Admissions Question: Low GPA, Great Everything Else - how screwed am I?[Stats inside]

[davemarco]

Hello all, first time poster here. So I think that we can all agree that in the world of P.A. School admissions (and everything else), G.P.A. is KING. Unfortunately, in my case, this is also my singular, glaring weakness.

 

Here are my current "stats":

 

Degree: B.S.- Exercise Physiology; B.A. - Political Science; Rutgers University Class of 2007

 

Cumulative GPA: 2.7

 

Science GPA: ~2.75

 

GRE Score (Dec 2010):

Math - 740 (87th percentile)

Verbal - 670 (91st percentile)

Combined - 1410

 

MCAT (Upcoming - April 2012):

Current Practice Test Average: 32

 

Healthcare Experience:

I have been a practicing Exercise Physiologist for a major hospital-affiliated wellness facility for the past 3 years. Much of that period was spent working full time. My main responsibilities are to see patients from special populations, who have issues ranging from chronic mobility loss to neurological deficits. I also work with healthier individuals who wish to engage in "Pre-hab", improving strength and movement in order to prevent future issues. My overall patient interaction consists of taking a detailed medical history, consulting with the PCP, and prescribing an exercise program to be carried out under my constant supervision and guidance. I am both the program designer, and the "Aide" that guides the patient in executing this program. I also conduct "checkpoints" on a periodic basis, where I will evaluate progress, as well as any issues that may have arisen, and determine whether any changes need to be made to the original program.

 

In addition to my degree, I have gained several certifications in different schools of strength and movement science (we're talking Physical Therapy-esque certs here, not Arnold's bodybuilding class). I have also had the pleasure of learning personally from some of the brightest in the industry, including Dr. Mark Cheng and Lee Burton. During my time working for this facility, I have seen and accomplished incredible things (among them, freeing an elderly man from his 10 year reliance on a cane to ambulate).

 

Miscellaneous:

 

Since graduation, I have taken the rest of my Med/P.A. School prerequisites. Unfortunately, this was done while working full time at the aforementioned facility, so the grades were less than stellar.

 

The grades are as follows:

 

Microbiology: C

General Chemistry 2: C+

Organic Chemistry 1: C+

Organic Chemistry 2: A

Physics 2: A

 

At this point, I am almost 30, and have little desire to finish a Master's degree just so that I can attend P.A. school (which would put me even further behind). Even less desirable would be a Post-Bacc, which would be unlikely to budge my overall G.P.A., and would not be worth anything professionally should I still not get into P.A. School. I am fairly confident that I can gain admission to a Caribbean M.D. program; however, I have come to understand and appreciate the strong advantages of being a P.A. over an M.D., including having a home life if I so choose (even Attending Physicians can work 70+ hour weeks). I really, REALLY want to attend P.A. school over Med School, but ironically, it looks like my only choice may be to become a doctor. Even if I wanted to do a Masters in the sciences and then apply to P.A. school, most decent M.S. programs have the same 3.0 GPA cutoff as P.A. schools (effectively locking me out of not only P.A. school, but any programs that might help me get into P.A. school).

 

All that now said, what do you, the experienced P.A. school applicants, think of my chances? Personally, I think that I am royally screwed.

[moonlightlove]

Well obviously GPA is important, but just how important varies program to program. I have come across programs that have a lower minimum ~2.7, so perhaps those would be your best bet. Also I would look into programs that put an emphasis on HCE over academics, like MEDEX. You can always contact programs that list a higher minimum (the usual is around 3.0) and see if they make exceptions based on the applicant as a whole. Are your GPAs based on CASPA guidelines or your undergrad institution? CASPA calculates GPA differently, and this may effect your GPA. For example counting all classes even if they were repeated, CASPA doesnt honor an individual institution's forgiveness policy. I wouldnt say that you should completely write off PA school, its just going to limit your options. Good luck!

