2nd year applicant

[paigger727]

Hello all!

 

I am interested in what the feedback would be from you guys as to if I am a good applicant. I have been experiencing a lot of difficulty getting into PA programs because I do not have this GPA or this GRE score. I am just curious if I am ever going to get in. I have a BS in Biological Engineering that i graduated from last May with a 3.168. The major problems I have experienced is that my science GPA is a 2.9. I know this is low but I took the majority of my biology/chem/physics classes my first two years of college. I had originally gone into biological engineering thinking that it would help me look different and stand out against other applicants. I am wrong though, it has hurt me more than helped me.  So after calling programs and figuring it out what exactly I am missing I think I have greatly increased my application. In the last year I have worked at a dermatology clinic as a MA for one year, went to Guatemala for a medical volunteer trip where I learned spanish, just got a new job at a primary care clinic as a MA. On top of all of that I have over 100 hrs shadowing (PAs and MDs), over 800 hrs community service.  What am I doing wrong guys, please help me out. I really really want to get in this year. Am I just applying to the wrong programs?

[paigger727]

oh and I am taking 3 more classes this fall in upper level biology!!

[SocialMedicine]

the science gpa is not convincing people you can handle an intense science work load. the MA experience is minimal patient care, 3.1 overall gpa is on the low end. i would say your chances are very low for acceptance but so many of these new PA schools will reduce the admissions criteria. look at some of the new programs opening in the next few years.  do you have a polished interview and personal story ? maybe get some feedback and practice interviewing. That can be an important component in my opinion. 

[JFarnsworth]

I didn't get in on my first round of applications, or my second. My advice is keep applying. It speaks to your motivation and committment if the school sees you are working towards your goal and not letting rejection stop you. Keep taking classes, keep shadowing PAs, and have a superlative essay. The essay will get you the interview. And practice interviewing so you'll be well prepared for it. I know many PAs who did not have the best grades or GRE or experience, but their personal life stories and experience they did have made them more attractive candidates.

Also, if you can, apply EVERYWHERE.

Good luck!

[cinntsp]

You should post this in the pre-PA section.

[paigger727]

how do you get a polished interview? is that just practice with PA school interview questions? Also what do you mean by personal story? Like why I want to be a PA? 

[paigger727]

I have also been thinking how it would look to possibly get an associate degree in nursing? I am waiting until Jan. to start it but I just wanted to see what you guys thought? If an MA is on the low end of the medical care scale would it not be better to have a more in depth job as a nurse then? I am just trying to think of every possible option right now. Or is it just better to take poss bacc classes and keep applying to PA schools. 

[SocialMedicine]

polished interview means you speak articulately. You have command over the topics I bring up during the interview which require some concept of health care in America and general knowledge a PA applicant should have. You are confident and in a suit. A good story means your life experience makes up for less than stellar academics. So you scored a C in general chemistry. But have you been a paramedic an urban area for 10 years w the perspective that brings, did you work in healthcare consulting and want to become a leader in PA practice issues, is there a global health element to your career etc. 

[JFarnsworth]

polished interview means you speak articulately. You have command over the topics I bring up during the interview which require some concept of health care in America and general knowledge a PA applicant should have. You are confident and in a suit. A good story means your life experience makes up for less than stellar academics. So you scored a C in general chemistry. But have you been a paramedic an urban area for 10 years w the perspective that brings, did you work in healthcare consulting and want to become a leader in PA practice issues, is there a global health element to your career etc. 

I agree! Practice what you are going to say in front of other people, so that you can get used to the process. You don't want to be surprised by a question and seem as though you don't know what you are getting yourself into. Some basic questions are: Why do you want to become a PA? Why not go to Medical School? What other options have you looked into? What has your exposure been to the PA profession? You should have well thought out answers to these questions that show you have a fairly good idea of the profession. 

As for being an RN vs an MA, I don't know what to tell you. you'll have more in depth experience as an RN. Personally, I was an MA, ortho tech, surg tech, and cardiac tech before I got into school, and I did fine.

