Questions from Pre-PA's
What do you want to know to improve the process of acceptance to a PA Program?
From the lens The Path to become a Physician Assistant.
Everyone has questions and probably even more people have answers. If you are a Pre-PA ,meaning you want to be a PA but are not in school and haven't applied yet - what do you want to know? I will do my best to help you.
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Michael
May 13, 2012 @ 4:42 pm | delete
- Hi! I am a student at Cornell University and I plan on applying after undergrad...GPA and GREs aside, what are my chances of acceptance based on direct patient care experience? My sophomore and junior summers were spent volunteering full time at the Cleveland Clinic...how does this compare to more experienced adults who have already worked in health care?
Also, I have only taken one semester of A&P, as Cornell does not offer two semesters of Anatomy and Physiology, but I have taken both classes at a community college (on site) my senior year of High School. Would this suffice for my pre-reqs?
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BruceBair May 21, 2012 @ 10:15 pm | delete
- Talk to programs you plan to apply to for advice about the courses, only their opinion counts but they will likely accept them. Volunteer experience counts with some programs and not with others so look carefully to where you intend to apply. If you have lots of volunteer hours, that counts in some schools, but not at places like Duke and Emory or U of Utah.
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Daniel
May 1, 2012 @ 8:51 pm | delete
- Mr. Bair,
Im 23 years old, have no college yet, but I have always had an interest in the medical field and really want to become a PA. I currently am serving as a Scout in the Army, I have done one tour to Iraq and am getting ready for my second deployment to Afghanistan. As a Scout I have also become an EMT-b and combat lifesaver certified, will that help at all in getting looked at for becoming a PA, or getting into a PA program? I am planning on getting out of the army after this deployment and working towards becoming a PA. I want to work in a trauma section, or ER. What degree would be best for that? And would working as a Paramedic during college count as experience towards a PA program? I know I have a long way to go before I get there but i just wanted be prepared for getting out. Thank you for everything sir.
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BruceBair May 21, 2012 @ 10:13 pm | delete
- Daniel, I was a medic in what seems like hundreds of years ago. All your experience will count that involves taking care of others medically. Being a paramedic will be invaluable in getting experience, connecting with ER PAs who can write you references and and preparing you for life as an ER PA. You do have a ways to go, be careful, come back and let me know how I can help you.
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tj
Apr 30, 2012 @ 11:45 pm | delete
- I am about to receive my bach in exercise science what would be good to get my masters in if I need the extra studying/ maturity before entering pa school
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BruceBair May 21, 2012 @ 10:10 pm | delete
- Why not in what you are doing? If not exercise science, how about sports psychology or the psychology of achievement. Those will be very handy as a clinician.
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Carol
Apr 29, 2012 @ 9:09 pm | delete
- Greetings Mr.Bair,
I am currently a senior studying Mass Communications in Florida(3.3 gpa). I have had a change in mind as to what I want as an occupation. I regret not taking internships before because that would have drawn out this conclusion. My mother is disabled so I am considering patient care as an occupation rather than Communications. If I graduate and go back to school to meet all the pre requisites to enter a PA program, how can I fullfill the experience in patient care that is nessesary? Please advise. (I am Mexican American which is another reason why I see myself as being of great help to my underserved Spanish speaking community.) Thanks.
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- Carol, you need to look for needs you can fulfill. Learn medical spanish and act as a translator. Take a cna course (6 weeks) and then you can both translate and do patient care. That is excellent experience. 4 hours a week is 200 hours a year. It adds up quickly. I wish you the best. Look for a local free or really low priced clinic that is staffed by residents, your translation help will be greatly appreciated.
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Julie
Apr 25, 2012 @ 12:39 am | delete
- Hey, I'm a junior and just transfered to East Carolina University with an associate degree. I screwed up my first year and made C's and one D in chemistry and I am retaking Chemistry again but might end up with a D again. I have been emotionally unstable and depressed. Is there any hope for me into getting a PA program if I retake the class and do better and make better grades from now on? Also, I plan on taking a year off to study for the GRE and work as a CNA. I might retake the classes that I made C's in also.
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- GEt your emotions under control. You need to be able to focus and that isn't working for you. Do what you need to with medication and counseling and stop school until you have your groove back. You can retake the courses, get A's and get great experience and good recommendations and be a viable candidate. Being depressed, even if you get an interview, you won't present well and remember you are talking to clinicians, they will sense something is amiss even if they can't put their finger on it. Any doubt in their mind will likely rate you a do not accept. You can do it, but first things first. If you don't have the grades, you have no chance!
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- GEt your emotions under control. You need to be able to focus and that isn't working for you. Do what you need to with medication and counseling and stop school until you have your groove back. You can retake the courses, get A's and get great experience and good recommendations and be a viable candidate. Being depressed, even if you get an interview, you won't present well and remember you are talking to clinicians, they will sense something is amiss even if they can't put their finger on it. Any doubt in their mind will likely rate you a do not accept. You can do it, but first things first. If you don't have the grades, you have no chance!
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ashima
Apr 22, 2012 @ 1:28 am | delete
- Hi Bruce,
I am currently a Junior at the University of Illinois and have decided to go the pre-PA route for sure. I have been volunteering at a hospital since my freshman year, where I work with patients and take their blood pressure and oxygen levels. I also went to India to work in a clinic for a month and will be working as a medical assistant this summer. I have made an attempt to get experience as an undergraduate; however, I don't know if that is enough to get into PA school and set me apart from other people. I I have a 3.45 GPA and am taking my GRE this summer and applying this summer. I was just wondering what I should do to set me apart from other applicants and land me that interview. Also, do you know of any schools that don't mind taking undergraduates right out of school? What schools would you suggest applying to in the midwest? Also, what date should I set to have my application sent in by to keep my chances of getting an interview higher?
Please let me know and thank you for your time.
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- The GPA is the base, you have a good one if that includes your prerequisites. The GRE is a minor player as I told Shane below. Your experience is very important in many schools. GEt as much as you can between now and when you interview. Show you will continue to accumulate hours until you attend. Your references are quite important. Get good ones and at least one and preferably 2 from PAs. The Essay for caspa and your supplemental applications will help you stand out. Submitting an early application also makes you more competitive. Not many people do it.These things get you an interview and the interview gets you accepted.
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Shane
Apr 19, 2012 @ 11:43 am | delete
- I am applying to P.A. school this cycle,i have a 3.3cum,3.3science,40,000 direct hands on patient hours and a Doctorate degree.My question is about the new Gre score i recieved a 145 verb.and 146 quant and 3.5 wr.I am concerned because i do not know if my gre scores will kill my application.Called the school and they said this is the first year they are using it so they could not help me.Any thoughts ?
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- GRE is a minor player. Most schools don't require it if you have an advanced degree already, You make the cut off with your GPA and should have a very interesting essay. It is the essay and references that will set you apart. That PhD will certainly get you noticed.
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- It is a minor part of the APP, you have the PhD and loads of Experience with a good GPA. Write good essays!!!! and practice interviewing skills, you will be strongly considered if your PhD is from a brick and mortar school.
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pitt86
Apr 15, 2012 @ 7:58 pm | delete
- I am currently starting over, 34yrs and have a strong desire to make the transition into a career as a PA. I will be starting to take my science pre reqs next month (i've been in business the past 11 years) so it feels like i have a long road ahead of me before I can apply to a PA school. Anyways,I want to make sure that I make myself a strong candidate. i am fluent in spanish and wanted to know if there's a lack of bilingual PAs out there? Is being proficient in a second language an advantage in getting into PA school? Also, Aside from scoring high marks on my pre reqs and I want to make sure that I make myself to be standout candidate for the schools I will be applying to. With that said, is their any literature/books I can read while taking my pre reqs that can help once I get in?
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Sisa
Apr 9, 2012 @ 12:31 am | delete
- Hello Mr. Bair, I'm currently a senior in high school and I'm still wavering as to what degree I should get before I would apply to a PA school. Essentially my thought was to obtain a BA in Biology, but I just was not satisfied with the curriculum, I wanted to delve deeper into the health science, so my thought and question is this, would obtaining a CN and working as one for a year or two while working for my Associate degree in Nursing and then some months volunteering abroad be sufficient to obtain good standing if I applied to a PA program at that point or would the better route be to get the CN and Associate degree in Nursing, continue further in pursuing a Bachelor's in Nursing and then applying? All I know is I don't want to get a BA in Biology, I want to study/volunteer abroad, I want a major and education where I can immediately start working and learning the health care system, but getting everything done in a four year time period and to be a good candidate in the eyes of a PA program.
Any thoughts and help is much appreciated.
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- If you get a BS in nursing, go to NP school. Get a degree in sports medicine or exercise science if you want to go deeper and then go to PA school. Get a degree in Lab Science if you want to be able to work immediately or Radiology Technology.
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Christina
Apr 7, 2012 @ 11:38 am | delete
- Hi! I am a B.A in Psychology & Social Behavior wanting to be a PA. I was a bio major before so I have a few prerecs done & need to complete a few more. I am looking into EMT or phlebotomy for my clinical hours, as well as shadowing a PA & studying for the GRE. Does having a B.A in Psychology & Social Behavior work against me? & am I on the right track? Would you recommend phlebotomy or EMT? (the fastest & easiest to find job once certified) Thanks!
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- Phlebotomy will likely bring you into contact with more PA's and you need a reference or two from them. The major is not a problem as long as you get a good GPA and complete all the prerequisites. The GPA is the foundation. bad foundation and no one will look at you, to get noticed you need References, Great Essay, and good experience.
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Laura
Apr 4, 2012 @ 2:26 pm | delete
- And Bruce, Id also like to add that I have over 4000 hrs of direct patient care. I am still working as a surgical tech and will continue to do so until acceptance.
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- Laura, look, you are probably a great candidate, 3.8 GPA, lots of experience. Get the courses done, get some PA references - sit down with them - take them out for lunch and talk to them about what you want to do and ask their advice. Listen, take notes and then ask "If I follow this advice will I be a great candidate?" If they say yes, then ask if when you are ready, they will give you a reference. Then let them know when you see them what you have done that they suggested. You are going to do it anyway, but this makes them your mentor and will provide you with a warmer recommendation. There are several things that will help you get in:
Good grades
Applying very early!!!!!
Good experience
Great References
Wonderful interesting essays that tell a couple great stories about your PA Path
A dynamite performance in the interview.
I can help with some of this via my coaching - go to ThePAPath.com
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- Laura, look, you are probably a great candidate, 3.8 GPA, lots of experience. Get the courses done, get some PA references - sit down with them - take them out for lunch and talk to them about what you want to do and ask their advice. Listen, take notes and then ask "If I follow this advice will I be a great candidate?" If they say yes, then ask if when you are ready, they will give you a reference. Then let them know when you see them what you have done that they suggested. You are going to do it anyway, but this makes them your mentor and will provide you with a warmer recommendation. There are several things that will help you get in:
Good grades
Applying very early!!!!!
Good experience
Great References
Wonderful interesting essays that tell a couple great stories about your PA Path
A dynamite performance in the interview.
I can help with some of this via my coaching - go to ThePAPath.com
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Laura
Apr 4, 2012 @ 2:21 pm | delete
- Hello Bruce, I am currently finishing my bachelors in heath science and currently have a 3.8 overall GPA. I have received A's in both my anatomy one and two and labs. B in my first biology class. I have a withdraw from Micro but an A in lab and need to finish taking the rest of my science courses along with repeating micro. However, micro isnt the only withdraw I have. I have numerous withdraws from roughly 5 years ago when I first started college right out of high school. How much do you think this will affect me and what can I do to make myself a stronger candidate?
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- The GPA is simply a cut off point. If you have the prerequisites, then3.0-3.2 is a cut off. Everyone above is considered, everyone below not considered. It is the base of all serious candidates. You need good grades to show you can do the work later. Then you need experience. Even schools that do not require it, weight it heavily. Get really high quality hands on experience. Then you need to be able to express yourself in a great essay or two and have equally good references. This makes you an interesting and qualified candidate. Someone they will want to interview. Get really serious about your course work or choose another career. If your undergrad is really spotty, get a masters and get it in science. Get a 3.5+ GPA and you show you can do the grad level work. Otherwise get a serious plan for academic success and stick to it.
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Holly
Apr 4, 2012 @ 2:11 pm | delete
- Hello, I am currently finishing my bachelors in health science and then just need microbiology to be eligible for applying. My question is, I am now 26 and when I first graduated high school I withdrew numerous classes due to immaturity and just no desire to try. How much is this going to affect my application and what recommendations do you have for me to make myself a better candidate? Thank you
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- If your course grade is a "W" I don't think that will be a problem. You will just need to address it with a line in your essay about how you did not have direction right out of HS. Tell the story about how you became aware of and then wanted to become a PA. If you have the GPA now, those withdraws should not become an issue. If you have a bunch of F's, because you quit but forgot to tell the school - that could be a problem for you.
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Tanya Thomas
Apr 3, 2012 @ 9:20 am | delete
- I am a freshman at the University of Georgia and I am interested in becoming a PA. I am also interested in education, so my major is currently Science Education while also on the Pre-PA track. My "life plan" is to be a PA for a while (maybe till late 30s or mid40s) then I want to go into high school science teaching. Do you think this is a good idea or should I just major in a science for right now and worry about teaching later?
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- You just shot yourself in the foot! If you want to be a PA, be one, but if you tell an admissions committee that asks you where do you see yourself in 10 years, they don't want to hear, Not as a PA. You will spend $100K on your PA education and have big loans to repay. If you don't want to be a PA, become an RN, get a masters as an NP and then go teach. It is still very competitive but unless you go to an Ivy league school, much less costly and nurses allow for more diversity though I bet NP faculty will tell you much the same thing. Choose teaching or medicine. If you said I see myself as faculty in a PA program, no problem, but as a HS teacher, you won't get in. If you want to do this, keep it to yourself.
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Ashley
Mar 29, 2012 @ 4:05 pm | delete
- I am currently looking at going to PA school. I have a desire to focus on pediatrics and because of this my major is Child and Family Development. I'm taking all of the required classes, but will not being a science major hurt my chances at some schools?
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Ashley
Mar 29, 2012 @ 3:57 pm | delete
- Is it required to be a science or health related major to get into PA school? I am currently in my undergrad and want to go into pediatrics. I have changed my major to Child and Family Development to get a better grasp of working in this area. Will this hurt my chances of getting into some programs?
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- No, you still need to get a 3.5 in all your required prerequisite courses. Make a timeline and put all your courses on it and when you will take them, don't be in a hurry - you can't make up for courses you do poorly in, slow and steady wins this race. The idea is to end up with the PA qualification not a disappointment from rejections for poor grades. I think your background in undergrad will be very helpful in a pediatric career but the programs won't accept you unless you have all the prerequisites and a high GPA. In your "off time" work on understanding the new GRE. You need some practice before you take it and I would buy a workbook a year and go through it, so that is it second hand thinking to you.
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Abe
Mar 23, 2012 @ 11:52 pm | delete
- I'm going to become a Health technician in the Coast Guard and we get 19 weeks of training in Anatomy, Physiology, etc, and I was wondering What would I need to do to become a PA with this military exp?
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- That is just what it is - experience. You would have to take college level courses in the prerequisites and get a degree. You can count your Coast Guard time as experience. Keep track of the hours and try to find a PA to shadow. A PA recommendation is highly rated by programs.
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Buffchic
Mar 18, 2012 @ 7:20 pm | delete
- Question for you Bruce:
In your post about "How to become a PA," you rightfully suggest appropriate business attire for applicants. But I'm not sure I followed your logic regarding female applicants having tougher competition because 80% of PA students are women. Would you elucidate that for me, please?
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Guest
Mar 17, 2012 @ 2:20 am | delete
- Ok, so the questions i have are probably going to sound pretty dumb because i'm only a freshman in high school right now, but i want to become a PA so i'm researching it now. To start off, in college, would it be good to major in biology to become a successful PA? Or what would be some other choices? Also, after the regular four years of college and two years of medical school, how long does it take before you actually get a job as a PA? Thank you so much!
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- Any science major but Motivational Psychology or Behavioral Economics would be my recommendation. Get an undergraduate education that gives you an idea about how people really make decisions, what motivates them and how you can get them to do what they need to do. You will still need about 8-12 hours of chemistry with labs, statistics, 4 hrs of Anatomy and 4 of Physiology, Microbiology with lab, etc... It is easier but not as useful to major in a science. If you want to do research also, then the science is going to be most useful
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Brayden
Mar 17, 2012 @ 1:56 am | delete
- Very confused, do you have to have a bachelor's in biology before applying to a PA program or can you just take the Pre-reqs to get into a program depending on the school you applied for?
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- Depends on the program. When you graduate you want to have a masters degree. So somewhere along the line you need to get a BS.
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Brayden
Mar 22, 2012 @ 3:22 pm | delete
- Thank you! My main concern was because I was wondering if going to get a bachelors in nursing and taking the pre-reqs for pre physician assistant if I could do that?
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- I recommend you take some other major than nursing. If you go into nursing, begin thinking NP not PA as your career path.
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Brayden
Mar 22, 2012 @ 3:22 pm | delete
- Thank you! My main concern was because I was wondering if going to get a bachelors in nursing and taking the pre-reqs for pre physician assistant if I could do that?
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Maisun Mhelhel
Mar 16, 2012 @ 7:12 pm | delete
- i am a foreign medical graduate from Tripoli Libya worked internal medicine rheumatology i came to the states with my husband and did USMLE exams , i received no offer for residency training , I am going for physician assistant what are the steps that i should go for ?????
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- It is very unlikely a PA program will take you. The mindset is very different and physicians from other countries have enough cultural problems without learning how to be a dependent practitioner. Most PA's like myself and most PA programs will not accept FMGs for this reason. Plus, if you got the chance to become an MD again, you would take it and the public investment in helping you to become a PA would be wasted.
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Ryan L
Mar 14, 2012 @ 3:17 pm | delete
- Good afternoon Mr. Bair,
I have recently decided to make a career change and get my certification as a PA in the hope to work with a pediatrician. I graduated with a BA in Psychology and know that I need to get some science and health courses done before i can apply for PA school. I was wondering if you had any advice on what I could do in the medical profession in the mean time to boost my credentials as well as provide me with work. I have been looking into phlebotomy as well as B-EMT certifications which would provide me with experience in the field however I wondered if there were other options that would be more suited to the PA career. As it stands I would like to enroll in a summer college program to work on my prerequisites so I was hoping to find something I could become certified in within the next 12-14 weeks. Any suggestions or advice you have would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and this is an amazing resource for us all.
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- You need direct patient contact hours. Working as a CNA, EMT, CMA, phlepotomist, PT tech etc... all will yield you those hours of experience. Perhaps you could look at the opportunity for a cna on a pediatric floor or in a peds hospital for the experience in the area you want to pursue.
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RMorrison96
Mar 14, 2012 @ 10:35 am | delete
- I wasn't sure if obtaining a degree in science would make me more competitive. I live in Durham and per your suggestion have began calling indigent clinics in the area to possibly obtain some shadowing experience. I have looked at a few ABSN programs as well, would you recommend doing one of these programs to obtain experience and contact hours? I am currently working in a dental office, but wonder if I will obtain more pertinent knowledge in a medical office.
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- If you aren't a hygienist, you probably need hours in which you do more than hand instruments unless you want to be a surgical PA. I don't know what ABSN stands for. Is that a nursing program? I would not get a nursing education for two reasons - first they are very competitive and you would be taking the place of someone who will stay in that field, second you would be using the funds for that and then want the funds for PA. Do basic EMT, CNA or some other basic job in medicine - ECG tech, PT tech and phlebotomist are others. A great GPA with all the prerequisites included with the BS/BA are what you need.
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RiShawna M.
Mar 13, 2012 @ 2:49 pm | delete
- I only considered the second degree due to my having to take additional sciences. I also looked at several ABSN programs. Do you think obtaining a BSN would be a good idea and gaining the contact hours through my work there? I live in Durham so I will definitely look into the programs you suggested at Durham Tech and ECPI. Thank you so much.
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- Read what I said to RMorrison96 above about ASBN or RN as a path to PA. It may hurt your chances. Look at the technical 6-8 week programs that put you in contact with patients doing vital signs, feeding them, transporting them and giving general care. Get your hands dirty and then get into PA school for your professional education.
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RiShawna M.
Mar 13, 2012 @ 11:49 am | delete
- Good Morning Mr. Bair,
I have a Bachelor's degree in Public Health Education from UNC-Greensboro. I graduated with a 3.14 overall and will begin North Carolina Central University this summer to work on a second Bachelor's degree in Biology. I would like to know how I can obtain training as as a Phlebotomist during my matriculation? Are there any other certifications you can suggest that will assist me in obtaining an internship which will provide me direct patient contact hours; and expose me to a diverse population and the diseases which affect them? I am interested in working in an environment that will allow me to strengthen my public health foundation and help serve underrepresented groups.
Thank You In Advance,
RiShawna M.
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- RiShawna
There are indigent clinics in Durham and Chapel Hill. If you are a phlebotomist or EMT basic, you have skills needed to help out and be taught more. ECPI and Durham Tech are places you can learn these skills.
Question, why the second degree? Why not just get the prerequisites done and apply when you have some experience under your belt?
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Mir006
Mar 12, 2012 @ 7:26 pm | delete
- This will be my third time applying to CASPA this year in April. My overall GPA was ok, my essays were well written and I received a compliment on it from an interview I had. I was even on an alternate list for a school and then the next year wasn't even offered an interview. I recently got my foot in the door as a Caregiver at an assisted living which is giving me experience. What else can I do to make sure this is the year I am accepted?
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- Go talk to the directors of the programs that complimented you or had you as an alternate. They did not think you improved much from one year to the next. Ask them what they wanted to see in you. Don't ask if you are going to defend yourself. They did not pick you! Ask why and take notes. Only ask questions to clarify points they made. Then do something with the knowledge. The CASPA cycle starts in a few weeks which does not give you much time. More of the same is not what they want. You essay should reflect what you learned that you are applying this year. How are you better? How are you better prepared to help them with their mission? this is about them not you. You want in - they pick you if you have what they think will benefit them and your classmates and the profession. How are you better? If you aren't save your money until next year and use this year to improve.
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hellok12
Mar 11, 2012 @ 5:03 pm | delete
- I am a junior in high school and i was wondering what was the best bachelors degree that i can take to get a master's in physician assistant? And i was planning to go to Texas A&M University College Station to get my bachelor's and then transfer to The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and finish my master's degree
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- Science backgrounds help but if I could do it all over again, I would get a BS in the psychology of persuasion and decision making. Understanding how humans create habits, how they change and how you could help them would be incredibly valuable to any health care provider. These aspects of human behavior are completely overlooked by medical training.
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Christine
Feb 27, 2012 @ 12:16 am | delete
- Hello, I'm planning to go to PA school after obtaining my BS degree in medical science. Do you think my chance of getting accepted is low, since I'm under 23? I'm planning to get some shadowing experiences this quarter and in the summer as well. Then, I'll apply around August. Do you think I'm competitive enough to get into the PA program?
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- First, your chances are quite low if you wait until August. Most schools have rolling admissions, picking candidates early who apply early. If you submit in August and apps deadline is say 1 November, CASPA takes 6 weeks to process your app which would arrive in mid to late September. You are then competing for 10-20 seats out of 30-70 originally. The odds narrow a bit and unless you are a really outstanding candidate, you narrow your choices a bunch. Tip #1 for getting in is apply early. You have a year plus (April 2012 to May or June 2013) to get more experience. There are other tweaks that can help you, but you have to use everyone. Good Luck on your PA Path.
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jayvan121
Feb 26, 2012 @ 8:24 pm | delete
- Great Info!
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mihgasper
Feb 24, 2012 @ 2:05 pm | delete
- I wonder if there is any age limitation. Can anybody roll in?
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- I have a patient who became a PA at 65 and is still working 10 hours a week in the care of indigent patients at age 85. He is a rare exception. 40 is about the cut off for most programs except for unusual circumstances. The patient I refer to her had a PhD in Psych and retired and then went to PA school
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healthcareer
Feb 23, 2012 @ 9:40 am | delete
- I really like your list to professional success. Most of it can be applied to just about any career.
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- Thanks, I appreciate your visit here and welcome your comments.
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Jerome
Feb 22, 2012 @ 9:49 am | delete
- Hello, I found out about the PA program last year and decided this is the field for me. However, I do not have a bachelors degree. What I've been trying to look into, is the appropriate field to get a Bachelors degree and complete the pre-reqs to apply to a PA program. Is this even possible? Is there a way for students to earn a degree and complete the pre-reqs for a PA program simultaneously?
Outside of this, I still have pre-reqs and health care experience that I must fulfill. The courses I've completed so far are, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Calculus. My main concern is the W I took from Chemistry and the C I got in Calculus. I re-took the lecture portion of the course and got a B, I just hope that doesn't ruin my chances of getting in. Especially with my GPA at 3.1. I understand I still have pre-reqs to finish, but it is a little discouraging knowing that my GPA dropped considerably because of the W.
I'm planning on starting my direct patient care this summer and completing my Bachelors as well in Business Administration. Regardless, I'm determined to do what is necessary to reach my goal of becoming a PA.
Also, the accredited college I'm looking into is "http://www.augsburg.edu/admissions/pa/admissions/prerequisites.html"
Though A & P 1/2 are not on the list, do you still recommend I take those courses to familiarize myself with the material? Thanks for taking the time to read my post.
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- Almost every school requires it but even if they don't an A in those course will help your chances. Good luck
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- Almost every school requires it but even if they don't an A in those course will help your chances. Good luck
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needs help
Mar 9, 2012 @ 10:46 pm | delete
- Hi! I have a question for you, and have heard advices from all different angles. I took Anatomy last spring, lost my job and due to lack of income and place of residence, needed to withdraw form the class. So, I have a W from Spring of 2011. Because of the W, I was pushed back for registration of classes, and wasn't able to register for any classes of summer or fall. (budget cuts in california). I finally got my registration date for this spring, spring 2012 but Anatomy was closed, all sections. The professor advised me to take her combined anatomy & physiology course, but I did not have her for lab; 90% of what I studied for the practical wasn't on the examination >.< This is leaving me with a mid-range B at BEST an A- if I were lucky and tanking my 4.0 I dropped the class last night because I was sick and tired of going on when to drop. When we ddrop a class the date shows on the transcript, I was advised by the more successful faculty to drop it before it is too late (would that really look better? worse?) I hate that this is lookling like I couldn't handle the regular anatomy or the easier anatomy-physio.
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Hahna
Feb 19, 2012 @ 5:13 pm | delete
- Thank you for your help. Can I apply for PA program when I was taken Medical Terminology and got a C
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- If that is the only C you get,no problem.
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transcriptioncity
Feb 18, 2012 @ 7:37 pm | delete
- Thanks for the lens. It obviously takes a lot of work to become a physician assistant and probably even more work once you qualify!
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- Work of love for me and ever in progress. If you really like what you do, you don't feel like you work at all. I would do it for nothing, but tell the corporation that.
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lukman
Feb 16, 2012 @ 7:01 pm | delete
- hello there,
am from nigeria but presently live in houston,tx. i have a diploma in physical and health education back in nigeria and iwas also a fitness intructor for 3yrs. i really love to go back to school to become a proffessional physiotherapist here in houston. pls tell me how do i go about it? secondly, can i use my diploma transcript.
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- I don't know how to advise you about physiotherapy. I can only speak about becoming a physician assistant. You should call schools that interest you and ask their admissions committee.
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Al
Feb 11, 2012 @ 6:44 pm | delete
- I have completed all of the pre-recquisites for the PA pcrogram. My undergrad is a BA in Management, but I have other degrees in engineering. I am 55 year old? Is this too old to be accepted into a PA program. And is there a cutoff point for how old your AP, Bio, and Chem classes can be to be accepted? It took a while to completed the pre-recs.
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- I know of one man, a patient age 85 who was accepted to GWU at age 65. He had a PhD in Psych and wanted to do indigent care which he does still 10 hours a week. I would say your age puts you in the rarely admitted category but not impossible. You need great experience, great reference and really great grades. Most schools list on their site how old course work can be, usually 7 years max. Things change so much and in PA school they build on that base of knowledge. Good Luck. You need to talk to the director of programs that interest you.
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Dana1213
Feb 10, 2012 @ 4:02 pm | delete
- Hello Bruce. I am an undergrad biology major looking to go to pa school upon graduation. I am getting the feeling that a lot of applicants are already working in the medical field (nurses etc). Is it possible to get into a pa school right out of undergrad if I have the required months of direct patient care completed? Do you by any chance know the ratio of undergrad o workin professionals accepted into pa programs? I am just a little worried because I definitely want to go right to pa school from undergrad.
