Need Advice with PA Application

[yadiyada]

Hi guys! I'm new to this forum and the PA application process. Here's a little bit about me:

 

I graduated from college 2 years ago. I applied to medical school twice and have been wait-listed at a few schools both times. I am now considering switching to the PA route. It's not because I see PA as a less demanding career, but because I think my stats put me a better shot for PA programs. After applying to medical school twice, I don't know if I still have a chance at becoming a doctor anymore. My MCAT score was the big issue. I've always wanted to practice medicine, and becoming a PA will allow me to achieve this dream as well. My stats and experiences are as following:

 

Undergrad major: health science with minor in biology

Cumulative Undergrad. GPA: 3.8
Science Undergrad. GPA: 3.7
1st GRE: 308 (4.0)

Direct Patient Care/Extracurricular Experiences : 

Volunteered as a pharmacy technician  >400 hours

Shadowed many physicians (total>200 hours), but no PA's yet

Clinical research >100 hours

Full-time biomedical research at the NIH >2 years, working on publishing 2 papers

Volunteer coordinator of the American Red Cross in college

Teaching Assistant for 1 year

Language Instructor for 1 year

Many community service experience as well

 

I know PA programs are very strict on direct patient care hours, and that each program has its unique requirement. So I'm not sure which of my experiences actually counts as direct patient care. Here's a list of my questions:

1. I want to work on getting more experiences. Should I try to do some shadowing with PA's? I'm also looking into getting a paid clinical job such as medical scribe. Which one is more important and should be done first?

2. With the experiences I have, what are my chances of applying this cycle (April 2016)? Or should I wait until next year when I have more patient care hours?

3. Who should I get my letters of recommendations from?

 

Please help me out if you can. Thanks a lot! :)

[MT2PA]

First - you're probably going to get a lot of backlash because although you don't see PA as a lesser career, you are essentially using it as a backup since you can't get into med school.  Just, be prepared.  From this forum, from potential PA programs, everyone.

 

Second, the only thing in your list that *might* count as HCE is your research and even then, not all schools will accept it as direct patient care hours (healthcare experience, maybe, but not patient experience).  It really depends on what you were doing.  This is hands down your biggest issue.  I wouldn't even consider applying this cycle due to this.  You need a patient centered job - EMT, CNA, phleb, what have you, get one ASAP and plan to apply next year.

 

Letters of Rec will depend on the programs you apply to as some schools require from specific people (bosses, MDs, PAs, professors, etc).  

 

Your grades are fine and I assume you have the suitable pre-reqs for PA programs, but you need to get HCE ASAP (aim for 2000 hrs minimum) and wrestle with a better explanation for why you're choosing PA.  Programs are NOT going to want to hear 'Well I couldn't get into med school so this seemed like a good second option since you don't require the MCAT but I really want to practice medicine".

[rev ronin]

Actually, Pharm Tech might count for some programs, but that's iffy.

 

Since getting into PA school is more difficult than getting into medical school, what do you think the problem is with your application?

 

In my mind, with those stats, for you to have missed out on two years of med school admissions, you have SOMETHING wrong with your application--poison LOR, poor interviewing skills, only applying to ridiculously high tier schools--despite your MCAT scores, which you don't list, but I suspect they can't be THAT bad with a 308 GRE. You did apply widely and to DO schools, right?

[MyNameWasUsed]

Improve your mcat and what other issues you may think you had with your Med application and reapply to both MD and DO schools. PA isnt a backup and you clearly made it to be one. I have a PA acceptance already. If you gave me an MD acceptance right now ill still choose to attend PA school.

 

Some people think PA school is easier, somw think its harder, others think theyre the same level of difficulty to get into. Both are extremely competitive but I would say MD>PA>DO cause DO school allows grade replacements and requires lower MCAT scores.

 

What is your MCAT score. Its impossible to correlate GRE with MCAT.