Bethel Students for Paris, TN - Please Read!

[BethelStudent19]

Hey everyone, 

If you are reading this you are likely looking at Bethel University as an option for PA school. Before you decide to follow through, please make sure that you take all things into account. Many 2nd and 3rd year students have had major issues with clinicals - these are hard to see as a first-year student. 

Please excuse grammar and formatting - this was written quickly, but after much consideration and continued frustrations. 

Here are some of the issues with the school after the first year:

• There are only 2 staff members setting up rotations for both the 2^nd and 3^rd year students (around 100 total). As a result…
• More than half of the students have been COMPLETELY setting up their own rotations (5 months into rotations at this time for the 2nd year students). This is because Paris, Jackson, and Nashville cannot house 50 (much less 100) students from Bethel.
• You are forced to set up your rotations because the school does not have connections outside of that 2-3 hour area (don’t let them fool you!). Several students have found out they are relocating STATES with as short as 4 day’s notice.
• They lie, flat out. There are 2 in particular that will not be mentioned by name, heavily involved in the clinical years, that will tell you they have reached out to your contacts when they have not- that your paperwork has been sent when it has not– that you have “nothing to worry about” when you don’t have a rotation set up for next week’s start date – that they are working “as hard as they can”, yet take time off at the drop of a hat while you are freaking out about not having a rotation in place.
• The school cannot admit where and when they are wrong. They have a justification for every issue they have and do not take suggestions on how to resolve those issues. The school will listen to you, but no action ever follows the conversation. They will feed you what you want to hear to calm your frustration, but they will not fix the underlying issues. 
• We have lost 2 clinical recruiters in the last 6 months. The program director has put in a resignation for next month. There is no stability in positions that are critical for your success!

If this is the only school that accepts you, please take it! The opportunity to become a PA-C is worth it, in my opinion. BUT, if you are accepted into another school, I strongly suggest considering those other options if you do not want to deal with the disorganization, lies, and absolute frustration during your clinical years.

Edited May 27, 2018 by BethelStudent19

[Guest Matthewtanner]

Was perusing looking for some TN practice insight and stumbled on this. Just to give both sides, I was apart of the 2017 class, everything in life has intrinsic challenges, Bethel had theirs. Overall it was good. If you have questions feel free to reach out.

[Mlowery11968]

My worry for Bethel is the housing and community... Was it safe? Where did you find housing?

[BethelStudent19]

On 6/8/2020 at 11:02 PM, Mlowery11968 said:

My worry for Bethel is the housing and community... Was it safe? Where did you find housing?

Housing and community are similar to other places, some areas are fine, others are not.

In general I’d consider it a safe but mostly old community.