[bike mike]

Here are my current "stats":

Unfortunately, this was done while working full time at the aforementioned facility, so the grades were less than stellar.

 

The grades are as follows:

 

Microbiology: C

General Chemistry 2: C+

Organic Chemistry 1: C+

Organic Chemistry 2: A

Physics 2: A

 

 

With those grades you will have a hard time getting into a PA program. You seem to making excuses for your poor performance. Many of us have had to work full-time, volunteer, go to school, and still are able to pull off A's. I know, because that what my schedule has been for the past 3 years. To get into PA school you have to fully commit to it and work very hard to get the best grades possible. If you can't do that now how do you think you'll make it through PA school?

 

 

I tend to agree with your last sentence.

[Just Steve]

no, don't agree that GPA is king. But it is a piece of the big picture. Schools vary in what they are looking for. Some schools want perfect GPA, other schools figure that once you meet their minimum requirement, they start looking at other things that they value more, such as experience. Match your school choices to your assets.

[paporzelt]

2 years ago you may not have had a hard time, but PA school is becoming way more competitive. i think its highly unlikely you will even interview with that GPA. at the very least you need to retake all those pre-req's that are C+'s and make them all A's. then you maybe stand a chance.

and honestly, with those grades i don't see you getting into a medical school state-side either....maybe the carribean, but those guys were a joke to even us when i was student. and less that 75% get matched for residencies. can you imagine doing med school and then being stranded with no residency, all those bills and no shot in hell of ever practicing medicine? and having to resort tooooo...waiting tables. i actually encountered someone in this situation last year.

put in the extra work, get that GPA up. we had plenty of people in my class who were in their mid/late 30's (and even 2 in their 40's). it's so worth it.

[greenmood]

So here's the thing. I've heard of applicants getting some schools to bend their GPA requirement a little bit for the right person. But with that many Cs in core science courses AND a low overall GPA, you will be hard-pressed to convince a school you're capable of surviving the PA school workload. That you are capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time. That's what you need to do. So I suggest that if you have your heart set on PA you retake the handful of sciences and get As. You'll have another string in your bow when you approach the school and ask them to take a chance on you academically.

[jmurph]

I'm no expert by far, but just trying to reason from an objective point of view.

My question would be, "why the C+ in Gen Chem and Micro, then an A in O Chem 2 and Physics 2"? It just doesn't add up to me. I understand about work demands, but it's not a consistent reason. It seems that you have the ability but didn't apply yourself in previous semesters. If that is the case, then you need to retake the classes.

Were you serious about attending PA school when you took these classes? The only reason I am asking is because when I decided to return to school, I knew what I had to do. For example, I took a Gross Anatomy class, my first test ended up in a 64%! No way did I want anything close to that on my transcript. I worked my butt off, figured out what I was doing wrong, ended up with a B+ in that class(96 on my last test). Okay...not an A, but I was super proud of what I had accomplished, because I KNEW I had to do it.

My "less than stellar" GPA will be 2.98 after this semester if it comes out the way I expect it. I have over 20 years of HCE. I am applying this cycle. You just have to know what you want and do what you have to do to get it.

[davemarco]

I will definitely reply to specific posts a bit later, but with the exception of the one rude individual who responded, right now I just want to say thank you to everyone for all of the great informative replies!

[edwinjvazquez]

Forget med school in the carribean! It is not worth the headache. Did you consider DO schools? This is the tract that I'm taking because AACOMAS has a grade replacement policy. My 2.3 GPA rose to a 3.2 when considering the retakes. This along with an OK MCAT 27P makes within the marticulant range for a good number of DO schools

[cbrsmurf]

My situation was nearly identical to yours and I am finishing it up PA school. I retook a lot of my science classes at the local cc. There is hope.

