angelikagp Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I have a couple of questions: (1) Do you guys think working as a personal assistant to a cancer patient can count as direct patient care hours? My job is similar to home health aides or caregivers but without any liscense. She's had multiple surgeries so her body movement is limited. I bathe & wash her, assist her with her activities of daily living, remind her to take her medications, assist her to her doctor appointments and jot down things that she's complaining about and we would consult with the doctor, do light housekeeping and feeding her. (2) Here are my academic stats so far. I'm a recent graduate but probably won't be applying till the 2017 (or 2018 depending how far I get) cycle. Which class should I retake to increase my chances or should I take higher bio classes instead? Gen. Bio1: A- Gen. Bio2: B- Gen. Chem 1: C Gen. Chem 2: B+ Gen. Chem 1&2 LAB: A (My school treated the lab portion of gen chem as a whole separate class) Organic Chem 1: B A&P 1: A A&P 2: B- Microbiology: A- Genetics: D (I'm definitely retaking this) GPA: 3.197 sGPA: 2.849 At first, I was thinking of retaking the ones I got B's, C and D but I realized that might take a little while. I won't mind it because while it can take a while, I can increase my HCE/DPC hours but do you think taking higher bio classes will increase my chances better or should I retake all B's, C and D that I got? (3) I was planning on getting my CNA certification this summer but I figure CNA will be somewhat close to what I am doing now, so I was planning on doing EMT instead for a different range of patient care. So I guess what I am asking is --CNA vs EMT, which one would you prefer? I know the next two to three years I'm gonna have to (re)take classes and increase, rack up HCE/DPC hours & shadow PAs. I just need advice with the little things. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cop to pa Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I can't comment about the PCE with any intelligence. However, when you retake classes, CASPA averages the grades. So, retaking chem with a C and earning an A nets you a B. Retaking a B- and getting an A gets you a B+, not much of a difference IMO. Try some upper level science classes like biochemistry and do well. You're in a decent spot grade wise, so just be smart about what you take and you should be fine there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovelost Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Your home health experience will probably count, but I'd recommend taking those skills you've learned and getting a job in a healthcare facility or hospital when possible. You'll get more exposure to different kinds of patients and medical issues, and you'll have more of an opportunity to work as part of a team alongside other healthcare providers. But your home health experience could still be great to talk about in an interview or personal statement. Maybe bridge your experiences to working on an oncology floor in a hospital? Your science GPA definitely needs a few band-aids, but it sounds like you're dedicated to fixing it. I'd re-take any classes you received a D in, and maybe a few C's too, if you can. But if you're tight on money or time, I agree with cop to pa - try taking some advanced science courses and acing them. I think most programs will require at least a C for prerequisites. You could do either CNA or EMT - totally up to you. Things you might want to consider: availability of getting job, schedule flexibility for taking classes, physical limitations, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelikagp Posted June 25, 2015 Author Share Posted June 25, 2015 I can't comment about the PCE with any intelligence. However, when you retake classes, CASPA averages the grades. So, retaking chem with a C and earning an A nets you a B. Retaking a B- and getting an A gets you a B+, not much of a difference IMO. Try some upper level science classes like biochemistry and do well. You're in a decent spot grade wise, so just be smart about what you take and you should be fine there. Hi thank you for your reply! And yes, I suppose. One of the programs I was looking at does not participate with CASPA, but I just spoke with them and found out they calculate the grades the same way. Just wondering, I know some schools only accept courses within 5 to 7 years prior to applying, do you happen to know if a course falls outside that range, will that grade still be averaged in when you decide to retake the course or will it be voided completely? For example, hypothetically speaking, lets say I took orgo 6 years ago and decided to retake it this upcoming semester, will both grades will be averaged in or no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelikagp Posted June 25, 2015 Author Share Posted June 25, 2015 Your home health experience will probably count, but I'd recommend taking those skills you've learned and getting a job in a healthcare facility or hospital when possible. You'll get more exposure to different kinds of patients and medical issues, and you'll have more of an opportunity to work as part of a team alongside other healthcare providers. But your home health experience could still be great to talk about in an interview or personal statement. Maybe bridge your experiences to working on an oncology floor in a hospital? Your science GPA definitely needs a few band-aids, but it sounds like you're dedicated to fixing it. I'd re-take any classes you received a D in, and maybe a few C's too, if you can. But if you're tight on money or time, I agree with cop to pa - try taking some advanced science courses and acing them. I think most programs will require at least a C for prerequisites. You could do either CNA or EMT - totally up to you. Things you might want to consider: availability of getting job, schedule flexibility for taking classes, physical limitations, etc. Hi, thank you for your response! Yup, I tried but I am working without a liscense. I've looked at some hospitals around here in NYC and most of them require a liscense. And I agree with you with those considerations. Do you know if there's a preference for EMT over CNA or vice versa? I've spoken to a couple of my friends and relatives who are either CNA and EMT and asked what their responsibilities, number of hours, and so forth. But when they found out that I ultimately want to become a PA, they adviced me to take EMT instead. I've seen more job availabilities for CNA, but in terms of learning and experience I was told that EMT will be more rewarding? Yes, I am dedicated in fixing my grades! I definitely learned my lesson & I will not make any excuse about it. But I won't be discouraged! Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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