Doctor of Medicine (MD), 国内医学院毕业的, green or citizen, USMLE, match, residency…, 苦难的历程, 丰厚的汇报. 最理想的境界是你享受工作,高工资只是副产品.
Physician Assistant (PA), 如你以前在国内是医生, 你要能接受心理落差. 好处是压力小点, 不须经住院医.绝大多数program的申请通过CASPA(Central Application Service for Physician Assistants),绝大多数program要求北美本科学位(找承认外国本科的), 最好5年以内医学院或护校毕业的, 要求学过生物,生化, 生理, 解刨等前期课程, TOFEL, GRE, 开销:$30,000-40,000/年, 毕业后参加PANCE(physician assistant national certification exam), 通过后变PA-C, 然后申请州license. PA必须跟随医生工作,但有处方权.PA每6年须再认证一次(PANRE). PA的就业市场供不应求, 包括Mayo Clinic近年来都大量招收PA.
数据: 2009毕业人数大约5500, 起薪大约$80,000/年(65,000-90,000, Eastern: $68,000,Heartland: $89,000), 我见到$120,000/年起薪的(有国内医学背景), 平均年薪$93,105(2009), 最高大约$150,000, 多在急诊和外科专科, 88%毕业生为master degree(2009), 10%为本科(31%master/50%Baccalaureate in 1999), 64%为女性(2009), 平均年龄29.5岁,88.9%为白人, 32% 工作在primary care, 34%在外科, 目前工作在临床的PA大约85,000, Bureau of Labor and Statistics预测2006-2016 PA 工作增长27%,
- Anesthesiologist assistant (AA), 相当于PA, 仅和麻醉师工作, 多在手术室, 全美仅有5个programs(Emory University,Case Western Reserve University, South University, Nova Southeastern University,University of Missouri–Kansas City), 报考要求医学预科成绩,有的还要求北美本科学位, TOFEL, GRE, 单独招生, 学制24-28个月, 一年实习, master degree, 开销:$30,000-40,000/年,毕业后参加 National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), 获得 National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants (NCCAA)认证, 目前可在18州获得license, 起薪 $95,000 and $120,000(2006), 平均年薪 $91,195-$137,492, 最高$160,000 to $180,000.
4. Nurse Practitioner (NP), 工作和工资几乎和PA一样, 也有处方权(Georgia不肯定),目前NP program大约300-400个. 申请进NP program首先得是RN (registered nurse), 再获得24-36个月的master of nursing or doctor of nursing, 通过national board certification exam, 然后申请美国各州,加拿大, 英国, 新西兰,澳大利亚license. 在21州可以独立开业,这点和PA不同,PA只能在美国工作, 不能独立开业. 2004年的NP数量大约是106,000, 比PA要多, 你如在医院工作,NP的头衔可以看得你头晕眼花, 诸如:
ACNP-BC (Acute Care Nurse Practitioner - Board Certified; if certified by the ANCC)
ACNPC (Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certified)[24]
APRN-BC (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse - Board Certified; no longer awarded, replaced with specialty-specific credentials by the ANCC [25])
ARNP (Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner)
CNP (Certified Nurse Practitioner)
CPNP (Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner; if certified by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board PNCB)
CPNP-AC (Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care; if certified by the PNCB [26])
CPNP-PC (Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Primary Care; if certified by the PNCB [27])
CRNP (Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner; used primarily in Pennsylvania [28] and Alabama [29])
DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice; the terminal practice degree for NPs)
FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner)
PMHNP (Psychiatric/Mental Health NP)
GNP (Geriatric NP)
PNP (Pediatric NP)
WHNP (Women's Health NP)
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA): 工作性质和收入和AA相当, 中位数工资 $157,724(2009, AMGA Medical Group Compensation and Financial Survey). 申请进CRNA首先得有一年RN (registered nurse) ICU经验, 再获得24-36个月的master or doctor program训练,通过相应的Board certification, 然后申请50州license, 有些州可独立工作,这是和AA不同的地方.
其他可以考虑的职业: Occupational Therapists 年平均工资$79,830; Radiation Therapists年平均工资$79,340; Dental Hygienists年平均工资$69,760; Nuclear Medicine Technologists年平均工资$69,960,资料来源: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2011
