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Hello, I graduated last year with a 2.6 GPA and my science GPA is 2.4. I have two D's, I am retaking one of those two D at a community college ( organic chemistry) the other D is in ecology in which I may not retake tbh because I didn't enjoyed the class. I registered for organic chemistry 2 to help my Sgpa but my dilemma is this.... my financial situation is starting to stress me out. I cant afford to take hard core science classes ( like I originally planned) in a degree that doesn't lead to a guaranteed career (biotechnology). so I thought of either medical laboratory technician or lpn. I thought of these because #1 cheaper and faster option, #2 mlt has always sparked my interest and #3 I'm a cna ( almost 4 years) and I work closely with a lpn. the lpn option I'm looking at is a certificate option because is only one year. my whole goal in this is to help my GPA and also have a career. I don't mind continuing to build my PA application after this but I wanna make sure if doing any of these route will help me and not become a waste of time. if you guys have any other suggestions please let me know. the biotechnology degree I can finish it in a year but what if after that I'm still not a strong applicant? then I'm stuck with another degree... no career I don't care how long it takes to become a PA! I'm 24 years old and I already have a lot of financial baggage. I want to make a smart decision

I'm working bringing my GPA up to a 3.0 from a 2.96. Afterwards, I'm thinking about doing a master's program. I recently ran across a Graduate Certificate in Medical Physiology offered by UF. I just wanted to know if anyone has finished it and what the program was like. If anyone has any suggestions to a short master's programs that would be great too. I'm looking for something that would benefit in the long run, not just any degree. Thanks

Hello all! Recently I have applied to schools that are offering a PA certificate. Some of the past discussions on this topic are from 2013. I know that most schools are gearing towards awarding students with a Masters. However, with a PA certificate, are there any repercussions with trying to find a job after graduation. Will all states accept the PA certificate as a form of education. Thank you for reading this question.

I'm considering taking the CAQ for Emergency Medicine. I've heard some places will give you a pay increase for obtaining the certificate. I'd like to pitch this idea to my powers that be, but I'd love to hear how other facilities approach it. Do you get a set amount more? A percentage? Just a pat on the back? Thanks in advance!

If you’ve already applied to PA school or you are considering applying and your GPA is not competitive enough for admission, you might consider postbaccalaureate programs (“post-bacc” programs) or master level programs. These programs require an undergraduate degree as a prerequisite, but they are not always considered graduate education. Some programs are considered “continuing education” and can lead to a graduate degree, a certificate, or aid you in meeting the entrance requirements to a physician assistant program. Read more on my blog, here. My blog is DoseOfPA.blogspot.com. Feel free to read, subscribe, or comment on any article with questions or suggestions. Thanks