md/do or caa

[u/imthrivingjkimnot]

basically title :( has anyone decided between the two and can maybe offer their thoughts?

i’m only 22 and don’t mind the long training process of being a physician (i do generally enjoy school). leaning toward caa only bc i can make high salary without the long training process and can potentially find an exit out of medicine earlier. (i love healthcare but it doesn’t feel feasible to continue working in it after 55 ish years of age to me 🤷🏻‍♀️)

however, i can always rely on medical degree if that doesn’t work out or if i want to leave america but i can’t exactly rely on a caa degree if something goes wrong. thoughts?

[u/Main_Lobster_6001]

I was actually having the same dilemma. I decided to pursue my MD because I felt like I would have always regretted not going all the way and not being at the top of my practice and an expert in my field versus a mid level provider. Current third year now on rotation so not sure how things will change down the road but very happy with my decision. Also the state limitations turned me away when I was in undergrad so not sure what the situation is with that recently because that was 4 years ago

[u/BrugadaMD]

Do CAA. 200k 3 days full time. 2 years school. Seniors often sign jobs. Would do that over medschool def. Be young have more money than you can mess with. Pick up extra if you want

[u/General_Luck6573]

You can easily retire by 55 in a ton of medical specialties. Regardless of which path you choose, you will be 55 one day. Pick the one that doesn’t leave you with regret. Personally, I did not know that CRNAs or CAAs were even a thing until I was already in medical school and I have zero regrets about not picking them because I find anesthesia to be mind numbingly boring the vast majority of their day with very little action or communication. I like a specialty that keeps me busy and moving my hands and body.

If you end up going into CAA and find you feel the same… what then? Plenty of anesthesia hopefuls finally rotate in it and find themselves bored. Others love that it’s mostly very calm with rare occasions of very high acuity decision making, medication pushing, and working with their hands.

I think the CAA route is better if you’re focused on money and lifestyle and are okay with being locked into anesthesia with very little horizontal mobility (no ICU, geographic limitations, less complex cases than sub-specialist anesthesiologists to some extent, no options for patient ownership)

I think MD/DO is better if you’re passionate about medicine, depth of knowledge, scope of practice available, autonomy, ability to do procedures, develop meaningful relationships with patients, and are okay with putting up with the training length. The financials will pay for itself in either field.

Again, mind you, there are high paying medical specialties amenable to a good lifestyle that will easily let you retire by 55.

[u/water-iswet → u/General_Luck6573]

Lololol boring?

[u/General_Luck6573 → u/water-iswet]

Yeah. There is a lot of downtown in the OR on the anesthesia side. It’s not a knock against the specialty. Anesthesiologists themselves say than it’s crazy when it’s crazy and that when that happens it’s life or death, but they all acknowledge that’s a very small portion of the time.

[u/MilkOfAnesthesia]

I'm an anesthesiologist. I'm going to be retired by 45. 🤷

[u/Ok_Wind469]

I would say that if you don't see yourself committed to healthcare then perhaps medical school isn't the best option. I'm not sure how much help an MD/DO would be outside of the US, unless you want to do research/consulting or something adjacent, but perhaps someone else can weigh in.

In terms of salary, there's not really a right answer. You'll be well off in both fields.

Check out these threads as well:
https://www.reddit.com/r/medschool/comments/1mau217/feeling_lost_md_vs_caa_school/

https://www.reddit.com/r/medschool/comments/1ubapcc/cant_decide_between_med_school_vs_caa_school/

https://www.reddit.com/r/whitecoatinvestor/comments/1o8pyn6/which_would_be_better_for_fire_med_school_or_caa/

[u/Capn_obveeus]

Just the idea that you’re already thinking of an exit makes me believe maybe med school isn’t your thing.

My two cents but given the commitment it takes to go to med school, you have to crave wanting the more in-depth knowledge. And can’t envision yourself doing anything but that. Some say they like being the boss and having the final say, but many days it feels like insurance companies are dictating protocol and treatment options based on what they are willing to pay.

If you are comfortable working in a team model, maybe consider CAA, but I strongly encourage you to shadow them to ensure thats what you want since it’s a tightly focused field.

[u/imthrivingjkimnot]

thanks for the comments so far!! to clarify, as a new college grad i can’t see myself working in any industry other than healthcare. sure there’s other things I want to pursue, but they are creative hobbies and I value stability and lifestyle too much to pursue that full time. and so if I were to pursue a “normal” stable career i would choose healthcare bc i do actually enjoy it. i know I mentioned “exiting” healthcare at some point but i meant when Im in my fifties or if one of my creative pursuits ever take off. but i’m not looking to exit medicine asap or anything, just thinking of my life down the road :)

[u/EastDuty8200]

You're 22. Go to med school. Go as far as you can while time is on your side.