tufts2020 Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 Hi everyone, I'm a rising junior majoring in Biology at Tufts and I just decided to go on the Pre-PA route (was a general Pre-health person before). I also have a bunch of questions. Should I take Organic Chemistry I/ II/ Biochemistry I/ Biochemistry II? I have seen some schools ask for Organic and Biochemistry, but I am unsure about taking them. I have been looking at admitted student profiles for a range of PA schools and the cGPA and sGPA seem to be pretty similar. My situation is weird: I have an okay cGPA (3.60) currently due to the many general education classes I had to take, but my sGPA is absolute trash (3.02). Should I still keep on trying to get into PA school, or should I just have a change of career/major? (That being said, since I am a Bio major I have many science classes left to take: Immunology, Physiology, Microbiology, Physics 2, etc. etc.) Currently, I have no health/medical-related EC's because I've basically been studying for the past two years. Would volunteering at a health clinic and doing research be solid EC's? I know the direct patient contact requirement needs to be fulfilled so I am currently trying to get MA or CNA certification (more interested in MA though). I am interested in doing immunology research, but if it is not necessary, I do not have the time to do it because I am also balancing a job alongside with this and school. Is it common for PrePA students to take a couple gap years before returning to school? Undergrad has burned me out and I do not see myself directly entering graduate school after undergrad. I would like to spend a few years teaching English in a foreign country and a few years doing medical volunteering work. Thank you so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest thePAway Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 Most schools I have seen only require one semester of organic and one semester of biochem so if there is an option to do that I would! I wouldn't write off going pre-PA because of your science GPA especially if you still have a bunch of science courses to take! The average age of an admitted PA student is 26, so focus on getting good grades now and you can focus on accumulating hours when you graduate. You can do that through CNA, MA, phlebotomy, PT aide, EMT... so many options Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tufts2020 Posted July 6, 2018 Author Share Posted July 6, 2018 @badgerb3838Thanks! So far my course load for this fall is Immunology, Physiology, Epidemiology, and Child Studies (3 Biology requirements and 1 GE). However, some of my friends say I should take Organic Chemistry 1 this fall (along with Physiology, Epi, and Child Studies). I'm not really sure though, what do you think? If I took organic 1 next fall as a senior would that be too late? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest thePAway Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 As long as you complete the prerequisite courses it does not matter when you take them and you don't want to put too much on your plate in one semester or else your grades could suffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aceface Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 16 hours ago, tufts2020 said: @badgerb3838Thanks! So far my course load for this fall is Immunology, Physiology, Epidemiology, and Child Studies (3 Biology requirements and 1 GE). However, some of my friends say I should take Organic Chemistry 1 this fall (along with Physiology, Epi, and Child Studies). I'm not really sure though, what do you think? If I took organic 1 next fall as a senior would that be too late? Most schools make you take the chemistry classes in order of sequence where you have to take Chem1>Chem2>Ochem1>Ochem2>Biochem1>Biochem2. I would take Ochem 1/2 for you junior year, and then Biochem your senior year. I would also split up some of those other classes from Ochem 1. That class makes people change majors. Research is not necessary for PA school, that's more of a med school thing. It's better to take a gap year and maintain your GPA while getting PCE, instead of stacking up classes and jeopardizing your GPA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tufts2020 Posted July 9, 2018 Author Share Posted July 9, 2018 @aceface @badgerb3838 If I finish taking my pre-requesites for PA school in my senior spring (I would have Physics 2 left), that means I can't apply until the next cycle right? I am also unsure when to take the GRE. Also do PA schools let admitted students take gap years (up to two yrs)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest thePAway Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 You can take as many gap years as you want, there is no age limit for applying to PA school. If you finish your pre-requisites when you graduate in May you can do your applications the summer after which would end up being one gap year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aceface Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 7 hours ago, tufts2020 said: @aceface @badgerb3838 If I finish taking my pre-requesites for PA school in my senior spring (I would have Physics 2 left), that means I can't apply until the next cycle right? I am also unsure when to take the GRE. Also do PA schools let admitted students take gap years (up to two yrs)? Physics 2 is usually not a prereq for PA schools. There are a handful that may require it, but it's very small. I would fit it in anywhere you think you could keep up your GPA. You also need to be mindful of if the school requires you to have a BS before you apply, meaning you have to take a gap year anyway if that's the option. Usually when people take gap years, it's to increase their PCE and/or extra classes. You can take the GRE whenever you're ready to study for it, it's not that hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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