silverstarlight Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 Hi, I am a pre-PA student one year out of college. I graduated from UCLA with a physiology degree and had a decent GPA(3.5+). During college I did a lot of volunteer work in both the hospital and community, as well as research. However, I only have about 1000 hours as a medical scribe for my HCE, as I only decided on PA a few months prior to my college graduation. I am trying to find a different job after my current job contract ends but there are not very many healthcare jobs that require a few months of training or less that count toward HCE. Should I consider taking another gap year to get more healthcare experience? I really want to apply as soon as possible(hopefully this year) but I am concerned about applying and not getting in, especially since applications are expensive and money is an issue for me. What are good options for me at this point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted March 4, 2017 Moderator Share Posted March 4, 2017 YES, take a gap year and train/work as an emt, cna, or medical asst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MT2PA Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 ^^ Yep. Especially if money is an issue, find a job, get more HCE, save up money and have the BEST application you can so you only have to apply once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UGoLong Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 If I were you (and I’m obviously not), I would consider applying this year to a small group of schools. (A) you might get in and (B) you will be more prepared for “next year,” if you don’t get in. Some schools do accept scribe experience. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overthehorizen Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 I am going to offer an opinion that might surprise you. You might think that the PA profession is a great choice because of the rigorous admission standards and challenging education. It is all of that. The fact is that it doesn't matter. Minting graduates from PA programs with solid pre-pa experience in hce and premed curriculum coupled with rigorous medical education doesn't translate into competitiveness in the marketplace. You will work harder to get in, harder to graduate and harder to find satisfying work than any nurse practitioner. The PA profession is in a state of rapid decline and will not be in existence in ten years. Your best choice now is to apply to go to RN school at a local community college with cheap tuition. After graduating, work as an RN and then go part-time at a state school with cheap tuition to become an NP and then a DNP. You will be finished in about four years from now and have almost zero debt because you worked while going to school and having dirt cheap tuition. At graduation, you can run you own clinic (something a PA will never be able to do because they will always be supervised by doctors) in 23 states. You should look at this situation as a great opportunity. The two people who were kicked out of my PA program are now DNPs and making bank in their own practices. Do you think I feel sorry that they got booted from PA school. It was the best thing that ever happened to them. Remember, many of the people who post words of encouragement to go become a PA are possible affiliated with the AAPA, NCCPA or one of the hundreds of PA programs. Thus, they profit by your entrance into a declining field; a ponzi scheme of sorts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe65D Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 Remember, many people who post words of discouragement to go become an NP are possibly affiliated with the AANP or one of the millions of NP programs. Thus, they profit by your leaving the PA field; a ponzi scheme of sorts Hmmmm, now your posts make sense overthehorizon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted March 5, 2017 Moderator Share Posted March 5, 2017 FWIW I am not affiliated with AAPA other than being a member. I am not affiliated with NCCPA other than having passed pance, panre x 3, and a caq in em. I do not make 200k/yr. I will be teaching a single course for a pa program starting Jan 2018, but am not full time faculty by any stretch of the imagination. I'm also one of the folks who recommend that young folks without hce go to medschool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overthehorizen Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 I am charged with a lot of things. Not a PA, being a Nurse Practitioner, you name it. All I can say is that I am a PA-C. I am not an AAPA member, i passed PANCE once and PANRE once as required by NCCPA. I have never been involved with a PA program as an instructor or preceptor. Work full time as a PA. Oh, I don't make over 200k/year. Additionally, I derive no benefit by advocating so strongly for the NP profession. They are killing us and I just have to acknowledge they have won the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PACrankset Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 I am charged with a lot of things. Not a PA, being a Nurse Practitioner, you name it. All I can say is that I am a PA-C. I am not an AAPA member, i passed PANCE once and PANRE once as required by NCCPA. I have never been involved with a PA program as an instructor or preceptor. Work full time as a PA. Oh, I don't make over 200k/year. Additionally, I derive no benefit by advocating so strongly for the NP profession. They are killing us and I just have to acknowledge they have won the game. Over, Your negative attitude towards the PA profession is the problem. If you dislike the profession so much as to discredit multiple times, perhaps you would be better suited to find another job. The profession is changing yes, but I believe it is changing for the better. Having worked with several NP's, I would rather work harder to get in, study hard and get the