Trend: Increasing requirements of PA schools

[Rosslyn]

I decided on a bachelors in biomedical science, so me  taking the pre-reqs isn't an issue at all. I'll be taking allllll the science classes lol.

 

But I think there are several reasons why PA schools are upping their pre-reqs. The main one has to do with trying to shorten the list of applicants. Some of the schools I've looked into have hundreds of people applying for 25-50 seats. And those numbers are not even from the really big schools (for reference, I've looked into all of the programs in Florida).

 

Now, the secondary reason, I believe, is to require well-rounded type students to apply. By the way, most of the "arts" type classes are required for your BA (psych, sociology, humanities, etc). Developmental psych is one class I've seen mentioned a few times as a required course, or at least recommended. I've taken it and it's helped me understand people in their different developmental stages. Afterall, patients are still people :) I think these types of courses are required so that you understand people a bit, you understand somewhat how they and their families will react to the trials and tribulations that can happen as they go through the hospital or doctors office. There's something to be said about understanding the psychology. It also helps personally. It's a softer science, but still helpful.

 

As far as organic chemistry, I don't think I would be so "afraid" of it if it weren't for all of the poor reviews I read here lol. My husband said he breezed through it (that nut opted to take it, his bachelors was in sociology and then he got his MBA :P). I've read other people say they breezed through it. The majority say they sucked at it and slaved away hours in the library studying for it to squeak by with their grade (seen this with people who made an A, a B, or even a C). So why is such a dreaded class a pre-req? Because the courses in PA school should scare the pants off of you in comparison. Are none of you kind of nervous about pharmacology, gross anatomy, etc? You should be. I have a feeling that these science courses are also partly in place to prepare us for the rigors of PA school.

 

I'm not against standardizing the requirements across the board or whatever. That would really and truly be much "easier" for planning purposes. Programs could be developed to be a true PA path. But you know how we get that to happen? By sucking it up, doing our dreaded ochem classes, getting into PA school, passing the PANCE, and then start advocating for this stuff from the other side.

[Thirteen44]

I don't have a lot of prior HCE / am a career changer. I took orgo 1 & 2 (loved them actually - most interesting chemistry classes I've taken, but I get that I'm weird that way), genetics, sociology, psych... I finished an entire second degree in biology. I was an architect until 4 years ago (I'm 31 now) and decided to change to healthcare. I had to take a ton of prerequisites because my first degree had no science at all and very little math - hardly anything counted. My HCE amounts to volunteering over the past 4 years once a week in the ER and working as a scribe for a little while, but I have a 3.9 GPA for my post-bacc degree. So I'm one of those people that a lot of you aren't really sure about.

 

I get that, I totally do. I wavered on whether to go to med school or PA school during my third year, and ultimately opted to finish my second degree and apply to PA school. I have a lot of reasons to choose either, but I had more reasons to choose PA school over med school.

I don't think it's a bad thing that PA schools are upping their requirements - as long as those with a ton of relevant prior HCE are still being placed at the front of the line. To clarify, if you have little prior HCE then heck yes I think you should be required to have a ton of upper division courses that prove you have the maturity to buckle down and do what it takes. Problem is you end up with an either/or admissions process... either you have a high GPA and a ton of upper division courses OR you have X number of hours of prior HCE instead... and I feel like that probably wouldn't work...

 

I teach and it pains me when students with a C average who are fresh out of high school/haven't set foot in a hospital come to me asking whether I think they have a shot at PA school. I sit them down and try and explain the premise behind the profession, and what they should expect. They're surprised to hear how competitive it is. Shocked even. I don't think they believe me a lot of the time. A lot of them look at it as a "well I don't need to have a 4.0, I don't have to take the MCAT and I can still practice medicine, sign me up!"

 

I was accepted to a program just recently and I'm thrilled, but even with that high GPA I know it's going to be incredibly tough and that my classmates who have been EMTs and medics and all that awesome stuff are going to have an advantage over me. Just means I have to work harder.

[rev ronin]

I was accepted to a program just recently and I'm thrilled, but even with that high GPA I know it's going to be incredibly tough and that my classmates who have been EMTs and medics and all that awesome stuff are going to have an advantage over me. Just means I have to work harder.

Your positive attitude will go a long way to making up for your relative lack of HCE.  Congratulations on your acceptance and best wishes in your program!

[Thirteen44]

Your positive attitude will go a long way to making up for your relative lack of HCE.  Congratulations on your acceptance and best wishes in your program!

 Thanks! I sure hope so! Laugh so you don't cry, right?

[whoRyou]

 Thanks! I sure hope so! Laugh so you don't cry, right?

[tomasall]

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