esklar Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 Hi All, I apologize if this is in the wrong area as I just found this website today. So a little back story on me is that I went to a fairly well known, well-respected business school. I just graduated last May with a BS in Marketing and Media Studies. I went to work for an advertising agency (where I am right now) and just decided it wasn't working out. I have been thinking about PA school for about 3 or 4 years now but since I was at a business school (only business, not a larger university), I just went with it. Anyways, it has not been working out well with my job and I am thinking about going to PA school. I know the first step is to get my pre-reqs but I am wondering if there's a certain school I should get all my science classes at or if that matters? What about the fact that I didn't do anything medical-related during undergrad? I don't want to be put at a disadvantage from the start. My dad is an ortho so I shadowed him a lot in high school to and have gone in a few times recently to see if it's something I like (which I do). The good thing is that my undergrad GPA was a 3.56 which I think is competitive? I'm just trying to make sense of everything at the moment and any advice/information you could all offer would be amazing. I have had a lot of business internships/experience but not a lot of medical experience. Any suggestions on how to go about getting those hours? I want to make myself as competitive as possible when applying to schools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted December 26, 2011 Administrator Share Posted December 26, 2011 Your undergrad GPA is solid, but how many sciences did you have? My recommendations for your to-do list: * Switch jobs to something more health-care related. * Find a part time or volunteer job as an EMT or CNA, obtaining one cert or the other in the process. Volunteer EMT experience is fine. * With your business school background, I wouldn't worry about the "right" university. Get your prereqs done at a public community college if you can. Make sure you get as close to a 4.0 in prerequisites and science courses as you can possibly accomplish: Health Care Experience accumulates, but GPA Averages! * Continue reading the forums. It sounds to me like you're not going to be able to apply before June of 2013 at the earliest, so you have a lot of time to read up on the fine details. Get working on the prerequisites for winter term if possible, though! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted December 26, 2011 Moderator Share Posted December 26, 2011 dental school requires that you really love teeth. podiatry school requires that you really like working with feet. I wouldn't want to do either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackjacks Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 You could look up a few PA programs that you might be interested in attending and check out their pre-reqs, then make a plan to get these classes completed in the next year. One thing that might hold you up is that to take things like Upper Level Microbiology you often have to take Bio I and II plus another 200 level Bio or things like that. Find a job in healthcare that you can work at while taking the pre-reqs. Taking a quick CNA class and getting CPR/First Aid Cert will help to find a job, or pump people you know for connections to HCE jobs. In free time, volunteer and shadow. It's nice if you can fit a few hours of volunteering into a regular schedule (I do 3 hours every Thurs after work at Therapeautic Horseback Riding) but if that doesn't work find something with varying hours (I also volunteer with an American Red Cross team that provides first aid at community events, so they send out e-mails once a month with random dates that need staffing). In my mind, I think 4 things: work, school, volunteer, shadow. Once enough of those are accumulated, apply and make sure you know as much about the PA profession as possible (current issues like degree awarded to PAs and possible name change to Physician Associate) for interviews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esklar Posted December 27, 2011 Author Share Posted December 27, 2011 Yeah i'm definitely not interested in Dental school, sorry. I have a schedule planned out for taking pre-reqs already, I just need to make sure the schools will accept pre-reqs from a state school (UMass Lowell). I'm looking at Springfield College, MCPHS, and the soon-to-be-opened Baypath College program. Right now, I plan on volunteering and taking classes while I get a certification (either CNA or EMT although I think I would enjoy EMT more). I'm just starting out and with my plan, I have some time. So I plan on getting as much experience and volunteering in that I can as well as doing my research. Thanks everyone. Any more advice for me just starting out would be amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esklar Posted December 27, 2011 Author Share Posted December 27, 2011 Sorry to ask so many questions but it seems like the only places that have the classes I need to take are community colleges. Am I putting myself at a disadvantage by taking pre-reqs at a community college? Should I try to see if I can enroll classes from an undergrad program at a state school instead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted December 27, 2011 Administrator Share Posted December 27, 2011 Community College classes are fine for most programs, and they tend to be a much more economical way of getting prereqs done. Call specific programs with questions, if you have any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esklar Posted December 27, 2011 Author Share Posted December 27, 2011 Sorry that should have said orthopod... he does knee surgery (mainly ACL, meniscus, sports injuries). 100% my bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HopefulPA Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 1. I had a Bachelors in Bus. Adm -HR major and a Masters in Labor Relations and a decade plus of experience in that career. What you need to do first is find out what programs you are going to apply to first and what their req are. It is THEIR opinion that counts! I took almost ALL my science pre-reqs at Com Colleges, a few had to be from a University and consider upper level phisiology courses. The programs I was applying to required "paid" HCE so while doing HR consulting and I also worked as a Home Healthcare aide a (85% difference in pay). I also did about 100+ hours shadowing PAs in different areas of medicine and settings. It can be done, you need to make a plan and then go for it. I also suggest that you shadow some PAs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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