Post bacc PA programs?

[Sjm83]

Hi everyone!

 

My name is Steve and I'm currently a senior at the university of Pittsburgh. I originally started out as an education major which means I took only bio 1 freshman year. I then switched into the emergency medicine major and became a paramedic my junior year. I'm now eagerly awaiting a chance to work my way up to the PA position, I just can't find anyone else in my situation. I've contacted multiple post bacc programs ( which is mandatory for me to complete all my science courses) and I keep getting turned away. "We don't work with pre-PA" is often the response I receive. Are there programs out there that suit my needs? I figure I fell under the career change umbrella but none I those programs seem to work with PA's. any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[marktheshark89]

Steve,

 

You don't need to formally enroll in a "post-bac" program. Research the PA schools that you might be interested in attending, and take the prerequisite courses for those PA schools on your own (either at your current school or another school as a non-matriculated student). These will likely include a combination of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, microbiology, biology 2, genetics, psychology, statistics, and others. Each PA school is different, though there are courses that most schools have in common (anatomy and physiology for example).

[med218]

I did my undergraduate degree at the University of Vermont, which is also where I did my post-bacc program. The majority of the classes I needed to take/re-take I could have taken without the program, however, for a few of them (certain chemistry courses primarily) it required you to be enrolled in a program in order to be able to register for a spot in the class as they were almost always full before being opened for enrollment to anyone.

[Sjm83]

The problem I have is I need chem 1 and 2 ochem 1 and most likely ochem 2 along with bio 1 and 2 a&p at minimum. the benefit of the post bacc is that it condenses your work load and creates a schedule based on the classes needed to apply pre-med. I understand its an expensive alternative, but I'd be in a program with my peers designed to prepare me for the next stage of my career. If I piece those courses together on my own at a community college I won't be able to apply for another 3 years by the time I finish doing it on my own. If that's what I need to do I will do it but I believe I could attend a program like Duquesne for 18 months and be ready to apply, except they don't work specifically with PA.

[JasonD]

I don't care where you go or what program you're in, those pre-reqs are going to take you 2 years to complete. You'll need Chem 1 before you can take Organic, Bio before A&P and micro, etc. No getting around the required course progressions. Quickest way may be going to a community college that offers a good selection of summer classes. For example, take Bio 1 in the spring, Bio 2 in the summer, A&P 1 and micro in the fall, A&P 2 the next spring. All community colleges are not created equal -- around here the county next to mine has much greater class selection and variety, it cost more but it's worth it to get done quicker.