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Chemistry as a BS major going into Dermatologist Assistant


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Chemistry would be a fine undergraduate degree for any specialty as a PA-C. There aren't any BS degrees that cater towards dermatology (to my knowledge). 

Also, the title of your thread is what caught my eye. Understand that if you become a PA in dermatology, you are NOT a dermatologist assistant. You are a PA specializing in dermatology. This is the same with any specialty. Just something to keep in mind for future reference. Let me know if you have other questions. Good luck!

 

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Thanks for the clarification! I keep seeing them lumped together in my research for working in Dermatology and I should start making that distinction now.

I'd also be interested to know if any or all of these paths: volunteer EMT (with a specialty in treating burns)/Medical tattooist for a plastic surgeon's office and/or surgical technician would help towards any credit/experience at all on my path to a PA? 

I'm a bit confused on how clinical hours for PA and work experience factor into this path. 

Thank you for your time!

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EMT work is very good experience for PA school. I worked as an EMT and then went on to become a paramedic prior to PA school. Paramedic is of course better experience, but EMT is also very helpful. I think EMS work is among the best preparatory experience that one can obtain before PA school. Direct patient care, critical thinking, treatment plan development/execution, and learning valuable life-saving skills will translate well to PA school. 

I would avoid medical tattooist. I'm not familiar with that line of work, so I can't speak much to it, but I'm not convinced that admission committees would accept it is direct patient contact hours. Maybe they would. 

Surgical tech is also a good way to go. Great experience in the OR and exposure to good medical conditions. 

My personal opinion is that EMS is the best way to go though. I'm not sure what you mean by specialty in treating burns. EMTs/Paramedics don't specialize. They see anything/everything and need to be well versed in all aspects of prehospital emergency medicine. 

 

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