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  1. Hi all - few questions that I would love opinions/advice on. I have been a civilian PA for roughly a handful of years. I recently commissioned into the Army reserves. My current full time employer is not supportive of this whatsoever. I understand there are laws in place to protect uniformed members. Since explaining to him the required commitment it has been nothing but a hostile environment - criticizing me on any possible thing, giving me the cold shoulder/ignoring me when not criticizing me, etc. - keep in mind we did have a good working relationship prior to this, I have been in this position for a few years now. Although I never loved the position and did not expect to be here for the extended long term, I was satisfied with it for the time being. Considering I have the military and also work a per diem position elsewhere, I am definitely considering moving on from this position as I do not think the hostile work environment is worth my stress and emotional health however I am contracted with my current employer. What have been your experiences with telling your civilian providers that you joined? What specialties have you found most suitable to the lifestyle? Would love any and all advice on the issue, thank you.
  2. What are the top books for incoming PA students? (I have bought a few already, including Physician Assistant Exam for Dummies, JBReview Physician Assistant Review Guide, and Clinical Pharmacology/Physiology Made Ridiculously Simple.) I know Pance Prep Pearls is popular, as well - is there a specific edition that would be best? I have also seen some great looking books for nursing students, such as The Nursing School Bundle and RekMed. I absolutely love their details and the visuals. Do you believe those would be effective for PA students, or are there any books for PA students that are similarly appealing?
  3. I would really appreciate some advice on how people take advantage of their commutes! I have found several great podcasts and know that many suggest recording/listening to lectures. Are there any other suggestions, or even any good CDs anyone knows about? (My car has a CD player )
  4. I am looking for advice on how to pay for PA school! I have saved some money over the years from working. I know the interest rate on loans is extremely high, so paying off what I can without loans would be great. However, I know there are different types of loan forgiveness, such as PSLF and NHSC. From what I've seen, some companies also forgive loans up to a certain amount, from $20k to even $200k (at the VA). Knowing where one would work post-graduation is difficult to predict, though. With that being said, what is the best way to go about paying for PA school? Is it best to pay it immediately? Or is it better to take out loans and take a chance at getting them paid off? (I am guessing that it is competitive process and have seen that NHSC sites in my area didn't have any PA openings as of right now.) What is the chance that one is selected for any loan forgiveness opportunities? Is it smarter to take out some loans so that there is a possibility for at least some of it to be forgiven? Also, are there any scholarship opportunities?
  5. Hi! I have been accepted by several programs and would appreciate some advice! From all of my acceptances, I narrowed it down between 2 schools in Wisconsin - Marquette University and Carroll University. I will be commuting from home for both of them since they are in my area. They both have several pros and cons. Marquette About 25 min. commute from home New PA facility Experienced faculty Tuition - $124k Accreditation - probation Class size - 75 Program length - 28 mo. I have been told there may be 3-4 distant clinical rotations Schedule: M-F 8-5 100% PANCE pass rate Paid parking Amazing reputation and connections Carroll About 40 min. commute from home Separate Grad building, but PA class has 1 room Flexible schedule, varies Accreditation - Continued (for 10yrs.) Tuition - $97k Class size - 32 93% PANCE pass rate Free parking Program length - 24 mo. Not as big of a reputation I have been told there may be 1 distant clinical Being from Milwaukee, I know that Marquette has an absolutely amazing reputation and there is an immense amount of pride surrounding it. (It's also been my dream school!) Nearly all of the PAs that I've spoken to at the company I work at have attended Marquette's program, but I haven't seen/met any from Carroll here. Either way, I know both would be great programs, but I am torn!
  6. I got a AWA 3 (13th Percentile) on my GRE, after retaking and achieving a 304 on the rest. It worth it to retake the GRE to increase the AWA? How much importance do PA schools put on the AWA score?
