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Pre-PA student trying to decide between minors

By kathleenf
in Pre-PA General Discussion

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kathleenf

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I was hoping I could get some advice/opinions from people who have been admitted to PA school or have applied before and are a little more familiar with the process than I am.

 

I am doing my undergrad in nutritional sciences and have almost completed all of the pre-requisites (and recommended courses) for the PA schools to which I am applying. I earned 15 hours of French college credit in high school and have 9 hours left to complete my minor. I have also taken a fair number of microbiology classes and am 6 hours away from completing a microbiology minor.

 

Looking at my next two semesters, it seems as though it would be in my sanity and GPA's best interests to choose one or the other (still have a few classes for my degree/honor's thesis left). On the one hand, I feel as though the French minor would set me apart from other applicants, but on the other hand, the microbiology seems more pertinent to the PA profession.

 

Any help would be appreciated, THANK YOU!

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IdahoPA

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I have a degree in microbiology, one in Spanish and a minor in psych. I'm all for education, esp if you enjoy it and it's helpful. Sounds like you have 5 classes over a yr span, which seems pretty doable. If you're thinking basic science and language courses are too hard, perhaps you should reconsider PA school.

 

Also, I went to several interviews and not a single question was asked about my degrees or minor.

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winterallsummer

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A minor is not going to make or break your application whatsoever. I started with a minor in some bull ish... humanities of science or something, ended up dropping it because it was pretty much pointless. Sorry but I just don't think a minor means much anything, unless it is in a foreign language, but even then, putting that you are bilingual on the application is much more significant. A psych minor is fine if you want, most of us have taken 3+ psych classes (many require psych 101 and 1 more such as abnormal psych) so it's not much of a stretch to get the minor with 1-2 more classes. Minor in something YOU are interested in if you want. But don't do it for any other reason. Or just take whatever electives you want and forget the minor.

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chiaroscuro27

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I would suggest you do whatever interests you the most. If you favor French studies, do that. Yes, it will set you apart from the pack a little, but not enough to warrant sacrificing your interests. If you prefer microbiology, do that. In terms of making you are more competitive applicant it won't make much of a difference. In terms of your interests, it could make all the difference. Good luck!

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  • 4 months later...
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kathleenf

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I have a degree in microbiology, one in Spanish and a minor in psych. I'm all for education, esp if you enjoy it and it's helpful. Sounds like you have 5 classes over a yr span, which seems pretty doable. If you're thinking basic science and language courses are too hard, perhaps you should reconsider PA school.

 

Also, I went to several interviews and not a single question was asked about my degrees or minor.

 

It's those five courses in addition to the courses I still have to finish for my major as well as working and my honor's thesis while maintaining my 3.8 GPA... So I will not be reconsidering PA school.

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kathleenf

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I have a degree in microbiology, one in Spanish and a minor in psych. I'm all for education, esp if you enjoy it and it's helpful. Sounds like you have 5 classes over a yr span, which seems pretty doable. If you're thinking basic science and language courses are too hard, perhaps you should reconsider PA school.

 

Also, I went to several interviews and not a single question was asked about my degrees or minor.

 

It's those five courses in addition to the courses I still have to finish for my major as well as working and my honor's thesis while maintaining my 3.8 GPA... So I will not be reconsidering PA school.

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mjohnson3604

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Hello,

Though I agree that whichever minor you pick (or both) will not make or break your application, all that micro sure comes in handy (especially if you had any pharmacology to correlate the bugs to)! Best wishes, I'm sure you'll be a rock star student. Don't stress your sanity too much now, you'll need some for PA School ;)

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mjohnson3604

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Hello,

Though I agree that whichever minor you pick (or both) will not make or break your application, all that micro sure comes in handy (especially if you had any pharmacology to correlate the bugs to)! Best wishes, I'm sure you'll be a rock star student. Don't stress your sanity too much now, you'll need some for PA School ;)

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ghostnineone

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One thing I'm wondering is that the program I'm looking into has an accelerated BS/MS program but you have to have 103 credits...how the hell is it possible to have 103 credits with just an associates degree? Double major?

 

I'm kind of in a rut right now as the major at my CC I plan on switching to, health sciences focus isn't offered at the 4 year school I want to go to but they do have a biology focused general studies program, and also the ability to make a custom program that I will look into (the have an ANP program so some of the courses I would need I might be able to take). I have a feeling that most of my credits won't transfer since the degrees are different...but I don't have 30k to go to the only local school that offers what I need.

 

Do PA programs look at previous majors? I'm in IT right now and my GPA and credit hours are shot (2.05 in my IT major and 2.45 in my gen studies major) but I'm trying to fix as much as I can in the coming semesters but I've never done any high level sciences before A&P is the first one I'm taking next semester and then eventually basc pathophysiology and microbiology so I'm hoping I fair well in them because health care is the only other interest I have left that i'm able to potentially do...

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ghostnineone

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One thing I'm wondering is that the program I'm looking into has an accelerated BS/MS program but you have to have 103 credits...how the hell is it possible to have 103 credits with just an associates degree? Double major?

 

I'm kind of in a rut right now as the major at my CC I plan on switching to, health sciences focus isn't offered at the 4 year school I want to go to but they do have a biology focused general studies program, and also the ability to make a custom program that I will look into (the have an ANP program so some of the courses I would need I might be able to take). I have a feeling that most of my credits won't transfer since the degrees are different...but I don't have 30k to go to the only local school that offers what I need.

 

Do PA programs look at previous majors? I'm in IT right now and my GPA and credit hours are shot (2.05 in my IT major and 2.45 in my gen studies major) but I'm trying to fix as much as I can in the coming semesters but I've never done any high level sciences before A&P is the first one I'm taking next semester and then eventually basc pathophysiology and microbiology so I'm hoping I fair well in them because health care is the only other interest I have left that i'm able to potentially do...

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