B.S. Experimental Psych; age 48. PA??

[Peeps40]

I just turned 48. I have a B.S. in Psychology. My work experience includes management, sales, franchise ownership. In 2017 I took CNA training and now work in home health. I have fallen in love with healthcare. I've just started investigating PA process. Am I too old? If not, what should my next step be? I'm sure there are some prerequisites that I need. Any advice?

[UGoLong]

I love reading about people like you because I was one of you. I decided to go to PA school when I was 51 and took my prereqs over a 7 year period. I entered PA school at 58, graduated at 60 and still work at 72 (part-time now in clinic and part-time as a professor for a PA program). It has been the experience of a lifetime.

So it's doable. Shadow to make sure this is what you want. Get your prereqs (I did mine mostly in community college). Keep getting your experience as a CNA.

You will probably learn a lot about yourself along the way. You will discover that all that stuff you've learned since college is not lost. A good bit about being a PA is quickly building rapport with patients, which gets easier with age. 

Best of luck! This is doable (especially with the right family behind you).

[Guest HopeToBePAC]

I mean if you're comfortable pursuing this pathway, then go for it! Just realize that you'll be one of the older applicants and the whole processing of even applying and getting accepted can take between 2-3 years on average, and then another year to start. You could potentially start as early as 51 and I know there's lots in this field around that age, as this field seems to attract older applicants anyways.

[jhwk1]

Go for it!  Check out schools you are are interested in.  Some prereq's vary between schools. But basic pre-medical sciences. Bio, Chem including Organic, Physics, Anatomy & Physiology, etc.  I am a current PA student.  I started school at 51 with one child also in college and another in high school. For me, God is completing the path He started for me many years ago.  I am currently finishing my didactic phase and start clinicals in May. It has been an amazing experience and I agree with 

On 2/12/2019 at 9:41 PM, UGoLong said:

You will probably learn a lot about yourself along the way.

 

Your future class will also benefit from your maturity and life experience.  Good Luck and go for it!

[Apollo1]

Devil's advocate:

1. How did you perform in the past with strenuous science courses (if you took any at all)? Grades need to be top-notch (or show a defined uptick) in order to land an interview. Cognitive decline does occur, and while I believe what above posters have stated they may be an exception.

2. You'll be in your mid-50's by the time it comes to interview for jobs. The profession is moving towards residency-like training after graduation, and you'll be competing against peers with several more years of productivity to offer (in addition to the possibility of higher quality HCE to fall back on). Primary care may be the only specialty you can work.

3. You're looking at roughly six figures worth of costs to incur for the education. Quality of life is something to consider.

4. Do you have a compelling reason as to "why be a PA?" More and more individuals are trying to enter the field, for varying reasons. Your motivation needs to resonate enough with yourself and those you must convince upon potential admission to a program.

[UGoLong]

Devil's advocate: 1. How did you perform in the past with strenuous science courses (if you took any at all)? Grades need to be top-notch (or show a defined uptick) in order to land an interview. Cognitive decline does occur, and while I believe what above posters have stated they may be an exception.

2. You'll be in your mid-50's by the time it comes to interview for jobs. The profession is moving towards residency-like training after graduation, and you'll be competing against peers with several more years of productivity to offer (in addition to the possibility of higher quality HCE to fall back on). Primary care may be the only specialty you can work.

3. You're looking at roughly six figures worth of costs to incur for the education. Quality of life is something to consider.

4. Do you have a compelling reason as to "why be a PA?" More and more individuals are trying to enter the field, for varying reasons. Your motivation needs to resonate enough with yourself and those you must convince upon potential admission to a program.

 

 

My best advice: run your own race. If you are older and want to become a PA, a school will consider you seriously and an employer will as well. You’re different, you’re mature, and patients will have an easier time relating to you.

 

There are always a million potential obstacles. Understand what you really want and if this profession is it, then take your shot. You’ve done that before with other challenges by the time you’re pushing 50. Some worked the way you had hoped and others didn’t. Whatever happened, you learned something important about yourself. This latest challenge is no different.

 

Good luck.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[docsls6]

I decided at 36 to a career change from 18 years in management. I quit my job and took 9 classes in 8 months. I quit in December 2017 and finished my pre reqs August 2018. Without clinical hours I made the deadline for Yale and Western for that year since they have no PCE requirements. I was invited to interview at both schools my first round and was wait-listed at Yale. I hear back from Western next week. It IS POSSIBLE and never too late to make a course correction in your life. Good luck whatever you choose! I will have a half a million dollars in lost wages, daycare, and education by the time I am done so make sure if you are committed to the change that you are "All in".