Please help guide me.

[Collexted]

Hello, it was only this month when I was first informed of the existence of the profession Physician Assistant (I know, no 's!) ; This is sad, I know and I feel the same way too. Most students at my school are pre-meds. However, I've begun researching and becoming a Physician Assistant interests me greatly. I've always wanted to get into the health care professions. I initially like many other young students wanted to become a doctor and then a pharmacist but I have realized they just don't fit me and my situation.

I still have much to learn about Physician Assistants, does anyone have a particular website that they feel is very informative of the history of the profession? (I can google, it’s just that I would like to know what you know as well.)

I am going to become a junior at my university in the fall, but I've been sick so much that I've had to withdraw 2 semesters so I really have 1 year's worth of undergrad credits so far. Is the fact because of sickness I've had to withdraw for the semester two times be a disadvantage? I absolutely refuse to disclose exactly what my sickness was.

So is this an adequate summarized explanation for the semester withdrawals in the future personal statement? ( will refine this a lot more in future years) I was hospitalized and Needed to focus on my health over school because of priorities. Unfortunately, the illness relapsed my second year and once against . I was hospitalized and Needed to focus on my health over school because of priorities. I will not disclose the sickness because of patient confidentiality rights, but I can assure you it is no longer a problem for me and will not interfere with suceeding in the program as you can see through.....

 

On the bright side, so far I have a 4.0 in fact, I got a final grade of more than a 100% in Calc 2 (lol, my university is decent and that class is not easy and there's a good chance I'm the only one in the class that got that grade. The more than 100%? Well for exams there was an extra 10% one could earn and I'm sure it was a lifesaver for most) In Chem 2 I also got a 100% (there was some little extra credit meaning I definitely would have had a A either way) Chem 1 is a similar case. Okay enough bragging, no one cares, an A is an A even if it is 89.5% or 100+%. Also Calc seems not to be a pre-req for most if any pa programs. xP Also, it seems the only way I can go is down. ._.

So here's my stats so far:

Fall 2012: Totally withdrawn due to illness.

Spring 2013:

Engineering Class: A

Calc 1: A

Chem 1: A

Intro to psychology: A

Fall 2013: Totally withdrawn due to illness

Spring 2014:

Calc 2 A

Chem 2 A

Chem 2 Lab A (See, I'm a bit concerned because my school does not offer Chem 1 Lab, probably because its combined in Chem 2 Lab. Chem 2 Lab is 2 credits.)

Micro Economics A (my pre-pharmacy stage)

 

I've taken spanish, english and philosophy at a community college and plan to continue taking classes during the summer so I can focus on my science classes at my university.

 

For fall of 2014 I'm taking, physics 1, biology 1 and organic chemistry 1 and orgo lab 1. I have seen my future and it seems I am destined to take 3 science courses+2 labs for the rest of my college career to get a biology BS, this is feasible right? (Lol, I know I have to take some kind of biology related statistics, but my parents are statisticians so I don't think that I would a problem with it since I'm pretty good at math.) I also understand that PA programs will probably be much more intense, but I gotta protect my GPA right?

 

Ultimately my main problem is HCE and extracurriculars, but I'm young so I still have time to make up. BUT I don't want to overload myself when I'm doing science courses and lower my GPA, cause it seems the classes are just going to get harder from now on.

But um, it's really bad right now. Cause like, I basically have no extracurriculars or HCE to speak of so I'm starting from 0 basically. Oh and I can’t drive. >< I’m starting to learn but school keeps interrupting.

On top of having a 5th year of college, after graduating I'm thinking about taking a year to focus on building HCE. It's either that or becoming part time student and part time working HCE for my 5th and 6th years.

But HCE and extracurriculars are still a huge unknown to me.

I know it I need them, a few programs say they don't require them but most aplicants have them.

How much HCE should I aim for.?

500 hours seems the bare minimum. 1000 hours seems very feasible. 2000 hours seems feasible but difficult. 

Also how long should I be doing HCE for? I mean like would it look better if it was spread out over the years or concentrated in one whole year?

What is the best HCE?

I know paid>unpaid. And I've been hearing about EMT, but are there other just as good or better options out there? Now I don't just want something to put on my resume, I also genuinely desire the lessons and experience I will obtain by doing these health care jobs.

