PzawifetoPA

Thanks for the response paadmissions! Summer is quickly coming to an end and Fall is my favorite season, hope things calm down a bit for you! :-) I am looking into Biology courses to start in a few weeks, I really want to be a PA so if Biology is what I need to get there than Biology it shall be.

lanime, Thanks for the feedback on my question. I know all of the programs I applied to have Biology listed as a pre-req but I didn't know how detrimental it would be for me to not have it. I will definitely take it if needed in the Fall & Spring but If any of the programs will overlook me not taking it in lieu of my experience it would be a plus. I didn't have a Bachelor's degree when I started back to school and I really thought Nursing might satisfy my craving to help people but I quickly realized that PA was a better fit. I questioned one program to make sure they would consider a Bachelor's in Nursing (since I was already on that path) vs the typical Undergraduate degree in Biology, Chemistry or Psychology simply because I felt with one of those degrees would not allow me to care for people at all if I did not get into PA school. I have been going to school full time for the past 5 years and I am so looking forward to starting a PA program in 2017, so I would hate to have this stand in my way.

Hello paadmissions, I am wondering how important it is to most programs to have taken Biology w/lab as a pre-requisite? I have a BSN in Nursing and Biology was not a required course for my program. I am applying to 7 programs and all have Biology as a prerequisite course; on my CASPA application I used my NUR classes which include a clinical portion to serve as the lab to go with it. Can you give me some insight on whether schools will give this as credit while taking into consideration by HCE. I have 16 years experience (over 20,000 hours) working in healthcare (10 years in a nonclinical leadership position developing and overseeing a pathology and patient services department; working with patients giving pathology results, scheduling follow-up and surgeries appointments as well as processing pathology specimens, completing path reports, and billing and 5 years in the clinical setting as a Medical Assistant and after completing my Associate's Degree in Nursing working as an RN working directly with the Physicians/PAs & NPs). I have looked at some options to take two biology classes by Spring of next year prior to matriculation but do not want to spend money that is not necessary. Thanks for any feedback you can offer. PzawifetoPA

Undergrad: Delaware Technical Community College - Associate Degree in Nursing (May 2015) Wilmington University - Bachelor of Science in Nursing (May 2016) GPA: CASPA Overall Non-science GPA - 3.61 CASPA Overall Science GPA - 3.12 GRE: V 148 Q 144 W 4.0 CASPA application submitted 6/1/16 Final transcript received by CASPA 6/9/16 CASPA verified: 06/14/16 Age at time of application: 46 Direct Patient Care: 700+ hours clinical experiences as Student Nurse for my ADN requirements in Med-Surg / Community / Psych -including Substance Abuse Detox & rehab / Labor & Delivery / Peds / Geriatrics -long term care / Hospice / Trauma 3 months as RN at an Inpatient Behavior Health Facility 5 years as a Certified Medical Assistant and Registered Nurse w/a large Dermatology Practice (General Derm/Mohs Surgery/Facial and Body Plastics) 2 months as RN on a Hemodialysis unit at a local hospital - includes intra-op / in-patient & out-patient treatments / acute bedside Hemodialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis, and SLEED. Healthcare Experience: 10 years non-clinical leadership role experience in pathology & patient services Volunteer experience: 30 hours at Little Sister's of the Poor Residential facility Shadowing: significant experience through work-related contact LOR: 3 Total - 1 Physician (who I have worked w/ for 15+ years) / 1 PA-C (who I worked with for 8 years before she moved.) / 1 PA-C (who I have worked with for the last 8 + years) Applying (for 2017): Arcadia (both locations) / DeSales / Drexel / PCOM-Philadelphis campus / Temple & Thomas Jefferson Interview Invites: pending Denied: - pending Waitlisted - pending Accepted - pending Attending - pending Attempt: Second (First attempt, 2015-16 cycle, was only to 2 programs - I submitted late in the application process-Aug/Sept to 1 program and Jan for the second & I was not finished w/my Bachelor's). *Since the last cycle I have increased Pt care and personal experience, added volunteer hours, completed my undergrad degree and improved my Science and Overall GPA's.

I've reposted my Stats on the Not Yet Accepted page...

Finally!!!! Submitted 6/1 Last transcripts received by CASPA 6/9 Verified 6/14 Good Luck again everyone! ????

Glad to hear you are all verified nygirl25! Can you tell if it was verified after 5:00pm? I am in the final verification process and I submitted on June 2 also so I was hoping that I would not have to wait until Monday for it to be complete. Goo Luck on with your programs!!!

I have not and I plan to call the school I requested it from tomorrow to make sure it was sent because I feel that even with the Holiday last week it should have made it there by now.

I submitted my application on June 1 and am still not complete. It seems they might be waiting on a transcript (which I requested from the school on 5/26/16. I am hoping it was delayed due to the holiday). However, in light of your comment pdbhakta, I just sent an email to inquire about it; they are closed now so I will likely not hear back until Monday. So my motto for the weekend is, "Good things come to those who wait!" ;-) Good Luck to everyone applying this cycle!!!!!!!

I hesitated to post this since I was denied at the only program I applied to (so far) and my GPA is likely what determined that. But thought feedback would be helpful... so here goes: Undergrad Ed School: Wilmington University – Bachelors of Science –Nursing (will finish in early May2016) Delaware Technical Comm College Associate Degree – Nursing (completed May 2015) Cumulative Undergrad. GPA: 3.52 (CASPA) Science Undergrad. GPA: 2.95 (CASPA) (Both GPA’s listed only include classes taken through May2015, additional classes completed / in progress / planned – so these should be stronger next cycle with all classes completed) Age at application time: 46 1st GRE: 144q 148v Analytical – 4.0 Direct Patient Care : HCE/PCE as a CMA & now RN in Dermatology office – 7072 hours (as of May 2015, additional 900+ since then) – includes shadowing PA’s or MD daily PCE - Student Nurse – 854 hours (in Med Surg (various units) / Psych / Peds / OG-GYN (including one day in Labor & Delivery as active coach during labor and child birth)/ Long term care / Hospice / Drug & Alcohol Detox / OR experience observing Extracurricular/Research Activities: Cantor / Choir member at church Wife & Mom Schools Applied: Arcadia – DE campus (really wanted to stay local if I start this year due to family obligations) (I am considering applying to Temple (Developing Program) / PCOM / Penn State, since application deadlines are still open – just weighing out pros/cons of daily commuting effect on personal obligations vs. waiting until next cycle when I would be able to apply to numerous programs and hopefully have the option of picking from multiple acceptances.) Any thoughts or suggestions? CASPA submitted: August 18, 2015 CASPA verified: August 28, 2015 Schools Received Application Date: September 2015 Interview Invites: None Denied: Arcadia Attempts: First Feedback welcome and appreciated!