  7. I was in the physician Assistant program at SRU and hated it. Everyone in my cohort hates the program because it is an anatomy based program. You will spend MAJORITY of your time studying anatomy and won’t study what is actually important such as clinical medicine. The professosr also do not care about you because they only care about their jobs and the program not getting shut down. The anatomy professor does not know how to teach and makes you feel stupid if you ask a question. I would not recommend this program to anyone.
  8. Hello! My name is Peighton Bolt and I am a PA student up at High Point University NC. I am an NHSC scholarship recipient looking to do my rotations in GA preferably near Augusta. I am currently expecting and need to return to Augusta to be closer to family for my PA rotations. I would love to talk further if anyone is amenable to accepting a PA student for a rotation beginning sometime after Summer 2023 (this September on)? I am currently looking for pediatric, surgical, family, and internal medicine rotations! I understand the hassle of taking on students, but I promise to only bring a helpful hand and insightful mind to your clinic. Thank you for ya'lls time!! -Peighton Bolt
  9. Hi everyone! My name is Nicole Rodriguez, and I am a graduate from Florida International University double major in Biology and Natural & Applied Sciences. I applied to about 10 PA schools this cycle of 2022-2023 and currently heard back from 3 (which I got rejected) and still awaiting to hear back from the rest. I feel pretty lost and discouraged so, it makes me wonder if PA school is really for me. The way things have changed for me from the moment I was preparing myself for applications, feeling confident to now feeling absolutely hopeless... This waiting game has been brutal and has made me feel like an imposter. I am still holding onto the little hope I have left in me, but if I do not get accepted this cycle, I would like to change my whole perspective on everything. I am still working as a medical assistant so; I will have accumulated about 4000 hours. I would like to have some guidance on my personal statement as I want to change it completely, but do not know how to. I would appreciate any advice! I may be reached out via email Nicole.rodriguez3860@icloud.com Thank you for your time and happy holidays!
  10. Im so blessed to have been accepted to 2 programs, however, I am so torn on which PA program to attend. A)I was accepted to 1 program that I absolutely loved the staff, facility, and truly felt at home. They have a small class size of 30 which I love. I also would be able to rent a house and have a much better living situation. But they just had their first class take the PANCE and a class of 19 students had a 54% pass rate. Their didactic year was unexpectedly online due to Covid, therefore, I strongly believed this contributed. They have hired a new program director that came from a PA program with a 100% PANCE pass rate and he is implementing changes to improve the program. I met the director and he seems very competent and wants to do anything to make this program successful. They will have 2 more graduating classes before I graduate, therefore, I’m hoping they can work out the kinks. B) The other program I was accepted to is not in an area that I’m thrilled to be in. I also felt like another number at my interview instead of feeling valued. Their class size is also double the size (60) and I normally learn best in smaller class sizes. But, their PANCE pass rate is 95%. I’m not sure what to do! I can’t seem to decide between following my heart, or my logical brain.
  11. Hi, I am new here and this is my first post. I am currently finishing a masters program in NYC to become a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC/LPC) but have lost passion for the discipline. In fact, my heart was never really in it and did it as a safety net. My true passion was always for medicine. I recently decided to follow through on this dream because I am miserable doing anything else. I have worked as a CNA in 2 hospitals for 1 year and fell in love with medicine. I miss working with the nurses, doctors, and medical staff and even patients families to help patients. My plan after graduating next fall with my MA degree in mental health is to become a volunteer EMT-B. After that, I want to fulfill the pre-reqs for PA school but I have no idea how I will afford it or how to do it. I have no pre-reqs except for stats and psychology. Thank you for any feedback. How do most post-bacc students afford pre-reqs? Is it okay to do pre-reqs at a community college? or should I do a post-bacc program? How do students afford a post-bacc pre-PA program? How long does it take to fulfill the pre-reqs? How expensive is it to fulfull the pre-reqs? What is the age cut off? I'll be in my 30s when I apply. Is that too late? Does mental health counseling/substance abuse counseling count as direct patient care hours?