How can I shadow a physician assistant?

Seeing as I have no experience I don’t want to drag down a PA. So how much experience should I have before requesting to shadow? Also, how do I find PAs to shadow, should I also try shadowing MDs?

What volunteer work should I do?

Does it have to be medical related?  What volunteer work do you recommend? I really want to help people in a meaningful way.  

[Collexted]

Um, if I get a C in one of the community college classes will it affect admissions because once I transfer to the university it doesn't have a grade, just a T and the fact that they aren't pre-requisites? ( except english, which I got an A at the community college.)

 

Okay here's my plan so far from the advice I got. I still need more advice to helpp me become a well-rounded student.

 

ASAP

Try to get EMT certified ASAP

Join clubs.

Volunteer where I'm needed. :D

Do well on my classes.

 

In the future

Find a PA or doctor to shadow.

etc etc.

 

Also: is this an adequate summarized explanation for the semester withdrawals in the future personal statement? ( will refine this a lot more in future years) I was hospitalized and Needed to focus on my health over school because of priorities. Unfortunately, the illness relapsed my second year and once against . I was hospitalized and Needed to focus on my health over school because of priorities. I will not disclose the sickness because of patient confidentiality rights, but I can assure you it is no longer a problem for me and will not interfere with suceeding in the program as you can see through.....

[DiggySRNA]

Welcome to the world of Pre-PA =)

Answering from top to bottom:

• This forum is one of the best places you can learn about the profession. From history to policing and scope of practice, it's all here.
• You will be REQUIRED to explain why you had to withdraw for 2 semesters in your personal statement. Not explaining your illness in your PS will be a disadvantage.
• On the bright side, your GPA is a 4.0 which looks great on paper, but PA school loves well rounded applicants and those who have life experience. a 4.0 with no community service, mediocre HCE, no volunteering, poorly written PS, boring interview is as good as a 1.0. The more experienced PA-Cs here will blatantly tell you HCE is not for just ticking off a box lol. So aim for 2000-3000+ HCE if you want to remain competitive and learn a thing or two about medicine/ health care.
•  Extracurricular Activities: Clubs, community service, volunteering, research, sports, hobbies, you name it.
• Yes Paid > Unpaid. You can become EMT certified and become an ER Tech, Patient Care Tech, Clinical Tech, Medical Assistant, Nursing Assistant. No, EMT Cert doesn't only lead to EMT.
• If you do not know a PA try your state PA chapter and see if they have any available. If that's a dead end, try volunteering/shadowing an MD and then ask if they know a PA you could shadow. Obviously, don't shadow for 2 hours and then ask for a PA.
• Volunteering is not only medical related, remember being well rounded is best. Teach kids, volunteer at a local shelter, church, food bank, ANYWHERE will count :D. 

[cinntsp]

 

How much HCE should I aim for.?

500 hours seems the bare minimum. 1000 hours seems like the ideal amount. 2000 hours seems a bit excessive for a new graduate who has not worked in health care for years.

 

 

Huh?  How can there be an excessive amount of HCE?  A new grad who hasn't worked in healthcare for years is exactly who would benefit from it.

[Collexted]

 

Welcome to the world of Pre-PA =)

Answering from top to bottom:

• This forum is one of the best places you can learn about the profession. From history to policing and scope of practice, it's all here.
• You will be REQUIRED to explain why you had to withdraw for 2 semesters in your personal statement. Not explaining your illness in your PS will be a disadvantage.
• On the bright side, your GPA is a 4.0 which looks great on paper, but PA school loves well rounded applicants and those who have life experience. a 4.0 with no community service, mediocre HCE, no volunteering, poorly written PS, boring interview is as good as a 1.0. The more experienced PA-Cs here will blatantly tell you HCE is not for just ticking off a box lol. So aim for 2000-3000+ HCE if you want to remain competitive and learn a thing or two about medicine/ health care.
•  Extracurricular Activities: Clubs, community service, volunteering, research, sports, hobbies, you name it.
• Yes Paid > Unpaid. You can become EMT certified and become an ER Tech, Patient Care Tech, Clinical Tech, Medical Assistant, Nursing Assistant. No, EMT Cert doesn't only lead to EMT.
• If you do not know a PA try your state PA chapter and see if they have any available. If that's a dead end, try volunteering/shadowing an MD and then ask if they know a PA you could shadow. Obviously, don't shadow for 2 hours and then ask for a PA.
• Volunteering is not only medical related, remember being well rounded is best. Teach kids, volunteer at a local shelter, church, food bank, ANYWHERE will count :D. 

