Will be Freshman.. need some advice on course of action

[doxie22]

hello~ 

 

I am going to be a freshman in college this fall. I would love to become a PA, but I am not 100% sure on which route to take. Basically, I need to get some sort of decent job after four years. This will have to count toward my needed direct patient care hours (500 min. at the grad school I hope to attend, but I will work more than 500 ;) 

and also because I will be on my own in 4 years, and need something to help me sustain a standard of living. If it matters, I will be living in my house, (with mortgage payments) because my parents will move soon after I graduate undergrad. 

If you are curious about my academic ability, you may already have noticed I am not the best at writing and grammar.. however I went to a private school that held SAT scores in the top 16% of the nation. I almost always made straight As, and my senior year I always had either a 3.8 GPA or a 4.0. I absorb information very well, as I am a visual learner. I tend to "sponge" information in (aka, cramming) but test very well... for some reason. Of course, I wouldn't do this for college, because college is different than high school. I am very strong in areas of science, reading, and can do math (but I hate math.. lol) I am not trying to brag, but give you an idea of my ability. 

 

So i have some ideas, please bear with me. I appreciate any advice. I am going to attend Missouri State University and this link is the pre-reqs for the graduate PA program at MSU. http://graduate.missouristate.edu/catalog/prog_Physician_Assistant_Studies.htm

I know I will have to apply at other places, but this is the PA school I am aiming for. 

Route 1) Take the Pre-PA course, and in my last two years of undergrad, take an Allied Health certification for something like an Occupational Therapy Assistant, PTA... http://www.otc.edu/alliedhealth/alliedhealth.php (this is a list of allied health certificates i could take, hopefully online.) So yes, something crazy like going to a university and a community college at the same time. 

Route 2) Take the Pre-PA course, and get an Associate's in Radiography during my last two years of undergrad (so like route 1, but instead of a community college, it's a different college.) With Route 1 and 2, I will have completed my pre-reqs and have a job, which will give me the needed hours and give me enough support. 

route 3) Take the Pre-PA course, and train to be a Physical Therapy Aide or an OTA (aide, not assistant like in route 1) on the job. One of my friends got trained on the job, so I suppose in my area it is possible. 

Route 4) Major in Radiography, work for a year (thus, getting my needed hours) but I will have to catch up on courses to finish my pre-reqs. Then I will apply to PA school. 

 

I know these sound complicated and a bit insane, but please (kindly) let me know what my best options are (either on this list or any ideas you have) 

I am interested in becoming a radiography tech or an ultrasound tech, but the ultrasound tech has a better outlook. I know that might sound a bit shallow, but I think it's an important consideration. 

Please no CNA/LPN or RN routes, I have decided that those are definitely not for me. (I do respect those positions very much though, don't get me wrong.) 

 

Thank you for your input. I deeply appreciate it. 

[UGoLong]

It is a big responsibility to try to give advice to someone who is just starting out so please accept whatever is offered as suggestions only. Here are mine:

 

1. I would not recommend majoring in pre-PA. If you change your mind or get delayed in going to PA school (like not being accepted right out of the chute), then you would have limited career options. I would recommend getting in your prereqs while majoring in something you would enjoy and would lead to a good job that you think you’d be willing to do for the rest of your life (medical or not). Look around this summer and shadow some people who have those jobs now and see what you think. And shadow some PAs too, if you can.

 

2. It’s great that you know where you would like to go to PA school, but keep your options open. Going and talking with faculty in your goal program would probably be a good idea.

 

3. There are lots of ways to get experience.  I did mine in volunteer and part-time paid EMS with 9-1-1 services and learned a ton, while keeping my better-paying day job. I endorse the EMS route because (1) it gives you confidence in dealing with unstructured situations, (2) working in teams, (3) rapidly making the critical “sick/not sick” patient care decisions, and (4) quickly building rapport with all kinds of patients. You can sometimes do this while you work another, better paying job, etc. I know I did.

