MPH

[db_pavnp]

Your priority is a GPA boost.  Ok.  But what about an RN program instead of a scammy medical masters?  There appears to be a lot of overlap between the two curricula.  One grants you a license with diverse employment options and a living wage while the other potentially leaves you as the most highly educated CNA on the planet.  I actually think it is a dirty secret (or not so secret) that PA programs really like BSNs.  At the least, if you go the MPH route, I would suggest that you need to come to terms with the possibility of living and working with the MPH and consider what that life is like before embarking on that journey.

[Steve]

I do have 3000 hours of direct patient care experience . My priority is to improve my gpa either thru mph , post bacc or medical masters

 

 

The problem is your undergrad is < 3.0 which is often an automatic garbage bin for most schools and whatever masters program you do will not raise that. I often read that even with > 3.0, PA/Med School won't give "much credit" to your masters GPA due to grade inflation. Nursing school isn't a bad idea b/c at least you're guaranteed something going that route, but I'm guessing it might even be a challenge to get in there. Kind of at a crossroad, I'd vote post-bacc if PA is the real goal but you're gonna have to kill whatever courses you take.

[Timon]

I love the peanut gallery on this post... Especially the "scammy MHS" and automatic garbage bin with <3.0 GPA.

 

There is so much more to it that you guys even know...

 

Look... You want into a PA program.. If there is something out there that will give you the GREATEST odds of getting in, its the MHS programs..

 

Going for your RN is a good idea.. If you didn't have 3000 hours of direct patient care already and growing.. Retaking classes you got Cs or less in is reasonable and more realistic..

 

At this point it's a numbers game.. You need science credits to increase your GPAs.. A RN program will take you 2 years / will be very competitive / very impacted and a MPH will take you 2 years and will probably serve you no purpose unless you plan on not working directly with patients.

 

A "scammy MHS" program will be 1 year where you'll be taught the same exact stuff year 1 med school students go through.. Some programs will even count it as year 1 of med school like Western's MSMS program.. Also those in my class who were MHS graduates perform amazing in the PA program and are very well prepared.

 

Imagine being able to take classes by the same faculty that are teaching the PA and Med students and getting your letters of recommendation from them directly, while increasing your cGPA / sGPA, and the kicker.. You're guaranteed an interview!

 

Essentially you are going to be in a better position than learning nursing theory since you are being taught MEDICINE!

 

I'm not trying to sell you on going for a MHS program.. But I can't sit back and watch this type of advice being given.. Go do some additional research and ask yourself what will fit your needs the most... Make an excel spreadsheet and enter every class you've ever taken and get your CASPA GPA and then enter how many units at a 4.0 it'll take to raise your GPA to a 3.0.

 

You have a 2.8 GPA. That means you probably only need 24 science units at a 4.0 to raise your GPA to a 3.0. Taking 48 units will bump you up to a 3.14... At that rate either you'll get in with the 3.0 or not because your GPA is only 1 stat.. Adcoms will look at the entire picture...

[Steve]

I love the peanut gallery on this post... Especially the "scammy MHS" and automatic garbage bin with <3.0 GPA.

 

There is so much more to it that you guys even know...

 

 

If schools auto screen out < 3.0 then no human eyes will actually see your entire package, so effectively, it goes in the garbage.

[Timon]

Then I wouldn't have gotten in with my 2.93 cGPA.. Nor would I have gotten interviews when I had a 2.8 the year prior.. Again.. There's more to it than just GPA..

[dream2pa]

hi there

 

Thank you so much for the advice. I applied to 14 program and was rejected from 13 within few months . Franklin Pierce is the only program that granted me interview last month and wait listed me until November. I am taking this as rejection and moving forward. Like i said i have a bachelors in Biochemistry and hence have taken all the high level undergrad science classes that leaves me with graduate level courses only. I have admission in MPH and SMP  in USF which is kinda like special masers program solely for academic purposes. The curriculum is very close to PA/MD program. I know we are not trying to get into  med school but they have 6000 and up level hard core science classes and i believe it will not only boost my sgpa and cgpa provided i do well in them it will also look impressive on my application. Trust me when i interviewed with FP they didnt even ask me about direct patient care and all that crap i was worried all these years. I did think about Nursing but i agree with Timon on this one i am not interested in nursing secondly the curriculum is not as intense as SMP or MHS. I also compared curriculum between MPH and MHS/SMP and i realized how loaded SMP/MHS curriculum is. They are offering medical biochemistry, immunology, genetics all medical level courses. i started my journey with 2.6 and have boost it up to 2.8. Its a tough decision :'(

[db_pavnp]

I'm sorry you have taken offense to my reference to a MHS as scammy.  Perhaps I have not fully adjusted to the current educational climate to understand the value of a one year MHS.  My greatest concern with them would be that it is a degree that doesn't appear to enhance your job prospects while only offering a vague promise of assisting you in acquiring another degree.  Not only does the RN boost GPA, but it also grants a living wage, global mobility, significantly enhanced HCE, and (the devil) a entirely alternate and more diverse pathway to graduate degrees.

