PAStudentHopeful Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 I noticed that the program at Manitoba is a masters level program while Macs is a bachelors degree. Does this difference have any implications in terms of future career prospects? I have also been told that a few graduates of Macs PA program have gone on to do a masters degree (in PA) in the states. What is the advantage of this? I did some digging around and found out that PT and OT used to be bachelors degrees at McMaster as well... Any thoughts from current students or PAs on this issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maritimer Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 From what I've learnt, a Masters degree allows you to start off with an initial higher salary. For example, the minimum starting salary for a Manitoba PA graduate is $85 000, regardless of speciality, although you know the same stuff. Of course this may be higher (although not too likely). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAStudentHopeful Posted February 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 From what I've learnt, a Masters degree allows you to start off with an initial higher salary. For example, the minimum starting salary for a Manitoba PA graduate is $85 000, regardless of speciality, although you know the same stuff. Of course this may be higher (although not too likely). Hmm fair enough! It seems that on other threads people have mentioned that many Ontario PA's also start around 85-90k although the average seems to be lower than in Manitoba. Is the higher salary a result of the degree or simply different demand among provinces? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maritimer Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 Hmmm I only know this as I'm in the program at McMaster. We've been told that Ontario PAs start out in the $65-75 000 range. A newly graduated Ont PA would have to verify though. Of course, some may start higher, just as they might here, too. The higher salary, from what I've been told and understand, has to do a lot with politics. As in the Ont government can pay their PA grads a little less, as they have a Bachelors, thus save more money overall. How much truth there is to this though I'm not too sure. I think this is a mixture between provincial demand and political bureaucracy. A practising PA with good insight into this will probably have a better/different answer!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAStudentHopeful Posted March 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 Hmmm I only know this as I'm in the program at McMaster. We've been told that Ontario PAs start out in the $65-75 000 range. A newly graduated Ont PA would have to verify though. Of course, some may start higher, just as they might here, too. The higher salary, from what I've been told and understand, has to do a lot with politics. As in the Ont government can pay their PA grads a little less, as they have a Bachelors, thus save more money overall. How much truth there is to this though I'm not too sure. I think this is a mixture between provincial demand and political bureaucracy. A practising PA with good insight into this will probably have a better/different answer!! Thanks for sharing! From reading the forums it has been said that the lowest starting salary in Ontario is ~75K so the 65K definitely offers a different perspective. When you say... "we've been told"... where is this information coming from? You're right in that some grad perspectives would complement this conversation well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maritimer Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 Wow...first I don't know why I said McMaster. I meant to say I'm in the Manitoba program...sorry! And, I've heard this from teachers. Good luck! Thanks for sharing! From reading the forums it has been said that the lowest starting salary in Ontario is ~75K so the 65K definitely offers a different perspective. When you say... "we've been told"... where is this information coming from? You're right in that some grad perspectives would complement this conversation well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAstudent Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 Hmmm I only know this as I'm in the program at McMaster. We've been told that Ontario PAs start out in the $65-75 000 range. A newly graduated Ont PA would have to verify though. Of course, some may start higher, just as they might here, too. The higher salary, from what I've been told and understand, has to do a lot with politics. As in the Ont government can pay their PA grads a little less, as they have a Bachelors, thus save more money overall. How much truth there is to this though I'm not too sure. I think this is a mixture between provincial demand and political bureaucracy. A practising PA with good insight into this will probably have a better/different answer!! 65 would be insulting. 75 is the minimum suggested by the Ministry and SET by them if an employer is to qualify for funding. Indeed, and if only getting 75 the PA must also get benefits, vacation, sick pay, etc., etc. Many of my colleagues started out around the 6 figure mark and I have as well (emergency medicine in the GTA). PA pay really depends on specialty and location. Manitoba pay is slightly better because 1)PAs have been around there longer and 2) they pay better in general there. The fact of Bachelors vs Masters is not at play here. Plenty of PAs with Masters (American trained and former CF) in Ontario. The reason it is a bachelors at Mac is because it is housed within the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine and since the M.D. is an undergraduate degree and the PA program is entirely within the med school and not affiliated with Graduate Studies it is also an undergrad degree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maritimer Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 65 would be insulting. 75 is the minimum suggested by the Ministry and SET by them if an employer is to qualify for funding. Indeed, and if only getting 75 the PA must also get benefits, vacation, sick pay, etc., etc. Many of my colleagues started out around the 6 figure mark and I have as well (emergency medicine in the GTA). PA pay really depends on specialty and location. Manitoba pay is slightly better because 1)PAs have been around there longer and 2) they pay better in general there. The fact of Bachelors vs Masters is not at play here. Plenty of PAs with Masters (American trained and former CF) in Ontario. The reason it is a bachelors at Mac is because it is housed within the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine and since the M.D. is an undergraduate degree and the PA program is entirely within the med school and not affiliated with Graduate Studies it is also an undergrad degree. Thanks for clarifying...I was hoping you'd reply haha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAstudent Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 Thanks for clarifying...I was hoping you'd reply haha! No worries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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