Thank you
Dana
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- It depends on where you apply. Most schools are taking students directly from undergrad or within one year. Top schools usually do not accept people who are applying while they are seniors in college. Most graduate, take a couple of courses to beef up their prerequisites and work in a health related field from Jun one year until they are accepted the next. It is possible but you have to be a top candidate with a great reference and outstanding essay and interview. Remember even if you apply in April your senior year, you won't start PA school until the next calendar year in the summer usually. So there is a lag of a year from graduation to start of school.
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Priscilla
Feb 10, 2012 @ 12:52 pm | delete
- Hi Bruce,
If I became a PA in the state of NJ but moved to FL or wanted to work in new york city, can I? would I have to take examination in any state I wish to practice in? or can you only practice in the state you complete the program in?
THanks Bruce!
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- Yes, you can apply for a license in those states. The exam is a national exam so if you pass it applies to every state but you have to satisfy the requirements of the state medical board to receive a license.
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Nancy
Feb 8, 2012 @ 3:29 pm | delete
- I am 32 and finally going back to school. I have wanted to be a PA since I was 18 years old but let life get in the way of going back to school. Now I am so eager and thrilled to be going back but I am having a hard time deciding what to get my BA in. I am leaning toward a BA in psychology. I know you can have a BA in anything to apply for the PA program but would they take me serious with a psych degree? My other concern is would the patient hours in psych quality for the hours needed to apply for PA school or should I also do somthing like phlebotomy ,EKG tech or CNA in the meantime while going to school?
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- Psych would be great. It would be helpful later too. I would advise you get a deal like the one I am offering in my clinic above. Do the CNA thing.
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Nancy
Feb 11, 2012 @ 4:33 pm | delete
- Thank you for your response. I think I will get my CNA to start so I can get the required patient care hours while I am working on my degree. I shooting for the Univerity of Utah PA program and they require 2000 patient care hours. I am really enjoying this site. I have found it to be a great tool. Thank you
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- Utah is a tough school to be accepted to. People do it but I applied there in the early days when it was a pure Medex program and was an alternate. Most of that was because of poor interview skills though. They are very tough but you get a very good education. I guess I am saying don't put all your eggs in one basket, have a backup plan.
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Alex
Feb 3, 2012 @ 1:37 pm | delete
- Hi Bruce,
I have a very wonderful predicament and would love your wisdom. I am honored and fortunate to have been accepted to my 3 top-choice PA programs this year...Emory, Iowa, and Quinnipiac (in no particular order). The thing is, I really LOVE all 3 programs, and could see myself doing well at all of them. They each have their own pros and cons that are unique enough to make comparison difficult. I cut out QU simply to venture out of my native New England area, but it's a toss up between Emory and Iowa. Iowa is cheaper (~15K less) and shorter by 3 months but I would have to complete one more prerequisite before starting, and Emory has a strong national name recognition that might help (?) when I'm getting my first job (I normally don't care about name recognition, but when all else is equal I'll use anything to help make the decision). Any advice from your years of experience? Thanks!
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- The PA that started me doing this is Elizabeth Murray. She went to Emory because she wanted to be part of the migrant worker project, the emphasis there on primary care medicine for the indigent and their really strong academics. The staff there is amazing. Plus Atlanta is a great place to go to school and the facility was so outstanding when I visited Elizabeth for her white coat ceremony. I have not seen the Iowa facility but they are top rated because of their small classes. Either program would be great. I like cities so would opt for Emory. If you are going back to NE after, Emory will open more doors.
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SS
Feb 2, 2012 @ 12:19 pm | delete
- Hello, I recently was in enrolled in a PA program. A little over 1/4 into the program, I failed two classes and was kicked out of the program completely. Up until then I had done well. What are my options if I still want to become a PA? Will I be let in and what will schools think? Is it close to impossible to get in?
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- You need to go ask why exactly they let you go. Ask and then be quiet. Listen. Then go talk to other programs, make an appointment and talk to the director. See what they have to say. Be honest with yourself. Why did you fail? Do you really want to be a PA or did it sound great but the pace was too much or not interesting enough to make the sacrifice. Analyze this honestly. Ask your friends or closest classmates. Don't argue, just listen, write it all down and then see where you are. I think if you have legit reasons for failing and really want to do it you could do things to be better and then reapply. Good Luck
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Esther C.
Jan 27, 2012 @ 12:18 am | delete
- Ok, I am not a Pre-PA. I am Esther C, one of your former patients in CH. Someone at the practice told me you had left, but when I inquired as to where your patients can now find you, I was told they didn't know. You helped me so much, and I want to be able to continue my treatment if I need to with the PA who started it. I'm betting there are others who feel this way. Where can we find you? Sorry to be asking on this blog, but I couldn't find you anywhere else on google.
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- I am at FastMed on Battleground Ave in Greensboro NC - it is urgent care only - no family practice
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Shama
Jan 26, 2012 @ 2:50 pm | delete
- HelloBruce,
I'm from Maryland. I've been accepted to both Towson and George Washington University PA programs. Both are close to home, so location is not an issue here. Both have great pass rates and great clinical sites, but GW is ranked as #4 and Towson doesn't even make the list. GW is 40k more than Towson. Is it really going to help me if I pay an extra 40 grand and go to GW? Does it make a big difference in education, getting a job, and salary? What would you suggest? I don't have an extra 40k laying around.
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- It can depending on what you want to do. If you want a career in academic medicine GW is for you, if you want to be a clinician, as long as you get a masters degree, Towson is great.
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priscilla
Jan 24, 2012 @ 11:03 pm | delete
- what are acceptable bachelor degrees to apply to PA school with?
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Ben Gardner
Jan 21, 2012 @ 4:01 pm | delete
- Bruce,
I'm in the military, but am considering my options after my tour of service is done. I'm not working in the medical field now at all. I received my B.S. in Psychology in 1998 and have completed two Master's program since then. Neither of those were in the medical field. How do I posture myself to even compete for any entry-level program since my degree was so long ago and I haven't worked in the medical field since I graduated?
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- Get some experience, Know why you want to be a PA - you better be able to say what you will do for others including the PA program that trains you and get the prerequisite courses. You have masters degrees so GRE is not necessary. You proved you can do the work, why should they trust that you will still be a PA in 5 years?
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Rv200
Jan 21, 2012 @ 3:23 am | delete
- Hi Bruce,
I am a respiratory therapist now. Currently 2 years of experience. I planned on going back to school for a masters, but have not figured out my direction until recently. Obviously, I have been very interested in the PA programs, especially since I am alumni to a university where the program Is offered. I have not yet contacted the school to set up my plan of action, but until then. Any tips for a healthcare professional with an associates trying to break into the PA field ?
Thanks a bunch,
Rv
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- Get your BS, get A's in the prerequisites, do not major in pre-med, create a time line, put all on it you need to do to get in and when it must be started and finished, then show it to the PA faculty where you will apply, get their input, the "DO IT".
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Michael Leee
Jan 19, 2012 @ 2:23 am | delete
- Hi Bruce,
I'm a Junior in College who can't decide between applying to PA programs to become a PA or MD programs to become a Doctor. I know the difference between the two professions; however, do you have any suggestions or advice on how to really figure out which career to pursue? the PA profession sounds amazing, but I'm worried I might regret not becoming a MD in the long run.
Thank You,
-Mike
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- If you have not made the decision to be a PA by now, you may not heave enough of the courses you need to get into PA school. Pre-Med won't typically get you in. You also need some experience and PA references that come from shadowing PA's. You can do it if you want, but you need to look at PA history, look at what PA's do and talk to a few practicing PA's and then make a decision yea or nay. Don't wait. It will cost you years of time if you procrastinate this decision.
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Zack
Jan 17, 2012 @ 10:21 am | delete
- Hey, My name is Zack I live in alaska. I was looking at becoming a PA, I have a few questions though.
Are the PA programs as strict as med school in the fact that you pretty much have to be a perfect person since you were born in order to get into the good schools? I screwed around in Highschool, I still graduated, and then when i got into college i didn't do so hot because i ended up getting a amazing job offer to work on the north slope and i took it. Then i went back to school this last fall and i got another job offer so i actually withdrew this time. I have 1 F on my transcript. I was wondering if that will ruin my chances of going or is it just the degree that matters?
Also I was told that it doesn't really matter now days what school you go to if you are wanting to work in a normal Hospital or be a normal PA.
A PA seems like the most flexible job out there with a good salary and seems like a lot of fun, I have been looking at this career for a while, this and Pharmacology, I am still at a toss between both.
I probably won't check this website again but if you want to respond to me that would be amazing, any info you are willing to share would be awesome. I am 20 years old and trying to figure out what i want to do with my life :(
Email me it will be easier to get ahold of me then posting on here. zmr7769@hotmail.com
Thank you,
Zack R.
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- Zack, I wish you well but if you are too busy to return to read the answer to your question, why ask it. I would say you have a problem with focus. You are not going to this type of school until you get some good grades and finish college. You really have to decide what you want.
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JCWON
Jan 15, 2012 @ 12:42 am | delete
- Hi Bruce.I'm JC who has a burning ambition to be a P.A in E.R. I'm from China and very impressive after reading some of your lens about P.A from squidoo.com.Yet, i still have some question i cannot figure it out.
Q1: What is the P.A? you know there are much of the definition about p.a, however i am confused about what are P.A really special at? when i have time, i often watch the TV Series like E.R, House or other kind of medical shows the way i can have a close look to the environment about U.S medical system in China. As a result, i can rarely see the performance of P.A. It seems like with the assistance of nurses, in many cases, doctor can manage to handle their jobs, but where is P.A? why they need P.A? what is the difference between P.A and Nurse? i concede that some T.V shows are kind of unreliable, but what's the situation in E.R really like.
Q2:when it comes to the works in E.R, I think it is pretty excited and you will have more chances to deal with patients, even though it is really busy and rushed there. And i assume that people working in E.R are too busy to manage their daily sorts.I've heard that they have less spare time to relax or even to enjoy their life.Is that true?
I'm sorry my questions could be a little bit absurd. I would appreciate it if u answer these questions.
Thank u very much.
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- I suggest you check out these two sites,
http://www.aapa.org/the_pa_profession.aspx
http://www.sempa.org/
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Stephanie D.
Jan 12, 2012 @ 1:37 pm | delete
- Hi, my name is Stephanie. I have a degree in psychology, and I have been back at school getting the rest of my prerequisites done as I am applying for PA schools. I have a 3.78 overall GPA, and 3.9 science prerequisite GPA. The only two classes left are organic chemistry, & a&P2 which i'm currently taking now. I've been working as a physical therapy aide for a year, and have shadowed for a year. I've gone to India and did volunteer work in a hospital over there. I've been rejected from most schools, which I figure was due to my incomplete prerequisites, and my type of healthcare experience. I had one interview at Cornell, and was not accepted. I have two more interviews, and I was wondering what you would recommend I do in order to improve my chances these next two tries. I'd love to get a certificate to get better HCE, but due to my school hours I cannot. Of course, if I dont get accepted anywhere I will do that for the following year, but for these next two interviews (which are in March and May) I want to do what I can in order to boost up my resume. Any advice would help, and I'd really appreciate it.
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- Stephanie, Jeff Hersey wrote me for similar advice in Aug 2011. Look at the post I wrote for him. It is detailed. He wrote me back in Nov to say he was completely prepared to interview. I gave some advice you may need to Imad just below. It will be worth your while to search back to nov and aug and read what I said to Jeff H. You may want to talk to me on the phone, 30 min is $35. Go to thepapath.com and sign up for coaching there. Good luck.
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Emy
Jan 11, 2012 @ 4:22 am | delete
- Aloha,
I'm asking a question on behalf of my husband who just graduated from a medical school outside the US. He plans to take a USMLE Tests but he is also looking at a PA. Does he have to go to PA school? what are some things he needs to do to get into PA program? Thank you very much
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- He likely will not be accepted by a PA school. Once you commit to MD, you are on that path. He needs to figure out how to be a doctor. If he wants to be a PA, yes he has to go to PA school. Just like a PA who goes to med school has to do all 4 years.
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Diana Alexandria
Jan 8, 2012 @ 1:02 pm | delete
- I wanted to know after the completion of the Pre-Physician Assistant (AAS) from the Community college, how many years left for completion? What is the total years to complete?
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- Depends on where you go to school. You need a BS/BA to get into most programs and most are 24-28 months long so I would say 4.5 years more.
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Priscilla
Jan 5, 2012 @ 1:44 am | delete
- HI Bruce,
quit, simple question..
BS or BA in biology? To apply to PA school does it matter which and how? what are the pros and cons of either or.
Thank you so much, seriously debating and most schools really just send you from dept to dept without really answering much.
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- As long as you get the tough science courses needed with labs as the prereq's for most programs, which does not matter much. The GPA in Science and over all are most important along with having the right courses. For instance, in pre-med and UNC Chapel Hill, Pre-PA's must take the anatomy and physiology from the sports med dept. the pre-med is considered too watered down for most pa programs. You need to ask the programs you intend to apply to if particualar courses matter. Generally if someone majors in that discipline takes the course, that is the one you want. Not one that is a survey course but the toughest most rigorous offered by the institution. If only BS majors can take them, then BS it is, if both BS and BA candidates have access, then it does not matter.
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Priscilla
Jan 13, 2012 @ 4:23 pm | delete
- I appreciate your Response Bruce, if I may quickly bother again for another question. I know you've heard this one before but I guess in a different twist. I made C's on A&P 1 and 2 but only because I never studied ( was going thru difficult family problems), however made A's after that on Microbiology and pathophysiology which my advisor at the time said that for me to pass Patho means I undersand Anatomy despite the poor grade. Should I retake all of them or at least 2? Or will every good grades on science classes at bachelor level from here on out will prove i can do it and help?
I am starting BA biology program in the fall at Rutgers U in NJ and hoping to make it to the PA program at the University of medicine and dentistry of NJ. And have (so far). An overall 2.98 but every intention on getting nothing less than A's and B's
Thanks again!!!I
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- Retaking the courses will cost you time and money and not raise your GPA much. But, if you get an A it will validate your claim that you were majorly distracted. So, I would take the second semester again. It will show you understand what is covered in one and validate your claim. You can mention challenges you over came and reference the A vs C in your essays (just a one liner will do - got to save those words you only get about 500). Then just hit the other courses hard and get those A's!
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birdink
Jan 24, 2012 @ 11:07 pm | delete
- Do i have to have a bachelors degree in Biology? or can it be anything else? what bachelor degrees do you recommend to apply to PA school with to keep my options open.
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Lisa H.
Dec 29, 2011 @ 6:02 pm | delete
- Hi! Is experience as a cardiovascular technologist a good way to gain health care experience? I'm starting a program for this at my local university next semester. I probably wont be finished for 3 years. So is four years the minimum you need for experience to get into a PA program? I would like to work in a cardiac unit.
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- Check your programs that interest you and see how much experience their average student has when accepted. Duke requires 1000 hours minimum - that is 6 months full time. Utah requires 4000, 2 years full time. Others have no requirement but accept candidates that have the most experience when all other things are equal. I say that based on looking at the experience their students have. Over a year except for a very few programs is not going to help you that much. Good grades are the base. Experience, References, GRE scores and your essays are the rest of what gets you an interview. Get good grades, you can not make up for poor ones. I would not spend money on extra training, especially if I am borrowing it. You can get cheap experience as an MA, CMA, EMT, and do cardiology when you graduate. Most schools want to know that you are committed to their mission of producing primary care practitioners. That is how they get their money from Uncle Sam, so you better speak the party line. I want to be in primary care and my experience in cardiology is important because heart disease is the #1 cause of death in the US. Get the picture. Good luck.
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Priscilla
Jan 24, 2012 @ 11:13 pm | delete
- can I apply to PA school with other bachelor degrees as well? or do they have to be in biological studies? can any bachelor degree holder go to PA school?
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Imad Osko
Dec 27, 2011 @ 12:22 am | delete
- I've been reading your page along with posts/comments which you have provided. I find your feedback to be very informative and most importantly, quite encouraging. To give you a brief background, I had attended a four year state university in which I earned 94 credit hours towards a biology degree earlier in my 20's. (my thoughts were pre-med) During that time, I had maintained a 3.4 cumulative gpa. (roughly 3.36 in sciences) For reasons that seem rather foolish today, I had sabotaged my own educational progression by simply dropping out. Later, I had decided to enter into the field of surgical technology, in which I excelled greatly both in the didactic setting and clinical setting as well. After graduating from the program flaunting a 3.86 gpa and getting offered a position while still in the clinical phase of my studies, I felt very confident about my ability to succeed. I worked as a surgical technologist for exactly 2 years. During that time, I had gained much knowledge and great appreciation in regards to the duties involved with medical field. The physicians I worked with admired my alacrity and saw my potential. They had urged me to become a physician assistant, a field which I knew very little about. And after some due diligence, I knew that I had stumbled upon a career which I found to be quite rewarding in terms of providing patient care with a braoder scope of practice. I then began to actively seek out various schools and soon realized that I would need additional prerequisites in order to be considered. And really, the only elements that were lacking were a bachelors degree from an accredited universitiy and completion of the GRE. I had to start somewhere so I decided to begin studying for the GRE, which I did on and off for about 4 months. Needless to say, I should have studied much more efficiently. I took the test twice, once as a "dry run" and felt as though I did very well on the essays, yet knew that I could improve on both the analytical and verbal sections. I omitted my scores. A month later, and feeling much more confident, I took the exam again. I was shocked at how poorly I had scored! A 940 combined and just a 3.5 on the essay portion. However this would have to do as the testing format was about to change and I needed to have these scores sent to the programs that only required the 90 semester hours that I had obtained. I received two very exceptional letters of recommendations from both clinical urologist that had suggested the PA field. And one more LOR from a nurse that was also employed at the ambulatory center. Through both my employment and clinicals as a surgical tech, I had successfully amassed over 3,500 hours of direct patient care. Needless to say that I felt very confident about my chances of obtaining an interview for the two schools I had applied to. However, I think its important to note that I did mail in all of my supplemental items rather late in the admissions process. Not past the deadline, but a few weeks before. I was made aware that regular interview decisions would be made by mid-December to early January. I'm not quite at the finish line yet in terms of panicking, yet its far too close for comfort. Also, I've read your comments about the importance of having a relatable/story-like essay. I certainly had a story to tell Mr. Bair, and I believe it was prepared very nicely and really answered the "whys" of wanting to become a health care professional, particularity a PA. I am now 29 years old with two beautiful children who deserve one last go on my behalf. I am currently back in college attempting to earn the final credits needed to obtain the biology degree that I should have had. Second semester with one to go and a current GPA of 3.46. Anyhow, I apologize for the wall of text, and greatly appreciate any feedback that you may have in my particular situation. And again, thank you for providing such useful information.
Kind regards,
I.Osko
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- The GRE is a tiny part of your total package. You have a good GRE. Keep up the GPA! there is no substitute. Your experience is great. Try to get another MD to recommend you if you have to reapply as CASPA requires 3 recommendations and MD or PA carry more weight than an RN.
Work on your essay. It is not polish but a story that shows why you want to be a PA and that you know and understand the mission of the program and can contribute to that mission. It is not about you, it is about the school - what will you do for them? How will accepting you contribute to their mission? Schools are tasked with preparing primary care providers. You need to show you are willing to do that kind of work. If all you talk about is specialty work, you lessen your chance of acceptance. Your experience prepares you to talk to surgeons better on behalf of your patients, to better prepare the patient for surgery and to better guide them afterwards. If you go into surgery right out of school or in a year or two after, no one will fault you. But going in you better be talking primary care!
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Katy
Dec 16, 2011 @ 12:49 am | delete
- Hello!! Are Community College credits ok for half/most of the pre-requisites? I did them at a two-year community college, got mostly 4.0's, then transferred to a University and I'm almost graduating with a BS in Bio. The science/bio classes I'm taking at the University are also mostly 4.0's but I'm worried about my two years of bio classes at a community level. Any advice (hopefully without retaking them to show them that those grades are deserved at a university level)?
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- If the courses were taught by masters degree level instructors and those that have required labs had labs, you will be fine. Here in central NC, lots of CC instructors are PhD's or MD's. The anatomy course here is taught by a former plastic surgeon. His class is in great demand and everyone I know here who got into med school or PA school took that course post grad. If you have good grades, they are good grades. Just be sure your science courses meet the standard. For instance, at UNC, if you take pre-med anatomy and physiology, most PA schools won't accept it. The want the course taught in the Dept of Sports Medicine which is tougher and more comprehensive. Best thing to do is call up programs that interest you, schedule a time to talk to someone on the admissions committee about this issue. I think it will be a none issue. Remember, you will be leaving an impression on this person. Make it a good one - know why you want to be a PA, be concise in your request, and write that person a hand-written note thanking them for their time. Don't fret, you are going to do OK, I think the courses are fine, it just would have been nice to know that before you spent time and money. I tell prospective PA's to create a time-line of all they will need to do to get in, then get great advice directly from the horse's mouth. Good Luck
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Dacia
Dec 13, 2011 @ 11:16 pm | delete
- Hi Bruce,
I will be graduating with a BS in Individualized curriculum with a minor in psychology and a minor in health science. I have completed my pre-reqs for the programs I am applying to except for biochemistry. When I attended a community college back in 2007 I goofed around and got a C in anatomy/physiology 1 and microbiology. Which lowered my gpa to a 2.97. I currently am enrolled to retake those two coursed. Will this look bad on my application. My cumulative gpa right now is a 3.29 and my science gpa as of right now is around 3.0..I have 4 years experience as a PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN on a med/surg floor (around 8,000 direct paid patient care hours)..I have shadowed PA's..I have reference letters from a Nurse, CNS, and a PA. I have not take the GRE but I will be taking it soon. I was wondering what are my chances of getting into PA school?
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- Your grades look good and if you get A's on your retake, it shows you can do the work. It won't affect your GPA as CASPA uses every grade in every course to calculate your GPA but they do look at year by year GPA and the programs will consider you if your references are good and you do well in the GPA. You need an outstanding Essay, 500 words that tell a compelling story - your why - what you believe that motivated you to do all you have done. Start working on it now. Grammer is important but more important is the story. What do you believe, what has that belief compelled you to do? Part of your story is your increasing commitment, thus the repeat of important courses that you did well in the second time. Do poorly in the repeats and you really hurt yourself. Do what it takes to ace those courses
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Alex
Dec 9, 2011 @ 11:51 pm | delete
- Hi Bruce,
I graduated in history with 3.43 gpa several years ago and later went on to receive my MBA with a 3.79 gpa. I work as a medical rep and have done well but my passion is to help patients and I see becoming a PA as the best avenue to accomplish that. I need to take approximately 5-6 prerequisite classes depending on the program and need hands on experience as my current position doesn't seem to qualify for most of the programs. My question for you is if I do well on these courses and are able to work part-time as a back office MA (since I would keep my current full-time job until I entered the program), what do you think my chances would be of acceptance to a program?
I am committed to doing this as long as I will be given a fair opportunity due to my change of career.
Thanks for your input.
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- You can do graduate level work and as a Rep you should have some background in the physiology of your product. You need to take more than the minimum courses in science. I think that you are smart enough, you know how to work, what you really need is a good Why. Why do you want to be a PA? Remember, getting in isn't about what the profession will do for you, but what you will do for the profession. Almost every school has a mandate to produce PA's for the "under-served". If you could get some of your MA experience in a clinic that does that, it will show your commitment. Several people I knew that got into med school, volunteered in free clinics or clinics for the indigent. They worked as MA's full time and did some evening stuff there. Look at what you can fit in but you must show a commitment to the profession. Do what you can to get PA references. They carry lots of weight if they are good. Lastly, go talk to some folks in the PA programs near you. They will have open houses next spring, check their website, call them for a tour or meet with the director or top faculty. See what they say.
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Peter
Dec 4, 2011 @ 1:20 pm | delete
- Hi Bruce,
I wanted to know what it would take for me to become a PA. I have BA's in Economics and Political Science and after working for nearly a decade in finance, decided I wanted to work in health care. I got a degree in cardiovascular ultrasound and while I like the work, I realized I wanted to have more input with treatment for patient's pathologies.
I believe my work as an ultrasound tech would satisfy the experience requirements, but would my ultrasound degree count toward the various subject prerequisites like biology and anatomy? I graduated with a 3.5 GPA for all degrees, so grades shouldn't be an issue for me.
Any advice you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
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- Start looking at schools and call some that are distant but visit some that are interesting to you. Be sure they are certified programs and not on provisional status and that they have a good PANCE pass rate. Then shoe them your transcripts and the list you made of their minimum prerequisites and ask them about it. The thing you have going against you is the career switch. Finance to Ultrasound to PA. Then what? Think this out carefully. You need to absolutely know why you want this and it can't be just about you. What you want. What are you going to put into this profession as a practitioner? How will you being a PA make it better for all PA's, your program and your patients. That is a more important question. The other stuff are details. You have to handle the details but your why is the most important thing for you. Get that right and you will do well.
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Jose
Dec 2, 2011 @ 1:59 am | delete
- Hello Bruce
First before anything I wanted to thank you for taking the time to help us, I been reading and everything is so help full! I have a few questions first, how many programs do you recommend for students to apply?( I am applying to two) What is a strong competitive cumulative GPA (I have a 3.1 in Health and Science) and Prerequisites (I have 3.0)? Also I know programs recommend a minimum of 1000 patient care hours but most student that get accepted have more so what would be a great range? ( I work as a Medical Assistance at a Pediatric Office with PAs and MDs, I also work as an EMT-Basic, with both jobs I have cumulated around 900 payed-hours are this job going to make me stand out?) I have not taken the GRE yet and last question does speaking a different language help students stand out? (I am bilingual) If there is anything suggestion I ll really appreciated! Thank you for your time! -Jose-
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- Hey Jose!
You are at the edge GPA wise. A few strong A's would really help you in the next couple of semesters. Great references will help you a bunch too. The essay is the way you stand out from the pack.
I think 3-5 schools is about right, but choose them carefully. Bilingual is helpful esp if is is spanish, and that makes you a stronger candidate for schools in inner cities and the SW. Good luck
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Z
Nov 30, 2011 @ 2:52 am | delete
- Hi Bruce,
i submitted my CASPA end aug to a lot of schools and so far i have gotten rejected from every single one of them and i know my GPA must be the problem...i have a 3.09 cum and 2.83 science but i thought my exprience would balance my poor gpa...i have done two service trips abroad one in Africa and one in Guatemala where i was able to get excellent patient contact experience in addition i have volunteered 100+ hrs at a hospital and worked at the student health center on campus for three yrs i also have been involved in undergrad research on peripheral nerve damage....iam now waiting on three schools Barry Uni, Nova Southeastern, and DeSales....this late in the semester do you think its not a good sign that i havent heard from them? what are my other options?
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- I don't know what you mean what are your options. Your options are to get really good grades and really good experience. 2.83 won't cut it as there are lots of people with more than 1000 hours of great experience with GPA over 3.5. Poor grades are Science of 3.0. Take some hard courses and ace them. You have to show you can handle the academic pace of PA school. Poor grades say, maybe not so much.
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Krishna Keshav
Nov 26, 2011 @ 10:01 pm | delete
- Hello Bruce,
I am very interested in attending PA school however wont be until 2014. I am currently working on pre requisite courses and getting good grades in them as well as majoring in either nursing or public health( I haven't decided yet) with a minor in psychology. However, I am getting mostly B's in all of my courses with only 1 A. I might even get a C in one chemistry class. I estimate my science/pre req GPA to be around 3.1-3.3 and my overall GPA to be at least a 3.3-3.4. I am also going to get my CNA degree over this summer and start working for about a year or two for a total of about 1000 hours of experience. Is there anything I can do to better my application? I want to try to get into PA school right out of undergraduate school and I am also planning on volunteering at several places throughout my college career as well. Also, I was wondering if you knew of any PA programs that have accepted people with lower GPA's? Thank you so much for your time!
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- PA school is highly competitive and grades are important but so are your GRE score, references and essay. The combined experience with academics Plus references and essay get you an interview. The inteview gets you in. Concentrate on the grades. Get really good grades, do what you have to do - hire a tutor. Not getting into PA school on your first try will cost you a year of work and that will cost you $75K at least so do what it takes to get in. You are already looking for the schools that take people with low grades. You can get the grades, just do it. Focus on what is important now!