[davemarco]

Ok, sorry for the delay in responding. So first, I want to address the matter of Med school in the Caribbean. I have noticed that, in general, the sentiment on here is that Caribbean Medical programs are bad. One individual specifically mentioned that fewer than 75% of the people who went down there Matched when returning to the United States. This does seem to go contrary to my research on the "Big 3" (like Ross), which seems to indicate a decent match rate relative to U.S. grads. So to those who feel that the Caribbean is a big negative, I want to ask: are your opinions based on first hand knowledge, anecdotal evidence from a "friend of a friend", or just your own personal distaste for foreign medical students/practitioners (which I have notice seems to be common among those who work to get into domestic healthcare programs). No tone in that last one, I just want to understand where the info is based in making my decision.

 

I have indeed considered D.O. schools, and the policy of grade replacement would indeed be a huge benefit. While I doubt that three or four "C's" changed to "A's" will make a huge dent in my cumulative GPA relative to the 140+ undergrad credits that I've completed, when combined with a decent MCAT score it might just get me in. I have very recently began working in the lab at the local community college, so I would be able to retake all of my Science "C's" for free, and in very short order. After almost a year of drilling MCAT knowledge into my brain, it shouldn't be too hard to get "A's" in all of them.

 

P.A. programs may be harder to prove myself to. I have read that CASPA averages all retakes together with the original grades, which means that not only will the impact of my Science retakes on my GPA be greatly reduced, but two of my original Undergrad "A's" that had replaced "F's" from previous semesters would also be devalued (Rutgers employs a grade replacement policy for "F's" that get retaken). If I were to apply to P.A. schools right now, my 2.7 would be calculated by CASPA to be closer to a 2.5. It would be extremely difficult to get it up to 3.0, as even if I were to score "A's" on all of my retakes, they would still only be considered "B's" (averaging in the original "C"). The sheer amount of course retakes that would be required to get up above a 3.0 from a 2.5 with only "B's" would be extremely time and cost prohibitive. I would welcome any thoughts or additional info on the CASPA policies and ways to get around them, but at this point, even a half-dozen "A's" in retaken Sciences might not be enough.

 

It was mentioned that I could complete a "Medical Masters" program. I have been in contact with the directors of a few of these, and the general consensus is that with my GRE scores and a 30 or greater on my upcoming MCAT, I could qualify to gain admission. The benefit of this is that I can then prove myself by excelling in a 1 year program designed to mimic that of a first year medical student. I would hope that by excelling at a full course-load of medical sciences, I could prove to both D.O. and P.A. schools that I could "hack it" in their programs. Unfortunately, while my chances of getting into Medical/D.O. schools would be decent by going this route, I'm not so sure about P.A. school. Many of the programs that I've found are very strict about their Undergrad requirements: rather than considering success in Graduate level course work as overriding any old Undergrad issues, many of them either consider them together (meaning that old undergrad grades can still drag you down) or hold the Undergrad GPA as the principle requirement for even consider the Graduate work.

 

While I am excited about the potential for getting into D.O. school, it remains an unfortunate reality that full attending physicians still work insane hours (at least based on my research). Becoming a medical professional is only one small part of the adventure that I have planned for life, and I can't allow it to occupy every second of my time until I retire. From what I've read about a P.A.'s hours, it seems like an ideal compromise of medical practice and free time for other life pursuits (45-50 hours a week instead of 65-70). I would welcome any info that any of you might have on this as well, especially with regards to the accuracy of these numbers (based on several anecdotes found on the internet).

 

Lastly, with regards to performance in my "C" courses versus my "A" courses, I can only say that I enrolled in those classes right after my initial decision to buckle down, but before I had really lit a fire under my own rear. I was working harder at them then I had ever worked in Undergrad, but I still lacked the single-minded focus that I have now. I definitely plan on retaking them, though as previously mentioned, I am beginning to doubt the impact that those retakes can have.

 

Thanks again to all for the advice and info already given. I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts on the issue.