[curiousprepa]

As for being an RN vs an MA, I don't know what to tell you. you'll have more in depth experience as an RN. Personally, I was an MA, ortho tech, surg tech, and cardiac tech before I got into school, and I did fine.

 

RN work focuses more on care. Standards are high to achieve good grades. Most people who excelled in my program had more than 10 years of HCE as surgical techs, and as advanced patient care technicans. It is not the best route to go if you are looking to raise your GPA.

 

I've called around different PA schools. The clerk who answers calls for the Emory PA program says that most programs consider at least an overall 3.2 CASPA GPA as competitive. Your GPA is very close to a 3.2.

 

Find some good profs to work with in order to raise your GPA, and keep afloat with what's going on in your courses. I'm currently looking for suggestions to make my application more competitive. Good luck!

[Guest MedLib42]

I have also been thinking how it would look to possibly get an associate degree in nursing? I am waiting until Jan. to start it but I just wanted to see what you guys thought? If an MA is on the low end of the medical care scale would it not be better to have a more in depth job as a nurse then? I am just trying to think of every possible option right now. Or is it just better to take poss bacc classes and keep applying to PA schools. 

 

I wouldn't necessarily say MA is on the low end of the HCE scale - it certainly can be, but that often depends on your specific job duties and the schools you want to apply to. There is actually a derm MA in my current PA class :). I applied to a couple of schools that considered M.A. to be some of the best HCE, and others that considered it to be at the bottom. It's important to specifically ask the schools you're applying to which careers they consider to be the strongest HCE. You can even email them your specific job duties and ask how strong they think your particular HCE is (that's what I did). 

If you do need more HCE and you know you want to be a P.A., I wouldn't recommend the nursing route. It's going to be very academically challenging, as another poster mentioned, and keep in mind there are two separate models of care - the nursing model and the medical model (which PA falls under). ADCOMs may want to know why, if you knew you wanted to be a P.A., you went to the trouble of pursuing a career in the nursing model then switched to the medical model (PA) and/or why you didn't just continue with the nursing model and pursue NP. Certainly, it can be done, people do get into PA with nursing as great HCE, but I would say that's a more difficult route if you already are sure you want to pursue PA.

 

If you're willing to put the time into an associate's degree in nursing, why not get your EMT certification instead? There are many schools that put EMTs at the top of the food chain when it comes to HCE. Or get a job as an ER patient care tech. If you can't go for those, you might consider augmenting your MA experience with phlebotomy, CNA work, or even physical therapy assistant. Again, though, I wouldn't make any decisions until you contact the schools you're applying to and find out what they consider to be strong HCE. 

 

While I would definitely recommend more varied HCE, your grades may be one of the biggest reasons why you're not getting in, so keep taking science classes - as many as you can - and push for A's in those classes. I would also strongly recommend retaking any of the science classes you took as an undergrad in which you received anything less than a B, especially if they are prerequisite classes! Keep in mind that if you're taking post-bacc classes at the grad level, CASPA typically won't calculate them in with your undergrad classes, so your undergrad science GPA will still remain a 2.9 by CASPA calculations (which can still hurt you). It's not uncommon for P.A. applicants to need to retake some undergrad science classes to get their undergrad science GPA up. Just make sure you know the minimum science GPA of the schools you're applying to (usually it's at or over 3.0 for many schools) and strive to push your GPA well over that line (if it's 3.0, try for a 3.5 at least). Keep in mind that there are a lot of applicants that exceed the minimums, so those that just barely meet the minimum requirements aren't going to be competitive applicants.

 

Also, keep racking up volunteer hours (preferably in healthcare settings) and continue shadowing P.A.s in as many different specialties as possible. You also want to make sure your LORs and your personal statement are really strong as well.

[zoopeda]

Your most obvious weakness is GPA--specifically sGPA.  If you can raise both GPAs to 3.3 or so, you'll be making headway.  Also, look at programs that emphasize recent-GPA trend.  (There are lots of recent posts on those schools.)  Being an MA is a proven great way to attain HCE.  (Although as an MA, adcoms should also expect excellent MD/PA LORs.)  You need to raise your GPA, and that takes hard work and many semesters of consistent As.  I know this from personal experience.  Good luck.