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Melissa
Nov 18, 2011 @ 4:59 pm | delete
- Hello Bruce,
I am contemplating PA school. 12 years ago when I entered college I was a Pre-Med student. I slacked pretty bad and ended up not doing so well in school. For the next few years I struggled to get my grades up and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I ended up taking 1.5 years off and decided that I wanted to be an x-ray tech. Once I had my head on straight I took a few of the required courses and applied to the x-ray program. I was devastated when I didn't get in to the program, but didn't let it stop me from fulfilling my dream. I continued on the next year and took more course related to the x-ray program getting mostly A's and a couple of B's. I was successful in getting into 2 out of my areas 3 x-ray programs. In the end I decided to accept a spot at the Private Institution that I was not currently a student at. I went on to finish the x-ray program and managed to make the Dean's list for every single semester. I made mostly A's with a hand full of B's. I've been working as an x-ray tech for 3.5 years now and while I love my job I'm looking to advance my career. I'm just wondering with a GPA of 2.75 from my first institution and 3.71 at the institution that I graduated from if I even stand a chance at getting in to PA school? I have several Pre-Requisiites that I need to obtain before applying such as Chemistry and Biology. What can I do to help my case? Is the fact that I had bad grades for a couple of years and then managed to create a 3 year track record of good to excellent grades enough to redeem myself and for PA Admissions staff members to take me seriously or do I need more?
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- Grades are your base, they qualify you for consideration. Look at schools in your area or schools in the second 25 on us news list. visit some that are close and talk to admissions people about your grades. take actual transcripts if you visit. They are important to make a cutoff. You show ability and improvement. CASPA looks at over all GPA, science GPA and GPA by year. Then there is GRE score, References, experience - yours is excellent - and your essay. I think you have a chance that is very good but ask the people in charge of some programs if they agree.
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Steph
Nov 18, 2011 @ 11:16 am | delete
- Hi Bruce,
I graduated with two bachelor's degrees (Finance & Biological Sciences) in 4 years...GPA 3.116. I spread myself very thin in college and am a much better student than this GPA reflects. I have taken additional courses, full-time, to finish up my prereqs for PA school and achieved a 4.0 GPA last semester. This has raised my overall GPA to a 3.22. I plan to continue to take science courses to raise my GPA so I am more competitive. Good idea or waste of time?
Experience-wise, I have 358 hours of working as a Nurse's Assistant in a hospital. Will be traveling to South Africa in two weeks for a medical internship program that lasts six weeks. Because of my medical credentials, I will be able to gain direct-patient care experience there. I will acquire 200+ more hours.
I have not taken the GRE yet...plan to do that within the next few months.
What do you think would make me a more competitive candidate? Are information sessions at PA schools important to attend? What makes a "good" letter of recommendation and what are your suggestions on attaining that? Are PA recommendations better than MD's? Thanks!
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- Steph,
Your GPA is competitive and with the post-Bac courses, you should be competitive at most schools. You can't have too much experience - you will have 500+ hours after South Africa, keep accumulating until your PA program interview.
The base is Grades and Experience plus GRE. References from PA's weigh heavily and more so if the PA is a grad of the school. MD recommendations are fine if the MD has experience supervising or working with PA's. A good recommendation letter is a story about why you would make a good PA in less than 500 words. A good way to get a good letter is to meet for coffee with the person you want a letter from, and ask - what makes someone a good candidate? Ask do you think I am growing in the right way to become a good candidate? What could I do to be better prepared for PA school? Can I come to you for a reference when I apply? Meet with them at least once after that to discuss your efforts in following their directions. They should have noticed already and if not, they are not a good person to write your letter. When you ask for a letter, put the request in writing and ask them to relate one brief anecdote in the letter that illustrates a quality that they think is a reason you should be accepted. You want a list of reasons but a story is more memorable and sticks in the mind of the reviewer. The thing you can do is write some 150 word pictures of why you want to be a PA and how does that relate to the mission of the PA school. What do you offer them to help them complete their mission? Your essays are the most important thing to set you apart. The letters of recommendation should echo your essay, thus the meetings to get "advice". The grades etc qualify you to get your essay read and your recommendations seriously considered. Ultimately these result in an invitation for an interview. The interview gets you in.
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Sarah
Nov 16, 2011 @ 11:38 am | delete
- HI Bruce,
I've graduated with a Bachelors degree 6 years ago with a 2.45. Currently, I'm finishing my prereqs for PA school with a GPA of 3.3. I have over 2 years of clinical volunteering experience ranging from; administering shots, providing public health information, drawing blood, assisting with colposcopies and pap smears, and shadowing PAs just to name a few. so far I've been rejected from 3 schools, on hold for 1 school and working on finishing up application for 3 others. Is there something I'm not doing that you could recommend for these 3 schools I havnt applied to? I just want 1 interview!
thank you - Sarah
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- Sarah, #1 for you is to get your app in early. Like end of May or early June. You have lots of great experience - did you get some PA references? Were they good ones? How about an MD with experience working with PA's. The grades are your base. Those 3.3 gpa will help a bunch. How are your GRE scores? Then there is the essay. It needs to be 2-3 150-200 word stories that tell about why you are great for the PA profession and for that particular school on the supplemental app. What was your major 6 years ago? Why do you want to be a PA now? Why do you want to go to your #1 choice? Maybe you should hire me to coach you on this. You pay for 30 minutes, we agree on what you want help on, I get you to tell me some things via email and then we talk and strategize.
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Sarah
Nov 18, 2011 @ 9:24 am | delete
- HI Bruce,
I submitted excellent recommendation letters: microbiology professor, PA from work, and doctor from clinic i volunteer at.
GRE scores - studied for months and months and did terrible. ive mentioned my weakness in taking standardized test in my personal statement.
my major 6 years ago: Political Science and mandarin
why do i want to be a PA? in a nutshell, my 5 year goal plan (i know cheezy and weird) is work with HIV/aids patients in India. I've tried my hand in public health (epidemiology) and found it very dry. i started volunteering at a gyno clinic and fell hard...I loved being around people, giving advice, and most importantly being able to help people. the feeling i get after volunteering is undescribable.
Honestly, i dont have a number 1 choice as Id be the biggest fan of any school that accepts me.
Would love to take you up on your offer. Would love to talk and strategize.
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- You can arrange an interview with me, look at the coaching opportunities on my blog - ThePAPath.com. One the navigation bar at the top under the picture.
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Tonya
Dec 10, 2011 @ 7:04 pm | delete
- I would recommend trying the GRE again and not necessarily saying you have difficulty with standardized tests. One of the biggest things the GRE is telling schools is that you can pass a standardized test, which they need to know because a lot of their reputation lies on the national exam pass rate for their school. You might want to look at schools that don't require the GRE, and just not mention standardized testing in the CASPA essay. Maybe leave that for supplemental apps for schools that want GRE scores.
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Rose
Nov 21, 2011 @ 3:05 am | delete
- Most schools wants paid hours not volunteer hours. You should definitely check the school to see if that's the case.
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Jacob
Nov 16, 2011 @ 9:51 am | delete
- Hey again,
I'm still currently looking into different PA programs at schools. This week I changed my major from Chemistry to Health Science. (I did this to begin working on anatomy and other med related courses). Was this the right move to become more appealing for PA applications? Also, what are some tips to put me up and above the other applicants in the future? I would love to start on it now, and get alot of credit for many years to improve my resume. Would it be volunteer work, or should i try and get a job at my local hospital as a service worker? What are your thoughts?
Thanks
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- Jacob, Grades are the base. Low GPA, forget PA school. Then experience which give weight to your app and should net you a PA recommendation, 3 PA recommendations would be great. MD's are good also. Then your essay makes you stand out. Everything you do is to get you an interview. The interview gets you in. I have written lots of advice here in the answers to PA questions. Read the interview advice to Jeff for instance. My blog ThePAPath.com is a good place to look for answers to questions and then there is my course "Getting Accepted" $5 per week for 20 weeks.
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Melinda
Nov 12, 2011 @ 6:07 pm | delete
- I am in my second semester of returning to school to pick up pre-requisites so that I can apply to PA schools. I've looked around at many schools' lists of classes, but haven't found specifics. Do most require or want a cadaver lab with Anat & Phys? The local school here works on cats, I believe. I've looked around the region, and none of the universities do cadaver lab. Thoughts?
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- Cadaver labs are not required, just great if you can get them. Most schools want you to have the most comprehensive Anatomy with lab one semester and Physiology with lab one semester or one year of combined course work with lab. Check with programs in your state to see which course they will accept from your institution. For instance at UNC, only the A&P from the school of sport science is accepted by most PA programs in NC. It is the most advanced course available there and they don't accept anything else from UNC students. It is best to call them up and ask in advance of taking the course if there is any doubt.
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Chris
Nov 12, 2011 @ 2:27 am | delete
- hi :) my question is: is there a difference between getting a PA AA degree/certificate/or Masters when it comes to getting a job?
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- Chris, There is a huge difference. Most of the AA degrees are intended for people who live in the area, have a health care job in the public sector and are going back to that same organization after graduation. They are not looking for an new career, just to be able to do more where they are. Their pay is likely much lower than the national average. Most of those schools give preference to people working in certain counties within the state. That is very true of California programs which have 3 AA programs. There are no pure certificate programs approved, the certificate is a tradition like it is at Duke, where the certificate is all first generation grads received. If you are going to be competitive and have room for advancement and be eligible for employment in large medical center, you have to have a Masters. You may not think you want or need it, but you will when you have been doing this for 30 years and think you would like to teach. No Masters, no consideration there either.
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Brad
Nov 11, 2011 @ 10:49 am | delete
- Hello, I'm currently serving on active duty in the Navy, and will be retiring in a little over two years. I am still working on my bachelor's degree, but will be complete by the time I retire. I want to apply to a PA program but I'm concerned that I may not have the time to shadow a PA before I retire. Do you know of any military retirees who have been in this situation, and if so how did they get the required experience before applying to a program?
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- It is tough. Go to the local military hospital or clinic and ask if you can volunteer there on evenings they have a PA on duty, say once a week for 4 hours. That would be 400 hours by the time you left. More than enough for programs that accept that type of experience. To let you know your competition, the clinic where I work has 4 MA's that are college grads from UNC. They are MA's that we have trained further to give injections, draw blood and do ECG's. They have all taken one year post grad (most worked with us part-time their senior year (the training period was unpaid) and now full time for a year to be more competitive. These kids all have GPA's around 3.5. Most are bilingual. You have to get some experience/shadow time. You really need a PA reference for most programs.
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Jeffrey Hershey
Nov 10, 2011 @ 10:23 pm | delete
- Just yesterday I got an acceptance from Drexel University in Philly as well, but I had already put my deposit down at Maine. I'm still debating though...Drexel is a better school, but it's more expensive & i hate big cities. It is also longer program by 3 months and doesn't start till August. Whereas Maine isn't as good of school, but I could see myself living there easily and the program starts June 1st and is 24 months in length.
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- Jeff, as I look at both the Univ of New England and Drexel, I see similar PANCE pass rates (http://www.drexel.edu/physAsst/programs/physicianAssistant/learnMore/outcomes/
http://www.une.edu/wchp/pa/upload/NCCPA-5-year-Program-Report.pdf) The thing I like most about a program are the clinical rotations. Do the people doing these rotations have a great track record of teaching PA's what they need to know. You will likely get the same education in Maine as in Philly. As I like cities, I would opt there, since you don't I don't think it makes that much difference but look at the rotations available. Also, If you want to work in NE, go there, It will be easier to get a jog from the network you build while you are in school
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Jacob
Nov 10, 2011 @ 3:05 pm | delete
- Hello, I'm currently in my first year at Santa Fe college in Gainesville. I'm wondering if it is possible to finish all the prereq's here and then transfer into a PA program after i achieve my AA? Or do I need to achieve a Bachelor before being apply to apply for a PA program? (I'm out on my own and have no idea on how the school system works, and my guidance counselors are horrible at explaining things).
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- Jacob, I take it you have not read many PA program websites. Where do you want to go to PA school? Most programs have the masters as the entry level degree and if you are starting from scratch, that is where you should aim. You are going to need approved courses in Anatomy with lab, Physiology with lab, Chemistry, Math, and upper division biology like Genetics, Microbiology with Lab, Histology and Embryology. You will need a GPA above 3.2 and a science GPA that good or better to be a good candidate in a good school. In addition you will need some sort of experience and definitely references from some people in medicine. You will need to write a couple of great essays and be able to do well in interviews when the time comes. First things first. Create a time line, put all the courses you found you needed from your research of PA Program websites ( the ones that you want to attend) and set a date and time you will complete them. Then one course at a time, get the highest grade above a 3.0 B you can . Keep your eyes on the prize but focus on today's tasks. I can help you in my coaching program. You can view it on my site ThePAPath.com You tell me what programs you want to go to, then I create the time line for you with your schools catalog and make sure your courses will be approved. Check it out. Good Luck
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Henry
Nov 8, 2011 @ 10:52 am | delete
- Hello, i was currently a Pre-med student in my senior year, i am considering PA schools, and i am close to finishing my BS in Biology with minor in chemistry, however, when i look at PA course requirements i notice that i am missing like maybe 1 class or 2, i cant squeeze that in my schedule as i have to graduate by December 2012. do you think this will affect my application. thanks
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- When they say they are PREREQUISITES they mean it. You won't get any consideration if you don't do the minimum. To apply without all necessary courses complete is to waste your money. You can have them in progress when you apply. You want to submit your app to CASPA by the end of May 2012, you might then interview in September. You would have until then to complete the courses and submit your grade to the program. If they are major courses like Anatomy and Physiology, then you need to have them done before you apply.
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Alex
Dec 4, 2011 @ 7:54 pm | delete
- Bruce-
I am starting to finish out my prereq for PA school. My undergrad GPA wasnt hot at all. 2.6 GPA. However, I went on got masters degree with 3.4 GPA. I am in the Army Reserves as medical officer (1st LT). I have thousands of hours paid healthcare experience. I graduated with honors and top 20% of my Amedd class. Do I have a strong shot at PA school with my masters GPA? I hope my undergrad is not holding me back because since then I have been above the curve.
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Jeffrey Hershey
Nov 2, 2011 @ 10:57 pm | delete
- I posted here a few months ago for advice on my interviews. Being prepared for the interview is key! Every question they asked me I had already had an answer for before they asked the question. Just wanted to say thanks and that I got my first acceptance letter from University of New England in Portland, ME!
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- Congrats Jeff! I believe you had two other interviews when you wrote to me last time. Did you get others? Good job preparing. You took some information and used it to solve a problem. You will be doing that the remainder of your career. Good practice to start getting good at it from the start. I would love for you to leave us updates here about how things are going in school that will likely begin in about 6 months. Good Work.
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- Congrats Jeff! I believe you had two other interviews when you wrote to me last time. Did you get others? Good job preparing. You took some information and used it to solve a problem. You will be doing that the remainder of your career. Good practice to start getting good at it from the start. I would love for you to leave us updates here about how things are going in school that will likely begin in about 6 months. Good Work.
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Amy Smith
Oct 17, 2011 @ 7:41 am | delete
- Hi, my name is Amy and I am currently in the process of getting my AAS. I will be a CMA and also be certified in phelbotomy and EKG. Will this help me in the process of becoming a PA?
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- Amy, they will count as experience. If you look at my advice to CTMedica504 just below, I outline the 4 or 5 top things you need to do to get accepted. Getting great grades in prerequisite courses is #1, Experience which what you are doing now will give you and then the others, you can read that all below. Look at the websites of 2-3 PA programs you think you want to attend, make a list of all the things in the order you need to do them to get in and then make a plan and get things done. If you need some help along the way, let me know and I can give you an opinion. Be sure to get more than one and the opinion of the program staff is the one that really counts.
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Michelle
Oct 15, 2011 @ 10:19 am | delete
- Hi, my name is Michelle and I'm 28 years old. I would love to be a PA. I was think about goin to school for radiology tech to get my associates degree. Then due another 2 years together my bachelors in biology. During that time I would be working as a RT, so that I have experience in the medical field to be able to get into a PA school. Do you think this is a good plan for me to get accepted at a PA school? Thank you for your time.
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- Look at the 4 things I emphasized to CTMedica504. Your plan gets you experience, a degree and ready to apply, so yes it is fine. Along the way get some good courses in English Comp as your essay is one way you really stand out, make friends with some docs and PA's that you can ask for a reference later as these are really important also.
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- Hi I'm Jacob and I'm 28 years old. I am a Marine combat veteran who is about to graduate with an AS in Radiology Technology. I am very interested in becoming a PA and would like to know if a bachelors in RT is a good choice and would my intern hours as an RT count towards the 1000 required hours? I am also a reservist in the Navy and was wondering if I could become a PA through them
Or if I still have to go through a major university? Thank you for your time!
This comment disappeared after approval. Don't know why. It may show up again but I wanted to answer it.
Jacob, You can go to the interservice program, check the Navy website and inquire through your unit. One of the best PA's I know got her degree that way.(It is a top 25 program! and you get paid to attend) At civilian schools, yes, your rad tech hours count as experience. Look at the CTmedica504 question and answer below. the 5 things I listed are things to look at carefully. Congrats on your transition from Marine to Medical - I was an Army Medic in a former life, did some Navy reserve time myself. Good Luck.
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CTMedica504
Oct 15, 2011 @ 3:01 am | delete
- I have been in the pre-hospital field for several years as an EMT and now a Paramedic for the last 4 years. I'm also a volunteer Firemen in my town. I have recently decided to go back to school to pursue becoming a PA as my end goal. I am wrapping up my AS in Paramedicine w/ a focus in EMS Education. I have decided I don't want to waste 2 years as pre-med or a biology major for my BS. I've decided on a distance learning program with a BS in Emergency Health Sciences that focuses on EMS Education, Management, and Instruction. With all this EMS experience, and a focus in sciences for my general education and core requirements, do you think this degree can still make me a well rounded candidate for PA school?
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- Everything sounded great until you said finish my degree online. Most of the science courses you will need to be accepted require a lab and need to be taken live in a class room. Many schools say specifically in their literature what you can and can't take online. I know students who have supplemented their requirements with genetics and immunology etc... online but organic chem, inorganic chem, microbiology all need to be taken live. I have seen top 25 PA programs accept the micro from the local community college but the CC's in the local counties are like small 4 year institutions other places. Check with the program about your courses. Here is what makes you stand out 1. good grades, 2. experience 3.good GRE scores when required, 4. great references and 5. outstanding essay -- those 5 things plus submitting your application as early as possible get you an interview. The performance on the interview gets you accepted. Look at who will write you a great reference, begin working on your essay and your interview skills.
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CTMedica504
Oct 16, 2011 @ 10:22 pm | delete
- Thanks for the reply. The only online classes I'd be taking are the degree required courses for the BS in Emergency health sciences. All of my actual general education core requirements and PA program prerequisite science courses will all be taken live with lab at a local community college that has a prestigious nursing program so the sciences are not just a breeze like some community colleges. As far as letters of references I'd obviously hope to get a reference from an instructor, but I already have directors of EMS flight programs, and ED MD's that are supportive and willing to write a letter for me.
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Young1234
Oct 14, 2011 @ 10:42 am | delete
- Hi, I'm a high school and my goal is to get into the PA program. I was wondering what major is best to major in for this part? Also will I get paid when I'm in the program ?
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- You need to do a little investigation into programs. A science major is best and most efficient but the finest new grad I know was a Spanish major, took lots of science courses and got in to every school she applied to and had a 4.0 GPA in PA school. The only PA school I know that pays you is the Military Program. Generally if you go the masters route, the 2 years will set you back $100,000
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Brittany Doria
Oct 13, 2011 @ 1:01 pm | delete
- Hi I am currently finishing my GE at a community college and so far my declared major is nursing. I figured having a BSN would be a good foundation before applying to a PA program. Unfortunately the nursing major is extremely impacted where I live and it seems like a waste to go through the process of a BSN if I do not want to become a nurse. I know that you need some form of a science background in order to get into a PA program but that leaves things a little vague. I would like to know if I change my major, what should I change it to? are there any majors I should completely avoid? Presently I am looking to change to a Health Science(concentration in health care professions) major. Will that suffice?
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- You need to look at the specific requirements of each program you are applying to or think you will apply to. Then look at the major. How many courses will you need other than those in the major? I think not becoming an RN is a good choice. RN's do get in but most have years of experience in their profession. It is a completely different set of responsibilities. If you can sit down with someone on the admissions committee and discuss the major you are considering with them. Then write them a thank you note afterwards.
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almost40&frightened
Oct 10, 2011 @ 6:21 pm | delete
- Hello,
I'm a 39 year old single mom working my way through an undergrad degree in Biology. I took the first 2 yrs. at community college and have recently transferred to a 4 year university. I have a background of 8 years as a CNA in hospice and 3 years as a medical assistant. I am by nature a tenacious person, and normally I do very well academically. However, I have a learning disability with mathematical computation, I had to take Algebra 3 times before I passed with a B. It's extremely frustrating because my issue isn't conceptual or based upon lack of intelligence, it is setting up information correctly in a word problem to extract the correct answer in a timely fashion. Predictably, I'm struggling with general chemistry. I may have to take the course more than once. I'm not averse to the uphill climb, but I'm wondering how this will read in an interview for P.A. school. My age, combined with my difficulty in computation are obstacles I feel I can overcome but I'm not sure how this will be perceived by schools in the future. Do you have any words of advice for me?
I'm passionate about this goal of becoming a P.A. but I also don't want to waste my time in pursuit of the unattainable.
Thank you for your input!
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- Make an appointment with someone on the admissions committee at a PA program where you intend to apply. Sit down with your transcripts and tell them what you just told me. Get two opinions and also talk to a career psychologist. Those 3 interviews, 2 with PA programs and one with a paid psychological professional will tell you if it is going to matter a little or a lot. Good luck on your journey.
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LS
Oct 6, 2011 @ 11:52 pm | delete
- Good four year colleges in NYC
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- PA colleges? Check out the PAEAonline.org site for a list.
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Toya
Oct 6, 2011 @ 11:49 pm | delete
- Hi, Im currently trying to finish my AS in Math and Science. I really want to become an PA, but i find the path so hard. I called my local hospital for some volunteer work, but they told me they have jobs but not directly with patients. So, im really confused of what i should do next. Should i become an EKG tech and gain direct patient experience or should i become and RN? Than pursue my dreams of becoming and Pa
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- There are a lot of paths to PA, one of the stops on that path is experience. Being an ECG tech would be good esp if it brings you into contact with PA's that would eventually become referrals. There is nothing easy about this path. You really have to work hard and overcome the obstacles that present themselves. Make a time line, list everything you have done and then everything you need to do and when you will do it and concentrate on what the next step is now. If you don't do that one, the rest don't matter. Stay focused on now but have a way to look forward so you can do this one and once started, begin to prepare for the next one like register for that class you need etc...
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l.ochoa
Oct 5, 2011 @ 9:31 pm | delete
- Hi, I have been a medical assistant for 8 years and also completed a 2 year program in Diagnostic Ultrasound. I am now looking into going into a P.A. program. But im wondering if this is actually ngoing to be duable and what Im going to need to do? Can you help advise me.
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- If you read the material here and on my blog I have said over and over there are several things that get you an interview and the interview gets you accepted. Everyone must do the basics - Most schools offer a masters degree, so a BS degree with all prerequisites completed is mandatory. A 3.0 or better GPA is needed to be competitive. You already have something that makes you stand out and that is experience. But, you need references from PA's and MD's who know you and know you want to be a PA. You probably will need to take the GRE so once you have the grades, you need to prep for that. The single thing that makes you stand out the most are the essays you will write so take some courses in essay writing. It is never too soon to begin writing that essay. It isn't a list, it is a story. Your reasons for wanting to be a PA and the special gifts you bring to the profession. Later each school will want an essay from you, and you need to be prepared to tell them why you want in there and what you can offer the program. There are other tactics like getting your CASPA app e-submitted by the end of April. Now, before you ask me more questions and want more free advice, show me you took some of mine and read everything here and on my blog, The PA Path.com
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Tiffany B.
Sep 28, 2011 @ 8:44 pm | delete
- Hello, I am currently in my second year of Diagnostic Medical Sonography school. I will have an associates degree when I graduate and will be getting my BS in Health Administration. I have been thinking about becoming a PA for a while and thought it would be a great addition to my Sonography career since I will already be seeing patients on a regular basis. By the time I graduate in 10/2012, I will have "logged" 1650 hrs of clinicals and will have 2 more years under my belt while going for my BS. Do you think I would be able to get into PA school? What else could I do to assure this?
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- Sonography will be a great addition to your PA career. You will have more autonomy (ordering test instead of just doing them) and you will have a much broader scope of practice even if you remain in the Radiology field as a PA. If you tell a PA program that PA will add to your sonography career you won't get in. Be sure you look at all the prerequisites and create a timeline to get them completed. Look at the requirements of at least 5 programs that interest you and write down what they require and what they recommend. Then figure out how to get as many of those credits as possible. Be sure the courses you are taking apply to the program you want to attend. If you are unsure, call and ask them, they will tell you. You will have great experience, and you will likely do some studies ordered by PA's. Let them know you are interested in a PA career and when they order studies, call them with results and offer to teach them something about sonography. Some will know a lot and guys like me that trained before ultrasound was available everywhere will love to know more. You can trade your knowledge for a great recommendation. I think you would be a great candidate if you have the grades in the prerequisite courses, good GPA, GRE scores and good recommendations from PA's (3 are needed) along with a good essay. Start writing your "Why I want to be a PA" essay now. Make it a couple of short 250 word stories that illustrate why. You may want to visit my blog and enroll in my "get accepted course". Just take the first 4 weeks now. That will give you 100 tips and info on all 157 schools. Quit after 4 weeks ($5 per week) and then come back when you need more info on CASPA, Essays and Interview skills. Good Luck.
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Jackie
Sep 25, 2011 @ 11:49 pm | delete
- Hi, I am a junior in college who wants to become a PA. I went to one college out of high school but left after one semester and took a semester off. I have been at my current college for a year, but don't like it and want to transfer again. I just don't want to be unhappy for another two years before I graduate. Will transferring a second time hurt my chances of getting accepted to a PA program? I would greatly appreciate your advice.
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- Can you explain clearly and reasonably in less than 30 seconds why you what to transfer? PA schools are going to wonder if you will become "unhappy" and want to leave them too. College is a bunch of work, some of the courses are not practical and really from my undergrad years I only use English, Algebra and some science. But the discipline I gained and the ability to learn independently I use everyday. You will have to show you have that discipline to persist even though it isn't fun. If you can effectively explain your impulse to choose places you did not like, it won't hurt you. But eventually you have to stay put and do the hard stuff that is just work, not fun. If you can't decide why you are restless and unhappy, see a psychologist. That act says I need some professional guidance in figuring this out and if you can say, I went to counseling, did what they said and this is what happened, you will be fine. Find a psychologist that specializes in helping people with career choices. Good Luck.
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Shantel
Sep 24, 2011 @ 7:55 am | delete
- Hi, I'm 27 and am really interested in applying to PA school. I didn't have the best undergrad GPA, however, I did graduate with a Biology and Exercise Science degree with a 3.0. I also recently graduated with a MPH (which I achieved a 3.8) and I'm currently working at an ALF as a resident care coordinator. I do rounds with all the physicians that come to the facility so I am getting hands on experience (I've also previously worked as a optometric technician for 5 years) and developing a relationship with the doctor. I would like to what would you think my chances are for getting into PA school. I also wanted to know whether or not you think it would be too late for me to send in my application within the next 2 weeks to schools with a December deadline? Thanks in advance.
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- It is never too late but an early app can make it easier to get in and rejection harder next time depending on why they rejected you. I recommend you prepare, get your references lined up (the caspa process is 6 weeks long so you would miss the deadline if your references aren't there on time and if the colleges delay sending CASPA your grades) You have good experience, good grad school grades, get ready for submitting your app next April as soon as CASPA opens. If the school is not a CASPA participating program, then you may have a shot at December but most schools have rolling admissions and some begin interviews a few weeks after they accept applications. Look carefully at what the school says it does about apps and interviews. Rolling admissions means after each round of interviews, they offer seats and some are taken. So a late app may mean you are competing for fewer seats and it may be in your interest to wait. If however you apply and get accepted, everything I just said is moot. Look at how many people they have accepted in years past. If it varies from 29 to 31 that means if they don't have what they want they do with less and if they have a couple of great people extra, they take them. I would think you would be a great candidate. Good luck.
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alexbdubs
Sep 23, 2011 @ 11:32 am | delete
- Hi, I am currently an athletic training student at NIU. I will be graduating in 2013 and plan on applying to physician assistant programs shortly after graduation. I would like to be a physician assistant with a focus on orthopedics and possibly work in a ortho and sports medicine clinic. Would you recommend that I try to get a job as an athletic trainer first, and get a few years experience in that field before applying to schools? Or would it be better to just try to go straight through? I appreciated and gained a lot of insight from your article.