[swooshie1]

OP, I fully agree with JustSteve. GPA is NOT "King" to every PA school. Continue to research all the PA schools out there and you will discover this. A number of schools will look at your most recent performance (last 45 credits, etc)., and/or, your performance in just that school's pre-reqs. There is no "getting around" the CASPA policies regarding GPA calculation. It is what it is. Given that, I see your solution as pretty simple actually: when you re-take the core courses you did poorly in, ace them (a retake CAN have significant impact to the ADCOM if you show improvement!); research/find and apply to the schools that focus on recent performance; NOT every "decent" school has a minimum 3.0 GPA requirement to review your file, so find THOSE schools that do NOT; research/find and apply to those schools that do not use CASPA (to the advantage of your GPA); research/find and apply to those schools that value HCE > GPA. I frankly think your singular glaring weakness is not your GPA, but it *might* be impatience and your attitude that putting in more preparation time will put you "even further behind." Behind what? As others have said, take a step back and reassess your school choices. You definitely have options, but it may take a little more time. Hang in there and good luck!

[EMEDPA]

a few thoughts:

the big 3 carib programs want decent gpa/mcat/etc so I think honestly if you are looking at carib they are not an option.

DO school probably is your best option as they are more about the life experience, etc and they all match in the u.s to a DO or MD residency

if you want to do PA you really need to get that gpa to 3.0. I would start with retakes of microbio and gen chem. I wouldn't bother with repeating ochem because the programs that will forgive a low gpa don't require ochem or biochem anyway.

best of luck whatever you decide

[Beorp]

I am fairly confident that I can gain admission to a Caribbean M.D. program; however, I have come to understand and appreciate the strong advantages of being a P.A. over an M.D., including having a home life if I so choose (even Attending Physicians can work 70+ hour weeks).

 

PAs can work 70+ hour weeks too. The idea that being a PA guarantees you a better lifestyle is a myth. As either a PA or a physician, you can find opportunities to work shorter weeks. Your work-life balance depends on you. The main difference will be that the physician will be compensated much better, which could theoretically allow them to work less hours for the same pay and have more of a home life.

[EMEDPA]

PAMAC- would any rn or np programs take someone with a 2.7 gpa?

[JohnConner]

I think if you want it bad enough, you will make it happen. You state you have no desire to go back to school, but that might be your best bet at this point. I would also broaden your range in healthcare experience if at all possible and get some quality volunteer hours; basically anything to compensate for your g.p.a. I think working longer hours as a physician than as a p.a is highly variable among the setting you choose to work in. The p.a I shadowed in neuro had a higher patient volume than some of the physicians so that really depends. I don't think you are screwed by any means. A few semesters of stellar grades should bump your g.p.a into a range that should at least get you some interviews. I think it is very possible. Good luck!!

[davemarco]

Thanks again for the replies. While I would definitely consider a program tailored towards moving quickly into an APN program for Nurse Practitioner, most of those "accelerated" programs would have entrance requirements similar to P.A. school. As for working as an R.N., my significant other of 6.5 years is an R.N., and it was actually her horror stories that made me look towards a Physician type role, as a opposed to a Nursing role. I have learned much about the role of an R.N. through her, and while I have great respect for the level of skill that R.N.'s possess, I have come to understand that it is not for me.

 

I also appreciate the info with regards to the "myth" that P.A.'s work fewer hours than Doctors. While I certainly understand that in many settings, a P.A. could get stuck with a significant workload from their supervising Physician, would you really say that on average, a P.A. works as much as a Doctor? In this I definitely want to hear about your experiences, as all I have to go on are the internet articles that I've dug up touting P.A. work as having a much better work-life balance. I haven't even found a hospital that allows for shadowing of a P.A. outside of a college Pre-med partnership program (I am not currently matriculated in any official programs). Hearing from anyone here who might have had such an opportunity would be greatly appreciated.

