Ask a PA Admissions Director

[tkpa]

Dear paadmissions,

 

First and foremost, thank you for providing this opportunity for pre-pa students.

 

I would like your opinion on my current status regarding my academics and experience. I'm from California, and I've just finished my undergrad at a UC with an unfortunately low cumulative GPA of 2.6. I was able to fulfill some prerequisites at this UC including Biology, General Chemistry + labs, Organic Chemistry + labs, Physics, Statistics, Psychology, Calculus, and English courses.

 

After graduating in June 2014, I proceeded to take more prerequisites at a community college:

Anatomy + lab - received a B

Physiology + lab - received an A

Microbiology + lab - received an A

 

Letter of Recommendations/Experience:

I worked in a research lab for 1 year at the UC and volunteered at a hospital (around 300 hours), and will be beginning a teacher's assistant position for Microbiology. I will receive a LOR from the hospital and the professor I'm assisting. I have no shadowing experience, and I plan to shadow a PA and request a LOR. These are the 3 LOR's I plan to attain.

 

I have CNA and Home Health aide certifications with ~100 hours.

 

My questions to you are, from this background:

1) Would applying for the 2015-2016 CASPA cycle be a bad idea, considering I have to cram in hundreds of clinical hours, apply with a below acceptable cumulative GPA, and still search for a PA to shadow?

 

2) The only reason I think applying with a 2.6 GPA is possible is because of my grades in Physio/Anat/Micro. Do prerequisites I took post-bac at a community college get added to my UC GPA (therefore bumping it up a bit)? I know most schools have a minimum of 2.7-3.0, so I have a problem here.

 

**3) I understand the 2015-2016 window opens this coming April 2015, which gives me very little time. I guess my biggest question is: Should I just take another year off to apply for the 2016-2017 application cycle? This way I can retake courses to improve my GPA, accumulate more clinical paid hours, and shadow a PA longer. What are your thoughts on my situation?

 

 

Thank you so much for your time and consideration! I am very sorry for the lengthy post and questions.

[PAclassof2018]

Dear PA Admissions Director,

 

I am a 22 year old female planning to apply to PA school or the 2015-2016 cycle. My question is in regards to the HCE hours. I have been working as a medical scribe for the past 2 years and I will have accumulated about 2500 hours by the time of my application. I have also done about 600 hours of healthcare volunteer work and 2 semesters worth of undergraduate research. My question is how do Admissions committees view someone like me who is relatively young versus an applicant in their 30's who has 10-15 years of experience as a CNA or MA? After reading through a lot of these forums I am nervous that I  do not have enough HCE. However since I have been in school full-time for the past 4 years the bulk of my HCE was obtained by working part-time during school and during summers I thought that my HCE hours were in the competitive range. Now I am not so confident! How do admissions committees compare younger applicants with less experience to older applicants? Will I be at a disadvantage applying so young? Any feedback you could give me regarding this issue would be helpful! 

[lchoi]

Admissions Director-

 

I am a 31-yr-old w/ a BS in engineering and 7 years of engineering experience (was climbing up the business ladder).  My undergraduate GPA was a 2.9, mostly because my first two years in college was less than focused.  However, I had a 3.5 engineering GPA (last 100 undergrad units) and have a 4.0 in my post-bacc work (Bio, Chem, AP, Microbio).  Unfortunately, this only brings my GPA up to a 3.0.  Moreover, I will only have about 300 hours of clinical experience since I have been working in a completely different field.  

 

At this point, I'm wondering if it's best for me to post-pone my application to 2016 so I can accumulate more hours or if I should just shoot for it with low clinical experience.  My GPA will most likely not change much because I have so many undergraduate credits...  What are your thoughts?  Do you think I have a chance?

[megpvb2]

Dear paadmissions,

 

As the 2014-2015 application cycle is ending, and I have still not had any interviews or acceptance, I'm coming to terms that I will have to reapply this upcoming cycle. I was wondering how schools react if you reapply to them, because I know you have to mark that on your CASPA app. Could you list the pros and cons of reapplying to a school, from a schools point of view.

 

Thank you so much for your time.

[mbh2]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kristinnaaa]

Dear Admission Director, 

 

I wanted to start off by thanking you for taking time out of your busy life to help everyone here. 

 

I'm at a point in my life where I am totally lost on how to proceed with my PA applications. I have applied the last two years, gained interview, but was put on the waitlist both times. I'm not sure what to focus on, I know I need more interactions with a PA. I have only been able to shadow a PA, but am still looking for either a volunteer position or paid position working in a medical office, hospital, etc... But I do have 8 years of full time experience as a dental assistant.

