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PA School Advice in Florida!


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Hello!

 

I’m new and please correct me if I’ve posted in the wrong forum. Anyways, I’m currently working on my undergraduate in Jacksonville, FL and I currently work at St. Vincent’s. I am going to apply for PA School in the future and I was wondering if anyone had any pointers on schools here in Florida? In Jacksonville we only have Nova Southeastern for a PA school—while we have UF and only a few other PA Schools in Florida in general. Personally, I’d like to go to Nova because St. Vincent’s can dish out money for school and I’ll have an easier time finding a job there after school since I’m established. However, I’m worried that going to Nova may not make me a great candidate for a CC or Surgical Residency compared to me going to a school like UF.

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  • 2 months later...

I'm currently at UF and I think it's a great program. There are options in Florida: UF, Nova Jax, Nova Orlando, Nova Gulf Coast, Nova Ft Lauderdale, BarryU, Kaiser, and Miami Dade. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Nova Jax on probation or something like that? I hadn't heard the best news about that program last time I did the research. I believe Nova Ft Lauderdale has the best faculty, resources and rotations. It took me two cycles to get into UF and I have zero regrets. The Gator nation is strong and produces top notch PAs, some of which are currently at the Norwalk Surgical Residency up North.

 

Message me if you have any questions.

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As for the residency, go where it fits you best, study hard, and get decent grades. Contact the residencies early to show sustained interest and network like crazy. I went to an info session at AAPA and was one of four students in the room. Also, keep in touch with the docs your work with, they might know someone, who knows someone who needs a PA in surgery (or might need one themselves!) and voila, you have a job. Just try to not get over focused, like we PA students tend to do, on a residency, it will only cause anxiety as you go through school and hit the inevitable bumps and challenges on the way. If its meant to be, it will happen.

 

As for schools... Nova Orlando, not Jax, is on probation. I'd apply to a few places and take all the interviews you can get. You want to find a place you can call home for two years. I'm not into bad mouthing other schools and every program has a few people that need an attitude adjustment, so its tough to compare across the board and YMMV. Look at PANCE pass rates, rotation sites, school mission/philosophy, and each program's curriculum carefully and choose the one that best fits your needs. 

 

http://directory.paeaonline.org/

 

I too am very happy with UF, its a great program and I've been well prepared for my second year (even if I still can't get it all to stick in my head!). So take that for what its worth. Go Gators and good luck! 

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  • 1 month later...

My former classmate got accepted into the UF PA surgery residency program. She was the top of her class and had awesome letters of rec. She loves it. Another former classmate of mine is at the Duke PA surgery residency program. None of us attended UF but they were still able to obtain a spot in their programs.

 

There are surgeons out there that will hire new grads and train. Residency isnt your only option for a surgery job.

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  • 3 months later...

My former classmate got accepted into the UF PA surgery residency program. She was the top of her class and had awesome letters of rec. She loves it. Another former classmate of mine is at the Duke PA surgery residency program. None of us attended UF but they were still able to obtain a spot in their programs.

 

There are surgeons out there that will hire new grads and train. Residency isnt your only option for a surgery job.

Hi!

 

Is there anyway you could get me in touch with these classmates? I recently applied to the UF PA Surgical Residency program and I wanted some feedback from "insiders". I would REALLY appreciate it!

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  • 8 months later...

I graduated and now work in Jacksonville.  I felt that the didactics were pretty solid and I had few complaints with the rotations that I had.  As far as the different campuses go, I am pretty sure there isn't much difference.  Although the campuses have their own autonomy, they are all accountable to the same system.  The Jax PANCE rates weren't that great in the first couple of classes but have normalized, I think my class is in the mid 90's.

 

I am pretty sure that most in my class who wanted to stay in Jacksonville got a job in a field that they are happy with.  I don't know much about the Ft Lauderdale/Miami Dade area but I do know that there are four PA schools in the immediate area, five if you count Nova Ft Myers.  Jacksonville has one program with the closest programs being UF and South University in Savannah Ga.  This said, a quick look at PA jobs on Indeed show that the Miami-Dade and Ft Lauderdale areas are not lacking in positions.  

 

Lower cost of living in Jacksonville, that's a plus.

 

I think you will do okay with either choice.  

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  • 1 year later...

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