 

Great, you got into a school with a c2.93.  She isn't you.  You are your sGPA, HCE, interview skills, personality, appearance, and a male minority (guessing at "Timon" w/ family guy avatar).

 

That said, I am also puzzled by your accusations that an RN program would be two years, "impacted" and competitive.  More competitive than a one year MHS?  Accelerated program?  Cannot even address "impacted".  Any guarantee a B average is gonna solve the problem?  What do you think the odds of an A average are after a c2.8 bachelors?

 

Edit:  I also want to say that PA programs (on this site) appear loath to suggest pursuing a masters with the intent of pursuing a masters.  Same with an RN - they don't suggest getting an RN to help get into a PA program.  However, programs are certainly extremely diverse.  Your guaranteed interview programs obviously feel VERY differently and, honestly, I think an MHS which is strongly integrated with a PA program is a powerful tool.

[Timon]

I'm sorry you have taken offense to my reference to a MHS as scammy.  Perhaps I have not fully adjusted to the current educational climate to understand the value of a one year MHS.  My greatest concern with them would be that it is a degree that doesn't appear to enhance your job prospects while only offering a vague promise of assisting you in acquiring another degree.  Not only does the RN boost GPA, but it also grants a living wage, global mobility, significantly enhanced HCE, and (the devil) a entirely alternate and more diverse pathway to graduate degrees.

 

Great, you got into a school with a c2.93.  She isn't you.  You are your sGPA, HCE, interview skills, personality, appearance, and a male minority (guessing at "Timon" w/ family guy avatar).

 

That said, I am also puzzled by your accusations that an RN program would be two years, "impacted" and competitive.  More competitive than a one year MHS?  Accelerated program?  Cannot even address "impacted".  Any guarantee a B average is gonna solve the problem?  What do you think the odds of an A average are after a c2.8 bachelors?

 

I understand she isn't me. She isn't you either... And that was my point... I'm sure there other components that we aren't aware of since we are only seeing a glimpse of the posters issue. We've identified the issue is GPA not HCE.  I'm not the only one who has gotten with with a sub 3.0 GPA. There's many, and they post here quit often.

 

The point is that the poster doesn't need to do a 2 year program when they only need 24 units. you have to agree that there's no guarantee of job with ANY DEGREE one chooses. You can get a MPH and not get a job. Lots of places aren't hiring new grad RNs. So its a different climate out there currently. 

 

So, depending on where you are, there are wait lists to get into RN programs. In California where I'm from its a lottery system or a wait list which is 7 years long. There are a few grade based ones but the poster has a 2.8 GPA so going to be pretty tough.

 

I agree that RN is a preferred route. That works, but not in this situation. The poster is close to a 3.0 GPA and already has 3000 hours of healthcare experience which is still accruing. If the poster did not have any healthcare experience then I would suggest the RN route, but that is not the case.

 

As for MHS programs.. many of them have a requirement of 2.7 or 2.8 GPA and are geared for people who are in the same exact position as the poster. Again, I'm not trying to sell the MHS, but I find it highly ignorant to call them scammy. It's a masters degree and will credential you enough to be able to teach at the college level as well as working in research.

 

Additionally it will better prepare you for PA school than lets say a MPH. Additionally, everyone I've known who has gotten a MPH has done nothing with it outside of either go for a PhD, teach or go to PA school... they've never worked in the public health sector or in a position that requires a MPH specifically. 

[EMEDPA]

another option with the MHS is applying to medschool...

[cinntsp]

Then I wouldn't have gotten in with my 2.93 cGPA.. Nor would I have gotten interviews when I had a 2.8 the year prior.. Again.. There's more to it than just GPA..

 

Then I wouldn't have gotten in with my 2.93 cGPA.. Nor would I have gotten interviews when I had a 2.8 the year prior.. Again.. There's more to it than just GPA..

Your situation is not the norm. You were guaranteed an interview because of the nature of your masters. Unless OP goes that exact route, they are better off getting a second bachelors in something that can provide them a good salary and raise their gpa.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

 

[Timon]

I never took the MHS program. A lot of people in my class did. I had my MBA before the career change and then took accelerated post-bach classes. You can actually see everything I did in a post I did a while back following this link and reading post #9.

