Teacher2PAC Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I am interested in learning about different roads to PA school. Currently, I am a teacher who enjoys volunteering in healthcare trying to get to PA school. I can say it is challenging balancing everything, however I am working on it. I would love to see other people's stories about when they decided they wanted to become a PA , and how they got there. I am most interested in what type of plan others made for themselves to keep them on track, or if they even had a plan at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UGoLong Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Check out "Links to Personal PA Journeys" in this forum. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeBallent Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Since you're a teacher it sounds like you're already interested in working with and helping people. Awesome! I'm applying this coming spring for the 2016 incoming PA classes. I first became interested in healthcare through work with the University of Utah Burn unit. From there I looked at Nursing for a bit, but was more intrigued and passionate about moving in the PA direction. I got my EMT last year and work at a treatment facility, dealing with substance addiction recovery, trauma, etc. From the shadowing I've done and current students I've spoken with, it seems like a very rewarding field. However, it's also 'the' job right now, so it's hypercompetitive. So it seems the key is for us as applicants to differentiate ourselves. If I were in your shoes, I'd definitely leverage some of the teaching experience and pull on personal stories from that work; maybe it inspired you to get into healthcare? How? What about your teaching background makes you a unique PA applicant? And find a way to get involved in healthcare; EMT or CNA are good starting points and the program at the U takes on a number of Respiratory Therapists and Paramedics (though each of those is a couple of years to achieve). Sounds like you're thinking pretty seriously about it- do it! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teacher2PAC Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 Hello Joe, Thank you and I appreciate your response. I appreciate you offering your personal journey to becoming a PA, and I wish you luck with your application for next cycle! Applying for PA school is a major project for me right now, but it is well worth the effort. As you mentioned, one of the biggest reasons I would like to be a PA is because I am a teacher. There are a lot of parallels between teaching and patient care that I see, not to mention I love students, I love the patients, and I just love people. One of the cool things about being a teacher is that there is a story pretty much everyday, that is one of my favorite things about "the job," and something I will miss if I end up getting into PA school, and eventually becoming a PA. I appreciate the advice and your story, definitely send an update about how the application cycle is going. I would love to know! As I tell all of my students, Good Luck, you got this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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