In need of advice

[CurlyLife]

I'm 38. Wet to college on and off for many years due to personal and family issues (two surgeries of my own, taking care of a very sick family member for ten years and having to work two jobs to support my parents, among other things). I also have lots of withdrawals in my history and one "F" in Physics, which I retook. I've always dreamt of becoming a physician, but due to my blemished academic history, it is obvious I'll never be accepted. I'm OK with this, and am now trying to decide among the following programs:

 

1) Bachelor of Nursing

2) Physician Assistant

3) Nurse Anesthetist

 

I am three classes away from graduating with a B.A. in Liberal Arts. This can be easily accomplished by the end of 2014. My GPA lies somewhere between 2.8 and 3.0. Here are my questions:

 

1) Should I graduate with a Bachelor's in Liberal Arts and then go for one of the degrees listed above? Or should try to get into nursing school now, before I graduate with my Bachelor's? I am afraid I will not qualify for financial aid for a second Bachelor's if I graduate now.

 

2) If I were lucky enough to get in, would I still be able to work? I am in a loosely-related healthcare field, and do three 13-hour shifts per week.

 

3) How long would this process take? I am trying to figure out what is the most realistic, cost-effective and efficient way to do it. I've always known I belonged in healthcare, and by now I am certain this is not going to change. I am poor, but healthy, unmarried, no children, bright and more than willing to go the extra mile. Any advice would be appreciated!

 

 

[Lymphonucleosis]

This post worries me because all of those three professions are completely and totally different.

 

At least where I'm from, nursing is very competitive with hundreds of applications for 30-40 seats. The program is very intense. I made a 96 in orgo 1 and an 92 (which is a B in nursing) in Pharm. it's a mistake to think your gpa will rise in nursing.

 

My advice is to go shadow some nurses on the floor. Shadow some PAs. Shadow some med techs, pharmacists, anything you can think of. Get a feel where each profession falls in medicine.

 

1. There is no cost effective way anymore. Everything is completely outrageous and it's almost like gambling. Make a 74% in a class in nursing school your last semester and be forcibly removed from the program with no opportunity for readmission(saw this happen to a handful of girls). Now you have 25k worth a student loans and no job.

 

If you still want to go into nursing I would suggest getting your CNA and working for a month at a nursing home. Then going to LPN school bridging to RN and then BSN. This would be cheaper and you would feel more prepared. (This may be the only option with your gpa)

 

You need to decide if you care more about cure or care. PA is curing and nursing is caring.

 

 

2. Hell no

 

3. Nursing schools have a tendency to look at only your gpa and nothing else. Depending on if you can get in to a 2 year ADN program, it will take 2 years. PA is a masters so it takes 2-3 years.

 

If you are a male expect to be called gay, murse, homo, " another male who's gonna be my manager", wannawoman (hadn't even heard this one till I got in) and other sexist terms. Nurses chant "we eat our young" like some mantra and they are proud to say it. They should be ashamed of it because the patient suffers as a result.

 

Wow I can't believe I have typed this much about nursing. It really wasn't as bad as what I made it seem like. Strangely I think back on the days if nursing school and wish I would have just finished the degree and worked in the ER. I'm much more mature and thick skinned now then I was then, and would have loved the experience. I went in to nursing thinking it was gonna be a cakewalk, I was wrong. Please go shadow people and then focus on achieving one goal.

[UGoLong]

I am assuming that your question is for real. You never can be certain. It is also not clear what healthcare experience you have at this point.

 

Having a tough time happens to some people. You apparently are one of them and you survived. Congratulations.

 

You have nearly completed a non-science degree and I would seriously doubt you currently have the credentials to apply to a PA program anytime soon. And I doubt that you could become a nurse anesthetist without being a nurse first. The woman I know who got into that career had to be an RN with critical care experience first, both of which she got starting out as an MA without a college degree.

 

Starting another degree with 3 classes left sounds shaky to me, even if you think it helps you get financial aid. I would finish what you started -- if only to finish something -- and then perhaps try to get into nursing program.

 

Good luck. 

[CurlyLife]

I am assuming that your question is for real. You never can be certain. It is also not clear what healthcare experience you have at this point.

 

Having a tough time happens to some people. You apparently are one of them and you survived. Congratulations.

 

You have nearly completed a non-science degree and I would seriously doubt you currently have the credentials to apply to a PA program anytime soon. And I doubt that you could become a nurse anesthetist without being a nurse first. The woman I know who got into that career had to be an RN with critical care experience first, both of which she got starting out as an MA without a college degree.

 

Starting another degree with 3 classes left sounds shaky to me, even if you think it helps you get financial aid. I would finish what you started -- if only to finish something -- and then perhaps try to get into nursing program.

 

Good luck. 

 

Yes, of course I am serious! Why would I not be?

 

You are correct, I am three classes shy of having my pre-requisites to apply for a PA program (A&P, Nutrition and Microbiology). I started as a science major, but was told by a counselor that the quickest way to graduate at this point would be switching to Liberal Arts.

 

Thank you for your input!

[CurlyLife]

I am assuming that your question is for real. You never can be certain. It is also not clear what healthcare experience you have at this point.

 

Having a tough time happens to some people. You apparently are one of them and you survived. Congratulations.

 

You have nearly completed a non-science degree and I would seriously doubt you currently have the credentials to apply to a PA program anytime soon. And I doubt that you could become a nurse anesthetist without being a nurse first. The woman I know who got into that career had to be an RN with critical care experience first, both of which she got starting out as an MA without a college degree.