 

**Disclaimer: The next few paragraphs are my self-therapy for working out my frustrations. Please excuse me if they seem a bit whiny**

 

Apologies if you sense hesitance in my writing. The truth is that I have been incredibly gung-ho about Med school for the past 3 years or so, and now: after giving up friends, family, marriage, a multitude of hobbies, moving across the country, and generally missing out on a size-able chunk of my 20's so that I could pull 15 hour days studying, working full-time (with studying on lunch and break) and then studying after work until late, and THEN sitting in a Kaplan class from 9 until midnight (for the past three months), only to get 5 hours of sleep and do it again the next day, I am burned out. I have done it with my more recent college course work, the GRE's, and now the MCAT's. It seems like every time I manage to reach the "final landmark" on my roadmap to Medical School, I find out that I'm still not even close. Now, the thought of having to knock out a couple years more just to have the opportunity to get in and suffer through 7 more years of the same just doesn't seem to bring about the same excitement that it did a year ago. I think that secretly, I had always thought that once my education/residency was over, I'd be able to reclaim the personal connections and hobbies that I had given up. The realization that being a Doctor implies a life-long level of involvement that can border on all-consuming shattered these delusions and made me look for alternatives.

 

There really was a point when I was as dedicated as everyone else here. A few years back, when I literally homeless, I would park my car in the lot behind my job and furiously study for my GRE's by flashlight until early in the morning, when I'd finally be exhausted enough to pass out for a few hours before my 5 am shift (not an exaggeration). The pathetic nature of my existence at that point never phased me, and even after moving a thousand miles away so that I would have a place to stay, I continued to work hard to earn the top notch score that I did. That work continued through my O Chem work into my full year of MCAT prep. I would be up at 5:00 am excitedly drilling Bio problems before heading into the office/lab at 7:30, sneaking problems in at my desk until 5pm, when I'd plop down in our conference room to knock out Physics and Chem work until 8pm or so. Even after choking down dinner and settling in at 9 pm for my 3 hour Kaplan lecture, I still managed to maintain a fairly positive outlook. I honestly don't know when it was in the 3 years of that schedule, full-time, that I lost the taste for all of it, but at this point, I just want to move forward. That's why I started considering the P.A. route: 2 more years of hard work and no residency seemed a lot more agreeable than another 7+ years of hell.

 

I'm mentioning all of this because in the impersonal nature of online forums, it is easy to see someone's mediocre stats, read their request for advice, and automatically assume that he/she is just another "Generation Y-er" who wants instant gratification without putting in the effort. I know that my level of past dedication doesn't change the amount of work that I have ahead of me, but I just want everyone responding to understand why I've become so interested in your realm (that of a Physician Assistant). The very nature of being a "mid-level provider" seems to indicate that choosing a much less hectic work life would be much easier than it would be as an Attending Physician or Private Practice owner. And more than anything else, it could potentially allow me to finally start living soon, rather than being stuck in academic/80 hour work week limbo for the better part of the next decade.

 

I don't know if that helps put any perspective on my decision-making process, but there it is.

 

** End Venting

 

Thank you again to everyone who has/will share their helpful info with me, and again, my apologies for my frustrated venting.

[Croooz]

It is not the profession, whether MD/DO vs PA, but the specialty within the profession. The R.O.A.D. to happiness in medicine is real. Radiology, Opthamology, Anesthesiology, & Dermatology are the most competitive and not because they are the most satisfying but because of salary + lifestyle outside of the hospital that they provide. The same is true for those PA's that work in these specialties but no where to the point as it is for the physician. A couple of the PA's I know in these "lifestyle" specialties work longer hours than the physician.

 

Your assertion about the Caribbean is incorrect. With your stats the real issue is not making it into med school but making it out. Three friends went the Carib route. All graduated from school but none matched even after The Scramble. After a second year of not matching I haven't heard from two of them. The third is hoping to match this year. None have recommended I go their route. We don't hear too much about US med students not making it as physicians but there are quite a bit of these stories from folks in the Caribbean.

