PA vs. MD vs. NP

Here are three incredible professions in the healthcare industry, broken down for you.

Be sure to check out the Tufts Pre-Health Professions Advising for a more detailed list of health-related occupations. The Tufts Pre-Medical Society website is also a great resource for pre-med information.

A generalist medical education prepares PAs to take med histories, perform physical exams, order and interpret lab tests, diagnose illness, develop and manage treatment plans for their patients, prescribe medications, and assist in surgery.
MDs have the widest scope of practice, as a result of their many additional years of study.
NPs have a similar scope of practice, yet are more limited in terms of their specialty (6 NP speciality domains: Adult-Gerontology NP, Women's Health NP, Family NP, Pediatric NP, Psychiatric NP). Unlike PAs, they can open and run their own practice (not under the supervision of a physician).

PA programs are typically 24 months although there are some 3-year programs. The first year is didactic (classroom learning, "medical model") and the second year is clinical rotations in several specialties (primary care, emergency medicine, cardiology, neurology, orthopedics, internal medicine, dermatology etc).
Medical school is 4 years in duration. After getting the MD or DO degree, residency is required which can be anywhere from 3-7 years, sometimes more depending on specialty
NP programs are also around 24 months in length, but one must be an RN/BSN prior to matriculation. Curriculum follows the "nursing model." So, coming out of Tufts with a B.A./B.S., you would need to go to a 1 year accelerated nursing program prior to NP school.

PA school cost vary greatly. The average tuition for a 27 month program is around $90,000, some schools are ~50k, some are closer to 130k. Excluding housing and other expenses.
4 year medical school tuition average is around $275,000.
Accelerated BSN/NP programs cost about 125k.

Financial aid options for these programs include:

Stafford Loans (U.S. Dept. of Education)
Private loans
There are also government scholarships with typically a 1-3 year service requirement in an underserved or rural area

If you love what you're doing, you will find balance!
That being said, PAs and NPs speak to better flexibility and work/life balance. They get to spend more time with the patient, assessing/counseling, and don't have as much behind-the-scenes paperwork that doctors do.
Furthermore, PAs don't have to face "burn-out" since they can change their specialties without having to go back to school. Lateral mobility, yay!

PA Pre-Requisites are listed in great detail under the "Becoming a PA" tab
MD: MCAT is required by most programs and research is highly valued. Volunteering and healthcare experience are bonuses.
Tufts Med School has an early assurance program (which you can find out about on the Tufts Premedical Society website)
NP programs require a RN/BSN prior to entering

PAs and NPs are invaluable members of a healthcare team, PA is one of the fastest growing occupations in the nation, hence it becoming also one of the most competitive
In the next decade, there is an estimated 30% growth rate in PA positions and 28% for NPs
MD job growth outlook is about 15%