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Hi! I graduated from undergrad in May 2017. I was planning on applying to PA programs this upcoming cycle (spring 2018). Unfortunately, after calculating my gpa the way CASPA does it, my overall GPA is a 2.9. While this is extremely upsetting, I am determined to improve it. I would like to retake some of my core sciences like general bio or A&P but I am having a difficult time finding somewhere that will let me take the courses. Because I did not fail these courses the first time, my school of undergrad and my local CC will not allow me to retake these courses for a grade. Is there any way around this? I also was considering enrolling in a masters of medical science before PA school to improve my GPA but I also need a 3.0 to apply to that. Does anyone have any suggestions? I am trying my best to not get discouraged because PA is where my heart is. Thank you!

I took Gen Chemistry three times. I took it twice at once college (got a D in lecture, A- in lab and the retake at the same college was C+) I then took Gen Chem 1 and 2 at a community college because I was not allowed to take Gen Chemistry 2 without taking the first and got an A in both Gen Chem 1 and 2 (not a separate lab). Schools say the minimum grade is a C in all pre-reqs. Can I still apply to these programs? Do they consider all 3 grades to make that minimum C in the pre-req? Thank you in advance for the help.

So I started applying to schools and I honestly applied being hopeful, wishful, and a little naive. I've heard mixed reviews about retaking some courses (General chemistry and biology) and people say it's a good idea but then others say take other sciences courses to increase my science GPA. I got C's in them (rough freshman year start) My other backup plan was to get a masters in public health to maybe increase my chances of getting in seriously need some advice! Thanks in advance!

So I just took my GRE and did not get a very desirable grade. 145 on both qual & verbal. I don't have my writing score yet. I can take it again in 21 days but that is going into 4 weeks before the September 1st deadline. I would hate for this test to hold me back from getting into a PA program. I would also hate to miss the deadline and have no chance of getting in anywhere. Should I submit my application now and retake it as soon as I can and them submit my CASPA application?

Hi all, I will be graduating from undergrad in May, but I plan on taking a year off to finish some pre-reqs. I still need Ochem and Biochemistry for sure. I have already taken a course of Ochem but I need to retake it because I did not do well in it the first time because I was not serious about what I wanted to do with my future (this was freshman year). I plan on taking Ochem this summer to focus on just that class. For those of you that have taken Ochem, what are your study tips/advice on how to stay in top of things and do well in this course? I know it will be a huge time commitment, but I am motivated to do well this time around. I am looking into taking an online Biochemistry and Genetics course because a lot of the PA schools I am interesting in applying to do not require lab for them. Do you think this is a good or bad idea? Does it really matter if it's in class vs. online? if you've taken these classes, what is your advice for doing well? I appreciate any responses! Thanks!

So while the jury is still out for this application cycle, I was denied an interview at my preferred school and I will need to register for spring classes very soon if I'm going to work on improving my GPA to attempt the next cycle. I have been working as an RN for over 4 years, a majority of my pre-reqs are from prior to nursing school (so next cycle, some may need to be retaken just because they're too old) and I've got a couple C's in my older sciences. Most recent sciences have been almost all A's (including O-chem) so I think I've demonstrated much improved study habits. All in all I feel pretty certain on what I need to do to make myself a better candidate and improve my chances, mainly improve GPA, cast a wider net and stay well ahead of my deadlines. I also plan to take the GRE which will greatly expand my options. My question is, would it be more beneficial for me to, for example, retake my Chem 1 with a grade of C a long time ago or take a more advanced science like O-chem II? I'll only have spring and summer next year to take classes before I reapply so I want to make the most of that time. Also, first time using this forum which would have likely helped me during this cycle but hoping to get it right this time. ;)

Hi everybody, At my university, I have to take a human/mammalian physiology class as one of the requirements for a Molecular Cell Bio major. Without realizing that I had to take that class (because I was being stupid and not double checking), I enrolled myself into a regular Human Physiology class (for PA school) and am currently getting a C. I know for sure that I would eventually have to take the Human/Mammalian Physiology course that is required. 1. Would PA schools consider the Human/Mammalian Physiology course as a Physiology class? Or is it strictly suppose to be focused on human Physio only? 2. Let's say that I did better in the Human/Mammalian Physio course, would PA schools disregard the C that I had received in the prior course? Thank you so much! :)