  12. I have been a vet assistant/tech for about 2 years (currently not anymore) and as of the last 9 months I have been volunteering with a hospital ED for human experience. I know of one school who accepts this, east Michigan, but I live in the southeast and would like to stay closer to home. Does anybody have any schools that also accept this or any comments on if I should include this in my HCE? Has anyone else gotten into a program with similar experience or know of anybody? Thank you.
  13. Hey everyone! So I'm 8 weeks away from graduating! Hooray! I wanted to ask you lovely folks what tips you have on job hunting whether it be when to search, what benefits to aim for, important questions you wished you asked, etc. Anything helps, thanks!
  14. Hello, I am a recent bachelors graduate with no experience in the medical field (I only have a BLS/CPR license) and have been searching for a medical assistant position. I am located in Florida. Any tips only how to apply/search for these positions when I have non experience? What is the best way to contact these offices? Thank you!
  15. Hi there, my name is Vanessa and I just graduated with my bachelor's in February. I am looking to pursue into a PA program but not quite sure where to start. I am currently studying for the GRE and have about 250 internship hours done at an ENT clinic with an audiologist. I'm not sure in what I am doing and need any guidance or suggestion in what to do.
  16. This is copied from paadmissions "Ask a PA Admissions Director." I found it hiding in the bowels of that forum (page 81), and I figured placing it here would make it very handy for those perusing personal statements and seeking advice. Posted 20 May 2014 - 02:46 PM Hi guys! I've put together some hints for writing a good personal statement below. These hints were gathered from several medical school websites and from our own experience with our program. Hope this helps! The personal statement is required as a part of any application to PA school. Many applicants make writing a personal statement a daunting task, but it does not have to be. Below are helpful hints and topics to avoid that can help you write a good personal statement. Topic: Why you want to be a PA? Personal Statement Helpful Hints: · Engage the reader and create interest. · Get to the point. There is a character limit for personal statements. One page is usually all it takes to make your point. · Avoid using flowery language and/or big words throughout your statement. · Make sure the statement is structured in a logical order and flows nicely so it is easy to read. · Do not restate your resume. · Incorporate how your healthcare experience and non-healthcare experience (academics, volunteer, and leadership positions) prepared you for PA school. · Be insightful and analytical about your understanding of the role of the PA. Use your clinical experiences to draw this conclusion. · Call out the elephant in the room. If you had a “hiccup” in your academic career, you should BRIEFLY address it (i.e. death in the family, immaturity factor, poor study habits), state what you did to overcome it, and what you have done to sustain an upward trend in your academic performance. · If you have a strong desire to enter a certain field of medicine, explain why. For example, if you want to go into primary care, what have you done to prepare yourself for this field (i.e. clinical experience opportunities, skill sets, are you from a disadvantaged background, etc.), and the challenges PAs face, if any in the particular field. · Have more than one person review your statement. An advisor, career services representative, or a writing center are good resources to utilize. · Avoid contractions. · Avoid acronyms that the common person would not know (this is especially true for military applicants). Qualities to Portray · Maturity · Reflectiveness · Honesty and integrity · Clarity of thought · Passion · Individuality · Positivity · Logic · Distinctiveness · Commitment · Ability to relate to diverse people · Insight into the chosen health profession · Compassion and empathy · Genuineness and sincerity · Leadership · Insightfulness · A realistic perspective · Lessons learned · Self-awareness Themes to Avoid · Clichés: Avoid starting a statement with a famous quote or with cliché’ filler statements like: “I want to be a PA because I like science and I want to help people...” “Ever since I was five I played with my mom/dad’s doctor’s kit..” “I loved to play the game Operation as a child and that sparked my desire to be a PA...” “As I watched my beloved family member pass away, I knew then I wanted to be a PA...” · Restating your resume’: We have already read the majority of your application up to this point, so do not retell your life story