prepa22 Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Hi everyone! So, I recently failed out of a DO school because I was severely unhappy. I have always wanted to be a PA but was pressured into going for MD or DO instead. I was offered a chance to re-start this Fall at my med school, but I turned them down to go for PA. I have a 3.2 gpa (I'm hoping to bring that up with a few classes within the next year), 3 years of undergrad research, over 1000 hours as a volunteer EMT, and over 400 other clinical hours. I don't want it to look like PA is my "back-up" choice (it's not!), and I hope to express this in my personal statement. If I pull my gpa up, do you think I have a shot, or does failing out of medical school put me out of the running? Has anyone been in this situation before? Thanks for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crossbone2007 Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I'm sorry to tell you that but PA school is way much harder than any MD or DO school. The amount of things you'll have to know in a short time is overwhelming. PA school will make you more unhappy than med school because it's just almost the same thing in essence. Can I ask you why you were unhappy? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prepa22 Posted January 9, 2014 Author Share Posted January 9, 2014 I was unhappy because of the many years I would have to be in school before being able to practice. I didn't want to start working in my mid-thirties. I know PA school is the same thing (if not harder) than medical school, believe me I don't doubt that. Also, the debt was overwhelming, and I want to be able to spend more time with patients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crossbone2007 Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I think the problem you face here is the fact that you were a med student, and the fact that you failed out of Do school. I'm just a PA Student, but I don't know how you gonna explain all these if you were granted an interview. I believe anyone should be given a second chance, but you'll have to show you deserve it. As for your GPA, you might need to bring it up a bit. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staplemyfoot Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I recommend contacting all the programs your interested in one by one and asking them for an opinion of your situation. The admission criteria can vary greatly between programs. I hope your situation turns out well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timon Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I would finish Med school and take them up on their offer. By the time you raise your GPA, apply, get accepted, and matriculate you would probably already be in residency before you'd finish / start PA school. Best of luck in your decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted January 9, 2014 Administrator Share Posted January 9, 2014 I was unhappy because of the many years I would have to be in school before being able to practice. I didn't want to start working in my mid-thirties. Please don't feed the trolls. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that no one who's ACTUALLY been to medical school, of any sort, would mistake graduating from residency with starting to work. Residency is not school, it's indentured servitude as a physician, with board certification being the reward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KMD16 Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I second the above! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KMD16 Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I was unhappy because of the many years I would have to be in school before being able to practice. I didn't want to start working in my mid-thirties. I know PA school is the same thing (if not harder) than medical school, believe me I don't doubt that. Also, the debt was overwhelming, and I want to be able to spend more time with patients. Hey you! Your math are a bit off!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinntsp Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I think you're going to have a very tough time getting an ADCOM to believe/overlook that you failed out of med school because you really want to be a PA. The better route in your situation would have been to continue the same path or to have withdrawn before failing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PACdan Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Or, third option, reconsider a career in medicine altogether. Sent from the Satellite of Love using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDrunner11 Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I say you try. If in all honesty you want to be a PA you will show the committee members so. It is true people might think you are applying to PA school as a back up plan but ultimately whether you get a chance or not depends on the quality of your application, interview and the committee members. "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling,but in rising every time we fall." Nelson Mandela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksraftery Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Hi, I absolutely think that you are still in the running for PA school. Many applicants have trouble spots in their applications (whether it be low GPA, lack of health hours, or a low MCAT score). However, that's the whole point of the personal statement! I'm sure if you can properly express your desire to be a pa rather than a DO in your personal statement, then you will be sure to get interviews. In fact, the idea that you were in DO school but are choosing to go the pa route, doesn't make physician assistant route look like a backup at all. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will352ns Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 This is a troll folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prepa22 Posted January 10, 2014 Author Share Posted January 10, 2014 Yeah, not a troll but whatever. Thank you so much to everyone who gave real advice, I appreciate it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinntsp Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Hi, I absolutely think that you are still in the running for PA school. Many applicants have trouble spots in their applications (whether it be low GPA, lack of health hours, or a low MCAT score). However, that's the whole point of the personal statement! I'm sure if you can properly express your desire to be a pa rather than a DO in your personal statement, then you will be sure to get interviews. In fact, the idea that you were in DO school but are choosing to go the pa route, doesn't make physician assistant route look like a backup at all. Good Luck! What are you basing this nonsense on? Everyone has trouble spots but recently failing out of med school is a huuuuuuuuge red flag. The fact that you consider a "low MCAT score" an issue for PA adcoms makes it sound like you aren't familiar with this process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjm7 Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I would guess that it would be difficult to obtain a spot in a PA program after failing DO. Like someone said, contact programs. I'm sorry to tell you that but PA school is way much harder than any MD or DO school. The amount of things you'll have to know in a short time is overwhelming. PA school will make you more unhappy than med school because it's just almost the same thing in essence. Can I ask you why you were unhappy? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk Also, the above is stupidity at its finest. Oh, yeah, definitely. "PA school is way much harder". For god's sake. Embarrassing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbeginning Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 It might take you a few application cycles before you're invited for an interview. If it's what you want... then go for it! It won't matter what we say or if you have a chance in our opinion. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z PA-C Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I agree with the above. You say you were already pressured into going the DO route so don't let people sway you again from doing what you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjm7 Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I agree with the last two comments, to an extent. But again, be sure to have conversations with PA school directors, etc., about your thoughts and plans... and the specific reasons for your difficulties in DO school. I just want you to be sure that another route is available, should you choose to leave the DO route. If practicing medicine is really important to you (a question you, and everyone applying, should ask themselves), then I can only imagine that you'll take whatever route you have available. If I was in your situation and I desperately wanted to practice medicine, I would investigate all possible options. If DO was the only option that I was sure would remain available to me, I would likely give it another try. That being said, don't go back to DO and half-heartedly attempt to make it through. You need to make up your mind and decide to succeed at whichever route you take. I'm sure you are perfectly capable of passing your classes, so do so, whether in PA or DO school (or none of the above, for that matter). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enochy Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 what part of DO school made you fail out? like the above three said, go with what YOU want and do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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