Hello everyone! So I'm having a bit of a dilemma. In my freshman year I took Biology along with lab. Unfortunately due to sleeping problems and poor time management I ended up with a D in lecture my 1st semester and with a C my second semester. However, for the lab component I remember I did just fine and either received A's or B's. I am now a senior and definitely going to retake Biology lecture. The problem is that at my school, when I took biology my freshman year the lab component contributed 20% to the total biology lecture grade. It was not listed as a separate grade on my transcript. Recently this has changed at my school and the lab now counts as a separate component, but I do not think the staff are willing to help me out in my situation. I was told that I might want to retake the lecture AND lab component since most schools may assume I received a D and C in the lab component as well. I was also told that I ought to contact PA schools about this. However, there is a chance for me to go back to my old biology professors, who have my lab component grade somewhere in their system. I really would like to avoid retaking the 3hr biology lab component (especially since I did fine in lab during my first year), as I remember it was one of the most time-consuming courses at my school. Because of my sleeping problems, time management, and serious family situations that came up my freshman and sophomore year, I am now taking a serious courseload for my senior year in order to play catch-up with my GPA. I'm worried that if I sign up for the lab component, I have a strong feeling that my grades in other classes will take the hit. Do you guys think I should retake the biology lab component? If I can get evidence/proof of my lab component grade from my professors and a statement from them, do you think it would be possible to send this to PA schools even though it's not on an official transcript? I have taken Microbiology Lab and received an A+ in it if that helps any... I would also inquire PA schools about this, but I'm not sure how to...Do you just send the school an email? I am very new to this and not really sure how this works in terms of inquiring PA schools about information... Thanks in advance for the help, it's much appreciated!

Hello everyone! So I'm having a bit of a dilemma. In my freshman year I took Biology along with lab. Unfortunately due to sleeping problems and poor timemanagement I ended up with a D in lecture my 1st semester and with a C my second semester. However, for the lab component I remember I did just fine and either received A's or B's. I am now a senior and definitely going to retake Biology lecture. The problem is that at my school, when I took biology my freshman year the lab component contributed 20% to the total biology lecture grade. It was not listed as a separate grade on my transcript. Recently this has changed at my school and the lab now counts as a separate component, but I do not think the staff are willing to help me out in my situation. I was told that I might want to retake the lecture AND lab component since most schools may assume I received a D and C in the lab component as well. I was also told that I ought to contact PA schools about this. However, there is a chance for me to go back to my old biology professors, who have my lab component grade somewhere in their system. I really would like to avoid retaking the 3hr biology lab component (especially since I did fine in lab during my first year), as I remember it was one of the most time-consuming courses at my school. Because of my sleeping problems, time management, and serious family situations that came up my freshman and sophomore year, I am now taking a serious courseload for my senior year in order to play catch-up with my GPA. I'm worried that if I sign up for the lab component, I have a strong feeling that my grades in other classes will take the hit. Do you guys think I should retake the biology lab component? If I can get evidence/proof of my lab component grade from my professors and a statement from them, do you think it would be possible to send this to PA schools even though it's not on an official transcript? I have taken Microbiology Lab and received an A+ in it if that helps any... I would also inquire PA schools about this, but I'm not sure how to...Do you just send the school an email? I am very new to this and not really sure how this works in terms of inquiring PA schools about information... Thanks in advance for the help, it's much appreciated!

I don't know if this has been asked before, but I will ask anyway since I really need some advice. Long story short, I took Anatomy and physiology I at a community college the first time and received a C and I also received a Withdraw in Anatomy and Physiology II. I will be transferring to a 4-year university this Fall 2015 as a junior and I am not sure if I should just retake Anatomy and Physiology at the University where it is offered as separate courses or if I should just retake them at the same community college again while I am enrolled at the university. I asked the PA programs I want to apply to and they have no preference on where you take your courses; however I am just worried that it will hinder my application to be taking community college courses while I am enrolled at a university since it may look like I am taking the easy way out. Any advice? Thanks! - Kate

Hey everyone! So I was wondering if it looks bad to take a pre-req for the 3rd time? In my situation, I took orgo 1, a&p2, and psych100 during my 1st or 2nd year. I got C's in all 3 so I took them over again my junior or senior year and got all B's (very close to A's, but I'm coping.. haha). Now that I have graduated from my university I am taking the pre-reqs that I didn't take at my university at a community college. Now I know that A's look better than B's so I would like to take that class again for the 3rd time... and for sure I will push myself to the A I want. However... I feel like taking a class for a 3rd time and getting an A in will not be impressive when applying to PA school. ALSO, I was was thinking about taking orgo 2 (for the first time) and I would like a refresher of orgo 1 before taking that class again after 2 years since I took that class. Thoughts? Thank you for your help!