again. · Story Time: Limit your personal stories about a patient or incident in the clinic to ONE no more than TWO. The statement should focus more the topics mentioned above. · The “epiphany into medicine”: Your pursuit of the PA profession should be based on your adult experiences up until this point, NOT an instantaneous realization. · Manifest Destiny: You have not always known you want to be a PA and the fact that someone tells you “you’ll make a great PA one day” does not justify why you should be a PA. · Grandiosity: Claiming that you plan to eliminate all the healthcare problems in an area is not realistic and shows a grave lack of understanding of the profession. · The “humble brag”: Of course you’re special, but claiming “you probably do not see many applicants like me” is not only arrogant, but is likely untrue. We’ve seen it all! · Remember your audience: Remember people do have other biases and views that may not agree with yours so avoid controversial topics and statements that could offend someone. Also, remember the admissions committee can be made up of all types of members of the healthcare team. Avoid statements like “I want to be a PA because PAs spend more time with their patients in comparison to physicians.” These types of situations are not always true and you do not want to stereotype an entire profession when you’ve only been around .00000001% of them. · “I am a victim”: Victims are never attractive applicants and any difficulties along the way should be dispassionately addressed. These explanations should be brief and also address what you have done to overcome the situation and what you learned from it. · Excuses: Never, ever blame anyone else for difficulties in your life or academic career. Topsy's 2 cents: Show, don't tell. Don't tell me you're great at multitasking. Show me! Describe it instead: "Despite having to care for my ailing mother at home, work the graveyard shift at the hospital, and help victims of abuse at the women's shelter, I still managed to keep my by grades by merely studying instead of sleeping." What makes the PA profession personally meaningful to you. Do not reiterate catch phrases like autonomy, flexibility, and all those other words that you can find on countless websites/blogs. Do mention personal things you've seen! Like the time you shadowed a PA talking to a family who was strapped for cash, and the PA was sensitive and attentive enough to notice the dilemma and was kind enough to provide their family with ample samples. Again, show, don't tell. Overall, a great personal state can be achieved by getting the reader think - yes. I want to meet the person who wrote this.
  17. Hello! I'm currently in my undergrad program taking my prerequisites for PA school. I plan on graduating in the Spring of 2023 and applying for PA school that same year. As I begin my PA school research, I keep having self-doubts on my ability to learn the content in PA school, which questions my ability to "make it" as a PA. While I am doing well in my undergrad/prerequisite courses, I fear I am not genuinely learning the information - just merely memorizing and doing well on exams. My question is: Will I/How badly will I struggle in PA school if I don't remember/didn't efficiently learn the coursework from prerequisites like Biology/A&P/Chemistry? I do not fear applying for PA school/getting accepted (aware that it may not happen the first time I apply), but my current GPA is 3.8 and I've been working full-time as a medical assistant for 3 years (plenty of PCE, HCE & shadowing). However, I fear getting into PA school and having the feeling of "what did I get myself into". I've had PAs that I work for all tell me that I can do it, but I keep having this lingering self-doubt that my ADHD brain and I will not be able to grasps concepts like others will due to my lack of deep understanding during prerequisites (and just having recently been diagnosed with ADHD & still learning what medication works best for me). Is this feeling normal? Thank you to whoever can give me some honest insight!
  18. I recently was accepted to a PA program that costs 100,000 dollars for two years. I am terrified at the idea of the expense, but am left with going to that school or reapplying next year, with no guarantee that I will get in. My gut is to go where I was accepted, I am so grateful, I just want to be comfortable with my choice. Thoughts?
  19. Take Genetics with the lab or drop the lab?? Does it look bad if you don't have the lab?
  20. Just wanted some advice. Does anyone have insight to on how different types of PCE are classified? Is having 1000 hours of being a PT aide equal to 500 patient care technician? I guess there is no right and wrong answer, just wanted to see some opinions! Thanks guys!