 

Thank you! :D

• Yep, most of what I already know comes from this site. Do you have any particular threads you could link me?
• How much must I explain? I would message you my concerns and as to why I'm afraid of disclosing too much, but um I don't think it would help? Maybe I'll ask the adcom in the pinned topics about it. Anonymously. 
• Yeah I know grades aren't enough anymore, it's not like highschool anymore! But I doubt I'll be able to graduate with 4.0... I think somewhere above a 3.5?  2000-3000 hours, that may take a while and I read a thread about undergrads who went to PA right away and they had about 1000 or less. I'd rather not stay away from school for too long. Let's see, if I took no vacations and worked 5 days a week I would work 260 days in a year 3000/260=11.53 hours a day... that's burn-out territory. 2000/260= 8 hours. Much better. And I'll probably be doing HCE throughout the years, just not as much as concentrated. Okay I'll aim for 2000. What I meant wasn't that once I get the 1000 I'll stop, I meant like the minimum I should have. I would still do HCE because I really wouldn't have anything else to do. XP
• I mean, right now I'm in ultimate frisbee club, been there for my college life but recently I've felt its just not right for me. I think I have to stop being shy and explore and get involved. Also, I'll check if there's a pre-PA club. ^_^ My friend who is a vegan and wants to be a social worker has brought me along to the vegan club and social work club before. Even though I know I'll never become a vegetarian much less a vegan and that I won't become a social worker, I really like the people there and would like to support their cause. It's not wierd if I join those clubs? 
• Oh, that's so cool. So I really do need EMT certification. I hear there's different certifications, I'll research this more and try to get certified as soon as possible. ^_^
• Okay, I think this'll take more research. Lol, whenever I google Physician assistant _(city name)__ it comes up with job requests and not PAs in the area. XP
• Yaaaaayyyyy. I think I especially like helping people academically. Although I'm sure there's many volunteer opportunities I don't know much about and would like a great deal. 

Thank you for your advice. This thread was mainly asking do I even have a chance? And how can I become more well-rounded? Thank you. =D

[Collexted]

Huh?  How can there be an excessive amount of HCE?  A new grad who hasn't worked in healthcare for years is exactly who would benefit from it.

Excessive was not the right word.

I know, you can never have too much HCE especially since that will be your job from now on.

I meant, a bit difficult to achieve? I'm not very sure.

[cinntsp]

Excessive was not the right word.

I know, you can never have too much HCE especially since that will be your job from now on.

I meant, a bit difficult to achieve? I'm not very sure.

 

I get what you're saying.  Ultimately you need to find a balance between earning HCE and focusing on classes because GPA matters.  Don't focus on a number of hours.  Get as much HCE as you can without your grades suffering and be prepared to continue working after graduation if you don't get in the first time.  You also need this time and some shadowing to decide if being a PA is what you think it is and what you really want.  Having just found out about the profession a month ago means you don't really know yet.

[Collexted]

I get what you're saying.  Ultimately you need to find a balance between earning HCE and focusing on classes because GPA matters.  Don't focus on a number of hours.  Get as much HCE as you can without your grades suffering and be prepared to continue working after graduation if you don't get in the first time.  You also need this time and some shadowing to decide if being a PA is what you think it is and what you really want.  Having just found out about the profession a month ago means you don't really know yet.

True. I guess I was looking for the amount I absolutely needed to have before I can even apply.

Like many college students, i don't really know know what my heart truly desires above all else. But I think I do know what I don't want to do.

I do agree, I need to get HCE ASAP.

[Guest MedLib42]

The minimum amount of HCE you'll need just to apply will depend on the school, because each school sets their own minimum requirement. 1,000 hours is the bare minimum for many schools. You'll also want to find out how many hours the typical accepted applicant has for each school (usually available on their website, or by calling), which is often much higher than the minimum. Keep in mind P.A. school gets more competitive each year (my school had 3,000 candidates for 30 spots this year, which has doubled since last year) and unfortunately, there are also a lot of applicants who greatly exceed the minimums, so those people who apply that just meet the minimum requirements don't always have a great chance of getting in. It can happen, but it's much more difficult.

