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Go for it, or wait a year?


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Hey there folks, 

I want to apply for PA school for the 2019 cycle, but I've been mulling over how viable my credentials will be by the time apps open up. I'd like to share them with you and get some feedback -- any and all input would be much appreciated. 

  • I'm currently 26 years old. I got my bachelor's in psychology in 2015, worked in forensic psych, developed a passion for medicine during this time. 
  • From 2016-2017, I worked as a medical receptionist at a pain management office. Made some connections, learned more about the PA profession. 
  • 2017-2019 (est), I have been taking pre-PA coursework in a 4-year college. This year I also went to technical school as a phlebotomist, got certified, and have been practicing in healthcare. 
  • My non-science GPA is a 3.2; my science GPA is a 3.9. I will have all but one required class on my transcript by the time I apply. I will also have taken the GRE by then. 

Here is where I noticeably lack: 

  • I likely do not have as much healthcare experience as the average applicant.
  • I have 12 shadowing hours with an osteopathic doc, which I know won't do. I will have accrued PA shadowing hours by April, but likely no more than 30. 
  • I do not have volunteer hours per se. I have done unpaid work in the medical field, but that was to advance my education -- it was not explicitly volunteer service. 

Do you think these credentials render me a competitive applicant for PA school? I know many schools have variable requirements, and I will likely be applying to as many as I can on the West Coast. Should I attempt this coming cycle and fail, I know that the 2020 cycle will afford much more time to strengthen my currently weak areas. However, if my present standing can afford me a shot, I'll take it! 

Thank you for reading, and good luck with your endeavors. 

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How many PCE hours would you accumulate by the summer of 2019 working as a phlebotomist? At least 500 hrs? Based on this application cycle, my research showed most schools have a minimum of 1000 hrs for PCE. Most applicants apply with a lot more hours. But I have also met undergrad students on the interview trail who have 500-1000 hrs. So you will just have to do your research and apply smartly. Do not apply to schools where their average applicant has >4000-5000 PCE hrs.

Your pros: your HCE hours, your high sGPA, and only 1 prerequisite class left to take.

I think you can try to apply in the summer of 2019. Keep working as a phlebotomist, do well on GRE, shadow a few more PAs, get great LORs, and write a great PS. 

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How many PCE hours would you accumulate by the summer of 2019 working as a phlebotomist? At least 500 hrs? Based on this application cycle, my research showed most schools have a minimum of 1000 hrs for PCE. Most applicants apply with a lot more hours. But I have also met undergrad students on the interview trail who have 500-1000 hrs. So you will just have to do your research and apply smartly. Do not apply to schools where their average applicant has >4000-5000 PCE hrs.
Your pros: your HCE hours, your high sGPA, and only 1 prerequisite class left to take.
I think you can try to apply in the summer of 2019. Keep working as a phlebotomist, do well on GRE, shadow a few more PAs, get great LORs, and write a great PS. 

Basically everything that was just said, I second.


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You’ll be just fine! Every month working full time is an extra 160-200 hours of PCE, also your science GPA is solid. For volunteer opportunities you could try googling a volunteer coordinator at the local hospital or a program like meals on wheels. Your packet is definitely not at a weak point here, with the next 8 months you can make yourself a shoe in.

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To all of you above -- thank you for your encouragement! I will continue with what I'm doing, seek out more volunteer work as soon as this current semester is over, and take care to note which schools put more emphasis on the average hours. Thanks again and good luck to all of you. 

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