  21. Hi! I was recently accepted into a program that I didn't think I would be too fond of, but I ended up falling in love with the program! I am interviewing at my original top choice on the 13th, and I have been having a hard time deciding what school I would choose if I were to get in to this other program as well. I would love to hear what current students think. School A (the one I have already been accepted to) is a 1 hour commute, ( I can't afford to move or get an apartment, I am lucky enough to live with my boyfriend who pays the mortgage). This is the biggest downside to this school. I don't know how commuting an hour both ways, 5 days a week, will work with the course load. School B is a 30 minute commute. School A is also about $15,000 more expensive. The reason I justify price is that this program is 28 months, which is 4 months longer than school B (where I am interviewing on the 13th). I love that the clinical rotations are 5 weeks, instead of 4 at school B. There are also 2 elective clinical sites and school A, as opposed to only 1 at school B. They are both very new programs so they're pretty comparable when it comes to everything else that I've looked into! So my questions are: 1. If you have a long commute to your PA program, do you regret it/how do you like it? 2. Will 1 additional week in each clinical site and 1 additional elective make a difference/ is it worth the $15,000 additional? 3. Will I get to the 24 month point at school A and wish that I went to school B so that I could be finished already? Thank you so much for any input you all can provide!!
  22. Hello, I'm looking for private tutoring for PANCE to help me in certain areas. If anyone tutors please let me know. Thank you.
  23. Hey everyone! I was recently accepted into a program for fall of 2020. BIOCHEM was not a prerequisite, but I have been currently retaking the class in case I had to re apply. My acceptance is conditional based on having an up to date physical and that is It (I already submitted the physical). My question is, is It worth finishing up this class strong? Or should I stop putting effort into the class and relax until my program starts? I’m not sure what to do & don’t want to waste time studying if I do not have to! Thanks !!
  24. Hello everyone, I have been playing professional baseball since 2014. Due to covid, there is a chance my career could be cut short due to contracts (long un-needed story). I was a student athlete in college until I was drafted after my junior year in 2014. There are definitely more difficult situations out there, but being a student athlete at my school meant I had 2-3 hours to study per day starting at 8-9pm and we lifted at 5am every day. Finishing my degree in minor league baseball was just as tough. 12 hour bus rides twice a week, hotels, 10 hour days at the field, and playing for 6 months with only 2 days off a month. Not trying to make excuses, it was just tough for me. I still need to take organic chemistry, but my cGPA is 3.3 and my sGPA is 3.2. I have not taken the GRE and I have about 80 documented hours of shadowing, with over 300 undocumented hours. Until it is certain my career has ended, what can I do to stay fresh on all my sciences? Have I missed anything to apply for PA school? Do I have a chance of getting in to school? A friend of mine is a physician and said medical/PA schools love unique stories and backgrounds. Even with my story, I want everything else to show I have a passion for medicine and I’m willing to bust my butt in school when I can strictly focus on school. Thank y’all in advance for any honest feedback!
  25. Hello, I am having a lot of trouble trying to narrow down schools to apply to. Where I currently live, most of the schools nearby I cannot apply to because of my stats so I am seeking out of state options. I am ending my sophomore year so I still have another year before I can begin applying (and another year to continue to boost my GPA). Any help would be appreciated! GPA currently: 3.426 ( My last semester has not been added in still and my science GPA would be similar) I am not taking Ochem 2 or biochem but I have planned/taken genetics, cell bio, microbio, ochem 1, 2 semesters of general bio and 2 semesters of general chem, med term, med ethics, anatomy, physiology, and most other pre-reqs. My main issue is that I have AP credit for statistics that my university accepts for my BS degree but I have noticed that there are some PA schools that do not accept that. I am also extremely involved and by the time I apply, I will have a high number of service/leadership hours (President of my schools Pre-PA Association, chapter correspondent and philanthropy committee for my sorority, recruitment chair for the universities Relay for Life, and involved in other orgs). I have worked as a nursing assistant at the city's major hospital for over a year and I am seeking another job as a scribe in the ER. I have not begun shadowing yet because of COVID affecting my summer opportunities. If you have experience in applying or likes/dislikes of literally any schools, I would appreciate it! I am not trying to decide on a school right now, I am simply trying to gain insight on potential schools to apply to since the ones near me are not options (Ohio/Michigan area). I have started a detailed list of schools I have researched, but I am struggling to find realistic options and those that I would be able to apply to. Thanks!
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