Disciple3

Thanks for all the work on this, bookmarked for a later time :)

Undergrad ed school: University of Pittsburgh, B.S Emergency Medicine cGPA: 3.05 sGPA: 3.20 Post Bacc: 3.85 CASPA verification: May 20th Age at time of application: 25 GRE: V 160 Q 157 W 5.0 (317) HCE: 6000++ hours Paramedic Research: None Shadowing: 120 in rural primary care, 36 in Childrens Hospital ED Volunteering: 60+ hours contributing to various charitable events such as 5k runs etc. Member of Team Rubicon Awards/ honors/etc.: Air Force Veteran Schools applied to: LHU, Penn State, GWU, Stonybrook, UNE, UNC, Salus, Drexel, Desales, PCOM, Thomas J, Yale, Franklin Pierce, Marietta, Mt Union, MEDEX, Marywood, Pace, AA/UMBC, MUSC, Univ of Toledo, Duke, West Liberty Interviews: Lock Haven, Stonybrook, Penn State, GWU, UNE, Salus, Marietta, UNC, Mount Union, MEDEX (Nov 19th, WITHDRAWN - no more interview funds), West Liberty, Univ of Toledo(withdrawn) Rejected: Marywood, Pace, AA/UMBC (somehow missed a pre req in progress), Yale, MUSC, Thomas J, Desales, Duke, Drexel, PCOM Still Under Review: Franklin pierce Waitlisted: Stonybrook, Marietta Accepted: UNE 2nd time around So excited to move my post to the accepted thread!! The cycle is still going but it's such a relief to see all the hard work and years of effort paying off finally. I feel like my GPA and course history really dragged me down regardless of the fact I got quite a few interviews. Nonetheless very happy to be accepted and attending my 2nd pick out of all the schools I visited, UNE!

Honestly, it sounds like you might belong in another field if that's how you "truly" feel. Sure everyone gets down over certain things we see in the medical profession, but if you don't think you can handle the day to day things and are not even interested in it then it might not really be for you. Another thing to consider with depression is a general "disinterest" so maybe you just haven't fully moved past that either. I would suggest perhaps going back and re reading your personal statement about why you applied to school to begin with, remind yourself why you are there. Go take a walk around the hospital and watch some patients that are struggling, this is an easy way to visibly remind yourself why you are there as well. If none of these works and you didn't have a very strong motivation for attending PA school in the first place then I would cut my losses now. And as a side note that could be part of this, definitely don't compare yourself to where your classmates are at now. You are at different points now and they've delved into the material and curriculum by now and are going full speed ahead until graduation. You've kinda missed the start of that but by no means have to count yourself out because of it.

I agree, I don't think any other HCE transfers quite as well as what you get from being in the field and responsible for a critical patient. You just can't imitate that until you've been there.

You can't help someone who refuses to help themselves. This is not exactly a problem rooted in healthcare.

Put the money down. You may end up losing 500-1000 dollars but if you wait another year to attend school you will lose an entire year of PA salary. In the end a PA-C is a PA-C its the work you put in

Undergrad ed school: University of Pittsburgh, B.S Emergency Medicine cGPA: 3.05 sGPA: 3.20 Post Bacc: 3.85 CASPA verification: May 20th Age at time of application: 25 GRE: V 160 Q 157 W 5.0 (317) HCE: 5600++ hours Paramedic Research: None Shadowing: 120 in rural primary care, 36 in Childrens Hospital ED Volunteering: 60+ hours contributing to various charitable events such as 5k runs etc Awards/ honors/etc.: Veteran stuff Schools applied to: Ill update later on Interviews: Lock Haven, Stonybrook, Penn State, GWU, UNE, Salus, Marietta, UNC Rejected: Marywood, Pace, Lock Haven, AA/UMBC Waitlisted: Accepted: 2nd time around

Sounds too familiar, I too had the similar idea, I worked my ass off to be a J during undergrad and ended up injured and discharged after about a year. I've now spent the last several years working as a Paramedic and taking classes to apply to PA schools in a traditional sense. My advice would be to hone your focus. If you want to be a PJ, you have to commit your life to it now. It's not simply something you "go do". If you want to be a PA, you have to commit to that as well. I'm not saying that it can't be done, but doing TWO years of training alone to be a PJ then turning around to go into a PA program when you think you may have "free time" to take pre reqs seems unrealistic. I'm not sure if you meant Guard or Active PJ but on active that that sounds like a tall task. My 2 cents, take it or leave it as someone who has been wrung through the system. I'm even planning on going back into the Guard once in PA school. PJ is a career option and you will only make it if you love it AND get lucky not to be hurt. Being a Physician Assistant is ALSO a career option and if you are already planning for it now (you're 30, I'm 25) you may be better served to skip enlisting and perhaps go in as a medical officer if you need a way to pay for the tuition. I know there are many options available!