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Masters in waiting? Please advise o wise one....


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Hello all, and thank you for taking the time to try and help my dilemma. So I have applied to my first cycle for PA school this past year and am waiting to hear back on what will likely be a rejection. I'm not pessimistic I have no misconceptions of my competitiveness in this field. I have a less than stellar GPA (2.5) at this point which is barely enough to allow me to apply any institutions. I have been working at hospital in admitting/patient accounts for the past couple years but with little hands on experience with patients. I have always wanted to be a part of the healthcare field and care for others, initially as doctor, but I feel I got lost in exactly where I wanted to go. However, after taking some time off I have gravitated towards the profession of PA. I feel it is everything I have wanted in a career, and just out of my grasp at this point. I have been retaking classes and trying to shadow PA's as often as I can while working full time. I graduated with a BS in psychology after some undergrad bio and chem courses took their toll on my gpa early on. However, after some recent advisement from an admissions counselor, it seems it may be quite a long road back to the standards that both admissions and I hold. Along with retaking classes, I have been considering gaining a certification such as EMT. However, in my research, I found a niche that I feel I would be perfect for in PA specializing in psychology. So, my question is...do you have any thoughts about attempting to complete a masters in psychology as part of rebuilding my qualifications? My thinking I would be advancing myself in the field I am interested and want to pursue as well as proving my ability to handle the workload at the graduate level. Also, this would likely open avenues for patient care experience while also providing a solid back up plan for my future. Could this be a good idea and a way to somehow negate my previous academic history? Or, would I better advised to get certified and just keep retaking classes? Any and all thoughts and advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks again!

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Our instructors have repeatedly said that 80% of all primary care patient visits have a component of behavioral health involved. Ranging from mild depression to schizophrenia and beyond. Mental health is AS important as physical health and as you know, quite often the cause of physical illnesses is just a somatic presentation of crossed wires in the command center (brain). If you can find a way to boost your GPA, meet the base requirements, and get that Masters, I say go for it. But can you afford two Masters? (much less the oft discussed "serving two Masters but that is a horse of a different color ;-) )

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Improve the undergraduate GPA; that is your best chance to getting into any program. At the school I have been accepted to, the director said they don't even look at applicants with a GPA below a 3.3. If you want to become a PA then keep working hard and keep your goals in sight! By the way, PAMAC makes a good point about nursing and psych nursing is also a good career. However, I don't think you would be accepted into many nursing schools with a 2.5 GPA. The GPAs in my nursing class for acceptance was a 3.2-4.0 with about a 3.4 average. Don't get discouraged; there is something to be said about a student who is passionate enough to see their weakness and improve those grades! Good luck!

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Similar story to mine! I'll be graduating this May with my Bachelor's degree in psychology (3.65 GPA) and decided to enroll in the local community college to finish my pre-req's (O-Chem, Biochem, A&P, and Microbio). My reasons for doing so are my recent interest in the PA field after extensive shadowing. I had contemplated going into a Master's program in Psychology to boost my GPA but, as stated before, it only will enhance your graduate GPA. Also, while I don't see how it could be a downside to having two Master's degrees, I know that I sure as heck couldn't afford that!

 

I was in a similar position as you and thought that I had no shot of becoming a PA, trust me on this one... if you call a local PA program and schedule a meeting with an advisor (who are usually more than happy to help you) they will explain everything. Just get the highest grades possible in your pre-req's and get some solid HCE and you will be on the right path. Good luck with your endeavors!

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. However, you could go to rn school and become a psyche np, and that would put you in one of the more lucrative np specialties. It also might fit into your interests.

 

That's what I'm thinking. . .Psyche NP. It's my understanding they do really well in most parts of the country. Don't know much about PAs in psych, but the few I've talked to handle a lot of the "medical" problems with their patients while MDs concentrate on the "psychiatric" issues. In contrast, i think many of the psych NPs deal specifically with the "psychiatric" issues as well if that's your primary focus.

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You guys rock! Thank you all so much for the excellent advice. Some positive feedback is exactly what I needed. As for nursing school, I have definitely been exploring this option among other certifications as of late. Not only could nursing give me a great career in itself (mom has been one for 30+ years and loves it), it would also give me the opportunity to improve my undergrad gpa as well as some great experience with patients. I like the idea of psychiatric NP, and had not really explored this option up until today. My reservations with NP is that I feel this will lock me into a specialization. One thing that I have always loved about PA position is the ability to cross over to different specialties, either by choice or due to options available. I realize many PAs specialize in something, but I the option to move around due to the broad range of education a PA receives has always been one of favorite qualities of the profession. Either way, my first step is exactly what I am doing, improving all my pre-requisite courses as best I can. It seems to be the overall consensus that although a masters in psych may be a path, it is an expensive and round-about one. I plan to shadow a couple more Physician Assistants and possibly a NP as well to get a better feel during my next couple months of class. So, could nursing be an option for both PA and NP path? Or, if I am still leaning towards PA would my money and time be better spent getting another certification (EMT, radiology tech etc...) and trying to build up HCE while I am building up my gpa. Keep in mind I am working full time at a less than lucrative position at a hospital and trying to pay for these classes on my own. It might nice to get back into school full time again to speed up with process...Thank you again and keep your suggestions coming.

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  • 2 weeks later...

mpisano12, it sounds like you have a pretty good idea of what you want to do and have a few paths. From the sounds of it, with your dedication, you'll be successful in whatever path you travel. Nursing would be a great way to improve your undergrad GPA and give you lots of medical experience in your education alone. We do lots of hospital hours throughout nursing school. Also, you can work as an RN while doing a Psych NP program (since you said you were paying for this on your own). Also, if you are working for a hospital, they may offer scholarships or nursing tuition reimbursement while in your nursing program (this is pretty common; you get your tuition paid for and in return you work for the hospital, which really equals job security when you graduate). :) I would suggest you go into a BSN nursing program if possible, since many hospitals are beginning to require BSN RN's. Anyways, you asked if nursing was an option for both routes (NP and PA) and the answer is absolutely! When I interviewed, everyone of the interviewers asked why I would choose PA over NP. In my opinion, nursing is probably one of the best undergraduate degrees you can have before becoming a PA (think about how well you learn about dopamine if you are actually watching a patient on that medication for 12 hours a day... Applying knowledge is a great way to cement information into your long term memory!) And if you have all the extra "hard sciences" (like O chem; biochem; insert upper level biology here; etc) you would ROCK! Good luck!

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mpisano12, it sounds like you have a pretty good idea of what you want to do and have a few paths. From the sounds of it, with your dedication, you'll be successful in whatever path you travel. Nursing would be a great way to improve your undergrad GPA and give you lots of medical experience in your education alone. We do lots of hospital hours throughout nursing school. Also, you can work as an RN while doing a Psych NP program (since you said you were paying for this on your own). Also, if you are working for a hospital, they may offer scholarships or nursing tuition reimbursement while in your nursing program (this is pretty common; you get your tuition paid for and in return you work for the hospital, which really equals job security when you graduate). :) I would suggest you go into a BSN nursing program if possible, since many hospitals are beginning to require BSN RN's. Anyways, you asked if nursing was an option for both routes (NP and PA) and the answer is absolutely! When I interviewed, everyone of the interviewers asked why I would choose PA over NP. In my opinion, nursing is probably one of the best undergraduate degrees you can have before becoming a PA (think about how well you learn about dopamine if you are actually watching a patient on that medication for 12 hours a day... Applying knowledge is a great way to cement information into your long term memory!) And if you have all the extra "hard sciences" (like O chem; biochem; insert upper level biology here; etc) you would ROCK! Good luck!

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