greenmood Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Took about half my science pre-reqs, including Micro, A&P, and Biochem, at a community college and had no trouble during my application cycle. I honestly never even gave it a second thought. My understanding going into it was that PA was designed for people with prior careers in healthcare. (That's an oversimplification, but that's what I thought when I started the path.) Since there was no other way for me to take my classes other than one/semester at a community college while working at the hospital full time to pay my bills, I assumed the schools would just deal with it. I love me some CC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 All my pre req courses were from a community college. The professor worked part time at the local 4 year college as well, teaching the same course. Same syllabus, same material, a quarter of the price. I can point out brilliant people who rock the 4.0 from the most difficult of academic programs who horrifically BOMB the simple task of being a human being at the bedside with any sort of compassion for their patient. I would place more energy at finding a job that provides the opportunity for quality HCE than I would place worrying about where I got my pre req course credits from. I realize that some schools don't require HCE but I'd be hard pressed to believe someone with good work experience and good grades from a CC got rejected for not attending a traditional 4 year brick/mortar institution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 All my pre req courses were from a community college. The professor worked part time at the local 4 year college as well, teaching the same course. Same syllabus, same material, a quarter of the price. I can point out brilliant people who rock the 4.0 from the most difficult of academic programs who horrifically BOMB the simple task of being a human being at the bedside with any sort of compassion for their patient. I would place more energy at finding a job that provides the opportunity for quality HCE than I would place worrying about where I got my pre req course credits from. I realize that some schools don't require HCE but I'd be hard pressed to believe someone with good work experience and good grades from a CC got rejected for not attending a traditional 4 year brick/mortar institution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calad Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 You're right I have not contacted each school on this issue. However, pulling a quote from a PA program that doesn't require A&P in their pre-reqs and accepts shadowing hours as HCE doesn't impress me much. To the OP, look at what schools you want to attend and take it from there. That will mold your decision best. I went to SUNY Stony Brook for undergrad, so im familiar with the program. You won't get an interview there without A&P unless there are some extraordinary circumstances. But either way, my suggestion would be to go to a 4 year state school (here in NY, like stony brook for example) tuition is about the same as a CC. All in all the correct answer to this question, as always, is to ask the programs you are interested in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calad Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 You're right I have not contacted each school on this issue. However, pulling a quote from a PA program that doesn't require A&P in their pre-reqs and accepts shadowing hours as HCE doesn't impress me much. To the OP, look at what schools you want to attend and take it from there. That will mold your decision best. I went to SUNY Stony Brook for undergrad, so im familiar with the program. You won't get an interview there without A&P unless there are some extraordinary circumstances. But either way, my suggestion would be to go to a 4 year state school (here in NY, like stony brook for example) tuition is about the same as a CC. All in all the correct answer to this question, as always, is to ask the programs you are interested in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blburns Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 BTW just because a school does not require HCE, doesn't mean that everyone else you are competing against doesn't have any. My school does not require it but they expect it and weigh it in their decision. On top of that it will help you so, so much in your first quarter. I don't know what I would have done without having been an EMT first because I fell back on a lot of things I learned at that job and didn't have to struggle through the first quarter. You would being doing yourselves a favor to gain as much HCE as you can for your own benefit before getting into PA school--end of rant... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blburns Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 BTW just because a school does not require HCE, doesn't mean that everyone else you are competing against doesn't have any. My school does not require it but they expect it and weigh it in their decision. On top of that it will help you so, so much in your first quarter. I don't know what I would have done without having been an EMT first because I fell back on a lot of things I learned at that job and didn't have to struggle through the first quarter. You would being doing yourselves a favor to gain as much HCE as you can for your own benefit before getting into PA school--end of rant... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystaltide Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I think re-taking classes at the CC will be fine, as long as the schools you're applying to don't request that the course be from a four-year university. If it comes up, it's not that difficult to explain that it's much much cheaper to graduate from a university then take the remainder of your pre-reqs at a CC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystaltide Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I think re-taking classes at the CC will be fine, as long as the schools you're applying to don't request that the course be from a four-year university. If it comes up, it's not that difficult to explain that it's much much cheaper to graduate from a university then take the remainder of your pre-reqs at a CC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpsman2PA Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 BTW just because a school does not require HCE, doesn't mean that everyone else you are competing against doesn't have any. My school does not require it but they expect it and weigh it in their decision. Exactly...point being we can't always trust what we see on a schools website :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpsman2PA Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 BTW just because a school does not require HCE, doesn't mean that everyone else you are competing against doesn't have any. My school does not require it but they expect it and weigh it in their decision. Exactly...point being we can't always trust what we see on a schools website :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blburns Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Point is, go above and beyond. That is what PA schools are looking for not just the minimum effort. PA school is challenging and they want to see someone who is diverse and well rounded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blburns Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Point is, go above and beyond. That is what PA schools are looking for not just the minimum effort. PA school is challenging and they want to see someone who is diverse and well rounded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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