I'm tossing around a couple ideas of what I want to write about and the direction I want to take my personal statement. I could certainly write about my spontaneous pneumo and how it introduced me to medicine, or how becoming a Navy Corpsman really solidified my desire to become a medical professional, but I feel that both of these are a little cliche. I'm sure ADCOMS get dozens of applicants who were traumatized in some manner, only to have a PA or Doctor rectify what had happened through the miracle of medicine. I'm considering writing about my couple years of substance abuse (alcohol), my recovery, and my desire to work in this field that I feel, from first hand experience, is severely under served. Working in and around Phoenix, which has a large Native American population, I got to see firsthand the effects that alcohol can cause. And obviously, I have my own experience to draw from. Anyways, I guess my question is: Would this admission hinder my admission chances, or could it be viewed as refreshing and/or different? I feel like it could be risky, but that it might also distinguish me as an applicant. Just wanted some insight before I dove in to deep. Thanks, Joel

Took Pance last week. FAILED. Sections I did poor in: Cardio 50% EENT 55% GU 59% Ortho 55% Neuro 59% OBGYN 40% Psych. 45% Heme 0% All other sections above 60%. How I prepped ? Exammaster and Packrats Only for 2.5 weeks. Scores on EM do not correlate with how poorly I performed in these above sections. I understand my preparation was poor; however, I thought I'd barely pass (My advice-don't take the test if you're not ready, or if your parents pressure you to take it). Nonetheless, I got a score of 299. About 51 points shy of passing. It's depressing. It was a rude awakening for sure and opened my eyes to take this test seriously. I learned my lesson. POOR TEST PREP = FAILED. Those who have passed, please advice me how to pass. I purchased Pancemaster (it's a great program so far). I have VanRhree (Green book), Auth book, Davis/Diamond book (Rainbow book), Yellow book (Lange Q/A) AAPA book, which I used none of the first time. I plan to do the CME resources course. Please help me-this is depressing. I need guidance and help to ramp up my weaknesses. Any study schedules, websites, etc would be greatly appreciated. Second time will be better because I am going to prepare. If those have retaken, please offer advice of how to pass it. Thanks, Here are some links that I am now using (wish I had researched earlier, but I want to help others from my mistake!) 1. https://twitter.com/boardreviewnow 2. http://thepalife.com/pance-panre/ (anyone find this helpful?) 3. http://quizlet.com/13488757/pance-review-set1-flash-cards/ 4. http://almostadoctor.co.uk/content/browse 5. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/cgi-bin/search?q=cache:I4UfiqcaRkQJ:www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/hypertension/phycard.pdf+DASH+Diet&site=NHLBI_Public&proxystylesheet=NHLBI_Public_frontend&ie=UTF-8&access=p&oe=UTF-8 6. http://students.washington.edu/aomega/turkey.shtml (GREAT source) 7. http://www.freezingblue.com/iphone/flashcards/printPreview.php?fileid=93182 (flashcards) 8. http://www.flashcardexchange.com/tag/pance (PANCE CArDS) 9. http://www.flashcardmachine.com/medical.html (MED cards) 10. http://www.open-er.com/ 11. http://www.wheelessonline.com/ (Great for ortho! wish I did my research!) 12. http://lulabelleismyshihtzu.tumblr.com/ (visual learners-pictures) 13. Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/physician-assistant-exam-review/id505246808 (FREE PODCAST) http://www.physicianassistantexamreview.com/ (his website) 14. http://biancabelcherpa.blogspot.com/search/label/PANCE (this PA blog is awesome!) 15. http://www.testprepreview.com/pance_practice.htm

Alright I am curious and want to know if anyone on here have gotten into any physician assistant program with a C in general chemistry. I made a C+ in my general chemistry I and a C in gen chem II. My gpa is at a 3.3-3.4 right now and I am not sure if I should take the time to retake it again. Any thought, comments, suggestions will be helpful. I have an B in anatomy, A in physiology, and I cam currently planning on taking Bio 1, 2, and O.chem.