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- To be Accepted you need, 1. Great grades in the prerequisites, 2. experience, 3. references - from PA's or MD's, 4. a great essay for CASPA and other schools, a good GRE if required and a dynamite interview. Many pre-PA's work a year post college to gain more experience, take courses like medical terminology and basic life support. Little extras that say, I thought about this and did things to make myself better prepared.
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becca
Sep 20, 2011 @ 1:45 am | delete
- Hi, I'm currently a freshman in college who recently decided to become a PA. I'm on the right track in taking all the required and recommended pre-requisite courses and will attend an EMT-b class during the summer so I can get hands-on training later on. The information here is very helpful, and I know it says multiple times that pre-PAs can choose whatever major they wish, as long as they have pre-reqs. I'm very interested in mortuary science and my college has a great bachelor's program here in mortuary science and funeral services. My question is this: do you believe it would be off-putting to a PA school if an applicant majored in mortuary science? After all, I'm assuming working with dead people is much different than working with live ones. I'm just concerned that I will do everything right; get good grades, take all the pre-reqs, log in a bunch of patient hours, write a great essay, etc. but then blow my chance by majoring in the wrong thing. You're thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.
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- There is one PA school in NY, York College maybe, that lists mortuary science as a third tier acceptable way to get experience. I would say most schools would not think this was a great major. Your patients won't either although, I got a job cutting meat as an undergrad after being an Army medic. I guess it depends. I wouldn't choose it, but if you do the EMT thing and get great grades you may be OK, I just don't see it being complementary in any way for what you want to do. You don't work with dead people you preserve them and work with their relatives. The experience is in working with grieving people.
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becca
Oct 13, 2011 @ 10:35 pm | delete
- Okay, thanks for the advice. I'm also very interested in psychology and was wondering if that would be an appropriate degree. This site is wonderful, by the way. It really helps.
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- Psych would be great and very helpful to you through out our career.
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ryyyrau
Sep 16, 2011 @ 6:21 pm | delete
- if u recieve certification in one state can you go and work in another one. i want to go to school near home here in pennsylvania but want to move to california after im finish college.
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- Medical boards govern state licensing. You will need to look at California's licensing requirement about the time you graduate and then do all they require to meet that requirement. Many people attend PA school in a place other than where they will live and work. You may want to get a couple of rotations in California though as many job offers occur as a result of seeing you work as a student.
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Jenny Smith
Sep 15, 2011 @ 2:27 pm | delete
- I'm a little confused. Can we have a non-science major in order to get accepted into a PA school? I was planning on switching my major to Business Administration. But currently I'm getting a Bachelor's degree in science and i would like to major in Biology. That is fine for PA school right?
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- Yes, you can have a non-science major, but you must do all prerequisites and a few extra so you will have some sort of science minor. It is easier to major in science but not required. I have had two people have non-science majors and get into great PA schools.
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Sakeena
Sep 17, 2011 @ 1:07 pm | delete
- Where are the list f prerequisites... is there a step by step guide?
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- There hasn't been but the book I feature here can help you, Dave the PA Coach, look for him on YouTube and my Get Accepted Program on ThePAPath.com are all I am aware of.
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koeg
Sep 12, 2011 @ 5:50 pm | delete
- I've been out of school for 14 years. I have a very good friend that's a PA currently and is encouraging me to apply. I have begun taking courses in A&P (completed first w/ an "A", currently in second). Just need Medical Terminology,GRE and patient contact hours to apply. Here is the catch. I did OK in my major courses, and have 2 bachelors. One in Psych, one in Bio. I completely screwed up in second Organic...to the tune of 5 "F"'s before I passed with a "C". It was partially mental block, total lack of money and working excessively, and a failed relationship. I have a cumulative 2.77 GPA, but obviously my science GPA has suffered with the Organic II.
I'm not getting any younger, and I would like to get in a program soon if it's possible. If I have to take Organic over to demonstrate I can get an "A", I will, but it will take more time and I don't know if that will matter at this point.
I was young and screwed up badly and have been paying the price at a job I dislike for over 12 years. I'm ready to move on and finally get my "do-over", but I just don't know if anyone will give me a chance. I have so many credit hours that my GPA won't move much unless I take 40+ hours of courses. The school I am attending now is asking if I want to apply for their RN accelerated, but I've held on to the hope there may be a PA program I could apply to. My buddy says to just apply to PA (he graduated several years ago from South in Savannah), but his was a Bachelors program, and I am afraid it is much more restrictive now. I also believe they only accepted the last grade he made in his prereqs, not his poor grades he made prior to dropping out 18 years ago. I don't think that's the policy now.
Bottom line is should I keep going or just apply to RN, with the intention of working toward an NP as soon as I get out.
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- Life is tough and you got beat up early. PA school used to be for people who had tons of medical and life experience and proved they could study, not that they had perfect grades. then most PA's started their careers at around their mid-30's, now they are young (mid-20's) smart (GPA 3.5+) and highly motivated and driven (2000 hours of hands on experience plus those grades) but they do look at people like you too. Can you get an A in Organic now? Get 2 semesters of science i.e. 24-30 hours with a GPA of 3.3 or above and get a couple of strong references (they need to know about your past academic failures and be able to say that they think you are a great candidate) PA's are best here as they know what it takes. You are right, the Masters degree is what a BS used to be in the profession.
NP is a good career. you will need a couple of years of nursing experience to get into a good program and they are expensive too. Salaries in most states are a little less but since NP's quit fighting PA's and we work together for common laws for Mid-level practitioners, we all benefit. It is a good career with a very similar path. You would probably be satisfied either way.
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Sakeena
Sep 12, 2011 @ 5:15 am | delete
- I am 20. I graduated High School at 17 but left school because I was overwhelmed with everything that college life has to offer. Too much responsibility at such a young age.. I loosened up with myself and my schoolwork and was not so applied. I have always been interested in the health field. My freshman year I majored Biological Sciences. My original career goal was to become a Medical Practitioner or Physician. After 2-3 years of being out of school I have come across a variety of occupational career choices. I took a course in Pharmacy Tech and decided I would become a Pharmacist then planned on returning to school for Pharmaceutical Sciences. That career no longer interests me. I am looking for a shorter educational option for becoming a PA. Should I go back to college and focus my studies in Biological Studies/Biomedical Studies or can I work on obtaining a BS at a shorter 2 year term college in Health Sciences? If I do chose the Health Sciences, where do I go after that? I need some guidance. HELP ME PLEASE :(
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- Hey Sakeena, I am not sure I fully understand your needs right now but I do sense that in the few words above is a lot of living, some fear and frustration and some enthusiasm.
If you want a masters degree as a PA, you need a BS degree from a good 4 year college. You need a good GPA and really solid science grades. They may want a GRE so you will eventually need to prepare.
Look up the schools in your state and in states where you would like to live and work. Look at their prerequisites. Make a list of all your courses you got a 3.0 or above in. then go down the list and check off any you have completed. Make a list of want you need and pick a major that will allow you to get those courses and a degree. Concentrate on first things first. You need the degree with a great GPA,get that done. Look at my getting accepted course, it is 20 weeks and $5 a week, pay as you go. It will help you get prepared. It won't help you make good grades so don't buy it until the summer after your junior year, unless you want to just get a BS as a PA or an AA. Then do it now. Weeks 1&2 are 100 tips, 3&4 are lists of all the schools in a comparable format. Then I cover caspa, medical terminology, some drug categories, and how to write your essay and interview. Good luck.
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Gabrielle
Sep 6, 2011 @ 1:55 pm | delete
- I have found your article to be very informative...however I have a few questions/concerns..
I'm 22 and graduated class of 11 with a degree in Business Administration. I've used my college years trying to find my way and discover what career I would like to go into. I have finally realized that I would like to become a PA, is it too late? Do I have to go back to school to gain the pre-requisite requirements? Which would be better, obtaining a masters in PA or a 2 yr certificate?
Also I have been working at a dental office for over 8 years, I have both clinical and administrative experience, is this acceptable in terms of the other hours I need to shadow a PA assistant or do I have to start working @ a doctor's office to gain hrs, if so, why? Wouldn't Dentistry be considered as the same thing?
HELP!
:) Thanks,
Gabrielle
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- Look at any PA program website and see how many prerequisites you have completed. Yes, you will need the minimum courses plus some to be competitive. If you are going to get certified, get the masters degree. It is a long career with many doors closed if you don't. Your dental experience may be great. Talk to a program or two you like and ask them on a program visit. You don't need to bother if you aren't going to take the prerequisites as you won't be considered without them. Remember it is not me you need to make your point with, it is the PA program. Check with the ones that interest you. Shadowing time with a PA will be important. You need a PA reference (actually 3 and PA's and MD's count heaviest) so read with I have told others here about how to get a shadowing opportunity. I have written about is on my blog, ThePAPath also.
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Stephanie
Sep 5, 2011 @ 2:56 pm | delete
- Hi i'm 17 years old, and I'm going to be applying to college fairly soon. I really would like to be a PA, but I'm not sure what I should major in. The past summer I participated in this research project at a college to help a student's discertation for their PHD, and realized that I love learning about psychology/behavioral neuroscience. Because I do still really want to be a PA I know I have to have biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, etc. to be able to get into a PA program. So what exactly should I major in, or say what major I want to commit to when applying to colleges? In addition, are there any colleges that have an undergraduate PA program or perhaps a specific major that gears you towards to becoming a PA? Thank you so much for reading this! I just have so many questions!
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- Hey, Stephanie,
How exciting that you discovered this profession so early. I think that is much more common than I realized previously. Majors don't seem to matter as long as you can squeeze in all the required courses plus a few. The best recent grad I know majored in Spanish. She took the prerequisites as a minor, had a 4.0 undergrad and a 4.0 in PA school and is doing very well as a PA. There are a number of programs in NY state and Pennsylvania that have Pre-PA majors and PA programs that offer a 5 year masters. 3 years to get prerequisites, get into their program, get BS in year one of PA school and a masters after year 2. It is a great way to go. It isn't automatic as you have to apply but I have seen several of these programs close their applications to the professional portion of the program because their undergrads took all the places. If you don't do that, take a major that excites you - sports science, Occupational Therapy, some curriculum that would bring you into contact with patients would be a big help and those are two off of the top of my head. Just being a science major and getting some training as an ECG tech or phlebotomist in a hospital will give you the experience you need if you did not choose a major that did patient contact as part of the learning. When you interview for college, remember that you may change your mind along the way or become more certain as you progress. The science courses will help you no matter what area of medicine you eventually enter. You may want to look at my Getting Accepted Course on ThePAPath.com
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Ryan
Sep 5, 2011 @ 2:03 pm | delete
- Hi, I am interested in PA school. Just to give you a brief background. I am currently an OT and feel that its just not the field for me. I have been researching PA for quite sometime now and really want to see what it can offer. My masters degree curriculum was completed with a 3.9 GPA. I have all the science courses under my belt w the exception of chemistry for the health professional and microbiology which can be taken at a juco near me. I live in Southern Florida and have been researching the PA program at Miami Dade, its cheaper than most programs, however it is listed as an associates degree program. Maybe I am wrong but it looks like you take the same test as you would if you graduated from a masters degree program. With that said, wouldnt you have the same license as someone that graduated from a school offering a masters degree?? Also, do you think schools would look favorably at my healthcare experience in OT?? My GRE scores before OT school were absolutely terrible (900 range). However the test is, for lack of a better term, complete BS as it was not at all indicative of how I did on the graduate level (I was at the top of my class) I would hate to retake the test, do you think my MOT and experience would more than make up for having to take it? Sorry for all the questions. Thanks a million!!!
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- If you have the prerequisites, you should not need another GRE because you have a masters in a medically related field. I would think your experience is great. Do you have some M.D.s or PA's that would recommend you? A couple of strong references are what you need. Start getting those transcripts for your self as submitting early gives you an edge on getting in. Getting a good GRE score is in part about prepping for it. They have made it more difficult but if you get a good score it is an indication you did what it took to learn how to do well on the test. You are right is does not measure determination, passion and who will do best. Start working on your essays, remember you want to speak to them about how your motivation and desire translates into a win for them. Remember to show and not tell
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Ryan
Sep 8, 2011 @ 2:36 pm | delete
- Thanks for the quick reply. So I have been doing a little research, I am trying to narrow down the schools I want to apply at based on a couple of factors, most notably costs and prereq courses needed to get in. Like I said I am in S. Florida and MIami Dade has an associates program that allows you to sit for the exam. Now w that said it is 10's of thousands of dollars cheaper than a lot of master degree programs. I still owe about 50K on my masters, so trying to be cost effective. Now I did a search of jobs in three major cities across the country (Chicago, NYC, and LA) I found that about 70 percent of the jobs I saw only required you to be a licensed PA. The other 30 percent preferred a Masters degree. In a field like OT, most employers dont care if you have a bachelors or a masters (however now everybody must get a masters) as long as you are certified and licensed. I guess my question is do I risk the money and get a second masters degree or do I apply for the miami dade program and be able to sit for the boards and get licensed( I would hope my masters in OT would help me secure a job, but who knows) any advice?? Thanks
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- Way back when, Duke only gave PA's a certificate of completion. They still do that as a part of tradition but they also award a masters degree. If you are concerend about costs, the least expensive BS program in the country is York College, part of CUNY but you have to be a NY resident to get the 10K tuition plan. You are correct, if you pass the exam, then you are a PA but the CC program is really for people to move up a level in the local community. If you remain NCCPA certified and really do well with CME, you probably could make a comfortable living in practical medicine. Are you planning on staying in OT? I didn't think so but I could have been mistaken. If so, then I think you would be wise to go to the CC program, esp if Miami is where you want to live.
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Ryan
Sep 9, 2011 @ 3:51 pm | delete
- WOW, 10K super cheap!!! I will stay in OT for a little while, maybe moonlighting on the weekends. One of the other items playing into my decision on applying to schools is the prereq courses. I gotta be honest, not sure how I would do in organic chemistry, as that is a prereq to every program. Some programs I have seen have chemistry for the health sciences, which I think I would do fine in. I havent taken chemistry since high school!!! However I did have a little chemistry in Neurophysiology in graduate school! I guess chemistry just kind of scares me. Did you find that PA programs are heavy in chemistry once you are in the program?? Or is it one of those things where programs just want you to have basic foundation in chemistry?? By the way Bruce, think you are a superstar for running this blog!!!
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- over the years, I have used only a few courses from my undergraduate years. English is #1 of course and algebra and organic chem. Bio chem has been a little helpful at times but I took it so long ago, many of the discoveries in metabolism had not been discovered when I took it. Organic chem can be onerous, but really it isn't bad. It was the first thing I took in school where I clicked with a subject. Take it twice, monitor it or maybe get the book and take one of those iTune U courses then take it for a grade. You can do it.
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Cindy
Sep 5, 2011 @ 12:11 pm | delete
- Hi Bruce! I love all the information that you provide on squidoo.com and also on Facebook. It has a lot of wonderful information. I've been doing many hours of research into applying for PA school and I feel like I'm at a crossroad here. I have a BS in Microbiology from 2000, where I took a lot of sciences courses. My average GPA was about 2.8 and then I joined the family business in Montessori Early Childhood Education. I love educating young children and running my own business, but I felt a greater calling in the medical field. I didn't want to go back to and try to get into medical school because it would take too long and when I heard about the PA profession, I fell in love with it and I though that it would be perfect for me. Since I've decided to take the PA path about a year ago, I've taking 14 science credits and have met all the prerequisite requirements while still working full time. My GPA is at 2.9 and GRE is 1180. I have about 110 hours combined volunteer and shadowing hours so far. Do I even have a chance of getting an interview at a PA school (specifically Nova University, FL) with these stats? I'm thinking about applying by their due date in January 2012. Is it worth becoming a Medical Assistant in the meantime to get more patient contact (although Nova doesn't require it) and should I retake some science classes to boost GPA (like Biology, Chemistry, etc)? I really appreciate you taking your time to help me and I'll take any advice you can give.
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- What is your GPA for those 14 credits? If you are in the 3.5 range, then you are talking their language. The GRE usually needs to be less than 5 years old, but you have a good score. Experience and references from that experience speaks volumes. The criteria for getting in for most schools is all prerequisites done and GPA >3.0, GRE if required, experience may not be required but is weighted heavily, Your references and your essays - those things get you and interview and the interview gets you in. Only 9% of those applying get in and since apps are up, that % is shrinking. You want to do much more than the minimum. Talk to the program with you questions and read between the lines. Try to talk to some students there or recent grads to get a flavor for it all but try to maximize what you do. Minimalists might get in but they have to have just the right amount of everything.
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drdave
Sep 4, 2011 @ 9:45 pm | delete
- I'm 50 y/o, in great health, but am burned out from dentistry. I'm considering gong to PA school and starting a new career. I was an Air Force medic working in OB/GYN and the ER for 4 years (1980-1984) and I received my EMT II (now expired). I graduated from Dental school in 1992 and have been in private practice for 18 years. Crazy?
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- Dr. Dave, You are going to have to go back to school, take probably 40-60 credit yours of math, chemistry and biological sciences like anatomy and physiology. Then 2 more years in PA training. Then you become a dependent practitioner. It can be rewarding and frustrating. You need to shadow a few PA's who have been at it at least 5 years. Then look carefully at your state laws. Will you be happy with the restrictions? You may be better off doing some sort of high end concierge dentistry and seeing fewer patients. Then look for a consulting job, we have a dentist who give us lectures each year at our state PA society meeting and she works for a dental pharmaceutical company. Maybe you need to look at other options but definitely shadow some PA's and talk to your stae society officers - take them out to dinner and pick their brains first.
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Drdave
Sep 5, 2011 @ 1:16 pm | delete
- I was afraid you would say that, hacin gto go and retake Bio and Chem and Math. I could do it but could those classes be taken online?
I have discussed this with one of my patients that is an ER PA. He told me to go for it. We have similar backgrounds, military, and similar personalities, energetic. He really loves his job.
I understand your concerns regarding being dependent. At this point, that wouldn't bother me. I worked with PA's in ththe Air Force and they were great guys and gals with less baggae than some of the MD's. I still love patient care but the daily drill and fill and running a business is not fun anymore. When i was in the Air Force I was interrested in nursing and PA and medicine but chose Dentist to eventually become an Oral Surgeon. However, i did an externship inSurgery one summer and learned that being a resident for 6 years would be hell. Now as a general dentist I've had enough. Thank you for your time.
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- I suggest you call some programs that interest you and discuss the situation with them. some courses are accepted from online or CC status. Most core courses are required to be taken at a 4 year univ if you are in a masters program. It can be highly variable. Call and ask about it. If you want to go back to school, you may be much happier. You will have a larger focus and if you do ER medicine, you will have the advantage on every one when it comes to tooth problems.
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Jack
Sep 2, 2011 @ 4:59 pm | delete
- I'm very interested in becoming a PA, but I'm feeling uncharacteristically pessimistic about my chances. I am 37, married with two small children (4 and 1). I have an undergraduate degree in business administration and an MBA. Undergrad GPA is 2.54 and MBA GPA was 3.2, some additional post-bacc work was around 3.5, but the way the ASCPA figures it my total cummulative GPA is still only 2.5. I only have two science courses in my history, both from undergrad (physics I & II). The program I'd like to get into (University of South Alabama) requires a minimum GPA of 3.0. To get to a cummulative 3.0 I would have to take 75 hrs. of course work and obtain a 4.0. Oh yea, and I have no experience in the health care industry.
So, a couple questions would be
1) I need to take all the pre-reqs, so if I rock those, which I know I can do, and do well on the GRE, from a numbers standpoint could I get myself in the running?
2) I own my own business now (custom home building/remodeling general contractor), and without any industry experience, it would seem that I really ought to get some. What would be some areas/jobs to look for? My wife doesn't work currently, so I'm the only one supporting the family and therefore would need a plan that would bring in at least 40k, is that even possible?
3. Is my age a hurdle, benefit, neither?
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- Jack, let me answer the easy one first. Age is not a factor. Age 40 will give you a long career. I have a patient who was taken into a top program at age 65, he is 85 now and still practices 10 hours a week in a clinic for indigent patients. Second, the numbers are the numbers. You need all your prerequisites to be <5 years old. So, if you do this from S. Alabama website:
"Completion of prerequisite course work with a grade of ?C? or higher: one (1)semester each in general biology, human anatomy, human physiology (A & P I & II may be substituted), microbiology, organic chemistry, mathematics (college algebra minimum), statistics, psychology, and medical terminology; two (2) courses in general chemistry (general chemistry 1 and general chemistry 2). Note: You may have courses in progress through the spring semester as long as they are completed by the time we matriculate in early May." and this:
"Extra points will be given to applicants who have also completed any of the following bonus courses with a grade of ?C? or higher: immunology, genetics, biochemistry, physics, pathophysiology, pharmacology." you then will have a great chance. You will need good GRE scores. Their site reflects the old GRE scores, they are now in the 100's instead of 1000's and the test is tougher and an hour longer than the last one. You just have to prepare differently.
Now for question 2 - I was married and had two kids when I went to school. I sold everything back then because money was really tough to come by. We lived like paupers for 2 years and just started over when we finished. Maybe you could accumulate rental properties and create some income that way. You might be able to do some work during your first year but during the second year that would be impossible. If they think you plan on working you will not get in. They want your full attention on school.
You will need some high quality experience too. You are correct. Think EMT, that will give you flexible hands on experience. It is quick etc... See what the opportunity would be for that with ambulance companies, fire departments and the local ER at your hospital or in an outpatient clinic of some type. If you can find opportunity to use that do it. You can also look at companies like Labcorp or again your hospital and become a phlebotomist. You can do that part time to get some experience and usually training is free. Good luck. It is possible but you have more hurdles to jump over before you get there.
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Jordan
Sep 1, 2011 @ 1:51 am | delete
- I have a question that I have been wondering and asking around for quite some time. The first question I have and I do not know if you will be able to answer but I keep hearing that if you are not a nurse practitioner by 2015 you have to get your doctorate? Also my other and most important question is that I am currently a second year student at a community college just graduating from high school in 2010. I am pretty much done with my GE classes and am currently taking anatomy and a chem course that is geared towards people that are going into the health care field. I had decided before this semester started that i wanted to be an RN and then go back to school and get my master become and NP etc. I have recently been rethinking my decision and want to go on the PA path. To my understand you can apply to PA school with "any" BA degree. My question is if i get my BSN and then work as an RN for awhile would i be able to go to PA school and would this be a good plan? My reasoning is that all the classes that i need to take to get into nursing school are everything that i am interested in. I don't want to change my major to bio or chem because instead of focusing on calculus or physics i would rather be doing anatomy and classes like that. Therefore i would like to get my BSN and then work as a paid RN for about a year because from what i have researched you need about 1000-2000 hours of paid clinical work to get into PA school. And after talking to many people in my classes they say that this paid work is very hard to come by and if i was an RN it should be much easier to get some work. Also looking at the pre reqs to get into PA school i would have already done them prior to getting into nursing school so i wouldn't have to go back and take them after i completed my degree in bio or chem. I do not know if this is a good plan or something that is even acceptable. Please let me know your thoughts on these things so I can figure out how to go about making a plan! thanks so much!
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- Jordan, you will do well which ever way you decide but I would decide on nursing or PA. You are going to have to take those courses you don't want to even if you become an RN and you are going to leave that profession you worked so hard to become proficient at. If you are going to become a PA, do a shorter training in MA or CNA or Phlebotomy and then work at it part-time while you get your BS. Major in sports science or occupational health, - both will be handy when you are a PA - and do what it takes to get accepted. I know you think you need an easier route. It all seems intimidating. You can do it but you need to really like what you are doing. Which ever path you choose will be a good one, but I recommend either Pre-PA or nursing, Nursing is not a good stepping stone to PA and is not a smooth transition, you will still need the hard science courses in addition to what you take for nursing. Good luck.
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Jeff
Aug 29, 2011 @ 11:32 pm | delete
- Very helpful advice, thanks! My only other question is if i get accepted into one school, but I'd really like to go to another school that I have an interview for the next month; I wouldn't be sure what to do. I feel like most of the schools I looked at you only have two weeks to accept or decline and put your seat deposit down and I don't want to burn any bridges as it is hard enough to get into PA school.
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- It is the bird in the had thing, Jeff. If you get in reserve a seat. If you get in to the school of your choice later, reserve that seat and immediately give up the seat and the deposit. It is a cost of doing business. Some of my MA's got accepted to 3 schools, and paid two deposits until the 3rd acceptance and the one they wanted occurred. What else can you do? If you did not get in to the other 9 schools, you are in and that is most important. Think of the cost of waiting a year and reapplying. That is expensive. Starting salaries average 70-80K per year. If you didn't get in and could have, you loose 70K! Think of it that way and a fee paid to save a seat isn't such a big deal.
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Jeff
Aug 29, 2011 @ 2:44 am | delete
- Bruce,
I applied to 10 schools this year (my first time applying) and I've already got 3 interviews, and I'm expecting more just because I only submitted my application 2 months ago. One at Idaho state university, one at university of new england, and another at Massachusetts college of pharmacy and health sciences. My biggest concern is my age, as I'm 23 years old (male), going on 24 in December. Most schools i see the average age is around 28 or 29. Do you think this will hurt my chances at my interview?
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- Your age is not important. They already know how old you are. They want to see how enthusiastic, mature and capable you are. They want to see how you do under pressure and if you are as good in person as you are on paper. You have passed all the hurdles already and now have a 1 in 2 or 3 shot at acceptance. You will likely be in a program next summer somewhere. You did some smart things - getting your application in early was key along with your GPA, GRE, References and Essays. Now print out your essay for CASPA and each program supplemental. Then find and print out the mission statement for each program. What did you say in your essay that is consistent with what they want in their mission. Now list 5 things you have done that shows already you are doing things consistent with that mission - volunteer work, mission work, etc... that shows your commitment to the under-served medically. They by law must be training PA's to fill primary care positions. That is bunk because we are much better replacements where the focus is narrow. So, 65-70% of PA's work in specialties. But, you have to play the game. If you have special skills or abilities, create some sound bites, write them down and think about the questions you might be asked where you can use those. Remember, this is an emotional decision by the admissions committee that they justify with facts. We do the same thing when we buy a car or when we do any large thing in our life. You must connect with them emotionally. Dress professionally but not flashy. no jewelry except a cheap watch and a class or wedding ring. If you are pierced, take them out that day. Neat haircut etc... You want them to see your smile, and relate to you. You want to create a good gut impression, be very honest, and only answer with what you know! Don't fake it ever. Just be yourself. If you are asked about the role of PA's and you are not familiar with what they asked, say so and offer an example of what you do know or have observed or read. They want to know you have some knowledge of the profession (know a little history - there were two tracks originally, but only North Dakota still does the old track, everybody else does the Duke model) have an idea about the hours and pay and how PA's are licensed in the States where you interview. Know about jobs in those states and about issues facing PA's nationally and in each state. If you can talk to grads from those programs do it so you can talk about the parts of the program that excite you. Remember, there are no throw away questions, look at Dave the PA Coach on YouTube. He has some good videos there about interviewing. Best wishes on your PA Path.
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Betty
Aug 23, 2011 @ 2:51 pm | delete
- Good afternoon Bruce. I had a question about online degrees and clinical experience. I am currenlty on active duty working on my science courses through a local community college. I just completed my CNA course and plan to start working in a long-term care facility while completing my online B.S. in Gerontology. I have done some research on bachelor degree requirements for a few PA programs (Washington and Tennessee), but none specify if an online degree will be accepted. Will that look bad in my application or will they focus more on my science lab course grades? Also, would PA programs overlook me for being a CNA instead of an LPN or RN? Just wanted to figure out what my best course of action would be after my discharge from active duty. Thank you.
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- Betty, if you look in FAQ sections, you will find that most schools will not accept required prerequisites from online sources. They will accept extra courses and I have seen my MA's take genetics and some other courses like medical terminology on line and have them approved. Most schools want upper division courses with labs. Best thing to do is call the programs that interest you and ask or go to an open house and ask.
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- Oh, sorry Betty, you need hands on experience and CNA is a good one. You do vital signs and take care of patients where the rubber meets the road. No problem there. It is hours of experience and a recommendation from a doc or PA who saw you get that experience is a great plus.
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Cynthia
Aug 22, 2011 @ 6:19 pm | delete
- HELLO Bruce, i just want on ask you a question. i am not graduete from highschoo i have G.E.D and i am attending medial assistant at A.T.I College of health is 10 month program i will be gradueted in june and i wil like to be a P.A i was wondering if i can be a P.A ?
because i was thinking about to go straight to a university when iam finish graduated from the school that i am attending right now, and i would like you gave me some informationg about how to become a P.A. and what i do? please!!!!!!!!!!