 

4. Many of us older people have had multiple careers and multiple jobs. Assume you might as well. Stay flexible and be open to trying new things. Try not to let yourself get trapped. You obviously have a good mind; fill it with useful stuff from which to fashion a life.

 

5. Someday, the 50 year-old version of you will want to thank (or criticize!) the 18 year-old version of you for the stewardship of your life over the next few years. Try to do something you think “he” would be happy with too. Gain skills that the future versions of you can build on.

 

Best of luck.

[Blue Goose]

Someday, the 50 year-old version of you will want to thank (or criticize!) the 18 year-old version of you for the stewardship of your life over the next few years. Try to do something you think “he” would be happy with too. Gain skills that the future versions of you can build on.

 

This.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[doxie22]

Thanks for the detailed input. I shadowed a PA and she majored in Dietics (I think that is the proper term for it) before switching to PA school. I am interested in Dietics, but I do not think I would want that as a career.

 

And my friend is a Biology major, a physical therapy aide (trained on the job) and president of the pre-pa club.

 

I know that a Pre-PA major wont get me a job after four years, I am just worried about pre-reqs. College is kinda confusing for me haha...

"You need a pre-req for this... And before you take that you need the pre-req for the pre-req."

 

So what if I majored in say... Radiography at college and try to finish undergrad a bit early, so that I can start on my ultrasound tech certification? I think I would enjoy being an ultrasound tech if I couldnt become a PA (although, it would take me awhile to get over the disappointment haha).

I mean, I dont plan to spend a lot of time racking up my HCE. Just enough to get enough hours, whilst paying for a mortgage (also, is it weird for a college graduate to suddenly have a house mortgage to pay for?) and hopefully save a little to pay for PA school.

And I know to keep my options open... But my parents dont like the idea of me moving away for two years. Oh well... I will be much older anyways lol.

Sorry if this is all confusing, and if I talk too much.

[doxie22]

Or what if I majored in Biology or something (a strong suit of mine) and took an Associates at a community college for PTA(ssistant) during my last two years of undergrad?

Hmm? Seems like a lot of former graduates from my school have done the same thing.

I dunno... It might sound crazy. I am vaguely interested in a double major, but my parents are dead against it, cuz it will be very tiring for me (especially for science/medical stuff) but my parents were more open to the university/community college idea.

[UGoLong]

It sounds to me like you haven't found yourself yet, which is OK when you're 18! 

 

Your parents have a point; getting two degrees at the same time is a hard way to go in college. A little focus goes a long way, especially if you haven't had any experience in college as of yet. 

 

Prereqs really aren't a big deal; a good advisor at your college can help you through it. You can major in virtually anything and still get your prereqs done for PA school. Premeds have similar (though not identical) prereqs and an advisor at Ohio State's medical school once told me that the best student they had ever had was a photography major as an undergrad. My family doc was an electrical engineer as an undergrad.

 

The point is, find something to get a degree in that you would be willing to do as a career (and no career is forever) even if you don't become a PA and then fill in your PA prereqs around that. As there is no standard set of prereqs for all PA schools, you will need to consider what your top few PA programs require.

 

Having your parent's house will be nice for you, but it might also present some problems, so be ready. The word "mortgage" literally means "death pledge" in old French. The house will be nice for you while you go to school, but if you eventually want to go to school, live, or work in another city; or get married and move for your mate's job, then it will be something you will want to sell or rent. Still, you have great parents who are willing to help you start out with such a nice asset.

 

You are in a time for thinking rather than acting. Do some soul-searching and talking with others before you lay out the course for the next 4 years. Your 50-year-old self of the future is hoping that you choose wisely!

 

Good luck.

[doxie22]

I guess I am the type that likes to plan everything well in advance, including my time s a 50 year old. But I know that I cant have all the answers at once.

I guess I am mostly just worried about the pre-reqs. I know I want to be a PA, and it is hard imagining me doing anything else for a long time. However, like I said, radiography tech or an ultrasound tech both sound pretty interesting and something I would like to do as a backup.

