid why don’t you guys do something about it. The country needs you. I’m sure you can find a way to get what you want in terms of salary. I understand the nhs is funded by the tax payer, but this government wastes money on pointless things every year, I’m sure they can afford to pay nhs staff fairly. The Netherlands or Canada have a public healthcare system as well, however they get paid fairly. Even PAs in Netherlands make 90k. I feel like something needs to be done about this from the doctors side

but can you imagine the dailymail headlines - "doctors on 100K a year go on strike in the midst of a pandemic". That'll go down well.