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- Hi Cynthia, It looks like one of the biggest stumbling blocks to becoming a PA will not be a problem for you. That is medical experience. When you finish you will get plenty of that.
I don't know what state you live in so I can't advise you what program to attend - got to the PAEAonline.org and research the member programs in your state. Once you finish your medical program, you should begin in a community college and take the basics - all schools want you to have math, a couple of English courses, general and abnormal psychology. Since school wasn't your thing, maybe you should do like I did and take some study skills courses. You have to make A's to get into a PA program. Once you have enough credits, you can transfer to the university for the upper division courses. Major in a subject that gives you a path to other options as only 9% of all PA program applicants get in. I suggest occupational therapy or sports medicine as possibilities
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Christina
Aug 22, 2011 @ 12:56 am | delete
- Hello Bruce, I hope I'm not wasting your time here considering I am not a Pre-PA, in fact, I am a full time high school student, but I'm extremely interested in the PA program, and I'm positive this is the career I want to specialize in. I'm not in the Pre-med program in my school, however I will be partaking in A LOT of volunteer hours in a Medical Center; assosicate myself with the surrounding, and my GPA as of now, is 3.6. This fall, I will be a Senior. Should there be anything I know before finalizing my decesion and applying for colleges with this field? Any hardships? What is the studying like? How many years+ I will be attending. Do I have to attend Medical School?
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- Well, I suggest you try to get in a few hours of shadowing a PA to understand better how they fit into the health care team. PA's are more physician replacements because of the Physician Shortage that has existed for many years. There is a predicted shortfall in the number of PA's needed also.
Since you are a HS senior, you should consider a program that allows you to specialize in Pre-PA studies and has a PA program for you to move into if you qualify. Usually these are 5 year programs, you get a BS after the 3rd year and a Masters in PA studies or something similar after the 5th year. You are a perfect candidate for my 20 week program on getting accepted. It is $5 a week and sends you more info each week via a membership you log into. It will give you tips on the entire process then introduce you to all the programs and how to navigate CASPA the application system, help you with medical terminology and with understanding drugs. The last 3 weeks are dedicated to helping you with your essay and your interview. The alternative is to major in something like sports science and be sure you take all the prerequisites for PA admission, get your degree and then apply to PA programs. In this track you need more hands on medical experience where in the 5 year programs they help you get this as part of the program. I would also consider getting BCLS certified and if you are adventurous get ACLS certified. That will really set you apart! Medical School is the usual term reserved for the education of Doctors. No you don't go to med school, you go to PA school. You should visit my blog at ThePAPath.com, you will find the Get Accepted Program there. Use the contact page to shoot me an email.
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Sean
Aug 19, 2011 @ 3:14 pm | delete
- Bruce, I am not sure where you are getting your info from, and I am not saying you're wrong, but from my experience, the last 60 hours are NOT being considered by PA schools that I have applied to. All of the schools I applied to (15 of 'em) said they consider OVERALL GPA and SCIENCE GPA as key indicators. Some put emphasis on experience and some will consider shadowing, but none that I know of care about grade trending. If grade trending was used I would probably already be a PA student. Instead with my overall GPA hitting 2.67 to 2.74, depending on who does the calculations, none of those schools even looked at me twice. If they did grade trending they would see 3.04 overall and 3.12 science GPA, which may not be spectacular but would give me a fighting chance. How about sharing those schools who do grade trending with all of us?
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- Sean, CASPA, an arm of the PAEA, calculates your GPA by each year of school, freshman, etc... and by science and non-science. You are correct but the science GPA carries as much weight as the over-all GPA. That usually reflects the last 60 hours. If you look at the top 25 schools, most of them report the last 60 hours GPA but is is usually a 3.6 or 3.7. If your overall is below 3.0 you don't make the cut. I asked Justine Strand, divison chief of PA studies, why so few men get into Duke now, at the Alumni luncheon this past week. She said they only had 18 men out of 80 in the most recent class that began last week. Her reply was, the applicant pool is what it is and they only take the top students. You may want to look at schools Like Detroit Mercy, Sophie Davis and North Dakota as options for you if you have lots of experience, great references and good essays. As for sharing my data, I do in my course on Getting Accepted. It is $5 a week for 20 weeks and the 2nd and 3rd weeks have all the programs and if they publish the data, it is there. You may want to consider programs that give an AA degree - there are 4 or 5 in California, Colorado and Florida. They have decent PANCE pass rates and in Calif and Colorado they have a distance learning option with St. Francis of PA ( there are 3 PA programs called St Francis.) to give you a masters if you already have a BS.
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Sean
Aug 20, 2011 @ 11:26 pm | delete
- Bruce, I also looked at AA degree colleges in California. What's the difficulty? They require 1000 hours or more of hands-on professional experience before one can apply. I don't understand that. 1000 hours does not make one a PA. Fresh-out-of-school med students sometimes faint at the sight of blood. Preparing said students for a career in medicine is done in the university. Having an EMT license means that one has gone through 80 hours or more of training with actual patients. The reply from your friend in Duke is all about this: MONEY and PRESTIGE. Duke just wants to make money and tell the world that they are better than anyone else. In the meantime, all that money being paid by PA students is not increasing the size of the classrooms so that they can accept more students or pay for more PA instructors.
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- That is a bitter edge you display there Sean. The reality is you are competing against women age 26-30 with very high GPA's in all subjects, an average of 2000 hours of experience and high GRE scores. The schools are going to take top applicants. It isn't about money and prestige, it is about product. The students from the top 25 schools are a great product. They aren't finished when they pass the PANCE. They really are just primed to learn. NC leads the nation in legislation on the use of PA's. They really regulate the new physician-PA relationship the most. Not just for new grads, but for new relationships between any PA and Doc.
One of my gripes early on was they should have advance placement for PA's in medical schools. There are dozens of reasons why they don't. The fact is they don't. That may change. The change is lots of times about money and it won't benefit general society enough to do it.
A physician I discussed this with and some PA's senior to me at the time all said about the same thing, if you want to be an MD go pay the price. I never did and eventually I quit griping because I realized I did not want to pay that price. The price is what it is. Fair or not you have to pay it.
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Sean
Aug 21, 2011 @ 12:10 pm | delete
- Bitter is probably right, but I'm not down and out, yet. I'll try one more time to get in and if it doesn't work, I'll just go for a BSN and later, an ARNP. It's a bitter pill to swallow when one has spent years preparing for this moment and - nada. I love the profession to death. If only the committees could see this, they'd recognize that a student with a 3.0 GPA, passion and commitment is a far better candidate than one with a 3.8 GPA who doesn't have the same feeling for the profession.
Still, I digress. Thanks for your advice. I hope to join the hallowed ranks of PA-C some day!
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- Lets talk. I will give you 30 minutes and if we set the agenda, I can prepare to help you and send you stuff to review and then we can talk about it. You can use squidoo to send me an email and I will reply, just send a short note and then you can reply to me when I send you my reply with my direct email address. Look forward to talking about how to get you into PA school.
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Sean
Aug 25, 2011 @ 10:49 pm | delete
- OK I will take you up on that. Thank you very much!
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- Here is a freebie, right off the web page of Wayne State. If your cumulative is less than 3.0 you can submit a wavier ( and you better have a good explanation in your essay) to have your GPA calculated from your last 60 hours. Here is the link:
http://www.pa.cphs.wayne.edu/admissions.php
Now you owe me. Go do your homework. A genie didn't give me this info.
If you look at Oklahoma's site, their powerpoint says their student last 60 hour GPA average was 3.73 with 75% having a last 60 hour GPA of at or above 3.89. That is your competition and they are mostly women age 26-30 with a couple thousand hours of experience to boot. It is tough out there.
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Sean
Aug 20, 2011 @ 11:23 pm | delete
- Bruce, thanks for the info. Yes, I know how tough it is... I signed on for a year of PAEA and scrutinized literally over a hundred schools, seeking those that satisfy my criteria. Then I applied to a mere 15 (I wish I could applied to more but at $50 a pop, not to mention having to pay for multiple transcripts to be sent, it was too much) and... nada.
I don't understand the logic. If a student gets a decent GPA, say 2.75 overall and equal or better in science, has some experience, shadows PA's and gets a decent GRE, that is really not a true indicator of how well they will do in PA school. PA school is intense, yes, but the grades are not what is important. Passing the PANCE is! Preparing students to succeed at passing is what matters. Whether I get a 2.5 or a 4.0 GPA in PA school makes no difference to me. I just want to pass and I am willing to give up 2 years of my sacrifice, sacrificing family, friends and getting an income to make this happen. What is it that those college boards don't get about commitment and passion???
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- Being a medical professional means being responsible for your own education. GPA is an indicator that if a bar is set the person with the high GPA knows how to meet it. Classroom instruction does not get you an A. It will get you a C. The work you do outside of class gets you an A.
I was married and had two kids when I got out of the military and went to school. I went full time and worked a full time evening shift in a meatpacking plant to feed the family and pay some hefty medical bills that happened. We lived in the ghetto in Durham on $458 a month for two years in the 1970's while I went to PA school. I rode a bike or the bus to class or the hospital every day. There were some other difficult things that happened and our families thought I was crazy for gambling with our future by getting trained it a profession that was a "fad", so they would not help us. We went over around or through every hurdle and after graduation I really had to prove myself. Many older Docs hated us and looked for ways to get rid of us (me).
What I am saying is find a way to help these programs fulfill their mission. You are a mature man - not a kid. But the profession is more and more a woman's profession. The pool is what it is. You have to out compete them at something and according to you, they should let you in because of what you intend to do. Show them you are serious. Get some really great experience and impress some PA's so they will write you glowing "you just gotta have this guy" recommendations. Or, bring up your GPA to 3.5. Get a masters in something you can use if you don't get in. I would say psychology. Psych PA's are the fastest growing arm of the PA profession and there will be a huge need for them to care for the elderly. It is do able, but you have to show them the advantage to accepting you by actions - it is a story and authors are always taught to "show don't tell".
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Sean
Aug 25, 2011 @ 10:47 pm | delete
- Thanks, Bruce, I really appreciate the advice. Thanks for sharing your history, as well. I just feel so drained by the whole thing. I just want to work as a PA and get over the red tape BS... I was considering an MA Psychology today before I read this but my concern is paying back all those student loans while getting accepted into a PA school and then NOT getting approved for more loans because I've already reached my borrowing limit. If it was just me, I'd mortgage my house to pay for PA school but I still have a family to support. So as you can see besides my other gripes money is an object. However, the bright side is the NIH offers grants to PA's, paying up to $50k of their student loans if the PA works for them for 2 years. So that's my hope. Assuming the feds won't kill the program, that is... Still, the PA Psych is a good profession to fall back on in case I don't get into a PA program later. So, without further ado and since I'm not getting any younger, I guess I will enroll in such a program. Does it make any difference if it is totally online?
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Nina
Aug 18, 2011 @ 7:49 pm | delete
- I have appled to three PA schools so far, with shadowing experience following 1 PA for 8 hours, and a doctor for 36 hours. I was planning on shadowing an NP for half of the day tomorrow, and then shadowing the DR during his rounds in the afternoon. I currently work in direct patient care and have over 2000 hours experience hands on. Is it a good idea to do this tomorrow, or am I wasting my time because I want to go to PA school, not MD or NP.
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- Experience that can get you a recommendation from a Doctor or a PA is always a good thing. In your 2000 hours, do you interact with Docs or PA's? Since you are in the application process, I would concentrate on interview preparation. The things that get you noticed are GPA, GRE scores, Experience, References, and Your Essay. Your interview gets you accepted. Work on the interview for now, until you see how your app goes. If you get interviews, then the preparation for them is the most important thing you can do.
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Revathi
Aug 16, 2011 @ 11:17 pm | delete
- Hello Bruce,
I really need some advice. I will be a college senior in September and I was on the pre-med track but I don't have high hopes for an admission. I want to do PA if I don't make it into medical school. I will be taking statistics and microbiology in the fall but with everything else I will come up to a whopping 18 credits and I don't feel like I will have the room for anatomy or physiology 1 which i need to take for a and p 2. I need to take medical terminology as well for some schools and it's not even offered at my college. I want to apply at the end of senior year for admission into 2013. (I will have to take a year off after senior year). I have great healthcare experience which I will be adding onto during senior year. I'm just worried about having my pre-reqs in time for application. What should I do? Thanks so much!
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- Decide that you either, want to be a doctor or a PA! I can tell you that if 90% of programs even smell the fact you would rather be an MD, no matter what your grades, you won't get in. By deciding late about entry to PA school, you are going to need an additional semester or two of school to get all the prerequisites in. There is no short cut. My last MA, now a second year student at Wake Forest, decided her junior year at Carolina she would rather be a PA, that cost her a year of time because she had to take extra prereq courses. You will need to do the same thing and you need to decide if you really want to be a PA. It is much different than being an MD. There is still great opportunity, as the short fall will be 50K less PA's than needed but PA's are no longer just extenders, we are Physician Replacements. Not a good position with regard to our relationship with the Docs, but because of our numbers, we now may have the political clout if we all ante up for the right political agenda. So, why do you want to be a PA. When I went to school, you could say because I can't get into med school. But, now all that will do is get your app burned. I mean, here you put it on the web, I can't get in so I am going with my second choice. You are competing with people - 80% female - all whom could have gone to med school but they rejected it in favor of PA. They have a GPA of over 3.6 generally, (my MA that graduated from Emory had a 4.0 at Carolina and at Emory. She wrote a book while she was a student - got paid to do it, and she was class president, etc...) These are women who could do anythng they put their minds to. If you want to be a doc, look around. Once upon a time if you got a Masters in Anatomy at the univ of Kentucky, You almost had a saved position in med school there. Those opportunities are there. Explore help from alumni, I had an Alum offer to help me way back when who I asked for a recommendation to PA school. I needed to get done as I was married and had 2 kids and was rejected soundly for med school. You need to either do what it takes for med school or PA schooll but PA is not a step down, it is a lateral move and just as competitive.
I don't want to burst your bubble but if I don't tell you these things frankly, you are going to waste a lot of time. You are already telling me how tough it is. You are right, but you just have to suck it up and get one job or the other done. Otherwise you are just going to be someone who is unhappy in their job and angry about how you did not get a fair shake. Your future is in your hands. You really need a coach. I an one and Rodican and Dave the PA Coach are others I can recommend. Hire one of us to help you but without good grades in all the prerequisite courses and a real desire to be a PA, you are wasting your time and money. Think about Pharmacy or PT or Clinical Psych instead.
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Brittani
Aug 14, 2011 @ 2:56 pm | delete
- Hello Bruce,
I am deperate for answers. I have my bach degree in Biology but I graduated with only a 2.67 GPA. I am an EMT with 2000+ paid hours 40 shadowing hours and 100+ volunteer hours. I scored a 560-Math and 600-Verbal GRE score. I really want to be a PA and need to know what to do as far as taking classes. I have taken a few classes at community college and I also have A or B in all the prereqs and I do have them all...What do I do for this GPA thing. Its whats holding me back. I had a few ideas such as post bacc and masters in biology but Im so confused...PLEASE HELP!!
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- Hey Brittani, Don't feel desperate. Here is what you have going for you - Experience! Plenty of it. Good GRE!, Your prerequisite average is >3.0. Look at your last 60 hours GPA. That is weighted heavily. Create a list of what you have done and what you need. You need good grades in upper division courses but I would concentrate on activities that would get me a couple of great PA references. If you have those, then concentrate on the GPA. Also you need a strategy that helps you with your essays and interviews. Have you done any research on potential schools? There are some who weight your experience heavily. They all want your GPA as high as possible, but if the average is a 3.5 then 1/2 are lower. If your science GPA is good, you can get forgiveness for low history grades. If you have poor grades in prerequisites, retake them, even though CASPA uses every course you ever took to calculate your GPA, programs look heavily at the last 60 hours. The upper division courses are weighted more heavily so CC courses probably are not going to cut it if you intend to apply to a Masters degree program. If this does not help, perhaps we should talk by phone. Let me know.
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Brittani
Aug 15, 2011 @ 12:41 pm | delete
- Bruce,
Thanks for the advice. My last 60 credits as of now add up to only a 2.7. Still confused as to wheather I should complete Undergradute non degree courses in upper level biologies that ive never takin in undergrad or graduate non degree courses to boost my GPA. My prereq grades are as follows:
A and P 1- A
A and P 2- B
Microbiology- B
Chem 1-A
Chem 2-B
Organ Chem 1- B
Ogan Chem 2- C
Statistics-B
Medical Term-A
Please help!!!
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- There is a way you can email me through Squidoo. I am not sure How but search and do that. I think it is better if I get specific with you that it not be on the internet. The above grades are great. Email me and we can continue this discussion through that medium. I have some ideas for you but need to know a few things that you don't need to say to everyone.
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Avatar Regi
Aug 12, 2011 @ 9:29 am | delete
- First, I would like to thank you for this great website. There's a lot of great information. I have a few questions though.
I am now going into my sophomore year of college and doing well maintaining a 3.7+ gpa as a psychology major. This summer I finally decided I would like to become a PA. I am still a psychology major but taking PA pre reqs required from the schools in Florida like Nova and Barry.
-Being a psych major with a communications minor, I will most likely only have room to take the bare minimum of pre-reqs for certain schools. I understand that bio majors/chem etc probably complete all the pre-reqs + the ones that are recommended as that is part of their program. My question is will that be looked down upon?
-Another question I have relates to HCE. I am taking 18 semester hours and not too sure if I can fit in time for HCE. However, I am very interested in mental health. I would like to get jobs in mental health and ultimately be a psych pa. I have read that PAs in psych are very few though. It would be great if you could shed some light on this situation.
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- I say this to many people, and it sounds like you have done at least part of this - create a time line to see when you will be ready to apply. Look at the programs in Florida and create a list of the prerequisites and when they will be completed. Even if you apply the spring of your senior year, you won't start PA school until the following summer. That gives you plenty of time to shadow/volunteer/work. Consider going through the phlebotomy course of a local hospital and do it just one day a week for one draw, like Saturday or Sunday morning. That will get you some experience and perhaps some shadowing opportunity - esp if you would do something like that in an ER. As for Looked-down-upon no, but think of it as a contest, what scores you the most points. You are scored. The more points the better. Your GPA is great, you will probably do well on the GRE, you need a great essay and great MEDICAL references. PA references carry lots of weight - how could you get one? Think about that - what could you do to merit a recommendation from a PA? Once you outscore most of the other candidates, you will get an interview. Then you have a 1 in 2 or 3 chance of acceptance and that is where your personality and knowledge of the PA profession and health care issues will come in to play. Between your graduation and entrance into the program you can get lots of experience. Shoot for 300 hours of shadowing or volunteer work done by the time you apply. You can get several hundred to a thousand more post graduation. Next year consider taking my "Get Accepted" course to tune up for your application your senior year, it is 20 weeks and very affordable. All on line. Best wishes on your PA Path. Let me know if this did not answer your question.
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Cheryl McCormick
Aug 9, 2011 @ 6:17 pm | delete
- Hi Bruce, I just landed on your website, and can't express my happiness of finding it, and reading through very much needed information! I am currently in college, and am on my path towards becoming a PA! I still am working on my degree but have a few questions as to maybe a good direction and things to start focusing on early. I started school in 2000 on scholarship then stopped the following year, not ready to continue... not knowing my direction. More recently I started going back and discovered my passion for Medical. I went to a trade school and got my CNA license and decided to work in the field for a year before continuing my education in this field. Thank God I did, because I realized that I love to learn, and work with patients, but I did not want to become a Nurse, no disrespect. I worked at a Brain Injury Unit, and am now stationed on the East Coast for a little bit * My husband is Special Operations* so I am currently working PRN as a CNA and am trying to get into the Naval Base Hospital here. I am wanting to see or know if there is a pattern I should be following, or things that I could be doing to help increase my chances on getting into a PA program once I graduate. I started back in school full time last semester, start in two weeks again, 5 classes! Should I be learning some of the things you listed above or is it too early? Should I be focusing on my GPA right now, or.. Also I'm looking for a direction in classes, as to how many to be taking a semester to help me get my degree done faster, and also what to major in.. I'm wanting to specialize in Sports Med. I ran my first two years in college, and have been a personal trainer for a good amount of years.. I love Sports Fitness, but know that just a degree in this wouldn't be what I want! I love medicine, and love working in the medical world, so this is my path, any advise? Thanks so much!!!
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- Hi Cheryl, I am glad you found and enjoyed my site. It is one of two, The PA Path.com is the other.
OK, you should be concentrating on completing prerequisites and getting a great GPA. Sport Med is a good major.
You need to get some idea of where you will apply. Where ever you go, you will be there 2 full years. Most schools do not accept transfers. I suggest you go to a masters degree program - it is the entry level degree now, you can get more loans for grad school and there are more programs to choose. Where is "HOME". There is where to look first at potential programs.
You will need some basic courses for almost every school. 4hr Anatomy with lab, 4hr Physiology with lab or a combined 2 semester 8 hour course. Then you need lots of science courses in upper division subjects and math like calculus, sometimes statistics or biostatistics etc... Look at the program site or join my membership program where I have every program listed and requirements broken down along with many other perks.
I always suggest a time line or a mind map with dates of projected completion. You have plenty of experience, so if money isn't really important, I would concentrate on school, my GPA and getting ready for the GRE. You need some time shadowing a PA. More than one if possible so that is where I would look for work or shadowing experiences- where there are PA's. You need 3 references when you apply - I have some advice about this in my program and some on here. PA references really are weighted heavily. I work with a PA now who had a Masters in sports med when she went to PA school. She is a Duke Grad. I do some coaching of Pre-PA's and you can find that on the same site I listed above.
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Cheryl McCormick
Aug 10, 2011 @ 11:26 am | delete
- Thanks so much for your posting back. I wanted to ask, If I was to get a referance now, letter is what I'm assuming, is it to early to do? How should I go about this? I have a head RN that teaches in San Diego, CA, and I have a head DON of the brain injury that I worked for.. would those be good to use? Also, I am in North Carolina now, and am wanting to shadow with a PA at the Naval Base, I'm not sure how to go about the process of finding out how to even shadow? Is it to early to do this as well? I wasn't to sure if I needed them to sign something showing my hours done, or... Thanks so much for your time! I actually just was at Duke a couple weeks back, great school! I'm not far from there!
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- You will need 3 letters of reference for CASPA. That is a couple of years away now. Get those RN's to do a survey maybe 4-5 questions like: What are my best characteristics? or 3 words you use to describe my quality of work or personality. Why you think I would be a good PA? Use those to remind them what they thought in a couple of years. You will need some PA and MD references also.
As for shadowing, you need hospital approval. Become a volunteer in their neuro unit, since you have experience and then find a PA, get them to agree to shadowing and then ask. It is hard to refuse you since reciprocity is on your side. When you ask the PA, remember the info from this article on meeting famous people - http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/how-to-meet-famous-people
Good luck Cheryl. I am in NC also by-the-way, I work in Urgent Care in Chapel Hill.
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Cheryl McCormick
Aug 11, 2011 @ 8:38 am | delete
- yes, Chapel Hill, I know where it's at, not far from here.. I will keep you posted on how my status is going! Thanks again! School starts in two weeks!!!
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Sean
Aug 2, 2011 @ 10:21 pm | delete
- I have done it all and STILL have not been accepted into nearly 10 PA programs. I got my BS degree in Health Sciences last December. I got an EMT certification and shadowed two PA's for 150 hours. I graduated from the university with a 3.04 GPA, which isn't fantastic but... the real problem is that I've been going to college in and out over many years and just went full time over the last two years. And when I went to college I took other courses related to engineering and the like and many many years ago I had mostly C averages. The problem is that CASPA and the PA schools added up ALL my college coursework even if it wasn't related to PA school and my GPA dropped to 2.74. I asked them to consider the last few years where I did very well with A's and B's but they didn't seem to care. I would work my butt off to get into a PA program because I love that profession to death. What else can I do to get accepted? I just can't afford to keep going back to college to take a bunch of courses all over again to bring my GPA up.
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- Hi Sean, I feel your pain. It took me a few tries to get accepted way back when. You have persistence on your side. There are several things that probably are affecting your ability to get in. One may be your age, another may be our piece-meal college career. Here are the things you need to get in USUALLY! A GPA for prerequisite courses of 3.0 or above and a science GPA of 3.0. Your cumulative hurts you but it may be that your courses in science are a bit old - I am guessing here since I don't know for sure. Attitude can be important also and will be reflected in your writing and interviews. Another factor may be your choice of PA Programs. There are some long-standing non-traditional PA programs that may be a better fit for you than where you have applied. If you want to review this stuff and get a written opinion from me based on fact, hire me as a coach for an hour - look on my site ThePAPath.com top navigation bar and schedule it. I live on the east coast. When you do that, to make the time very effective, I will send you an email with things you will need to prepare (the calendar will have you enter your email address and phone & I will call you at the time you schedule) so we make our time very effective. I think you have a chance but there are several things I need to know to help you effectively. If you are interested, lets talk.
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Sean
Aug 14, 2011 @ 8:41 pm | delete
- Bruce, thanks for your feedback. I wish I could pay for your services but first, I am on very tight budget. Just applying to PA schools has killed me, at $50 a pop... Then, I am slightly hearing impaired and while I can use amplified scopes I can't hear well on the phone, since I rely on lip reading. So, anything you can add to this freely would be most appreciated. I mostly need to get out of CASPA's grasp. They slewed my GPA terribly. Really, why should engineering and other courses that have nothing to do with health be included in my overall GPA? Any advice you can give on the "easiest" schools to apply to would be great. I can't find any work as an EMT-B, even as a volunteer, in this area. So all I have is 80 hours of EMT hands-on training, a BS Health Sciences, 150 hours of PA shadowing, a GRE score of 550 verbal and 490 Math. Not mind-blowing but... I'm 55 years old and I don't have the time of money to go back to school and repeat some coursework that is at least 8 years old. I figure I have 15-20 years of useful work life left... I really need this. Thank you!
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- Sean, it is doable but you you have low GPA, no experience, low GRE and inability to correct any of these. I would say you are not going to get in. You also have a mild physical disability. Your overall picture is of someone on the edge of accepted age with nothing to offer the profession except frustration. You have to show them you can overcome obstacles. Right now, you have no evidence to offer. I don't mean to be rude or discouraging. You have to look in the mirror and ask yourself if you are going to overcome these problems? If not, don't keep beating your head against the wall.
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Yuni
Jul 31, 2011 @ 1:00 pm | delete
- Hi Bruce,
I'm in a situation that is really worrying me. 10-12 years ago i started college and i did horrible my GPA was at the time 1.66. for some reason i kept registering for the same classes (science) but never finished them. In 2001 i decided i was not ready for school jet and i finally quit. In 2005 i got married and settle and decided that i wanted to pursue my dreams and finish what i started.I went back to school. Since then i have finished my AA, I have BS in Psych and all my pre-requisites for the PA program and I have kept a GPA of 3.9. But of course those grades from 10 years ago are still hunting me. CASPA calculated my GPA and is 2.51 for science and 2.77 for general. Do i have a chance of getting into a program, i know i made a huge mistake when i was younger but since 2005 i retake all my sciences classes and in my academic record since 2005 I only have 3 B's everything else are A's. What are my chances? Thanks!
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- Hi Yuni,
I don't think you are alone in this dilemma. To answer your real query - are you a viable candidate, the answer is yes. The programs are going to look most at your last 60 hours of science. If you are carrying a 3.5 in the last 60 hours and those hours are not over 5 years old then I think you are in good shape. Yes, CASPA calculates your GPA on every course you have ever taken, but it is broken down also by year, and by science and non-science. It is important that you took anatomy and physiology with labs and recently. The same with math, and chemistry courses. The things that they look at are
A. GPA, B. GRE, C. Experience, D. References, E. Essays and lastly the interview.
Do you know why you want to be a PA? Do you have health care experience? Is a PA giving you a recommendation? Do you have recommendations from other health care providers? A recent professor may be a good one also - that you can perform well academically. You need to use 250 words of the CASPA essay to explain your transiton from a young person without direction or passion to one that is mature, experienced and motivated. You don't have many words so a short story should illustrate this. Like this: "I realized I wanted a career in medicine after several failed attempts at a college education. My post-HS education was to please others and not a passion for me. Working in a nursing home as an aid exposed me to mental health. I pieced an education together while working and getting a BA in Psych. My recent course grades in PA school prerequisites reflect my purpose and passion for what I know I want to do - work as a PA in psychiatric medicine." OK, I don't know how that applies to you, I made it up, but you can see how you could explain your early failures and your current motivation. Your references need to reinforce this. so discuss the content of the reference with those providing them. I think a 3.9 speaks for itself. So do A's in science courses. The main thing is to be sure you meet or preferably exceed the prerequisite recommendations. Pick schools to attend that have a higher average age of student it possible. That will make you more competitive. I can help you with strategy and essay writing and interview skills. You would need about 2 hours on the phone for this and It would cost you $70. See my site www.ThePAPath.com for coaching if interested.
