educatedblkman Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Ageism is real. This society seems to shun anyone over 30 as if they cannot function properly. I have been out of college for 10+ years working as a Microbiologist. Ive always wanted to become a doctor or PA but life happens... I have renewed vigor to follow my dreams yearning for a career not just another job. My overall GPA is 3.5 with sGPA at 3.3. I probably need to retake prereqs so im in limbo on how to do that. I am in my late 30s but I am not discouraged by the average age range of many PA school ....i could really care less doesnt make a person smarter or dumber due to age. My question is how due I get prereqs without basically getting another degree??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iseewholewheat Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 I retook almost all my prereqs at the local CC. I could say I was working towards an AA, but just take whatever I wanted to. I did have to re-take the upper levels at the local University, but 80% of my classes were at the CC with no problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
educatedblkman Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 did you get an Associate then??? I just didnt want to have to do another 2 yrs just so i can get my prereqs.....i was contemplating nursing since i already have CNA license and I know they have accelerated programs like John Hopkins or VCU but again that is 2 yrs for that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious_Ignoramus Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Take each pre-req individually as a non-degree-seeking student. This necessarily means that the expenses will come out your pocket, but the consensus around here is that CC classes are completely acceptable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted August 10, 2015 Administrator Share Posted August 10, 2015 I ended up getting an 'associate in general studies' from my local community college with all my prereqs. It only cost me a few bucks for the graduation, and now of seven total degrees I've earned, at least now one says 'with highest honors'. At the time, I was working tech sector so had plenty of money to pay as I went and financial aid wasn't a big deal. Oh, and I was in my late 30's when I did all these prerequisites, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iseewholewheat Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 I did not end up getting my associates. I could have taken 2 more classes and gotten one, but I felt like having a bachelor's and master's already were sufficient to prove that I could handle upper level work. My local CC was on quarters which helped me finish my prereqs much faster than semesters. All in all, I started taking prereqs last summer and will finish this fall at the University. I also was able to work full time as an Athletic Trainer and part time as a pharmacy tech to help pay for school. You do what you need to do to make it all work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbum Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 i think you'll find that your age is not a liability. Older adults on their second (or third or fourth) careers have traditionally been well-represented in PA programs. The recent trend toward younger matriculants seems to be driven shifting demographics among applicants, not discrimination. A lot of us (pre-pa/applicants) are in our thirties. All of the programs I've asked have said they're happy to have older students. As far as getting prerequisites done in a short time, I doubt that will happen unless you've already got a head start (you may, assuming your courses aren't too old). The problem isn't really the volume of classes, it's the sequencing...taking biochemistry might mean taking organic, which might mean taking a couple of semesters of general chemistry, for instance. I'd bet that most people on this site spent at least couple of years getting ready to apply to PA school before actually doing so. I think the fact that the PA profession is relatively less accessible is a good thing when compared to others, notably nursing. Good luck in whatever you choose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UGoLong Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 You aren't nearly old! I went back much later in life and got my prereqs in community college for the most part. I wrote a book a few years ago about what it was like for me, taking prereqs, getting experience, and going back to school later in life. It was one of the most special times for me. Hopefully for you too. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliB Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 I'm another with a bachelors and a masters ... and a lot of years of life experience. I enrolled at community college for an Associates degree and took all my pre-reqs (and some additional classes to raise my GPA). My prior course work is so old, the CC didn't have equivalencies for everything! Regardless, if I'd taken the time to petition the department heads to accept my senior level public speaking as credit for freshman level public speaking, and same for one English req., I'd have earned an AS degree, also with honors (3.94 GPA). I started my PA program before I had time to do that. :) But maybe I will pursue it when I'm home on break next week! If this is what you want to do, pursue it. It takes some time, and some money, but I'm glad I went for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MT2PA Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I only needed a few pre-reqs, maybe 16 credits or so, and was able to take them as a non-degree seeking student. Most universities have this option and really is the best way to go if you don't need another degree (or do the same via a CC). Now, if you need to take a LOT of credits then maybe pursue an associates. Some Universities have a limit on the number of credits you can take as a non-degree seeking student but the websites are usually pretty clear about this. There are also several great online programs that allow you to take courses essentially designed for people who just want to learn something. I would recommend this more for the non-science courses. I took abnormal psych from the University of North Dakota as a completely online, take at your own pace course (9 months to finish), and honestly found it to be a very thorough, enjoyable course. EDIT: Your age really won't be an issue here. I actually find that schools value life experience and personally, I think you'll have an easier time earning the trust of patients. Not that the younger grads won't, but ageism works in your favor a little there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UGoLong Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 To the OP: 1. Being in your late 30s isn't nearly old. 2. Being older means you are closer in age to your patients and can bond a bit easier in general. 3. Being older will probably cause people to assume that you are experienced, even when you're not. 4. Being older means you've weathered life's ups and downs successfully. 5. Being older means you've learned lessons in other disciplines -- like problem-solving -- that apply well to medicine too. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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