As for a major in something non-medical.. I am not sure, maybe business or finance?

So let's say, I so major in Radiography (MSU calls it "Kinseology"). I would need to catch up on a few classes (pre-reqs)... Do I do that after I graduate as a RT or somehow incorporate that along with my major?

[UGoLong]

I would say incorporate the prereqs if you can. You could talk to a faculty advisor in Kinseology (strange name...) and show them the list of courses you would like to take to prepare for PA school and see how it fits in. Anything that doesn't could, for example, be taken at night in a community college during the summers.

 

Or, after you get used to college, as something above your expected courseload. (I had to take 22 hours a few semesters to graduate as an engineer in 4 years; wouldn't suggest that to anyone who hadn't already spent a semester or two in college just doing what they are supposed to do.)

 

As far as something non-medical, only if you would want to do whatever it would be as a job. It's your plan B and it should be something you think you would enjoy.

 

Planning early is great; just accept it that the plan will change as you grow and get new data.

[Dunedain]

1. OTA/PTA  do a lot of the scut work that CNAs and even RNs do, so if you think you are going to avoid that as a OTA/PTA you are wrong.

 

2. I always caution people on majoring on Bio, being 25 now I have seen it backfire in real life many times

 

3. Rads/ultrasound/RT are very very competitive. People spend years trying to get into one of the programs and not just as a stepping stone to PA

 

4. General business is pretty saturated but finance is still a better route.My bro was finance and made a pretty penny right after graduation, general business admin...not so much.

[doxie22]

Thanks again guys. 

Since the whole mortage/house thing is a different topic, i'll make a new one on that. 

 

Dunedain, if "scut work" means menial, tedious work like Google says, I realize that every job has this. I am sure that even PAs have tedious work (or tons of paperwork..haha) that doesn't bother me (well not too much) 

 

How does being a Bio major backfire? I am just curious, I'm not really interested in majoring in that, unless I absolutely need to for PA school (albeit, one of my favorite subjects) 

 

UGoLong, you have been very helpful, by the way. I really appreciate this. Here is the link to the MSU Kinesiology Dept. http://www.missouristate.edu/kinesiology/

THis is the first paragraph that I am most curious about : 

"The Department of Kinesiology is one of Missouri State's largest and most diverse departments, offering a variety of nationally accredited comprehensive academic programs designed to prepare professionals for careers in teaching, coaching, exercise and movement science, recreation, respiratory therapy and radiography." 

 

 

So based on this paragraph, it seems that it teaches more than radiography, although I honestly just noticed that paragraph just now (lol) I will look more into it just to make sure. It would be great to get a major that wasn't just radiography, ya know? (I mean, I would like to be an x-ray tech, but I think it would be cool to learn more than one type of "tech" skill in college, if that makes any sense)  (thus, making me more marketable and have a little bit of a heads up on the competition, hopefully.) 

 

Again, thanks for the comments. These help a lot. 

[fakingpatience]

Major in something you enjoy.  It will be much easier to get good grades if you are interested in the class material, and a good GPA opens up many doors.  

 

I am similar to you in that I like to have things planned out years in advance.  I went to University majoring in social work, and planned to work at child protective services upon graduation.  All my classes went well, I enjoyed them, but then when I did my internship at CPS I absolutely hated it!  At that point it was the end of my sr year, so too late to change my major.   I had also begun volunteering as an EMT for fun, and found I loved that field, so made the switch once I graduated.  After 4 years I decided to get my prerequisites for PA school.  Talk about throwing a wrench into all my plans.  

 

Take a variety of classes your freshman year; most places you don't even need to declare a major yet.  Find the subjects that you enjoy.  As others have said, if you want to make it work you can always add in the prerequisites during your regular degree, for the electives, although it may require a few summer classes.  

 

With all your 1-4 plans, why are you only thinking about getting the certificate for some health care job in your last 2 years?  Get it earlier, then you can start working and find out if medicine is what you really want to do. 