 

http://www.physicianassistantforum.com/index.php?/topic/4955-burnout-tips-on-dealing-with-it/

 

As a matter of fact I was going to do the RN route had I not been accepted after my 3rd time applying. Luckily I got in my 2nd attempt.

 

I'm not even advocating my route to the OP. In my class of 62, 12 were MHS, 1 of which left during the first session after they were accepted to the DO program.

 

In the upcoming class of 58, 14 are MHS. I didn't know about the MHS programs until I was already accepted but definitely would have given it serious thought had I known about it.

 

The students are all strong and have a strong background in medical sciences as they do cadaver dissections, go deep into physiology and biochem along with work along side the faculty doing research. I'm just saying its a route to legitimately consider.

[whoRyou]

actually i am already accepted into MPH program starting in september

May I ask what school? Best of Luck! 

[dream2pa]

University of New England .

[jaibrown]

I hope its okay if I hijack your thread..my question is the same so I didn't want to start a new one. I'd also like advice on whether I should pursue a masters as a way to strengthen my sGPA.

 

I just calculated my sGPA and the best it looks like i'll get after this summer is a 2.87. My cumulative is more like a 3.3-3.4. Even if I got an "A" in my Org Chem course this summer and took a nutrition class this summer and received an "A" i'd at best have a 2.97. And thats just not realistic for me since I only have two months and I'm working. I did begin thinking about applying to schools that accepted a lower sGPA but I just don't think it'll be worth it. Those schools are much farther out of state then I was planning to go and would cost an arm and a leg for me to travel to if I were just offered an interview. I would much rather have a stronger application with plenty of choices of were to go. 

 

I'm pretty devastated because I really thought I'd have a chance. My issue is I am a strong B student. I have straight B's in my sGPA and 2 c's (one I retook for a B). So my GPA is right under 3.0 which sucks. I'll already be on the later side of the application period to add. All the programs I was planning to apply to had Oct-Nov deadlines. So..Now its time for me to consider alternative routes and I don't know what to do. I could take an emt course with the money I planned to spend on applications, and hopefully land a full time job as an emt, but there don't seem to be many full time positions here in Dallas, most are part-timers. And a part time job wouldn't work for me because I'm living at home with my parents ( I've already been home for a year since graduating), and I NEED to move out. Emt would be very economical for me, I'm just afraid not to have employment.

Additionally, my student loans will be set to come out of deferment by next summer. I was really thinking I'd be back in school by next June. With all that said, I am considering a 1 year masters program between this now two year period of waiting to start PA school . I know you all seem to be split in your opinions regarding MHS vs MPH and which is more beneficial, but I wanted some clarity on wether the courses themselves will be calculated into my sGPA? Because I thought only undergraduate courses were counted or am I mistaken? I'm looking into a Masters of Medical Sciences degree but I'm open to any suggestions. I'm pretty stuck right now.

 

http://web.unthsc.edu/info/20004/graduate_school_of_biomedical_sciences/1208/master_of_science_degree_in_medical_sciences

[Timon]

Your undergrad GPA will stay as it is. However any post-bach or masters level courses will still count toward your overall cGPA / sGPA which is what schools use when they list their GPA requirements. You may get asked about your GPA as they'll look at all your classes so be ready to explain any academic blemishes.

 

Bottom line is calculate how many units at a 4.0 you need to raise that sGPA to a 3.0. It may be worth it to take the couple classes in a semester (maybe during the summer even or online) to raise it to a 3.0 versus going overkill with a full on masters program. You can always retake courses you got Cs in and get As. Or you can expand and take courses that are recommended or required allowing you to cast a wider application net.

[jaibrown]

I'd have a 3.0 by the end of the fall semester but not by the application deadlines. My concern is what to do for another 2 years while waiting. I like the idea of getting an EMT cert in the meantime but every full time job requires 1-2 years experience. I don't want to get certified if I'm not going to use it.

[cinntsp]

I'd have a 3.0 by the end of the fall semester but not by the application deadlines. My concern is what to do for another 2 years while waiting. I like the idea of getting an EMT cert in the meantime but every full time job requires 1-2 years experience. I don't want to get certified if I'm not going to use it.

 

If I was in your position I would try to get into an allied health or paramedic program in order to boost my gpa, have a much easier time finding a job in healthcare(vs. EMT-B which seems hit or miss based on posts here), and have a backup career that could sustain me financially for any length of time until I could get into PA school.  Some people seem to just want to rack up more debt without a solid way to pay it back on the assumption that they absolutely will get into the next PA school cycle.  The one year master's program may be a good option if it's associated with a PA program and has a high matriculation rate, but it's probably not the ideal route otherwise.  The MPH is probably not a good route unless someone has a strong interest in public health and government work.