better education. That way I can treat my patients knowing I poses the knowledge to do so with confidence. You are entitled to your opinion but inserting it into other pre-pa posts, with the intention of discouraging others is not appropriate. Signed Proud soon to be PA-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overthehorizen Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 Please, I must warn the person who is considering entry into the PA program to read this thread carefully. Note that the criticism of the PA profession by a practicing PA is not welcome. This is why the profession has failed to win independent practice in a single state since it started. NPs now have 23 states with independent practice and they are independent in the VA and Department of Corrections. It is a foolish game to attack NPs as being inferior. They may be inferior. They are still winning this game. We need to think differently. People buy a brand. They don't buy the features. There are three brands in the market place now. Doctor, NP and PA. In terms of brand power, recognition and identity, doctors are winning, NPs have a strong second and the PA brand is withering. I would even argue this is no PA brand. You cannot strengthen your brand by attacking the other brand as a strategy. We must win 50 state independent practice and abandon reboarding. We must strengthen our brand so that we can win 50 state independent practice and abandon reboarding. Everybody here is focused on features. Features don't sell. Brands sell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
south Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 The reason we don't have independent practice isn't because you think your criticism isn't welcome. ...oh, I give up. If you are going to say the sky is falling, why stop there? UPDATE! The PA profession is under criminal investigation for inventing smallpox, kidnapping the Lindbergh baby and THIS JUST IN a signed affidavit by an NP states that D.B. Cooper, PA-C, is alive and living with Elvis Presley and Jim Morrison in Las Vegas. President Overthehorizon has signed an executive order stating that all PAs are to be forcibly converted to NP's by having their clinical and scientific knowledge erased from their brains, like they did in that Flash Gordon movie with the Queen soundtrack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overthehorizen Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 President Overthehorizon has signed an executive order stating that all PAs are to be forcibly converted to NP's by having their clinical and scientific knowledge erased from their brains, like they did in that Flash Gordon movie with the Queen soundtrack. Ok. I have to admit it. That made me laugh! I am going out for coffee now but I have wrapped my head in aluminum foil to retain my clinical and scientific knowledge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithta Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 To reference the OP, EMTB is an excellent way to get hands on experience with only a few months training. I've taught an EMT class in as little as 4 weeks, but traditionally it is 3-4 months with class 2-3 days a week. GL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverstarlight Posted March 6, 2017 Author Share Posted March 6, 2017 I would greatly appreciate it if people would stop spamming this thread with arguments. I asked a question and I want an answer to that question not a 20 page report of your opinion about the PA profession. If it bothers you that much go to your local hospital with picket signs or something since you have so much free time on your hands. That being said I greatly appreciate the feedback I got from the people who actually answered my question. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverstarlight Posted March 6, 2017 Author Share Posted March 6, 2017 To reference the OP, EMTB is an excellent way to get hands on experience with only a few months training. I've taught an EMT class in as little as 4 weeks, but traditionally it is 3-4 months with class 2-3 days a week. GL! Where did you find this class? I am looking for classes in California but a lot of them take two semesters.(the affordable ones) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithta Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 Im from VA so not sure if we have the same resources, but we post open classes on our statewide Office of EMS page. You could also check local rescue squads for fliers of upcoming classes. They tend to follow college semesters (Aug for Fall, Jan for Winter session, etc) but you could be lucky and find a course off the normal cycle. I know local EMS agencies here are trialing online EMT classes, so that could be an option too I guess! Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
optomist Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Emt at UCLA is a very good program, but a little pricey. Then get a job in an ER or ambulance co. To bad you didn't do it while you were a student, you could of worked on the campus. Don't worry about the trolls. There is always someone around to give you good reasons not to follow your dreams. I'm glad I didn't listen. I begin PA school in the fall. I was Phi-sci at UCLA too, then a firefighter paramedic for 29 years and now off to a second carreer. Go Bruins. Never, never, ... never give up on your dreams. L'Chaim Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cbrutts Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Remember, many of the people who post words of encouragement to go become a PA are possible affiliated with the AAPA, NCCPA or one of the hundreds of PA programs. Thus, they profit by your entrance into a declining field; a ponzi scheme of sorts.[/quote I think this person forgot they are posting on the "physician assistant forum" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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