Seeking advice as a prospective PA student

[disembodiedleg]

I've spent quite a lot of time in my undergrad looking for what I want to do. For a while I looked at Orthotics and Prosthetics, but I eventually got the clue that what is claimed on NCOPE.org is not so true nowadays, especially with the new masters programs and disappointed students in that one thread on SDN (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/whats-the-deal-with-the-prosthetist-orthotist-programs-profession.640914/)

Also, I've gotten first-hand complaints from seasoned practitioners and recent grads myself who mirrored what was said about audits, reimbursement, lack of employment, salary issues... etc... in the SDN thread.

 

So about a week ago I began looking at other health professions that would well utilize courses I've taken.

So far PA reigns, and I will hopefully be able to set up a time to shadow a PA soon to find out more.

 

Here's what I have so far:

-I'm 25, I've got a couple associates, one of them in Art... I'm looking to graduate in the fall with a B.S. in Kinesiology.

-3.4 GPA I need to retake Anatomy, and I still need to take Org. Chem. and Micro which will take me into Spring 2017.

-~60 hours of shadowing at various clinics and volunteering at a children's hospital for their O&P department.

-120 hours as a "production tech." at a start up in San Francisco that makes modular AK sockets. I didn't get much patient interaction here, I mostly fabricated.

 

And my future plan:

-Either take a 6 wk Micro course over the summer or work on finding and hopefully beginning HCE... maybe do both

-....Apply! 

-Before applying I was thinking (dreaming, actually for a long time to return to the land of my ancestors and help graciously) of using next summer as a time for an individually set up volunteer experience... but that depends on if I can raise a good amount of funds and whether or not I'd be allowed at a hospital or clinic in my desired location.

 

Am I on the right track?

I know for sure the most important part of all this is to shadow a PA first and foremost, but does anyone have any input on getting overseas volunteering experience? I thought of applying for the Atlantis Project, but I feel like I could just bypass the "program fees" and set up my own program for less. Also, any good alternatives to O&P?

 

Thank you to anyone who replies after this long ass story.