 

If I were you I would apply to PA school if that's what you want or try the DO route. Look for the programs than emphasize HCE and let them tell you your chances not a bunch of us yahoos on an internet forum. If you 35+ on the MCAT med school is not out of the question. Don't buy into how competitive PA school is getting because it's cyclical and those are averages and you just might be in the lower scale of things.

 

So here's my recommendations for what its worth:

-Call a few schools and see if you can schedule a meeting with their PA advisor. They will give you a decent idea but their word is not the gospel.

-Apply broadly to PA schools, focus on those schools that place strong value on HCE.

-If you get an interview...DON'T MESS IT UP! Show them how much you are passionate about the profession.

 

The last part might be difficult because it does not sound like you want PA because you want PA but because you are tired from pursuing MD/DO.

[PAdaddy]

Dave,

Your GRE score and grades in courses like Organic Chem 2 and Physics should be very telling of your scholastic abilities to admission committees. Unfortunately what also might be telling to them is your (seeming) lack of commitment and drive to be a PA. If you want to be a PA, adcomms do not want to hear that you are debating medical school. Most of them do not want to be anyone's "second choice". I just hope they don't perceive your inability to make outstanding grades in key classes (like Micro) as not caring or not being committed. Mixing that perception with hearing you talk about considering MD/DO programs etc would most likely be what got you put on the "absolutely not" list of adcoms long before your grades most likely.

 

Yes, Grades are "king" for most adcoms, however I think that is the case because many PA programs have no other way to compare the massive amounts of 22-25 year old applicants with no other work force experience to judge and compare them on. (there were ~300 applicants to my program last year and over 1200 this year since CASPA was engaged) The program that I was accepted to stated during our interview sessions that they have noticed that the verbal GRE score is a great indicator of how well students do during the didactic year of their program (which if true bodes well for you as you outscored me by 40 points) so there are some programs that will definitely take those accomplishments into consideration. I also think you bring a lot to the table having already been working in a direct patient care type environment. I think there are many PA programs looking for people with a more well rounded "portfolio" as long as minimum grade requirements are met.

 

If I were you and really wanted to be a PA...

 

1) I would retake Micro (get an A). It's a key course for didactic year and says a lot about your seriousness I think.

2) contact 2-3 schools you are interested in TODAY. Lay out your story and let them know how committed you are and what it would take to be on their next list of accepted candidates.

3) never mention the MD/DO/Caribbean possibilities to a member of a PA adcom... automatic dismissal IMHO

 

 

Not all PA programs require a 3.0 average, some may overlook it due to recent history/trending of course grades. Personally I think if you're serious about wanting to be a PA, your outstanding HCE and GRE and the fact that you've been successful in your previous health care position will put on on the top of admission committee's "yes" lists. Many programs are looking for experienced professionals to add a different perspective and knowledge base to their classes of early 20-somethings :)

 

JD

[sw336019]

Hi Dave,

 

A lot of people have responded to you and I have not read through all of the responses, so I apologize if anything I say is redundant.

 

Becoming a PA is possible for you, but you still have some work to do (and I do realize that you have worked hard already). When your GPA is not strong ADCOMs (those that will still look at your GPA) look at the most recent courses, most relevant courses, and upward trends. Some schools require that you achieve a B or better in your prerequisite courses. I think you should re-take those pre-reqs that are lower than a B. Not only will this improve your overall GPA, but it will show your commitment. It is important to do well in your prerequisite courses!

 

Your HCE, GRE, and life experiences show great potential, and it sounds like you should be able to have good recommendations as well.

 

Also, I don't really understand your reasoning for not pursuing some type of medical masters in the meantime. This will not necessarily delay you going into PA school until you have completed it. You can start the program and, if you do well, show a program your potential in graduate course work and be accepted. Additionally, even if you completed a Master's before entering PA school, you would still be finished before Med school and a residency.

