Pre-PA Majors and HCE Questions

[patrickwood]

I am currently a freshman majoring in athletic training and plan on applying to PA school after I graduate. I want to go into orthopedics so that is why I chose athletic training over a biology or chemistry major. I know I have to take a few extra classes to get all the requirements in, but the main part of the major is more interesting to me than biology or chemistry as well. We are required to be a student AT once we get into the program and the hours don't count toward a credit for a class, but they still are required. We do rotations at our school, a high school, and hospital. I was wondering if those hours would count towards the HCE hours for PA school, or do they have to be completely separate from my major?

 

If they do not count, I have been looking into Kinesiology with an exercise science focus because it would be a lot less time consuming not having to do all the AT hours while still giving me a good sports related and science base for PA school. Would you recommend doing one of these majors over another or think that my plan for the future is a good one?

[Guest MedLib42]

This thread might be a bit helpful to you: http://www.physicianassistantforum.com/index.php?/topic/9482-athletic-training/

 

Keep in mind that I can't speak for every program, as all programs have slightly different HCE requirements, and some are pretty lenient with what they will accept. But generally, no, clinical hours spent in a program - regardless of the type or quality of the clinical hours - don't count toward HCE for a PA program. 

 

Athletic training itself can be tricky to get approved as HCE - typically, schools only consider HCE to be direct, hands on patient care done in a medical setting. Many schools require it to be paid, outside employment (separate from your schooling). Patient care that involves medical care and procedures such as bathing, toileting, physical therapy, injections, blood draws, and the like is typically more competitive. 

 

If you know which programs you're applying to, you could always contact them and ask, on the off chance it might be accepted. However, my advice, if you want to be a particularly competitive candidate, would be to go the kinesiology route and get some paid, hands on experience as a physical therapy tech or assistant (if you're particularly interested in that area) or as an MA, EMT, ER tech, or something else along those lines.

[jlumsden]

I am a student at the University of Washington, and there are several former athletic trainers among us -- both as students and faculty.  You would probably be able to find a program that values the contributions athletic trainers can make to a student cohort.  However, I've seen some programs specifically exclude exercise science from the list of acceptable science and anatomy courses.  Plan for that now by learning about the requirements of programs to which you are inclined to apply.

 

I am wondering why you don't find biology interesting -- in some ways, the didactic year is like a master's degree in human biology.  Would you enjoy a PA program?

 

Also, have you considered minoring in a science while studying athletic training?

[GreatChecko]

Keep with the AT curriculum. Whether your "student AT" hours will count is going to be school dependent. Here at UF, there are a ton of former ATC's in the program and they are doing well. How we look at the student hours, I don't know, but I can't imagine it working against you in any program. You might have to work a year or so as a paid ATC before getting into a program, but a year off isn't so bad between undergrad and grad school, plus, you can save a bit of money as well! I've also seen a few ortho jobs looking for former ATCs. I think you will be well served by your training if that is where you want to work.

 

Don't forget to consider just going to med school, its a long road, but the time passes quickly. PAs tend to be type A's who get focused on a timeline very quickly. Time off to gain experience and better position yourself for PA school isn't a bad thing to happen/put into that plan.

 

Good luck and study hard!