[Dunedain]

Thanks again guys. 

Since the whole mortage/house thing is a different topic, i'll make a new one on that. 

 

Dunedain, if "scut work" means menial, tedious work like Google says, I realize that every job has this. I am sure that even PAs have tedious work (or tons of paperwork..haha) that doesn't bother me (well not too much) 

 

How does being a Bio major backfire? I am just curious, I'm not really interested in majoring in that, unless I absolutely need to for PA school (albeit, one of my favorite subjects) 

 

UGoLong, you have been very helpful, by the way. I really appreciate this. Here is the link to the MSU Kinesiology Dept. http://www.missouristate.edu/kinesiology/

THis is the first paragraph that I am most curious about : 

"The Department of Kinesiology is one of Missouri State's largest and most diverse departments, offering a variety of nationally accredited comprehensive academic programs designed to prepare professionals for careers in teaching, coaching, exercise and movement science, recreation, respiratory therapy and radiography." 

 

 

So based on this paragraph, it seems that it teaches more than radiography, although I honestly just noticed that paragraph just now (lol) I will look more into it just to make sure. It would be great to get a major that wasn't just radiography, ya know? (I mean, I would like to be an x-ray tech, but I think it would be cool to learn more than one type of "tech" skill in college, if that makes any sense)  (thus, making me more marketable and have a little bit of a heads up on the competition, hopefully.) 

 

Again, thanks for the comments. These help a lot. 

 

What do you think a BS/BA in Bio qualifies you to do after graduation besides grad school? Just think about it. If money isn't an issue then it doesn't matter but for most people it is.

 

Scut can be tedious or boring work but can also mean cleaning up poop, saturated clothes/beds etc.

[UGoLong]

Thanks, doxie.

 

I think that Dune has a good thought about a BS in biology; it can lead to a basic job as a technician in an animal lab and the like, unless you go on to grad school. That's why I suggest you get your BS in something that leads to a job, is something you would enjoy doing, and something that would give you the opportunity to take your PA prereqs along the way.

 

If kinesiology leads to a job without getting another degree (and the best way to find out is to find some graduates of the program), then that might be a good approach for you. 

[doxie22]

Thanks again, guys. 

I know it must be annoying to talk to a pip squeak like me haha 

 

I appreciate all the considerations and thoughts. 

I really didn't want to be a Bio major, to be honest. 

 

Actually, I am a volunteer at the hospital, and I have shadowed a PA and absolutely loved it. At the hospital, I can do to different areas (like radiology, cardiology, oncology, etc) Last week, I was able to give patients ice water and restocked gloves in the hallway. Not much, but made me happy. 

So the reason why I am not getting my certification now is because.. well I need to get my general education out of the way before I could take anything at my local community college. (at least, that is how I understand it.) 

And I would like to maximize my college years in the best way possible, and I would prefer not to spend most of my twenties in college or in training for some certificate. 

So if I could major in something that I love, that I could apply toward PA school (like pre-reqs) and hopefully get HCE with it, that would be great. 

But even if I had to get a certification in something like an EMT over the summer, that is cool too. 

 

I am not sure if that made any sense haha. At the moment, I am leaning more toward the Kinseology route. 

[UGoLong]

First, no one is a pip squeek. We've all been there.

 

Second, you might be confused about general education requirements and community college. Many people go to community college expressly to take general education classes; some of them THEN go to a 4 year school. I'd suggest talking to advisors at community college and whatever 4 year college you are going to go to in order to figure all of this out.

 

If there are opportunities to work as an EMT, then the summer course might be an idea too. Some PA schools are less open to volunteer time, though that's how I ended up where I am. Some more research for you to do.

 

There is a danger in being 18 and having two or three thoughts in your mind while trying to figure out what you are going to do. Shy or not, go talk to some people. Many of them are there expressly for that purpose and others remember being 18 themselves. It will still be your decision, but then you will at least be armed with facts.