 

It does take time to do the research to see what schools you will have the best chance of being admitted to, but it's worth the time and may save you money as well. Some schools won't look at you at all if you don't meet a GPA requirement of a 3.0 in both the CASPA GPA and the Science GPA. Some schools say that a 3.0 is required, but look at your entire application before making that cut.

 

If this is what you really want to do, the time is worth it.

 

At 32 I was accepted to a top 25 school (I know it's said that the rankings don't mean much, but I like the sound of it). I graduated from college in 2003 with a 2.75 GPA. My low GPA was due to some personal/medical issues I had that spanned over about 4 semesters. I have worked for last 5 years to improve my GPA, but my CASPA GPA still calculates at a 2.73. However, my sciences and prerequisites are 3.7. I have worked in a Children's Hospital for the past 4 years and have gained experience with phlebotomy, OR procedures, patient consults, taking medical histories, clinical research, and psychological interviews and evaluations. Before that I worked at another hospital in nicotine research. My GRE scores are above average, but yours are better. I thought I may never get in, but I did. And the kicker is that I still have to complete a class before my acceptance is "official". They like me enough and saw enough potential in me to give me acceptance while I am still completing one of their prerequisites.

 

You can do it, you just have to show your commitment and potential. Use what you have learned through the years in your PS to demonstrate how you have grown and your maturity. Show that you have and you are willing to sacrifice. Show that you have what it takes to get through the rigorous coursework you will face once you are in school. Believe that you can do it!

 

Best of luck!

[Beorp]

I also appreciate the info with regards to the "myth" that P.A.'s work fewer hours than Doctors. While I certainly understand that in many settings, a P.A. could get stuck with a significant workload from their supervising Physician, would you really say that on average, a P.A. works as much as a Doctor?

 

Some posts from this forum that would be worth reading:

http://www.physicianassistantforum.com/forums/showthread.php/24088-PA-Myths-the-truth-revealed!?p=229240&viewfull=1#post229240

 

http://www.physicianassistantforum.com/forums/showthread.php/31056-Just-thought-I-d-share-this?p=296394&viewfull=1#post296394

 

http://www.physicianassistantforum.com/forums/showthread.php/31640-Are-the-rumored-normal-hours-for-the-PA-profession-not-true?p=301561&viewfull=1#post301561

 

http://www.physicianassistantforum.com/forums/showthread.php/20703-pa-and-family?p=195386&viewfull=1#post195386

[davemarco]

Just want to put this up as a placeholder for now, but I had to say that I found the last few post quite inspirational. After reading those and doing more research on P.A. flexibility and the existence of a P.A. to A.A. bridging program at Emory, I have a new found excitement for working towards this!

[mackjacks]

There are programs that look at last __ credits GPA. I do not know what the minimum overall GPA requirements at any of those schools are, but if there are some with 2.5 or 2.75 minimum that look at last __ credits I'd think you have a shot if you take a few semesters getting A's. I also want to mention that if you apply, be VERY careful not to have too much of your PS explaining your past poor grades history, make it short and succinct when you talk about it.

[davemarco]

Ok, sorry for the delay. After reading the response about the Caribbean "Big 3", I would tend to agree: While they might have good match rates in the U.S., these schools will want much better grades for entrance than other, "less credible" institutions. If I were to retake and "Ace" enough classes to get in, at that point I'd probably be better off applying to U.S. D.O. schools (considering their grade replacement policy).

 

With regards to interviews, I completely agree that it would be a mistake to ever mention my interest in Medical School. That said, I have no concerns about the interview step whatsoever. Everyone has their own individual strengths, and for me, that just happens to be an overwhelming positive. For perspective, my formal college education was in Political Science and Exercise Physiology. My first 3 job offers a month after graduation were for positions as a Clinical Research Associate, a Software Engineer, and a Chemical Process Engineer (my personal favorite, where I successfully argued that I would be a superior candidate to a real Engineer). I never took past Calc 1 and the only programming language that I was even remotely familiar with was BASIC. So yes, I am confident that with a few hours of research on the specific structure of a P.A. school interview, I will have no trouble "Acing" it.