 

In 2012, according to the Physician Assistant Education Association annual report (which averages applicant statistics from pretty much all of the U.S. P.A. programs), the average accepted Physician Assistant applicant had about 4,300 hours of direct patient care HCE. 

 

As far as shadowing, in addition to your local P.A. organization, you may also want to start contacting hospitals and clinics in your area that utilize P.A.s as well. It's OK if you don't have any HCE when you ask to shadow - some places definitely prefer it, but some don't care, so it's worth a shot. Try for at least 100-150 hours shadowing a P.A. And yes, I'd also recommend shadowing an M.D. so that when the ADCOMs ask you why P.A. and not M.D., you have an answer.

 

Make sure the science classes you take meet prerequisite requirements for the schools you want to go to. Most schools require microbiology, anatomy and physiology, as well as several others, although requirements will vary a bit from school to school. You also may need to take the GRE - it's required by many programs as well, and they'll usually have a minimum score they prefer you meet in order to apply.

 

Volunteering is important. Try for BOTH medical and non-medical volunteer work - the average P.A. applicant has about 500-600 hours of volunteer work as well. Try for underserved medical clinics, hospitals, medical mission trips, etc. And of course, I'm sure you know there are a lot of non-medical opportunities out there as well.

 

Getting into P.A. school is a process that, for some of us, can take years. I took almost 3 years to work on prerequisites, volunteering, shadowing, and generally improving my application (and that was after I'd already gotten a bachelors degree and had about 13,000 hours HCE) before I got in. Although it can be done more quickly, P.A. school applications are time consuming and expensive, so in my opinion, it's worth it to take whatever extra time is needed to make sure you're a competitive applicant the first time around.

[Collexted]

The minimum amount of HCE you'll need just to apply will depend on the school, because each school sets their own minimum requirement. 1,000 hours is the bare minimum for many schools. You'll also want to find out how many hours the typical accepted applicant has for each school (usually available on their website, or by calling), which is often much higher than the minimum. Keep in mind P.A. school gets more competitive each year (my school had 3,000 candidates for 30 spots this year, which has doubled since last year) and unfortunately, there are also a lot of applicants who greatly exceed the minimums, so those people who apply that just meet the minimum requirements don't always have a great chance of getting in. It can happen, but it's much more difficult.

 

In 2012, according to the Physician Assistant Education Association annual report (which averages applicant statistics from pretty much all of the U.S. P.A. programs), the average accepted Physician Assistant applicant had about 4,300 hours of direct patient care HCE. 

 

As far as shadowing, in addition to your local P.A. organization, you may also want to start contacting hospitals and clinics in your area that utilize P.A.s as well. It's OK if you don't have any HCE when you ask to shadow - some places definitely prefer it, but some don't care, so it's worth a shot. Try for at least 100-150 hours shadowing a P.A. And yes, I'd also recommend shadowing an M.D. so that when the ADCOMs ask you why P.A. and not M.D., you have an answer.

 

Make sure the science classes you take meet prerequisite requirements for the schools you want to go to. Most schools require microbiology, anatomy and physiology, as well as several others, although requirements will vary a bit from school to school. You also may need to take the GRE - it's required by many programs as well, and they'll usually have a minimum score they prefer you meet in order to apply.

 

Volunteering is important. Try for BOTH medical and non-medical volunteer work - the average P.A. applicant has about 500-600 hours of volunteer work as well. Try for underserved medical clinics, hospitals, medical mission trips, etc. And of course, I'm sure you know there are a lot of non-medical opportunities out there as well.

 

Getting into P.A. school is a process that, for some of us, can take years. I took almost 3 years to work on prerequisites, volunteering, shadowing, and generally improving my application (and that was after I'd already gotten a bachelors degree and had about 13,000 hours HCE) before I got in. Although it can be done more quickly, P.A. school applications are time consuming and expensive, so in my opinion, it's worth it to take whatever extra time is needed to make sure you're a competitive applicant the first time around.

It's to my belief that a lot of PA applicants are those who decided to go back to school and already had jobs in the health care field?