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Yuni
Aug 2, 2011 @ 1:48 pm | delete
- Thank you very much for your prompt response, i feel a lot better now. Yes i do have all my sciences up to date and all but 1 are A's the only one that is not is Bio 1 and i got a B. I do have my letters of recommendations 2 doctors, 1 PA, i Pharmacist, and 1 from my 2 years Chem. professor. I have over 300 hours of shadowing/volunteer and 1 and a half year (about 1700hours) of medical records experience (not that its really medical experience). I did mention on my CASPA essay my past mistakes , but i also explain how i turned my life for the best. at the moment I'm getting ready for the GRE it shouldn't take be more than 3 weeks to take it, after that i will definitely contact you for your coaching advices. Thank you very much once again, talk to you soon!
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- I was asked this question that I approved, then it never appeared on the lens,
"My question is quite simple, on average what is the recommended amount of volunteer hours one would need to be considered competitive when applying to PA school?
The majority of schools want paid experience. Some schools accept volunteer hours but most of them are 5-6 year programs that recruit HS students into an undergrad program and move them over to a Professional track on year 3.
What I have seen is 200 hours. The real question is which program do you want to attend? Look at 3-5. Depending on where you are your state could have none to 12 programs. Look at state laws. Does your home state have legislation favorable to PA's.Then look at their experience preference. They always give the nod to an experienced person if all other things are equal.
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Colby Barker
Jul 24, 2011 @ 5:39 pm | delete
- Thank you for replying, so if volunteer hours aren't a big concern how many paid hours would be recommended. I'm located in central Florida.
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- Here are what programs in your state say:
Barry: evidence of prior experience in health care is highly recommended
Keiser: An admission decision is based on a combination of the student's undergraduate grade point average, writing assessment, healthcare experience
Miami Dade - an AA degree - have experience in the delivery of health care
Nova - has several sites - a criteria for admission - quality and length of prior health care experience
South U in Tampa - Clinical experience that includes direct patient care is strongly recommended for application
Looking at competitive programs, you should shoot for 1000 hours. That is 6 months of paid , full time employment. EMT is a good one, being a nurses aid in an ER is another. Many hospitals will train you, check with local hospitals and see if they will train you so you can work say in the ER. The small ER's where I have worked, our experienced NA's helped in codes, several of them were EMT trained also, and they passed catheters, and assisted with procedures. It is great experience. If you are an undergrad, get your training in the summer and do volunteer work with a written commitment to pay you after so many hours. You can volunteer on your schedule and when you apply to PA school, if you are going to a masters program, you will have 6-9 months after graduation that you can work before beginning the program and line up references from PA's. On my blog, I have some comments on how to approach them so I will refer you to ThePAPath for that.
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Colby Barker
Jul 21, 2011 @ 2:29 pm | delete
- My question is quite simple, on average what is the recommended amount of volunteer hours one would need to be considered competitive when applying to PA school?
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- Hey, Colby, I approved this and did not see it for 2 days, so I wrote you an answer above and then this appeared. Look one up for your answer.
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Engineer seeking advice
Jul 20, 2011 @ 1:53 pm | delete
- I am an industrial & systems engineering major from a reputable engineering school with 4 years workforce experience in the transportation field. I am looking to make a career change and am interested in the PA program. Are engineering backgrounds welcome? If so, do you have any creative recommendations for fulfilling the hours of healthcare experience while maintaining a full time job? And although I have some science credit I would need to take an anatomy class, does it matter if this is at a community college? Would me completing a senior design project in healthcare in college count as hours towards experience? Please advise. Thanks!
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- PA schools have traditionally honored diversity. Engineering is a major that if you have a good GPA, you prove you can handle a hard curriculum. You will need to complete all the prerequisites and since you asked, most schools want upper division courses intended for science majors. You will need 4 hours of anatomy with a lab and 4 hours of physiology with a lab. The best way to know if they are ok is to get the particular info on the class and ask PA programs you want to apply to if they would accept it. Most schools would think the design project was unique and something that separates you from the pack, but experience is defined as direct patient care experiences. If experience is a problem,then you are going to need to apply to schools that don't require any or don't require much. Even they give the node to those who have it. The one thing I can say is that those who get accepted to great programs, have experience, great GPA, good GRE and good quality experience that got them great references from PA's and M.D.'s. It isn't easy but if you like medicine, it is a great occupation.
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Pre-PA with grad school problems
Jul 14, 2011 @ 12:28 pm | delete
- Bruce,
I was recently dismissed from the college of pharmacy due to bad grades. I would like to pursue a career in PA. From what I researched, PA is the best career choice for me because it deals more with the patient than a pharmacist does. My GPA from undergraduate was a 3.28 and it was enough to get me accepted to the doctorate program. I know that I want to be more competitive as a candidate and want to increase my GPA. I've concluded that in order to do so, I have to take more classes. I've decided to apply to a masters in biomed science in order to prove that i am able to handle the course load and that what happened in pharmacy school is due to extenuated personal problems that I had in my family. But unfortunately, I was declined from the application. Could you please let me know how I could un-do what happened to me in pharmacy school?
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- Pharmacists and PA's are all part of a big team. Both grad schools are tough and demanding. The first thing you must do is really know why you failed. Did you try to go it alone and not talk to anyone on the staff about your difficulties? Did you not consider options like taking time off with the promise of re-entry the next semester? Was there some other reason? A person problem with health,drugs, depression? Don't tell me here! These questions are for you to consider. You have to be very real with yourself. Most grad schools are tough. They are demanding but even more so for those in medical fields.
If you have a reason that is reasonable - run it past a few grad school administrators first, take them to lunch and be brutally honest - you already have one rejection and that is telling you something. I had a bunch of undergraduate problems - that college told me not just no but hell no when I wanted to return 4 years later. It wasn't just my grades that made them say that. I had to go thousands of miles away and enter an undergrad program on probation. My suggestion is that you look at taking some undergrad courses in science. The toughest courses you can take, Genetics, Embryology, Immunology, advanced Microbiology with a lab, Biochemistry etc... Get most A's and a couple of B's. Get involved with a research project. BE good and be generous with your time. Volunteer for the worst jobs and do them excellently without a complaint. Be enthusiastic! Then you can get a reference from the researcher. Get some medical experience and do the same thing. Do the tough jobs and then get recognized for your willingness to serve. Then you will have some good post-failure grades and a few people who believe in you. That is a base to ask to be admitted to a PA program. Don't try to short cut it. Go the extra mile. You can do it, it is not easy and you will be respected for treading the path but it will take you12-18months of hard prep work to get academics to look at you. Read my stuff on the PA Path.com and study what is here and other places. Make a plan, run your plan by some educators, ask them to poke holes in it, make it solid, commit and don't look back. Once you have a plan, create a timeline and put everything you need to do on that so you can always be on task and stay focused on what is important.
I appologize that The Squidoo system ate your original comment, but they send me a copy of it via email so I pasted it in and answered it. Good luck.
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thu
Jul 14, 2011 @ 1:12 pm | delete
- thank you
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Awenlie
Jul 7, 2011 @ 1:38 am | delete
- I am very interested in becoming a PA, I do not have a first degree yet, working on BSN. Can I apply to do PA course after my bachelor's degree or I need to complete a master's program before I could be accepted? Secondly would the courses that makes up my bachelor's degree be accepted as prerequisites?
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- Awenlie, Thanks for your question. I am assuming that BSN=a nursing degree. I can only accurately answer on part of your question here. You do not need a masters to apply to PA school. The primary degree of most programs is a Masters Degree, so a BS or a BA with prerequisite courses is required to apply to most. There are a few BS programs and still at least 3 AA PA programs aimed at filling pressing inner city needs locally. You will have to look at each programs requirements but they usually require courses that people majoring in that discipline would take. Chemistry for chemistry majors, 2 semesters of Inorganic and two of Organic, Two semeseters of Anatomy and Physiology but the kind sports science majors would take. You will need to look at your curriculum and see if your courses satisfy this. I doubt many of them would as courses in Nursing Programs are often designed by Nurses for Nurses. I think you would be much further ahead to go to Nurse Practitioner School. There are many very good programs and you end up in about the same place with less extra work to do to go to the program. You should look at my site intended to help PA's get into PA school called
TheStudentPAPath.com
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David17
Jun 29, 2011 @ 3:35 pm | delete
- Bruce,
I was curious how an applicant's GPS is calculated when using CASPA. I have a B.S. degree in marine biology and a master's in environmental science and policy - in both programs I took a wide range of science/biology courses. Several of the programs locally require 12 semester hours in biology. I probably have about 60 or 70 semester hours of biology courses alone; however; my grades run the gambit unfortunately, as I was young had not established decent study habits yet. I have taken 12 hours of biology courses in the last year alone in order to cover classes that are listed as pre-requisites that I had not taken in my previous programs (AP I, APII, Micro, and Organic). I have a 4.0 in these classes. Since these cover the 12 hours they are looking for, and is more indicative of my aptitude now, how will the various biology courses that I took in undergraduate be evaluated? Will they be weighted less? Is there an online GPA calculator as part of the CASPA application?
Additionally, if I apply to a number of programs, will each program know that I have applied to others. My concern is whether a program will consider it a detriment to my application and think that I am simply "fishing" for a program as opposed to taking one program seriously.
Thanks!
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- Hi David. Thanks for this great question. CASPA will break down all your courses by year freshman, Post-Baccalaureate, Graduate. For those years they look at science and non-science GPA. They also look at categories of courses BIology, Chemistry, Math, English, Behavioral Science and Non-Behavioral Science. Every course you took and repeat courses are used in the calculation. You can find more on this here CASPA Just click on FAQ.
The second part of your question, about applying to more than one program, I don't think it is a problem for 2 reasons. The CASPA application is general. Most require a supplemental with a second essay specific to their school. They know that only 9% or less of those who apply will be accepted. At $40 a pop, they are creating some income stream for the PAEA that administers CASPA. I have not seen stats but if every CASPA program gets 500 applications for 30-50 seats. (Top schools receive 18-20 apps per seat) That is $20K per program in application fees. The number one reason for not being accepted is a late or incomplete application. I don't think they care much about how many you apply to, just how you communicate with them. That supplemental app must reflect some knowledge of their mission and how you fit in. Ditto the interview. That is why we, at The PA Path.com, teach you to start a portfolio on each program you apply to so you can track what you said, have a ready copy of their mission statement and have a record of any correspondence and conversations with that school. It is much like medical records you will eventually keep on patients. It allows a coherent policy on your part in dealing with them. So, there is no penalty for trying to get in, I think that just a shotgun approach is not wise. You need a strategy for application, interview and where you apply.
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- Hi David. Thanks for this great question. CASPA will break down all your courses by year freshman, Post-Baccalaureate, Graduate. For those years they look at science and non-science GPA. They also look at categories of courses BIology, Chemistry, Math, English, Behavioral Science and Non-Behavioral Science. Every course you took and repeat courses are used in the calculation. You can find more on this here CASPA Just click on FAQ.
The second part of your question, about applying to more than one program, I don't think it is a problem for 2 reasons. The CASPA application is general. Most require a supplemental with a second essay specific to their school. They know that only 9% or less of those who apply will be accepted. At $40 a pop, they are creating some income stream for the PAEA that administers CASPA. I have not seen stats but if every CASPA program gets 500 applications for 30-50 seats. (Top schools receive 18-20 apps per seat) That is $20K per program in application fees. The number one reason for not being accepted is a late or incomplete application. I don't think they care much about how many you apply to, just how you communicate with them. That supplemental app must reflect some knowledge of their mission and how you fit in. Ditto the interview. That is why we, at The PA Path.com, teach you to start a portfolio on each program you apply to so you can track what you said, have a ready copy of their mission statement and have a record of any correspondence and conversations with that school. It is much like medical records you will eventually keep on patients. It allows a coherent policy on your part in dealing with them. So, there is no penalty for trying to get in, I think that just a shotgun approach is not wise. You need a strategy for application, interview and where you apply.
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JCWON
Jun 22, 2011 @ 12:14 am | delete
- Thanks,Bruce! So What kinds of master programs do you think that can make me more competative in order to apply for P.A ? how can i take P.A class during my master study period?
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- While you are in PA school, you will not be allowed to work or take classes outside the curriculum. The experience is quite intense. I suggest you visit some PA forums and ask recent graduates about their experience. As for what would get you in, if you have all the prerequisites and they are equivalent (go to CASPA's website and get the address of companies that can evaluate your transcript) then I think Exercise Physiology or any major that would put you in contact with other medical professionals and maybe patients - nutritional research, behavioral research etc... will help you prepare to apply.
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JCWON
Jun 18, 2011 @ 11:11 am | delete
- Hi Bruce!
I'M JC a sophomore student who are major in biotechnology from China.Being a P.A is a long term dream in my life. One of my classmates introduce me that there are some valuable articles about applying P.A by you.After reading your blog,i'm so amazed about your favorable suggestions about P.A's application.But there still a big problem, is it almost impossible for international student like me to apply a P.A program in U.S?and I wonder why.Thank you
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- JC,
It is not impossible but it is difficult to get accepted. Of US students only 8-9% of applicants are accepted. International students have to pass a test of English as a second language and have to submit their transcripts to a service that evaluates the courses and assigns a value to them that the school you are applying to can understand. One thing I would suggest is that you do some of your science prerequisite courses here like medical terminology, organic chemistry and some other courses that make any candidate competitive. You also need some experience at least shadowing a PA in the US so that you understand the health system here and how PA's fit in. Is this helpful to you?
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JCWON
Jun 19, 2011 @ 10:33 am | delete
- It's very glad to accept your suggestions and your advice is valuable,HAHA(^o^)/~.As for me, my bachelor major is biotech ,and many colleagues suggest me to apply for a master degree which are related to my undergraduate major such as biochemistry ,cell biology,biotechnology,immunology
in the U.S universities which have P.A program and then i'll try to finnish the prerequistite courses and search for the shadowing chances in clinic and do some research about biomedicine during my master studying ,and then after getting master degree i consider that there will be more competitative abilities for me to apply P.A program.Do u thick this way is more favorable?^_^
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- I do agree that getting a Masters degree here will help you get in and make you a much stronger candidate.It will help you improve your English skills and boost your score on that test also. Best wishes to you on your PA Path
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- Coty, hey I work in Chapel Hill. Several schools offer an MPH/PA degree. George Washington is one I would look at and call to discuss your question. You GPA is calculated on all you courses, but getting good grades in Grad school is helpful as PA programs for the most part are intense grad schools. You need a very strong science GPA - 3.2 and above. Get some good courses - the extras - and do well in them. You will be a good candidate with a good GPA and some experience. Most schools want you to have some experience even if they don't require it. Best of luck on your PA Path.
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Coty
Jun 1, 2011 @ 11:39 pm | delete
- Bruce,
I recently graduated from UNC-CH with a BA in American Studies. My overall GPA is a 3.1 and my major GPA is a 3.7. So far my science GPA is a 3.0. I still have some courses to complete. In the fall I will start an MPH program at UNC-G in Community Health Education. I do not feel like my overall GPA is strong enough for PA school. When I apply will schools evaluate me more based on my undergraduate coursework or graduate work? Also, what are some possible ways I could combine the MPH with being a PA?
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David17
May 27, 2011 @ 12:54 pm | delete
- Bruce,
Over the last year or so I have become interested in trying to become a PA and am trying to wrap my mind around all that I have to do in order to apply and ultimately determine if this is even possible. I am attempting to transition from another science based industry. I have a B.S. degree in Marine Biology and a M.S. degree in Environmental Science and Policy. My grades in undergraduate initially were not great because I was young and didn't have a good study/work ethic yet; however, I was on the Dean's List for the last 60 hours. My GPA in grad school was a 3.8. In both programs I took a number of Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Statistics courses, however they are all completed over 7 years ago. When I decided that I wanted to finally make a professional change, I began taking some of the pre-requisite courses that are required for the programs that I'm interested in. I have taken Anatomy & Physiology I and II, the corresponding labs, microbiology and Medical Terminology so far. I received perfect scores in each class (all while working a 50 hr/week career as an environmental consultant and being a new dad.) I received an 1100 on the GRE, but this also was taken more than 5 years ago. I will be shadowing a PA and a Physician at Mount Sinai in NY this summer for 40 hours and will continue to shadow a PA here locally (tampa) for another 60 hours). I will have recommendation letters from a physician (Mt. Sinai), a local PA and my A&P professor who is also the Dean of a small medical college. Now that you know my background, I guess my questions are several-fold:
1. Will I absolutely need to take the GRE again, or will my old score plus the fact that I successfully completed a graduate program carry some wieght?
2. Am I doomed to retake all the courses outside a 5 year time limit, even though I earned good grades?
3. Is the shadowing level I mentioned above even close to enough to be competitive?
I apologize for the length of the comment, but am really trying to get a feel for where I should be focusing my energy so that I am competitive but don't get into a situation of diminishing returns. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
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- Hi David,
Thanks for your question. No problem with the length of it. Since you let me know you are from Florida, I went to the PAEA site paeaonline.org and looked up Florida PA Programs. There are 3 for you to consider. All give a masters degree - no need to consider any other degree. They are South U in Tampa, Nova in Orlando and U of F. All require the same basic Prerequisites. I really think if you take Epidemeology and Genetics you will be OK with course work - you have had plenty and have shown your ability to graduate level work. many programs require 500 - 2000 hours of hands on experience. That is tough for you. Southern does not but it is only provisionally approved now. That may change by the time you apply. GRE must be less than 5 years old. It was changed (again) recently so you need a new score. I would email and then call and chat with admissions people at the schools that most interest you. Get them to commit to what is OK and not OK with your academic resume. Then you have it from the horses mouth. Really, I think your problem is experience and based on what they say, I would spend my time getting patient care hours. Do a basic EMT course and learn how to do vital signs and then find some free clinic to volunteer in checking in patients and helping with patients in general. Shadowing a PA is very good - spend your time there - not with MD's as you need to be able to articulate an understanding of the PA's day to day role. You need to have seen and discussed it with real PA's in real situations.
My most important advice - call a school - email to set up a time and then ask and get info right from the horses mouth. Your maturity and work experience, though not medical count for a lot. Find out what they think specifically. I think you are a few hours of experience and a good GRE score away from being competitive. BUT - I am not on any of those admissions committee.
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Roshani
May 20, 2011 @ 11:43 am | delete
- I am currently a Student at St.Johns University and I want nothing more than to become a PA. I was president of the Physician Assistant Association on campus and served as a Mentor for international students and worked at the tutoring center. Due to the vast responsibilities my grades took a toll I am waiting to hear back if I will be admitted to the program but I am 85% that I will not be. I am not letting this disappointment stop me if I changed my major to Biology and graduated with a Bachelors what are my chances of getting into a Masters program? Do I have to take the GRE? I have never heard of that before. What are my options? When can I start applying to other schools and what should my minimum GPA be? I have taken Biology 2000, Biology 3000. microbiology, Anatomy I and Anatomy II,. organic chemistry, biochem, pathology, and pharmacology. I don't know how to go about this.
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- Hi Roshani,
Looks like you like to help others become PA's just like I do. Problem as you relate it is, you helped others without helping yourself. In medicine you will learn to only do things within your scope of practice. Since your grades suffered, you may have been outside that scope for getting accepted to your PA program.
OK, there are other programs out there. Are there less expensive 4 year schools from which to get your BS? PA school will cost you plenty and getting a substandard degree is not going to help you get a job. The Masters is where it is now and you need that degree, the BS is the degree I got in 1978. Duke invited me back to get a masters in the 1980's. Don't settle. I would bet you are not a good delegator and that you want people to like you. We all do, but those two things may have caused you to do more than you should have. So, If you could get a Masters from any 5 schools, name them now. Take out a piece of paper and write down the names. Now look at the websites of those programs. On a separate piece of paper for each program, write down all the requirements. Each course, each prerequisite. I see you have two semesters of Anatomy, you will need two of physiology with labs. You need anatomy lab also. once you know what is needed - including the GRE, create a time line. Look at my comments below and see what I have said about this. Your GPA for top schools needs to be 3.2-3.5. Your last 60 hours weigh heaviest and you can use your CASPA essay to explain your early grades. You can do this easily. Get some experience, it is favorable to have it even with schools that do not require it for admission. I have a coaching program to help you on http://www.thestudentpapath.com Invest $35 in a 30 minute conversation with me and let me help you set up your plan. Good luck on your PA Path
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Chivone (Chevy)
May 18, 2011 @ 11:40 pm | delete
- Hello there. I am currently using the post 9-11 GI Bill to attend a local community college in riverside, CA. I am having a hard time finding the information I need. I have been interested in becoming a PA for the last three years. I thought i would just apply to a PA program once I became a civilian but now it seems I have many more steps and different levels of PA available. My college offers a PA program but I was told this program is for a lower level PA. I do not understand the difference between a PA program at a community college and the programs offered at universities. I am 27 and feel I have a late start, but I want to transfer to a four year university and be a traditional PA. The GI Bill pays for my housing as well as books/tuition for the next three years and if I keep my GPA above a 3.0 the VA will extend my education benefits (I currently have a 3.7). I feel he sky is the limit and I do not want to waste my ed benefits taking the wrong courses or settling for a community college program. My current ed plan has me majoring in Biology and transferring to UC Riverside. I was told this is the path for pre-med students not PA's... so I changed it to a B.S in Health science transferring to Cal State San Bernardino. Does it matter? Also, I am planning on taking the EMT cert course before I graduate so I can start gaining patient contact hours. Ultimately, I just would like someone to point me in the right direction with a guide to success lol. Thank You for your time :)
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- HI Chevy, this is a great question and something very important. If you look at the Riverside PA program you can glean a ton of info. First, if you just do Riverside, you just get an AA degree, very substandard. but you can sign up to do some work through St. Francis U of Loretto PA and get a masters. Bassackwards if you ask me. Just go to a masters program in the first place. You might run into GI bill problems because the extention may only apply to the first degree like 5 years for engineering. I am not sure it applies to post-grad training unless you do that in the primary benefit period. You need a degree a BS period. As part of that degree you need the prerequisite courses for PA school. Most pre-med programs are less rigorous that pre-PA requirements. That is because you need to know some stuff before you get to PA school that you will learn in Medical school. Like biochemistry with a lab. You are an excellent candidate and the EMT training is a very good idea.Look below at what I told Kimberly. I suggest you look at my membership site which will be available at the end of this month over on
http://www.thestudentpapath.com
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chevy
May 19, 2011 @ 6:33 pm | delete
- THANK YOU very much. Looking forward to joining your membership site:)
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- It is ready now.
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Kimberly
May 18, 2011 @ 10:22 am | delete
- I graduated Spring 2010 with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Business Administration. I'm interested in becoming a PA, what path is the best route for me?
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- Kimberly, Look at the websites of PA Programs you want to attend. Make a list of every thing they each require, check off all you have done already. Now create a time line and put on it each thing you need to do and when you will have it done. This includes courses, experience, shadowing, GRE, CASPA application, ordering your copy of transcripts to fill out CASPA, maybe talking to the schools about the application process. Any and every thing you can see you need to do, put it on the timeline. You may want some help, I have a program of coaching and a self help program as does Andrew Rodican and a fellow Dave who calls himself The PA Coach. At least buy Rodican's book - it is featured here on this lens. With a time line and a bit of research (look on http://thepapath.com) you can get a time line together and start working on it day by day only focusing on today's tasks. Best wishes on your PA Path.
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Nancy
May 17, 2011 @ 7:52 pm | delete
- I have a question regarding how CASPA calculate your science GPA.I know that they do include Chemistry, physics, biology and not include math in it, how about Anatomy and physiology, nutrition?
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- Here is the info right from the CASPA site:
A: CASPA uses the information which you have entered in the coursework section of your application to calculate several tables of GPAs in multiple categories for each applicant. Each category is calculated by adding up the total number of quality points in that category (your credits multiplied by the numeric value of your grade) and dividing this number by the total credits you attempted to earn in this same category. ALL CASPA GPAS ARE CALCULATED IN SEMESTER HOURS. The result of these calculations is three charts worth of GPAs. Please refer to the sample GPA below:
CHART NUMBER ONE: Year-Level GPAs
The first chart breaks down your GPA by school year, and also divides your GPA into science, non-science, and overall categories. The rows going across indicate the school level which you categorized your courses under on your application, so for example, if you marked three terms at two different schools as ?freshman,? than all courses under those terms factor into the ?Freshman? GPA row. Please note that the ?Total? row includes freshman ? senior work, the ?Cumulative Undergrad? row indicates freshman ? post-baccalaureate work, and the ?Overall? row includes freshman ? master's degree level work.
The columns divide the chart into Science, Non-Science, and Total (science and non-science) sections.
The second chart breaks down your GPA by course subject, regardless of your college level. These subjects are determined by the ?course subjects? you selected for each course on your application. Please note that during the verification process, CASPA staff will change the subject category for any courses which they determine were not categorized correctly.
You can find this information by reading the FAQ section at http://www.caspaonline.org
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- A woman who is a medical technologist contacted me through Squidoo about her delimma. She wants greater patient contact and a larger role in teaching patients and being a political advocate. She found this lens as she thought about the PA profession after shadowing a PA for a week. She wants some advice from me.
First let me say that as a politically active med tech who does high quality work you are making a difference! Not in the same capacity as an MD or PA but they need you and you make a difference through your professionalism and attention to detail and good response times. So, you don't need a different job to make a difference but if you want direct patient care responsibilities, then you are going to want to become someone who deals directly with the patient. There are several ways to do this. You could become an MD, a PA, an NP, a PT, Chiropractor, or Dietician or a Patient Advocate. These all vary in what they do, their educational path and length of training.
I could advise you better if we could speak. Perhaps we can arrange that. I will send you those details in a reply to your email. Good luck in what ever you decide.
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Nicole Marie
May 8, 2011 @ 9:22 pm | delete
- Hello, I am 23 years old and a graduate from Rutgers University with a bachelors in psychology. I took most of the prerequisites for PA programs as a part of my elective courses in college, however some of the grades I got were not very good. My overall GPA was a 3.4 but my science GPA is probably less than a 3 since I got a C in about 3 courses.I have also been working as a medical assistant with direct patient contact for almost 6 years now. I applied to the 2011 cycle of PA programs and didn't even get an interview anywhere. My problem now is I really want to get into a PA program but do not know what the next step would be. I have been told by some people that retaking the prerequisite courses might help, but I am not sure it would make a difference. Also if I do retake courses would it matter that I do them at a community college where it would be cheaper?? what else can i do to increase my chances of getting in?? thank you so much for your time!
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- Hi Nicole Marie,
You have an interesting delimma. To get an interview you need a good GPA, good GRE scores, good References and to write good essays. Experience weighs in there too. The thing that is hurting you is your GPA. You need to show you can handle the kind of course work in science that PA school is going to throw your way. Retaking some of the courses will help you but you should look at how CASPA calculates your GPA, every course counts for every applicant. You need to take any course with a grade lower than C over again but only if you are going to do what it takes to get an A! You should also take some additional courses to more than meet the standard. The course you take should be for science majors and need to be upper division courses - Immunology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, etc... That rules out community college but how about online through a state supported 4 year college with a reputation for educating science majors. Your experience looks good. Do you work with PA's who will give you an outstanding reference? These weigh very heavily in getting the coveted interview. Right now you need to get that GPA up!
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Nicole Marie
May 14, 2011 @ 1:28 pm | delete
- Thank you so much for your response. I do work with a PA and two MDs all of whom could give me great recommendations since I have been working with them for many years and performing a variety of hands on tasks at the office. I did not think of doing online courses, was not sure if a PA program would accept it. Are there any specific schools that offer online courses which you recommend? Thanks once again for your help, I really appreciate it!
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Special K
May 5, 2011 @ 7:04 pm | delete
- Hi Grandpa! Thank you for making my lens. I love you and I like your lens too.
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Christine
May 3, 2011 @ 4:15 pm | delete
- The PA program I want to get into require a minimum of 2,000 hours of PAID experience. I am not licensed so it is really hard to find any kind of health-related job that is not volunteer. How can I meet this requirement?
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- PA school gets you ready for a great career and some of that schooling takes place before you ever set foot inside a PA program classroom. Here is a quote from the website of the UC-Davis PA Program web site about experience:
"2 years of direct "hands-on" patient care experience is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, although not required (some examples of positions providing this experience are: RN, LUN, Paramedic, EMT, Medical Assistant, Respitory Therapist, International Medical Graduate,Physical Therapist)" There are two philosophies of acceptance - you don't have to have experience (the minority) and you need experience (the majority) even where it isn't required, it is weighted heavily in your favor. I would to to emt training one summer, get a position with the local rescue squad/Fire dept and start building hours. Most of the people I know that go to PA school enter the year after college graduation. They apply while they are working. Better to have all college courses done and get some experience under your belt while you are applying.