 

It was mentioned that Microbiology is extremely important to P.A. Schools. Would others here generally agree with this sentiment? I know that in the case of medical schools, it's not as critical as, say, Organic Chemistry. I have also read that A&P grades are far more important to P.A. schools than they are to medical schools. What are all of your general feelings on this? Should I focus more on retaking things like Microbio and A&P, or should I focus first on retaking my strict pre-reqs like Gen Chem and Physics? Ideally, to ensure A's, I would like to retake the A&P's, Gen Bios, Gen Chems, and Orgo 1, as my full year of MCAT prep and work experience would make these fairly simple. What I would like to avoid retaking, if possible, would be Microbio and Physics 1, which are my much weaker subjects (particularly Physics, which I have always despised). Yes, I understand that the argument that, "If I can't hack it in undergrad Microbio, how will I handle P.A. school?", but the goal here is not to challenge my work ethic, but to obtain as many "A's" as possible, as quickly as possible. While it's definitely possible, I cannot guarantee "A's" in these subjects, even with hard work.

 

Overall, I have become more and more convinced that becoming a P.A. is the way to go. My insanely varied professional history (Bio Lab Tech, Clinical Regulatory Affairs, Software Engineer, Exercise Physiologist) has taught me that without constantly changing work challenges, I get extremely bored and demotivated. Not only is patient care and diagnosis an ever changing world, but the ability to move from specialty to specialty, engaging in drastically different work with each move, is an amazing benefit that fits me perfectly. Furthermore, if in the future, the need for a drastically higher income than a P.A. makes ever became an issue, I could always go back to school to become an A.A. (Anesthesiology Assistant). Emory University apparently even offers a shortened "bridge program" for current P.A.'s who want to become A.A.'s. Based on my research, at that point, I would be working 8 hour days for around $150,000 a year. And if I should ever get bored as an A.A., I could always return to being a practicing P.A. The level of mobility in the profession seems unmatched in any other field.

 

More than anything else though, I've come to appreciate qualities in myself that would benefit far more from the job environment of a P.A. I appreciate that I have an intellect that makes me capable of completing Medical School and becoming a Physician, but in all honesty, there is a level of responsibility and accountability there that I just don't want. I may have the potential to push my knowledge and skill to world class levels, but frankly, I have the disposition of someone who would much rather spend my weekends under palm tree with a guitar than building a business. In short, I am filled with academic curiosity and love solving problems (the "ahah!" moment that I get now from my patient when he/she realizes that we've made a huge improvement in his/her problem is priceless), but I am not a Type-A person who loves being absorbed by work. I love a life of leisure. Being a P.A. seems to be the perfect middle ground, as I can challenge myself academically with 2 years of hard work, keep myself interested in the profession with an incredibly diverse range of specialties that I can work in, and if I so please, leave all of the responsibilities of Clinic/Practice management to the Physician. In addition, if a complicated issue should ever arise, there will always be a "supervising" Physician to consult with. I understand that depending on my specialty, there may be on-call hours, but overall I think that for P.A.'s, the opportunities for engaging in medical practice/work with reduced time-involvement are far greater in quantity than they are for Physicians, with fewer barriers. I'm not saying that I want to be a "lazy Doctor", but I have no shame in my desire to live a full life completely outside the world of medical practice.

 

That said, I would welcome any comments from people of experience on this. Are all of the articles and write-ups on the P.A. profession way off base on their assessments of greater professional mobility and better work/life balance? Most doctors believe that it is wrong to desire a significant life outside of your practice, as you have a 24/7 responsibility to your patients. Would you apply this attitude to those of the P.A. profession as well?

 

Thank you again in advance for all of your thoughts.