As an undergrad, I'll do what I can and I think depending on my GPA it'll depend.

Some programs don't have required hours, but I know it is kinda still required.

Is it more competitive thatn medical school? Just because a lot of people apply, doesn't mean they're all quality applicants. 

[EMEDPA]

if you can find something to do for HCE 10-15 hrs/week while in college and full time summers those hours build up quickly. I was an er tech 2 shifts/week during the school year and 5 shifts/week during the summers. that experience alone(not counting later paramedic school/work which I did after graduation) worked out to over 5100 hours

[Guest MedLib42]

It's to my belief that a lot of PA applicants are those who decided to go back to school and already had jobs in the health care field?

As an undergrad, I'll do what I can and I think depending on my GPA it'll depend.

Some programs don't have required hours, but I know it is kinda still required.

Is it more competitive thatn medical school? Just because a lot of people apply, doesn't mean they're all quality applicants. 

 

You're right - a lot of people do choose P.A. after already working in healthcare for awhile. In fact, the P.A. profession has a history of being a "career change" profession geared toward already practicing healthcare professionals. That's changed quite a bit though - a lot of people are going in directly after their undergrad now, and many schools are welcoming these types of applicants.

 

The "is it more competitive than medical school" question is something I've heard debated a lot and that's hard to answer. P.A. schools do tend to get medical-school-caliber applicants. This, coupled with the fact that there is so much popularity surrounding the profession and so much information currently available on how to get into P.A. school, means that much of the applicant pool will typically be pretty competitive.

 

I hope that doesn't sound too discouraging though. As I mentioned, there are a lot of people going in right out of undergrad, and you're smart to do what you can and not overwhelm yourself enough to let your GPA slip; that's important. So I do think you're on the right track! Start with a small amount of HCE, throw in some shadowing, and as another poster said, it can build up quickly. 

[DiggySRNA]

Thank you for your advice. This thread was mainly asking do I even have a chance? And how can I become more well-rounded? Thank you. =D

Yes you have a chance! 

If you can keep up your GPA above a 3.4 with extensive amount of HCE, volunteering hours, community service, a killer personal statement, pretty LORs, you will end up somewhere. Don't stress too much because it will become an obsessive behavior haha :D

[JohnnyM2]

 

In 2012, according to the Physician Assistant Education Association annual report (which averages applicant statistics from pretty much all of the U.S. P.A. programs), the average accepted Physician Assistant applicant had about 4,300 hours of direct patient care HCE.

That's not quite right. You are quoting the average HCE hours of accepted applicants which is different from the HCE hours of the average accepted applicant (ie the median). The average HCE hours are skewed by a minority of highly experienced matriculants. Consider what happens to the average if just a few dozen accepted students each have 30 years (about 60,000 hours) of HCE. Those matriculants are hardly representative but can really raise the averages. They will not, however, have much effect on the median which is about half of the average.

 

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[Guest MedLib42]

That's not quite right. You are quoting the average HCE hours of accepted applicants which is different from the HCE hours of the average accepted applicant (ie the median). The average HCE hours are skewed by a minority of highly experienced matriculants. Consider what happens to the average if just a few dozen accepted students each have 30 years (about 60,000 hours) of HCE. Those matriculants are hardly representative but can really raise the averages. They will not, however, have much effect on the median which is about half of the average. Sent from my Kindle Fire HDX using Tapatalk 2

 

You're absolutely right. I actually can't believe I misquoted that, as I was originally after the median to begin with, when I glanced at the report. If I'd thought about it for a sec, I also would have realized 4300 was a bit high for what I was quoting. I believe the median may actually closer to 2,00 hours (or a bit under, but I'd have to double check) which sounds more realistic. Thanks for catching that.

[JohnnyM2]

You're absolutely right. I actually can't believe I misquoted that, as I was originally after the median to begin with, when I glanced at the report. If I'd thought about it for a sec, I also would have realized 4300 was a bit high for what I was quoting. I believe the median may actually closer to 2,00 hours (or a bit under, but I'd have to double check) which sounds more realistic. Thanks for catching that.

Yes 2200 hrs is correct. (I think you just have a typo.) It would be nice if they would also publish standard deviations so we could see the HCE range for one and two standard deviations.

 

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