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Olivia
May 2, 2011 @ 12:43 pm | delete
- Hello, I am going to be a junior in college in Miami, Florida, and I am majoring in Biology which means that I have done all of the chemistry classes and so forth. However, I don't understand how this degree will help me get into a PA program. I also volunteer in a hospital, should I also shadow at the same time? When should be a good time to take the GRE and apply to the PA programs? Any tips would help me a lot. Thank you.
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- Your degree does not matter but the prerequisite courses do matter. GPA is big. Since most people apply to PA school the same year they graduate but don't go until the next summer i.e. a year later, do it in the spring maybe right after spring break your senior year. Elizabeth Murray has some great tips for GRE prep that we include in the Everything you need to know program. You need an in depth understanding of how PA's fit into the health care system. Shadowing is very important. Paid experience is too. Ideally you work somewhere like a cna in an ER where PA's are on staff. Everyone you ask will give you a different opinion but here are the criteria they look at -
GPA, GRE score, Essay, references, experience and timing of APP (are you early or last) that gets you the interview. The interview gets you accepted. UC Davis is a school I just reviewed on my blog ThePAPath.com. The get over 1500apps and accept 98 about 6% of all who apply.Get yourself some coaching or a good reference like Rodican's book at least. You may want to pay me to help you develop a time/task line for your PA Path.
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Valentina
Apr 28, 2011 @ 7:41 pm | delete
- I posted a few questions yesterday but I do not see them anymore. Let me try again with a shorter version.
Can some of the the pre -reqs be taken as online courses, and how do committies look up on students that are older ( i will be 37 when I apply). My BS degree major is Radiologic Science, would that be a good thing and make my application stronger or would it work against me. Please be brutally honest.
thank you
Valentina
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- The average age is about 26 so 1/2 are older. You aren't too old, you need good grades and good references to get an interview. You will need to take anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and your chemistry courses on campus as they all need labs . As long as the others are taken through a 4 year university, preferably the same university, you probably would do fine. Pose the question to one or two schools you wish to apply to. See what they say. Wait right now to contact them as it is application season and until October they are going to be very busy.
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Jordan
Apr 22, 2011 @ 2:38 am | delete
- Hi I am currently a first year student at a community college and just graduated from high school last year. I know that i want to be in the medical field as my profession but am curious if the PA or NP is the right way to go. Also from my research my understanding is that I should get a BA from a four year university in biology or something of the sort. After that my understanding is that i need log a large amount of hours in order to even apply for PA school. I am curious as to how you obtain these positions if all that i have to offer is a BA in biology. Is it better to first become a RN and then log hours that way and then apply for PA school after the hours are completed. I was also wondering if you would suggest Loma LInda University PA program or University of Southern California's program. Thank you for all of your help it is much appreciated!
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- Hi Jordan, Thanks for your comment. You are to be commended for seeking out more information before embarking on a course of study.
First lets look at requirements. Most upper level PA programs offer a Masters Degree as the standard entry point for the profession. So, yes you need a BS or BA but must complete the prerequisite courses which would at least qualify you as a minor in some science. I have known PA's with many different kinds of degrees. All of them took Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, Statistics, and 12 hours that included Basic Chemistry, Organic Chem and Biochemisty - usually about 30-40 hours of prerequisites. If you go to my blog The PA Path.com/blog/ you will find the info on Loma Linda U, I recently added it to the blog outside my membership area. If I were you I would visit the blog frequently. As for experience, I think I would arrange to shadow a couple of PA's. If you don't know any, ask your friends, someone knows a PA or two or has a parent in the profession. You can also contact the state PA society and ask if they know of PA's you could shadow. Get in about 20 or more hours. Programs that don't require experience do require formal time spent with PA's - usually about 50 or more hours. They want you to have a feel for what the profession does and how PA's function. Jobs you could learn to do to give you experience are CNA and EMT. Look at your community college catalog - I bet they train them there. There are numerous hurdles to jump and challenges to rise to. Those who qualify for training in any profession had to solve a few big problems to get it done. I bet you will too. But, you are off to a good start by asking for advice.
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Sophi
Apr 19, 2011 @ 9:48 pm | delete
- Hi, I am looking to apply to PA programs. I have a bachelors degree in Biochemistry with a gpa of 3.44 and I have over 200 hours of direct patient contact working as a physical therapist assistant. I am also planning on shadowing a PA for 50 hours and a doctor for up to 50 hours. Do you think I have a chance at getting into a PA school ?
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- Sophie, You have a solid GPA in a tough science major. For many programs, you have more than enough experience. So you should make the cut for the faculty to look at your references and your essays (assuming you have to do a supplemental app). These two things will get you the interview. Many schools now have you write your supplemental essay on your visit for an interview. Sort of a test to see if you hired someone to write the one on CASPA for you. So you need an essay strategy - I teach on in my coaching. Once you get to the interview it all depends on how you communicate, how well you understand the profession and what you want your role to be, how well your goals will mesh with the mission of the program interviewing you, etc...So, short answer is yes, you have a chance but these other parts of the process get you accepted. Get at least two strong references plus an interview and essay strategy and in a couple of years you will be signing your name followed by PAC. Good luck on your PA Path
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Michelle
Apr 17, 2011 @ 9:19 pm | delete
- Hello,
I would like to apply to PA school but I do not feel that I have the physiology grades that are necessary to be accepted to schools. I have an overall GPA of a 3.44. The first time I took a 400 (higher level) physiology class I received the letter grade of a "D" SInce then I have retaken this year long physiology grade and received a "C" Seeing as physiology is a prerequisite for virtually every school, I know that this class is extremely important and I do not feel as if my grade competitive. I am wondering if you have any recommendations for me. I have planned on taking a beginning level physiology class through the University of California but I am worried that it wont look good on an application if I go from a high to lower level class.
Thanks in advance
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- I don't think one grade from one school makes or breaks you unless it is an F. It is a detriment but trying to gain an understanding is what is important along with persistence. No one gets everything on the first try. Your overall GPA matters most and the science GPA along with the load you carried when you took those courses. Getting a D in a tough course while you got A's and B's in the other 12-14 hours you carried that semester means more than if you took it as a solo course and didn't cut it. You ultimately have to do what it takes. I needed tutors in BioChem, Calculus and certain parts of Chemistry. That does not show up on my transcripts, just that I got an A or a B. You need to do the same. Look at all the factors for admission - the program is going to look at grades and everyone with a GPA above a cutoff gets more attention. Everyone else is on standby. Then they look at your experience, references, and essays. They look at the timing of your submission - as soon as possible or last minute. You can use your supplemental essay to explain why that grade is low sometimes. I would recommend you take the course again, get a tutor, and get an A. Do what it takes and explain why it took 3 tries to get an A, not why you didn't.
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Mountainhealer
Apr 16, 2011 @ 3:57 pm | delete
- Hello Mr. Bair,
Thank you in advance for your site and your advice. I am writing because my life's ambition is to become a PA, but I have been rejected by the one school I applied to (Mt. Union) and I will be applying, once again, to a limited number of schools (Baylor and U-Texas Galveston). I have a B.S. in Integrative and Medical Biology and a M.A. in Medical Anthropology, with a GPA of 3.2 and 3.6 respectively and a post-grad GPA of 4.0. I earned average scores on the GRE two years ago. Moreover, I have many years of experience 10+ (I'm 29) of working as a nurse's aid, detox assistant, research assistant, and health educator. I have also shadowed several PA's. I think I was rejected by the PA school of my choice after two interviews because I was 9 months pregnant and not interviewing well, but I'm concerned that I'll never achieve my dreams. I have three children, so volunteering is not an easy task to achieve and I have fulfilled all of my prerequisite coursework. I don't know what to do. I'm concerned I'll have to begin looking for alternatives if I don't get in this year. Please provide me with the following: 1. advice to improve my chances of getting in 2. plausible alternatives to the profession
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- This is such an important question I answered it here on The PA Path. Go to this url http://bit.ly/UrAcceptance to read your answer. Thanks for your trust.
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- I was asked this question but when I approved it, Squidoo ate it. I had it in an email they sent me so here is the question:
Hello! I am graduating thsi may with a major in Molecular and Microbiology from the University of Central Florida. My gpa is a 3.2, I work about 35 hours per week in a clothing story, and I volunteer at a hospital as a patient advocate. I have about 60 hours of volunteering as a patient advocate and I have shadowed a pediatric anesthesiologyst for about 10 hours. I want to take the gre in july and get accpeted into the nova pa program in orlando, fl. I wanted to know what were my chances! thanks
Nova Orlando receives about 12 apps per seat and there will be 50-60 seats available next year. If you look at the admission requirements - they are similar to most schools - the minimum GPA is 2.9 and average is 3.0 in science. A good GRE score will really help you. I think that you need to write a really good essay for CASPA and for the supplemental app that you receive after submitting your CASPA app. Your experience is very slim and even if you get in, school will be harder because of that lack of experience. They don't have a specific requirement but I bet if two candidates are equal, the more experienced candidate is chosen. I would say you have an average chance right now for acceptance. The acceptance rate is 8% of applicants. You have to distinguish yourself somehow. Your grades are a bit better that their average. Your essay, recommendations and interview will have to do it. Think about what sets you apart from other candidates, tell a couple of 150 word stories that illustrate your 3 most outstanding attributes in this regard. Look at Nova's mission statement. Memorie it! When you write just for them and interview with them, have some 15 second talking points ready to illustrate how you will help them fulfill their mission as a student and a graduate. Really prep for the GRE! Get in the mindset of answering GRE style questions. It is a mindset type of test. Lastly, eat a breakfast with fat and protein and very little carb the morning of the test and take a snack with the same, Your brain will thank you on test day. Best wishes to you on your PA Path.
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maria
Apr 14, 2011 @ 11:45 am | delete
- Hello! I am graduating thsi may with a major in Molecular and Microbiology from the University of Central Florida. My gpa is a 3.2, I work about 35 hours per week in a clothing story, and I volunteer at a hospital as a patient advocate. I have about 60 hours of volunteering as a patient advocate and I have shadowed a pediatric anesthesiologyst for about 10 hours. I want to take the gre in july and get accpeted into the nova pa program in orlando, fl. I wanted to know what were my chances! thanks
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Patricia
Apr 12, 2011 @ 11:22 am | delete
- Hey there,
First of all, thank you very much for making this webpage it is really helpful. I'm studying to become a RN( register nurse) at a community college and i was wondering what are my chances of getting into PA program? Since i will be a rn i will have a some experience on the medical field, but the fact that i graduated on a community college will affect my chances of acceptance?
Thank you
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- I think that because you chose nursing your chances are limited. Most PA programs require a 4 year degree and upper level courses in science and chemistry as prerequisites.My advice is to finish your Associates in nursing, then get a BS and go on to become a Nurse Practitioner. It is a more logical course. If nursing isn't for you, then work as a nurse while you continue your education and complete the prerequisites for PA school.
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Katie
Apr 2, 2011 @ 2:39 am | delete
- Hi Bruce,
Thank you for taking the time to create this wonderful resource. I recently graduated from UNC-CH with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Spanish. My final GPA was a 3.127, though I got mainly A's and only a few B's in my degree courses. I was wondering if my overall GPA will hurt my application, or if my science GPA is all that matters to admissions committees. Also, I am trying to finish the pre-requisite courses within a year, and am not sure how to go about squeezing in direct patient care experience. I do not have the certification to be a CNA, and would prefer to not have to take the time to complete it if there are other more feasible options. Do you have any recommendations?
Thank you for your help!
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- I work in Chapel Hill Katie. I think you are probably a good candidate. I wrote an answer for you here: http://www.thestudentpapath.com/2011/04/05/what-about-my-gpa/ It will be published after 10PM on April 5.
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Fred Sampson
Mar 29, 2011 @ 5:24 pm | delete
- Hello Bruce-
This is very helpful! Thanks for your time and energy.
I have a question regarding majors. I recently graduated with a B.S. in English Literature from a four year university. While completing my major I have also been completing the science prerequisites for PA school. I have around 50 science credits including micro, ochem, biochem, A&P, genetics, cell bio, (all with labs). My overall gpa is around 3.5 with a science gpa around 3.27
In addition I have been working as an EMT for around a year and have around 1100 hours of patient contact and about 20 hours of PA shadowing.
Do you think admissions boards will think its peculiar that I have a "non-science" major? Is there preference given to science majors or humanities? I was turned on to the PA profession during my Sophomore year and didn't want to switch majors completely and negate the work I had already done. I have tried to go out of my way and take additional science classes above and beyond the minimum pre-reqs required for the programs I will be applying to.
Do you think I stand a chance with my stats or should I consider returning and completing a second major in the hard sciences?
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- Fred, short answer is you look like a good candidate. Do the second degree thing only if you don't get in but for my long answer go here:
http://www.thestudentpapath.com/2011/04/04/is-my-major-important
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MichaelinNC
Mar 29, 2011 @ 3:34 pm | delete
- I was just wondering if taking my final prereq's for Pa school at a community college would that hurt me or as long as I ace'd those classes would I be fine?
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- I think it depends on where you want to apply. Top 25 programs are going to want your science courses taken in a 4 year university that has a strong science department. The softer courses, intro to Sociology, English Comp and Statistics would probably be fine. You need to show you can handle the load they give you in a graduate level PA Program
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AnneMiriam
Mar 22, 2011 @ 3:00 pm | delete
- Hi Bruce,
Thank you so much for compiling all of this great information and resources!
I'm currently a Sophomore undergraduate student, currently on my way to getting a B.S. in Classics with a minor in Biochemistry. I am very interested in the PA profession and am on my way to finishing the prerequisites of the top PA schools by the time I graduate.
My question is what is the best way I should go about getting health care experience.
Should I go through a certification program to become a medical assistant, nurse assistant, or EMT during the summer? Or should I use my summers to volunteer at hospitals and shadow PAs/other medical professions?
Looking at the 1,000+ hours of experience required for application is a bit daunting when I'm a full time student. Is completing all of these hours and my bachelors simultaneously overambitious? Should I simply count on taking a few years off after graduating to complete the hours requirement?
Thanks so much for your help!
Anne
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- Anne, thanks so much for this question. It is so good I decided to answer it on my blog The PA Path.com you can find it on March 23 here http://bit.ly/AnneMQ Continue your dialogue there with me in the comments section. Briefly, I recommend becoming an EMT and doing most of the hours between college graduation and the start of a program the next summer with some hours in the summers coming up. Good luck on your PA Path
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Diana
Mar 19, 2011 @ 12:30 pm | delete
- Hi Bruce,
Thank you so much for the work you do here for people who are looking for seasoned advice from someone who knows what it really takes. It is very altrusitic of you!
I took my first GRE yesterday and made a total score of 1180: Verbal-640 Quant:540. I hold a bachelors degree in Biology with a GPA of 3.06. I am wondering if I stand a chance. I am holding on to hope that I will be able to raise the GPA with two pre-req classes I need for my program, but as it stands right now, what are your thoughts? I have five years of healthcare experience and am currently working in a research setting with psychiatric patients doing clinical trials. My last two years of college I had Hashimoto's and did not know I was sick. My grades suffered tremendously and my confidence has as well. Your honest opinion will help me know what I have to target in order to accomplish this goal.
Thanks in advance!
Diana
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- Diana,
yes you have a chance! GRE is OK, GPA is weak. If the average GPA is 3.5, then 1/2 are lower, correct. Doing very well in your last two prerequisites and maybe taking Genetics, or Immunology or Embryology and getting A's would really help. Showing you can carry a heavy load like work plus a couple of courses per semester demonstrates you have academic ability. Do you have a PA to recommend you? If not do what it takes to get a PA recommendation, even better from an alumnus of the program you want to attend. Lastly you have two essays, one for CASPA on why you want to be a PA and one in the supplemental most programs require. In the supplemental you can insert a paragraph of special info, like why your gpa was lower and what makes you as good a candidate a someone with a higher GPA. Then when you get an interview, there is where you get in. You have to be ready to communicate quickly and clearly that you understand the profession, the mission of the program and how it relates to your mission in life. How your mission completes the programs mission. You can put some of that in your essay, but review all you say there so you are ready to answers questions based on your statements. Good luck. Elizabeth Murray and Laura Phelan can be found here and other PA related sites on Squidoo. They helped me put together 100 tips to help you navigate the waters from where you are to the PA program you choose. Choose wisely and consider getting our course on ThePAPath.com
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Ebony
Mar 10, 2011 @ 12:12 pm | delete
- Hello Bruce,
I also posted a previous question. I wanted your opinion on Mercer University P.A. program. I spoke with a P.A who went there and was told that alot of their professors taught at Emory.
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- HI Ebony, let me answer both of your questions here. First, look at your biology transcript. Mercer, a program you inquired about, requires 36 hours of biology and chemistry in specific courses - they have a pdf you can download here
http://cophs.mercer.edu/pdfs/PA.Admissions.Requirements.pdf
They require six hours of Psych, 3 of Stats and 3 of English Comp. There is a long list of science courses, similar to every program, to take to strengthen your application. Again look at the pdf. You need a GPA around 3.2 minimum to be competitive and good GRE scores. There are 3 references needed, one from PA or MD, one from university instructor and one more from someone unrelated to you.. Shadowing a Mercer grad would be a smart thing to do, 1000 hrs of direct patient care are required. In looking at Mercer's faculty, some have trained at Emory but none are listed as former instructors there. Go to the Mercer site, get the pdf on prerequisites, and their check list. Look at all you need to do to get in, create a time line and a plan and get to work. Visit Mercer also and ask the students lots of questions. Have someone who has been there done that review your plan with you. I hope this helps. go to http://thepapath.com for more info.
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ebony
Mar 10, 2011 @ 4:01 pm | delete
- thanks Bruce! Is it really true that you can major in anything as long as you take the prerequisites to apply to a P.A. program?
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- Most applicants are science majors but my partner in the PA Path majored in Spanish and minored in science. She was 4.0 in college and PA school. Basically, yes it is your overall GPA along with your science GPA that is important and you have to take all that is needed PLUS some. Minimalists don't get in.
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Ebony
Mar 10, 2011 @ 12:08 pm | delete
- Hello Bruce,
I am interested on becoming a P.A. but I am currently majoring in Sociolgy. I will have completed my degree in 5/2012. I also have an A.S. Biology. Where do I begin? Thanks.
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Sarah
Mar 2, 2011 @ 10:18 am | delete
- Hello Bruce,
I just got interested in the PA program. I am recently in a community college, with a GPA of 2.77. I was actually in the RN program until recent when i decided to change my major to Physician Assistant. I would like to know if I need any more classes. Also I have been a CNA for 3 years now, and I will be taking the LPN program this March. Do you have any tips for me on how to apply to schools, for the 2012 admission. Thank you.
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- Hi Sarah,
There are some important pieces of information for you to know about becoming a PA. You can do it and I encourage you to try, but there is important information for you to have first. I wrote you a long reply here http://www.thestudentpapath.com/2011/03/03/answers-to-pre-pa-questions-7/ Best wishes and Good Luck on your PA Path
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Will
Feb 21, 2011 @ 12:11 pm | delete
- Bruce, thank you for all of the help. It is very interesting to see other peoples situations and relate them to mine. It gives me a good idea of where I stand. Speaking of where I stand...
-Senior studying Biology
-GRE scores:
-- Verbal : 440
-- Quantitative: 630
-- Analytical Writing: 4.0
- Overall GPA: 3.83
- Last 60 credits GPA: 3.9
- Health Care Experience: 100+ hours of shadowing PAs of different specialties, volunteering at local corporate health center for hospital where I also receive direct contact with patients and PAs, and have been offered and plan to accept job working full time as a phlebotomist in May
- Recommendations will be from: Hospitalist PA, Cardiothoracic surgery PA, and endocrinology/anatomy professor at school.
Please, let me know my chances. Do I seem like a good applicant?
I look forward to your response, thank you so much.
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- Will, I wrote you an answer on my blog here
http://www.thestudentpapath.com/2011/02/27/answers-to-questions-4/
I think you are an excellent candidate, read my comments on the blog
and get your app in early.
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Maria
Feb 17, 2011 @ 3:42 pm | delete
- I am planning on applying to PA school this spring. I have a bachelor's degree in sports medicine, a GPA of 3.25, all my prequisites except for the GRE...which I am taking in March and I just started working in as an Emergency Department Assistant to obtain experience. I've shadowed various PAs and have documented 130 shadow hours. I am very nervous about getting into PA school because my GPA isnt that competitive, I have an F in cell biology from when I was a freshman at a huge university and I decided to take a 'PASS' in biochemistry my senior year because it wasn't part of my major and i took the class without a previous organic chemistry course. I am apprehensive because of those faults in my transcript however I plan on taking either a cell biology or biochemistry class in the fall. Is there anything else I should do to make myself a more stronger, more competitive applicant, such as Volunteer experience? More work experience? Thanks for your help!
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- Maria, thanks for your question. I have written our answer here
http://www.thestudentpapath.com/2011/02/27/answers-to-pre-pa-questions-5/
Apply early to programs that requrie little or no direct patient care experience.
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Andrew Lu
Feb 7, 2011 @ 2:49 pm | delete
- Hello Mr. Bair,
I am a post BS/PT/Pre-med Degree, with a 3.15GPA (with several 400 level graduate classes such as Clinical Anatomy with Cadaver, and Clinical Physiology with Cadaver.) Currently, I am applying to CUNY City College for a BS-PA. I am a EMT-B and have been since 16... (8 years), and also am a Medical Surgical Tech for a well known hospital. I also was a PT for 2 years, and worked as a Clinical Practice Manager for 6 years. I have literally thousands if not tens of thousands of patient contact hours, and clinical experiance. I just want to know what are my chances in getting in, as I am truly looking to get my PA-C.
Thanks
Andrew
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- Andrew,
I wrote a detailed reply here:
http://www.thestudentpapath.com/2011/02/27/answers-to-pre-pa-questions-6/
You need great references from PAs, a good essay and to stick the interview.
Let me know how I can be of help.
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Ela
Feb 6, 2011 @ 7:27 pm | delete
- I am very interested in pursuing a Masters to become a PA. I graduated with a BA 20 years ago with a GPA of only 2.25. I just didn't apply myself in college like I did in high school as an A student, and now wish I did. I know there are required science courses and possibly math and behavioral science courses that I never took in college so I understand the need to complete those before applying. I have a tremendous amount of work/life experience in the medical field, some of which has been working with patients. I know I would need to complete more work with patients before applying.
My main question is with my GPA and how much that would hinder my ability to get accepted. What are my possibilities/options? Would my grades in the 18-21 credits needed in prerequisites show enough that I am capable of going through school? I am confident in my abilities, but of course I cannot change what I did 20 years ago. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you kindly.
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- Ela, if your courses are 20 years old, you need to take some refreshers in Genetics, Immunology, Embryology, Anatomy with lab and Physiology with lab. Probably Statistics also. Your experience more than qualifies you. If you want it you can get in. I have a patient that went to George Washington U PA Program at age 65. He is now 85 and is still working as a PA 10 hours a week. Let me know how else I can be of help.
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Ela
Mar 14, 2011 @ 2:29 am | delete
- Bruce,
Thank you so much for taking the time to provide the information you did. I am inspired by your comments and your patient! It is never too late to go after what you want in life! Thanks again.
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Sarah Slemons
Jan 30, 2011 @ 9:34 am | delete
- i am a sophmore and aspiring to become a PA. I speak spanish faily well. I have been thinking about what to do for my 1000+ hours of hands on patient care... ultimitlay if i become a PA i want to do medical missions in other countries. i was wondering what you think of the idea of after getting by undergrade degree, working with a medical missions team in a hospital in a hispanic country for a year to achieve 1000+ patient care hours?
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- Sarah, Without using your name, I answered your question on my blog on www.thepapath.com. It will be call Answers to Questions #2 and will publish on 31 Jan 2011. I like your plan but I elaborate there.
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Liz85
Jan 29, 2011 @ 2:35 pm | delete
- Hi. I am very interested in becoming a PA. I am a current MPH student at one of the top 10 Public Health Schools in the US. I am an EMT-B and have had over 6,000 hours of volunteer EMS experience over the past 4 years. I also volunteer 10 hours per week at a free health clinic. I was a liberal arts undergrad with a minor in Spanish, and did not take the required pre-req science courses. As a public health student I have taken biostatistics, biological basis of disease, and epidemiology - as well as several clinical-based classes (like Child Health and Disease). Would doing a formal post-bac program to obtain those pre-req science classes be my best option? Or would taking those classes at a local state school (not a formal program, just course by course) look alright on applications? I have a 3.8 GPA currently and a 3.68 from undergrad. My GRE score was a 1050 (low, I know). I want to become a PA so I can help serve patients from under-served/underrepresented populations and improve their access to good primary health care in the US and abroad. Thank you!
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- Liz my answer to you is published on my blog www.thepapath.com, I think you are an excellent candidate and I discuss the answer to your question and reasons for the strategy I recommend. Good Luck.
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Miri376
Jan 26, 2011 @ 10:27 am | delete
- Hello my daughter is a Junior in High School, and she is interested to go int a PA program. She was actually looking at the PA program in Miami-Dade College which is a two year program. My question is, should she go into a two year college like the one at Miami-dade, or should she do another option and get her bachelor's and then go into a Masters program at another school. Please help!!!
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- If you look at my comments below you will see that the Masters is the degree to have to have chances for advancement. Degrees like the associates are intended to advance healthcare workers with experience skill level knowing that they are going to stay and work right where they are. Your daughter should get the best education she can and should look at programs that culminate in a masters degree. The U of Florida has a top 20 program. There are some programs that accept students right from HS into a 5 year program that results in a masters of PA studies. One of these in PA - St Francis - is a top 20 school and several of the oldest programs in the country do the same thing. PA is a first choice for many students coming out of HS now and is a mainline profession. Encourage your daughter to get a BS/MS instead of an associates or Miami may be the only place she will ever be able to get a job. I have a site ThePAPath.com that offers various levels of help. She should get my free report and begin there with planning a time line for her medical career.
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Mary
Jan 21, 2011 @ 10:20 am | delete
- Hey Mr. Bair
I'm currently a junior in NC and I am very much ambitious in applying to a PA program. I didn't decide I wanted to become a PA until just last summer, so I haven't been able to get a lot of contact hours. I do have a lot of volunteer hours from working at free clinics and other hospitals and such and I'm going to get my CNA very soon. I know you've already said that different schools require different amounts of hours, but say a school didn't require many hours, then what other areas do you think we should be focusing on?
Also, I came to see that some schools don't require any patient contact hours as well as no GRE! Do you think a school like this would be valuable to apply to? And should I send my GRE scores to these types of schools anyway even if they don't require it?
I would appreciate any feedback! Thanks :)
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- Hi Mary, I recommend you look at the programs in NC now - Duke, Wake, ECU, Methodist, Campbell, Wingate. There will soon be programs in Elon, HIgh Point and Garner Webb. Look at what they want. Most importantly look at the prerequisites and determine what you have and what you need. I would guess you will need a year post graduation to get some experience and finish some required courses. Create a time line and look at what you need to get done for the above schools and when you can complete it. Look into my site ThePAPath.com, there is lots of info there and you may want to hire me to help you as a coach to prepare that time line and plan some strategy. Best wishes.
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mara
Jan 19, 2011 @ 1:53 pm | delete
- Hi, my name is Mara and i also want to go to pa school. i have a bachelors in biology, a gpa 2.9 and gre 920. i'm doing volunteer work and have patient work experience about 4 years. What are my chances ?
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- Hi Mara, I would say your GPA is a bit low as is your GRE score but a number of schools offering a masters do not require it. You need to look at the websites of PA programs in your state and see what they require for admission. If you have all the prerequisites and you have a 3.6 GPA in science and if the last 60 hours you took are a 3.5 or above you may be quite competitive. If you do not have the prereq's yet then you need to finish those. I would say you have plenty of patient care experience. Do you work with any PA's? If not you need some shadow time with a couple of different PA's to be sure you can tell the admission's committee that you know and understand what PA's do. You can get specific advice through my pre-PA coaching program that you can find on my site http://thepapath.com Good luck!
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Jordan minnick
Jan 17, 2011 @ 2:03 am | delete
- I am currently in community college taking classes that are GE for four year colleges as well as what the PA schools want. I am wondering if after these two years of community college if i need to go to a 4 year university and then after that go to PA school. Or if you go straight into PA school after community college if you have the GE requirements. Thank you so much for your time! Also i was wondering if the PA schools that are not affiliated with four year universities are good schools to go to that will ultimately lead to a competitive edge in getting a job in the future!
