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Changing career path needing advice!


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Hi!

I have been trying to get in DPT schools for some years now but had no luck, maybe for a good reason. I've always had interest in any healthcare field and I have done some soul searching by volunteering in various settings, outpatient clinics and SNFs. I've done mostly in the rehabilitation section since that is my area of interest (I really would like to specialize in Rehab/ Ortho/ Sports medicine as a PA). However, after working for 2.5 years as a therapist aide on top of my volunteer experience in the rehab department, I soon began to feel I won't be able to enjoy the career long term as a physical therapist. I began to want to know more than just therapy. I've had the chance to observe medical doctors, nurses and sometimes PA making rotations on the rehab patients; and wondered more and more about PA. My close friends and family have been encouraging me to go to PA school for years and rejected my route for DPT (small frame and short and not that strong. My mom had other concerns besides my frame). I've always had interest in PA in the back of my mind and now that I am changing my route, a whole new wave of anxieties are rushing in.

My stats:
Undergrad Major: Public Health Science. Minor: Psychology (cognitive)
Undergrad cGPA: 2.98 (super horrible.... I went through family loss and I just totally messed up)
Post- Bac cGPA: 3.82
Anatomy and Physiology: A and A, respectively
Physics 1 and 2: A and B, respectively
Bio II: A
Currently taking:
Chem II (retake- hoping to get an A... what are my chances if I get a B??), Medical Terminology
Future courses:
Chem I(retake since initial grade was at a B) , Bio I(retake as no lab was taken as undergrad), Microbio (since I didn't take the lab portion as undergrad), speech
Self reported pGPA: 3.18 (all retakes averaged out)
sGPA: 2.82 (averaged with retakes)
GRE: Verbal: 148 Quantitative: 145 Analytical: 4.0 (May retake... depending on my interest in schools
Volunteer/ Experiences
CNA student: certification but expired 2015 as I was focusing on grad school.
ER volunteer at Veteran's Hospital: 2 years observing and shadowing nurses, NP and occasionally PA and MD (This was in around year 2011 ~ 2013)
Acupuncture/ Oriental Medicine clinic: 30 hours observing and front desk
Rehab (PT) volunteer at Veteran Hospital: Inpatient and Outpatient hours around 200~ 300 hours each
Physical Therapist Aide (paid work) in conjunction to Orthopedist office: 2.5 years with patient hand's-on care and therapy modalities/ techniques; assist billing, scheduling, insurance verification, administrative work when the office manager went on long term maternity leave.
Skilled Nursing Facility: around 150 hours in the rehab department. I got the chance to run around the entire nursing facility assisting nurses and rehab team, and occasionally observed MDs, Orthodontists and other health techs.

Schools of interest:
Mostly schools that won't look at the GRE or MCAT, and hopefully in California (where I live)


I am so determined but I feel so lacking to be qualified. I will be turning 29 when I plan to apply next year. I will be planning to find shadowing opportunities during summer next year as I will need LORs and more medicine related exposure. I feel as though I have a long road ahead of me... and the thought is daunting at times. Any advice will be appreciated. Thank You.

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Hey, I totally get how you feel. I graduated with a 3.1 and took a year of postbacc classes and got it up to a 3.26.  I'm still taking more classes and trying it get it up to a 3.4.

 

If I were you, I wouldn't bother retaking a class you got a B in. If you want to improve your gpa, take upper level science classes and show them you can do well in them. Unless you got a C or D in a pre req, don't bother retaking.  would take classes such as genetics, immunology, neurobiology, developmental bio and get A's. Your HCE looks great though.

 

Your sgpa is low. I would take a year of those science classes I just mentioned and get it up to 3.0 at least. I would not apply next year and would wait for the next cycle after that. 

 

Also, your GRE scores aren't helping you. I would retake because they can help offset those grades a bit if you get >70%.

 

Don't give up though! It seems daunting and impossible, but it's possible. If this is what you want, work for it. The road might be long, but all that hard work will feel so good when you get that acceptance. Heck, I'm 23 and feel like I won't get in till I'm 26 and feel defeated, but I make sure i motivate myself and remind myself what my goal is everyday. 

 

Good luck :)

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I am not expert on all possible PA schools and their requirements.

 

Based on all the information you presented, here are some thoughts:

 

A science GPA under 3.0 is a real problem. Rather than chase retaking Bs (which at best would turn them into B+s with CASPA's algorithm), take some more advanced sciences and get As. Prove you are a different person now.

 

You want a GRE over 50% ile, especially with your grades. Prove you would be a competent graduate student.

 

Get some up-to-date healthcare experience. 

 

Don't second-guess the past nor chase fixing Bs. As they say after a bad play in a football game, it's second down and 15. Call your next play.

 

27 isn't all that old, if this is really what you want to do. I didn't get any HCE until I was 38 nor prereqs until I was 51. 

 

Best wshes.

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