 

Starting another degree with 3 classes left sounds shaky to me, even if you think it helps you get financial aid. I would finish what you started -- if only to finish something -- and then perhaps try to get into nursing program.

 

Good luck. 

 

This post worries me because all of those three professions are completely and totally different.

 

At least where I'm from, nursing is very competitive with hundreds of applications for 30-40 seats. The program is very intense. I made a 96 in orgo 1 and an 92 (which is a B in nursing) in Pharm. it's a mistake to think your gpa will rise in nursing.

 

I'm down to one job (instead of two). Also, my father passed and my mother moved in with another family member. All I have to worry about now is myself.

 

My advice is to go shadow some nurses on the floor. Shadow some PAs. Shadow some med techs, pharmacists, anything you can think of. Get a feel where each profession falls in medicine.

 

1. There is no cost effective way anymore. Everything is completely outrageous and it's almost like gambling. Make a 74% in a class in nursing school your last semester and be forcibly removed from the program with no opportunity for readmission(saw this happen to a handful of girls). Now you have 25k worth a student loans and no job.

 

If you still want to go into nursing I would suggest getting your CNA and working for a month at a nursing home. Then going to LPN school bridging to RN and then BSN. This would be cheaper and you would feel more prepared. (This may be the only option with your gpa)

 

* After caring for my father for ten years at home, who suffered from advanced Alzheimer's, I believe I have a good chunk of experience under my belt (and no desire to work at a nursing home). Thanks for tip, anyway.

 

You need to decide if you care more about cure or care. PA is curing and nursing is caring.

 

* Very good explanation. I wanna cure people. Thank you!

 

2. Hell no

 

3. Nursing schools have a tendency to look at only your gpa and nothing else. Depending on if you can get in to a 2 year ADN program, it will take 2 years. PA is a masters so it takes 2-3 years.

 

If you are a male expect to be called gay, murse, homo, " another male who's gonna be my manager", wannawoman (hadn't even heard this one till I got in) and other sexist terms. Nurses chant "we eat our young" like some mantra and they are proud to say it. They should be ashamed of it because the patient suffers as a result.

 

Wow I can't believe I have typed this much about nursing. It really wasn't as bad as what I made it seem like. Strangely I think back on the days if nursing school and wish I would have just finished the degree and worked in the ER. I'm much more mature and thick skinned now then I was then, and would have loved the experience. I went in to nursing thinking it was gonna be a cakewalk, I was wrong. Please go shadow people and then focus on achieving one goal.

[UGoLong]

Not all posts on this site are for real, which is why I wondered if yours' was.

 

You made no mention of taking prereqs in your original post, let alone having only 3 left (you implied three classes left to graduation). If you are that close, do the CASPA math and see what your science GPA is.

 

I don't know what you healthcare experience is.

 

It is hard to give good advice in general, and harder when you get the important facts in dribs and drabs. You seem to be making it harder for me than most. 

[CurlyLife]

Not all posts on this site are for real, which is why I wondered if yours' was.

 

You made no mention of taking prereqs in your original post, let alone having only 3 left (you implied three classes left to graduation). If you are that close, do the CASPA math and see what your science GPA is.

 

I don't know what you healthcare experience is.

 

It is hard to give good advice in general, and harder when you get the important facts in dribs and drabs. You seem to be making it harder for me than most. 

"Roger that". Thank you for taking the time to write back. I appreciate your input.

 

You see, I have just decided to go back to school and into either Nursing or PA. Since I was a science major, I have taken most of the pre-reqs because they were part of my curriculum. Coincidentally, my school is willing to let me take three classes in whatever else I want in order to graduate. I figured I might as well take the three pre-reqs I am missing and kill two birds with one stone.

 

I work with nurses and doctors in a call center. In a nutshell, sick people call us for medical advice and appointments. I also took care of my father at home for over ten years, including monitoring and administering meds, hospital visits, bathing, changing clothing and diapers and feeding. Not sure if any of this counts, but it sure feels like it should.

 

I am sorry if my questions were confusing. To be honest, I'm very new to all this and am not sure what questions to ask. I know I want to get from point A to point B, and would like to know how to do it. Again, thank you for writing back!

[taotaox1]

You need to spend a little time deciding if you want to be a nurse or PA. They are very different jobs.

 

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[delco714]

Your medical experience is anecdotal. I totally understand where you're coming from, but that wouldn't be applicable in an application, to be honest. A low gpa is going to require you to climb the ladder no matter what you choose. Myself, I was confused when you listed nurse anesthesia.. you need to be a nurse first..unless you meant anesthesia assistant. Either way every program in this discussion has high standards and tough competition these days. The most tangible outcome would likely be getting an assoc in nursing after your BA then bridging to BSN

 

Steve PA-C, Maine, urologic surgery

 

 

[cinntsp]

You need to begin taking more sciences to raise your GPA and show ADCOMs that you can handle heavy course loads.  They will want to see a lot of recent work since your college career has been spread over a huge time period.  Additionally, you need some paid HCE other than being in a call center.  I don't think many programs will accept that experience.  Plan for 1-2 years of work to improve your app.  Going the nursing route first(if you can get in with your current grades) can provide you with good HCE and a steady income but you will still need to work on your academics.  Also, if being a doc is what you truly want, the DO route takes grade replacement into account.