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- Jordan, it depends on the PA Program's entrance requirements. There are only a few BS PA programs around, one of those is in central PA and is a good program. Most schools give masters degrees and more importantly, many jobs now specify a masters degree as a minimum requirement. If I was not at the end of my career, I would be looking at completing a masters program online to stay competitive. I suggest you do the most and not the least you can the first time.
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keller : 19ksmith
Apr 25, 2011 @ 4:47 pm | delete
- Hi grapa bruce!!! I love this place.Hope you came home safely. 19ksmith
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Keshia M.
Jan 9, 2011 @ 10:28 pm | delete
- I am interested in the PA program. I was once pre-med up until the end of my sophomore year. I have a 2.75 gpa and not many patient contact hours. I do plan on taking a year "off" to take more classes and gain more contact hours. (i am supposed to graduate in May 2012) should I do that? Or go ahead and try to get a masters in Public Health? What is your advice for me? I truly do want to become a PA and I do not want to give up on my dream of becoming one. Any suggestions for me? Advice? Thanks.
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- Keisha, You need to get your GPA up. 3.2 is lower end for consideration. Graduation is great, most programs offer a Masters Degree so a bachelors is a prerequisite. If you have a low GPA, doing some graduate course work post BS is a way to show you can handle the work. You need to check the schools in your state to see if they require much experience. Some schools want none or maybe 100 hours, others want 2-3years of full time experience. Look at my blog on ThePAPath.com and glean what you can there and consider a 30 minute coaching call with me. I wish you the best.
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Shanetta Dingle
Jan 1, 2011 @ 3:59 pm | delete
- Hello My name is Shanetta. I am more than interested in becoming a PHysician's Assistant. I love people and am very involved in working with all types of patients. I have a degree in INformation technology and am currently enrolled in a degree program of Media Design. I plan to begin the prerequisites for the PA program. Is there any prep courses that could be offerred for the GRE testing. I am really interested in applying for Emory University because my family and I plan to move to Atlanta in 2012. How soon should a person begin applying for PA school? Also, should I withdraw from my current Masters Program in order to be eligible for PA school because of my Financial Aid?
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- Hi Shanetta, I see 3 questions here and some statements that will have bearing on the answers. First, you have to finish prerequisties - that is courses, GRE and EXPERIENCE. 1000 hours for Emory, That is 6 months full time. Unless you really want that Media Design degree, I would just get the prerequisites finished and get my experience. If you are willing to do the work, I think GRE prep courses are a waste. In our program "Everything You need to Know to get Accepted to PA School" Elizabeth Murray gives about 10 GRE prep tips that if followed daily for a couple of months will get you ready easily. Elizabeth says the GRE is about mind set. Elizabeth graduated from UNC with a 4.0 and from the Emory PA program with a 4.0. Check out the website thepapath.com
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Shanetta Dingle
Jan 31, 2011 @ 9:05 pm | delete
- Thank you. I actually withdrew from that institution. Now I plan to study for the GRE by purchasing the book recommended by Elizabeth Murray. I really was thinking about UNC because that is my dream school, however UNC does not offer a PA program nor do they offer PrePA courses. Could a person try to obtain an MPH online through an institution and still be able to apply for a PA program? I am a CNA for over 5 years, Community Support Worker for over 2 years, and currently volunteering in the ED of a local hospital. I have more than enough experience. I just have to focus on the prereqs and the GRE. Do you think that it would behoove me to take the MCAT as well or should I complete the prereqs first?
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Courtney
Dec 2, 2010 @ 1:37 pm | delete
- Hi my name is Courtney. I am interested in a career as a PA and have just recently started looking into all it has to offer and how to get to that position somewhere down the road.I am currently in my second year of college. I was at a university last year but am at community college currently. What kind of resources would you recommend I look into to best inform me on what I need to do to get myself into this field?
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- Hi Courtney, I am glad I took the PA Path. I recommend you look at websites of PA programs in your state. I can help with a free report you can obtain on my site ThePAPath.com Look at what I have to offer. check out the AAPA site, PAEA and the PA History site at Duke University. Google those names. Let me know what else I can do for you.
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jessica
Oct 26, 2010 @ 7:40 pm | delete
- hi my name is jessica. im currently in a community college majoring in nursing with the purpose of graduating with my A.A. so I can then go to a PA program or go to the one miami dade college offers. i dont know if im doing this correctly, or if theres anything more i cab do. please let me know if theres something i have to change or if im going in the right path.
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- Jessica, If you began in nursing, I would not advise a switch to PA school. If you look at MiameDade PA program prerequities here http://www.mdc.edu/MEDICAL/AHT/PA/pa_criteria.asp you will see a list of prerequisites for the program. Since once you pass your exam, you will be a nurse, I would pursue a BS in nursing and then look at a nursing specialty like Nurse Practitioner, Anesthesia etc... The path will be smoother and more direct with the base you have laid. I assume you are in Florida,where NP's gt paid the same or more than PA's, It is one of the few states where that is true.
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bhupatel17
Oct 26, 2010 @ 3:09 pm | delete
- I am a freshman in Community College, and I was wondering if you could tell me what classes are required for me to join a Physician Assistant program. I want to make sure I am taking the right classes and not missing out on the courses i really need. I would really appreciate your time and effort if you could e-mail me what courses and how many of each I need to take on my pathway to become a PA.
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- You need to look at specific programs, visit their sites. If you look at my reply to Jessica you will see a link to one program's prerequisites. Almost all states have a program that prefers state residents. Look at the programs in your state. You can find a state by state list on the PAEA website. Also look at my video on this site about prerequisites or my program, What you need to know to get accepted to PA School on my website http://thepapath.com
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Amani Khawatmi
Sep 28, 2010 @ 7:24 pm | delete
- Hello, My name is Amani. I am a junior in college attending Seton Hall. I have just been accepted into the PA program. My GPA is a 3.4. However, I changed my path from medical school because I felt overwhelmed and stressed from thinking about the process. When I read about the PA school, I applied and got accepted. I hope I made the right choice. But I still want to become a physician someday.
I would like to speak with a PA or a physician if that would be possible. My email is khawatam@shu.edu.
Any Help? Thank You.
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- I already emailed you about this Amani, but I will repeat myself here: PA school is not a short cut to MD. There is no advanced standing. The best thing to do is go for MD if that is where your heart is. Listen to your heart!
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- I got an email from squidoo that I had this comment on my guest book:
Hi, im a Junior in highschool with a 3.2 gpa. Im wondering could you be a physician assistant for children? and is it to hard to become a physician assistant? Also i want to know what can i do now in order to pre-pare me for becoming a physician assistant, i already volunteer at a hospital but i dont know if that helps.
Here is what I would say:
On my side, ThePAPath.com, I have a free report - 9 Steps to a Lucrative and Fulfilling Career as a Physician Assistant. Go to the site, under the Pre-PA tab and sign up to receive the report. I think you will find lots of info there. Our paid reports - Is the PA Path right for Me and What You need to know to get Accepted to PA School are also considerations, but get the free report first.
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Mimi
Sep 22, 2010 @ 9:28 pm | delete
- Hi, im a Junior in highschool with a 3.2 gpa. Im wondering could you be a physician assistant for children? and is it to hard to become a physician assistant? Also i want to know what can i do now in order to pre-pare me for becoming a physician assistant, i already volunteer at a hospital but i dont know if that helps.
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- Check out the video on prerequisites here. There is some free stuff on my blog TheStudentPAPath.com and I have a couple of things there you may find helpful - a free report 9 Steps to a Fulfilling and Lucrative career as a PA and a paid report called "Is the PA Path Right for Me" that report includes a 30 minute conversation with a PA student. Good luck. You can do it, take it one step at a time.
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Breanna-Ct.
Jul 21, 2010 @ 2:12 pm | delete
- Hi, Im a Senior in highschool with a 3.4 gpa and I was wondering which would be the smarter route to go down. Becoming a nurse and then going on to medical school to become a Doctor or becoming a Physician Assistant and then going on to medical school to become a Doctor. Im leaning more towards the P.A., but I still have the thought of nursing in the back of my head. In a medical program I'm in, we had Medical students, nurses, and doctors come in and talk to us and one nurse in particular said that many medical schools would likely decline someone who majored in nursing because they don't want to take away from the nursing occupation. This seems logical, but I would like a 2nd opinion on this.
Also, I want to specialize in neonatology and I was wondering how long is the program that a P.A. has to take to specialize in neonatology. I know for a physician its usually 2-3 years and I was wondering if its the same for a P.A.?
Another question I have is, am I able to major in anything besides the usual medical majors such as biology, pre-med, etc. when it comes to becoming a P.A?
Sorry for all the questions, I have one last one. If I were to go to Medical school for 2 years, then for whatever reason was forced to drop out, would I have to redo the 2 years if I was planning to go back to medical school on a later date?
Thanks!
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- Breanna, pick one career path. Nursing or PA are not stepping stones to M.D.! Become a doctor if you desire, a PA or a Nurse. I can tell you that each of those paths has its own difficulties you will have to overcome. If you interview for PA school (it is a tougher college curriculum because more courses are required than for Pre-Med majors) and tell them you really want to be a doctor, they will tell you good luck with that and take someone who really wants to be a PA.
I don't know of specialty training in neonatology for PA's. I know NP's who do that and they have a major for it. An NP is much like a PA but is trained in nursing programs with a slightly different mindset. So if you want a shorter path to neonatology, then RN followed by NP would be the way to go. You have to ask the medical school about what happens if you withdraw.
Med schools pick the very best candidates. You would need some courses for pre-med you do not get at the same level in nursing. If you were a qualified nurse and they liked you at your interview, you would get in. There may be some merit to that but more likely, nursing schools would not accept you if you said you really wanted to be a doctor. Find your medical passion and pursue it. Listen to your gut.
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- Breanna, pick one career path. Nursing or PA are not stepping stones to M.D.! Become a doctor if you desire, a PA or a Nurse. I can tell you that each of those paths has its own difficulties you will have to overcome. If you interview for PA school (it is a tougher college curriculum because more courses are required than for Pre-Med majors) and tell them you really want to be a doctor, they will tell you good luck with that and take someone who really wants to be a PA.
I don't know of specialty training in neonatology for PA's. I know NP's who do that and they have a major for it. An NP is much like a PA but is trained in nursing programs with a slightly different mindset. So if you want a shorter path to neonatology, then RN followed by NP would be the way to go. You have to ask the medical school about what happens if you withdraw.
Med schools pick the very best candidates. You would need some courses for pre-med you do not get at the same level in nursing. If you were a qualified nurse and they liked you at your interview, you would get in. There may be some merit to that but more likely, nursing schools would not accept you if you said you really wanted to be a doctor. Find your medical passion and pursue it. Listen to your gut.
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- I had a question asking about PA Program Prerequisites. I can't answer this here there are 140+ PA Programs now but I can show you how to find out. I will make a video and post it on this lens and to other video sharing sites.
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Zoey
May 10, 2010 @ 9:22 pm | delete
- When becoming a PA do you recommend a specialty, then just a general PA???
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Bruce
May 10, 2010 @ 10:20 pm | delete
- Zoey, it depends on your financial status, your long term desires, how hard you want to work and where you want to practice. Generally I would recommend a specialty but soon there won't be much leeway and you will be locked into that area of practice. General practice pays the least but offers the most flexibility. Often you can work in a number of medical specialties like family practice, internal medicine, cardiology, and some other more specialized areas of medicine. There is always research also, but again, lack of flexibility and often low pay. Ultimately, if you are doing what you love then you never work a day in your life.
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J383
Apr 16, 2010 @ 12:23 am | delete
- Hi Bruce,
I have some questions about admissions. I graduated from college in 2005 with a less than stellar GPA (read 2.8). Then I got my Masters in Education and taught H.S for 3 yrs. Then I heard about Medical Technology, took courses in Micro and Anatomy and Physiology 1 + 2 (straight A's in all) and applied to the Medtech program. The Medtech school is accredited and will allow me to sit for the ASCP exam and obtain my license as a Medical Laboratory Scientist. We have taken courses in:
Clinical Immunology 2.5 Credits
Clinical Chemistry 6 Credits
Clinical Hematology 4.5 Credits
Clinical Immunohematology/ Blood Bank 5 Credits
Microbiology 2.5 Credits
Parasitology 2.5 Credits
Clinical Coagulation 2.5 Credits
Urinalysis/Body Fluids 2.5 Credits
Along with these courses, 3 days a week, for a year, we work in various hospital labs around the city.
This makes up our clinical rotation grade and we are in the hospitals from 9am-5pm. That puts me at 1000+ hours
of healthcare experience (but it isnt direct patient care)
With 4 months left in the program, I have As and Bs in all of the above courses.
The only class that I've never taken in my academic career was Organic Chemistry (it wasnt required). But I plan
on taking that in the summer as I study for my ASCP exam.
When I look at prerequisite websites for P.A programs the courses that they mention are generally:
Mathematics (Precalculus or Statistics) (3 credits)
General Biology + Laboratory (8 credits)
General Chemistry + Laboratory (8 credits)
Microbiology (3 credits)
Organic Chemistry + Laboratory OR Biochemistry + Laboratory (4 credits)
Anatomy + Laboratory (4 credits)
Physiology (3 credits)
Youth is wasted on the young and who I was as a student in college, 6 years ago is not who I am now. Do you think with all the courses I have taken after graduating college I have enough to offset some of those lower grades I obtained when I was younger?
I hear everyone talking about their gpas being 3.4 and 3.8 and I haven't applied to CASPA yet because my medtech grades wont be officially available until August. So
I don't know where I fall on the CASPA g.p.a scale.
I know that they weigh science courses differently but i dont know if all of the post bacc courses I've taken will be
outshadowed by the grades I got in college.
What else could I be doing to make myself a standout applicant in a sea of standout applicants? I have made contact with two PAs but due to scheduling they still dont have time for me
to shadow with them
Do additional qualifications such as knowing cpr, really enhance your chances?
Sorry for the long winded email but thanks in advance for your reply (and thank you to anyone else who wants to reply).
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- Hi J383,
I am not on any admission committee but I can say this - I had terrible grades before I went into the Army. In college afterward my grades like yours were stellar. I did well on the standardized admission tests of the day (different in 1975 than now) and was accepted to several good schools. My experience though was a an Army Medic. That may be a problem for you for some schools but for others you will do fine. There is really very little difference in the quality of education from any of the top 25 schools on the US News list. They have various requirements. Your experience will qualify you for most but not schools like Duke and Emory. The big thing is grades, your motivation and references. Do you know any alums of where you are applying that can give you a reference. What I say is "Go for it" and quit sweating the small stuff. Look carefully at the admission criteria for each school you want to attend, choose those where you have the best chance and go for it.
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Diego Martinez
Mar 14, 2010 @ 12:22 am | delete
- I had actually gotten a lot of information from the Physician Assistant Forum. I swear it helped me tremendously and yes, I did get in!! Their site is at http://www.PhysicianAssistantForum.Com
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- I received an email from Nicole thru my site GettheSkinney.com. Nicole had thought she wanted to be a PA. As she prepared for this she realized (this line is from her email)
"My main goal is to be able to teach the public about certain health issues, but not necessarily diagnose illnesses or prescribe medications." Now she is in the enviable position desired by many of having interviewed for admission to PA school. Congratulations on that Nicole. And good for you for recognizing that this Path may not be the one you want to embark on. I can tell you that it is tough to be doing something where the standard of care is not what you believe in. I hear you loud and clear. We need many good people in the "sick care" sector - after all when your arm is broken someone needs to help you fix it. But, like you Nicole, I desired to do more teaching and guiding. I have gotten certified as a coach, as a motivational interviewer, and I got more than one type of training in those areas and am transitioning to that type of practice as I phase into retirement.
I would say that a coaching certification is a way for you to go. You can become a coach before you finish all your "expert training" and use that and all else you learn to help people form good habits. After all, you don't need to be an expert to help someone get more sleep, do more exercise, eat fewer and more nutritious calories etc... Being a Coach is about accountability and guiding a person in making choices, setting boundaries and widening their comfort zones. You need to be good at listening and know some basic principles. If you want to teach in a traditional setting, then you need to be certified as a teacher/professor. If you want to work for yourself a different kind of training is helpful. Ultimately, you may want to mix what you do - some teaching, some coaching and then you need both kinds of training.
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Nicole Hoffman
Jan 24, 2010 @ 11:46 am | delete
- I am currently a high school senior who wants to become a Physician Assistant. I have been accepted to Seton Hall University's dual degree Physician Assistant program, Rutgers University in New Brunswick, and University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. Rutgers and USP are affiliated with medical schools. Rutgers is affiliated with University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and USP is affiliated with Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Which school has the best PA program? Thanks!!!
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- I used US News Graduate school rankings to answer this. According to US News
Rutgers ranks 17, Seton Hall 57 and USP 69. That is out of 100 schools reviewed. Rankings stop at 69. There are 135 total PA programs certified nationwide. You would have to visit the US News site to look at their ranking criteria. 2010 rankings are not out, these are 2009 numbers. Iowa, Duke and Emory are 1,2,3 in that order again in 2009. If you go to a top 20 school you are in good shape. I do not think you should go to a program not affiliated with a med school if you can get in to one that is. Good Luck.
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Kamesha
Jun 7, 2010 @ 9:29 am | delete
- Can you please help me i am interested in becoming a PA. I just need to know what classes do i need to take before applying for PA school . What do i need a bachelors in,what prerequisite do i need .
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PAhelp
Jan 19, 2010 @ 2:56 pm | delete
- wow, i totally wrote about a whole page, but i had to work, so the page expired so i had to reload it and it lost all my writtings...so i am going to make it short. Please hlep me understand some things ...
I have a BS in biology but have a low gpa (2.9) in bio and overall average. I really want to get into PA school, but its hard to get clinical hours where i live, because many of them dont want students to shaddow, or dont have programs that let students shaddow or intern. but i did read a post in here and i will try to volunteer as a emt....i want to pull up my gpa but since i have a bs in bio, will i HAVE to take the GRE to get back into school? or is that just for people who want to get into grad school? is it even a good idea to go back and try to pull it up? i want to becoem a PA in dermatology ( i think) i am an esthetician now, so that may help me a little, but thats all the help i have. please comment if you have anything to say about my situation, thank you!
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- Sorry about the malfunction that caused you to lose your written effort. Most people who get into a top 10 school have science GPA above 3.0 and great GRE scores. What you college requires of you post-graduation to take courses should be clear on the website or available from the office of the registrar. The students I work with often take science courses online after graduation in order to bring up their grade in key courses. As for experience, most PA programs do not think shadowing as experience. They usually require 1000 hours of hands on patient care. It does not have to be in an ER or as an EMT but it does have to be your responsibility so you usually have to get some sort of training like CNA, EMT, etc... 1000 hours is 6 months of work. Get yor grades up and get yourself some experience - that is where your references come from. They want people who refer you to have been in experienced in medicine and able to give an opinion of you and your patient care skills as well as you aptitude for medicine and patient care. Good luck. Remember "yard by yard it is hard, but inch by inch it is a cinch.
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PaHelp
Jan 21, 2010 @ 2:31 pm | delete
- Thank you so much for responding quickly to my questions! I will actually start looking up online schools to pull up my GPA. But im alittle concerned about online classes. Do PA schools think they are just as good as going to a 4-year college? And lets say, if i had a C in Genetics, and i took a genetics course online and got an "A", will my GPA be combined to become a "B"? or will i my GPA be higher because i got an "A"? its hard to explain what im trying to say...but hopefully you understand.....Also, would you recommened any online schools that your students went that really helped them? Ive heard horror stories about a few online schools such as: professors take a long time to respond, the material was basic stuff that was not even hard ( i want to learn, not just pass because professors want their student to pass. I live in a city where there are great schools while others are horrible..i went to both in highschool....)
You also said to get training as a CNA, EMT, but dont i have to go to school for that also?
if you don't mind, can you be my mentor, i will keep you updated on what i am doing. I would appreciate it! Thank you! :)
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- I am not talking about online only schools. The Univ of NC, for instance, offers many of its lecture portions of science classes on line. You pay and get a series of video lectures, participate in a forum discussion and submit quizzes and tests virtually. Where ever you previously attended, check their online course availability. They already gave you a degree, find out their policy about GPA after retaking a course, do they replace to average the grade? Look at their info - you already went there, it is simple that way. If they don't offer online courses, look at your state university requirements. UNC is a state school and if you have a degree, you qualify for the adult education program and basically just have to send them transcripts and a copy of your degree and pay for your courses to be accepted. They limit how many credits you can take a semester to 5 or 6 but that is good enough to take 2 courses and do well. Best wishes on your PA Path.
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Diana Diaz
Jan 7, 2010 @ 7:08 pm | delete
- I have recently graduated with a bachelors degree in biology. My science grades were poor throughout school because I had to work two jobs throughout college. I know I am a smart student and I am preparing myself financially so that my future educational endeavors will not be as hard as college was. I still managed to come away with an overall GPA of 3.0 and a science GPA of 2.8. If I do well on my GRE is there a chance for me to be accepted into a typical PA program? Also, I am interested in doing research and have heard that PAs do participate in research activities. However I have not found many resources that talk about PA roles in research. Are there any resources that deal with PAs and research specifically?
Thank you so much in advance!
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- Your question about research is a good one and one I can not answer right now. As to grades, if you want to get into any good graduate program, your grades, recommendations and GRE scores are what get you an interview and that gets you into school. If you were going to give someone a position in your organization, what would you take into consideration? When I was applying I had had some bad grades but was advised to take some graduate level courses that admitted undergrads. My recommendations, A's in those courses and my prior experience got me interviews at 4 good schools the second year I applied. I would advise you to do the same.
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Dr. Chadwick
Dec 6, 2009 @ 12:10 am | delete
- I am already a D.P.M. What is the quickest path to becoming a physician assistant?
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- To become certified, you must complete the training in an AMA approved program - minimum 2 years and pass the national certification exam. If you applied and were accepted fall of 2010, you could take your exam spring of 2012. It is competitive and like your program, Med School or other programs, there is no advanced standing. Because of your education, you are less likely to get in. PAs are dependent practitioners and that requires a certain acceptance or the role and a certain mind set. That is why they won't accept FMGs into most PA programs.
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Steph
Sep 21, 2009 @ 10:54 am | delete
- Hey I'm a junior in high school. I am still deciding if I want to become a doctor or a physician assistant. I am so confused right now whether to take which classes. I also don't want to spend half of my life trying to get a doctorate degree. So, I plan on to choose a path of a physician but I don't know what to do after high school. Is there a med school? what kind of med school do I attend? I am also interested in taking care of babies. So after high school, do I have to attend nursing school to become a physician assistant? What is a med school after high school? like what? and my GPAs are sort of low, will this keep me from becoming a doctor or a physician? how many years will it take to become a physician? I already took biology, chemistry, and AP psychology that concerned with medical. So, what now?
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- Steph, Thanks for your comment. You have some big decisions ahead. Either way, it requires 4 years of college. The prerequisites for either professional school are abut the same and both med school and PA school require some clinical experience. When you decide your career path, look at the entrance requirements of schools you would like to attend. I think one of the best ways to get clinical experience is as a volunteer EMT. Most courses could be taken during the summer from a community college and after passing your test, you can volunteer with a fire department. Over your college years, you can easily accumulate the 1000 hours of clinical experience needed for either med school or PA school.
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- It sounds like you have a plan and it could work but nursing school will not allow you to meet all the requirements of PA school. It is a lot of hard work on another path. When I was in high school I could not see past the end of my nose so I commend you.
If you look at the Duke PA program on this lens, you will see they have applicants with good GPAs in science and good GRE scores. My advice is to decide in a career in nursing and get a masters there or become a PA and get your masters there. They really are separate paths.
You major in what you want in college, a lot of med school and PA school applicants I know have majored in Spanish and taken all the prereq's for professional school also. I would buy Elizabeth's booklet for 4.95 and begin to plan for either PA school or Nursing but not both. You have enough experience as a cna to get into a good PA school. Good Luck
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Sierra D
Sep 19, 2009 @ 8:50 pm | delete
- Hey i'm a senior in high school and want to go four years in nursing and obtain a bachelors of science in nursing, then go for two more years and become a physician assistant. As a high school student i'm about average my gpa is overall a 3.0-3.5 and I just want to know is it possible and how hard is it? This is my all time dream to be in medicine and like a doctor, but how stressful and hard is the program and how competitive is it to even get in? Would they even consider my application. I'm also very involved in my high school and i'm already a cna?
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- Hi Shaun, I remember well my own path, married with 2 kids. It was over 35 years ago now, so it flashes by quickly. Concentrate on the day. What you do today, if done well, and repeated daily will make the difference for the quality of PA school you attend and how well you do there. An old doctor that was retired, used to have students over to his home. We always complained about working full time and going to school full time and he used to say, "Yard by yard it is hard. But, inch by inch its a cinch." Anne Lamont, a favorite author says to keep your focus on a 1" x 1" window. Don't focus on any more than that amount. Enjoy the journey, it is over all too fast.
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- Hi Shaun, I remember well my own path, married with 2 kids. It was over 35 years ago now, so it flashes by quickly. Concentrate on the day. What you do today, if done well, and repeated daily will make the difference for the quality of PA school you attend and how well you do there. An old doctor that was retired, used to have students over to his home. We always complained about working full time and going to school full time and he used to say, "Yard by yard it is hard. But, inch by inch its a cinch." Anne Lamont, a favorite author says to keep your focus on a 1" x 1" window. Don't focus on any more than that amount. Enjoy the journey, it is over all too fast.
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Shaun Myrtle
Jan 29, 2009 @ 9:33 pm | delete
- Bruce,
Thanks for your dedication to informing all of us that are wanting to get into PA school. I am dedicated in my pursuit to becoming a PA although I wish the process would be sooner than later. I was a Navy Corpsman in the U.S. Naval Reserves for 8 years and have been a Respiratory Therapist for 11 years now. I am currently in the process of getting my BS in Cardiopulmonary Science. Upon completion, I will still have some courses to take to make sure my application is competitive. I currently work full time and average about 10 cr hours per semester. As a result, the process seems so far in the distant future but I try to keep myself focused on the big picture. I figure I have about 24 months to reach my goal. I am married with kids and although I know I will not be able to work when I get into a program , I must work now to prepare for the future plus the hospital I work at pays my tuition while I am in a full time status Your messages are both informative and inspirational.
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- May, look at the info on Duke here you will see their applicants have GPA's in the high 3s. They do well on the GRE & have good resumes. This is characteristic of the top 10-15 schools. Duke got 900 applications for their 60 slots. That is the level of competition there for many years.
Second level schools (the opinion of US News) would look at you if you do very well on the GRE and Have good grades in the core subjects (sciences)plus have great experience and very good references.
Do not give up on your dreams! Find a way to make them happen. I was not a great student either and was rejected by the schools in the west (1970s) and was accepted by Duke eventually. They liked my experience, references & test scores. I took some graduate science courses as an undergrad and got Bs in those. Look for your way in. Find some PAs in your area, get their opinions.
Best wishes. You may want to purchase Elizabeth Murray's 60 Tips for the PA Path. www.thepapath.com
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may
Jan 4, 2009 @ 12:54 pm | delete
- Hi I was wondering how competitive PA school is? I am currently a sophomore in college. My overall GPA is 3.12 and science GPA is 2.6 (mostly C and B). Would PA school even consider my application. Thanks.
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- Bob, this is a lens about Physician Assistants not physicians. The salaries for all professions are available at the bureau of labor statistics.
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bob anderson
Jan 1, 2009 @ 9:04 pm | delete
- why cant you guys tell me how much physicians make so i can get on with my life
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- There are programs that only offer a bachelors degree. The top schools as listed in US News each year all offer masters degrees. Schools like University of Detroit Mercy allow HS students to apply to their 5 year program. Does this answer your question
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Jacob @ jacst1982@gmail.com
Oct 15, 2011 @ 12:16 am | delete
- Hi I'm Jacob and I'm 28 years old. I am a Marine combat veteran who is about to graduate with an AS in Radiology Technology. I am very interested in becoming a PA and would like to know if a bachelors in RT is a good choice and would my intern hours as an RT count towards the 1000 required hours? I am also a reservist in the Navy and was wondering if I could become a PA through them
Or if I still have to go through a major university? Thank you for your time!
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zeki bolat
Dec 3, 2008 @ 4:42 pm | delete
- Hi my name is zeki bolat, and i want to became a physician assistant, but my concern is that is it possible to be a physician assistant with a bachelers degreee.
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