 

I have my BS in Biology, but I felt my GPA was too low so I took many science courses at my local community college to raise my GPA. I am also now in my Master's in Healthcare Administration program. Although there's not much science involve with this program, I am learning a lot about grant writing and proposals in the healthcare setting. I hoping this will help me in the future. 

 

What else can I do to strengthen my application/interview so that I'm not put on the waitlist anymore?

 

Thank you in advance!

[AndrewPymn]

Beauty.As marketingowe kobieta nie podsłuchać wnikliwie to, co chce podsłuchać, Ana przenosi się na dalszy dosyć tego świata, aż umarł-in-the-wool New Yorker uważa, Seattle, gdzie osadza się nudne Życie na reklamę konta executive.Author.

 

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[paadmissions]

@DeLionn Thank you for your question and sorry for the delay. I would encourage you to evaluate your prerequisite courses very carefully to ensure that your performance in those courses are exceeding at least a 3.2. I tell applicants that they need to be in a range of 3.4-3.6 to be competitive with the applicant pool.  With an overall GPA lower than a 3.0, you will have to demonstrate a strong performance in the prerequisites and the GRE. You also don't want to apply to programs that have a firm cut-off of 3.0.  Before you apply I would reach out to the schools that interest you to ask if they think you'll be competitive, and if not what, if anything, can be done to enhance your application. I would prefer applicants do that before wasting time and money going through the application process. Applying to PA school is far from cheap. That money could be better spent retaking courses and bettering your application so that you're not having to apply to PA school multiple cycles. I hope this is helpful. 

Dear Admissions Director,

 

Thank you for taking the time to read and answer the questions posted.

I would like to know what you think about my case and what you would recommend for me to have a better chance of being accepted to PA school.

When I was a sophomore during  my undergraduate program I was put on probation and was dismissed from school as a result of bad performance. I was working a full-time job and attending school at the same time. I re-applied to the same school and was accepted back the following semester. My GPA went from 1.65 to a cumulative 2.8 (science >3.0)  and graduated with a bachelors degree in biology. I started a job at the same university after graduation as a Research Coordinator where I've obtained ample patient experience (>4000 hrs). I also took the rest of the prerequisites (13 credits)  and I got all As. After calculating my new GPA, I'm at a cumulative of approx. 2.9 and I plan to take more science classes to bring it above 3.0. I also did a medical mission in South America last year for 2 weeks and do volunteer work at a clinic and my local food bank. I have 3 shadowed doctors, 4 PAs (ID, pain management, OB/GYN,) 1 NP. 

I will be taking the GRE next month and I already have great references from PAs and Doctors. 

This will be my first time applying and even if I don't get accepted, I will keep trying. 

 

Again, thank you for your time and valuable advice. 

[paadmissions]

@Empowred Thank you for your questions. The question about working under a physician is not uncommon for someone with your background. I also do not think your experience as a physician in India is a bad thing. I honestly think the question was meant to assure the faculty member that you would be comfortable as a PA and working under a physician since your role would drastically change from your past experience. I think another concern with someone who has a doctor of medicine from another country would be the applicant's ability to be accepting of learning in the classroom..meaning you would be willing to be retaught information that you may have had before and willing to coexist with your classmates, not acting entitled because of your previous training.  Based on your post, it sounds like you provided the appropriate response and hopefully your response was well received. We have a few foreign medical graduates in our program, and the same type of questions and "concerns" (for lack of a better word) were addressed during their interview.  So far they have succeeded in our program. 

In regards to how long it will take for them to get back with you, that will be a program decision. Our program is very quick with responding to applicants, but not everyone operates on the same schedule. I hope you receive a positive outcome from your interview and hopefully my response has provided some insight. 

Dear PA admissions ,

Thank you for all your help and valuable insight. I recently had an interview with the school I want to join. It was a whole day interview . My interview started with students interview which went very well and ended with faculty interviews. One of the faculty had lot of questions about my experience in India. I am a medical graduate from India. He asked me questions if I practiced medicine in India for which I replied for a short time before I came to US. His next question was " How do you feel about working as a PA under a physician "? Would you be comfortable doing it? I was prepared to questions like this and answered him about my experience in US, how I have enjoyed working under many physicians etc. My question to you is will this work against me to get into PA school ? I know the faculty is looking for people who can work with others, be a team player etc. Which I explained in the interview how I have worked with different people effectively with examples. I was drilled with many questions about If I will ask for help when needed, again I was prepared and answered them well with examples. My question is will my work experience in India work for me or against me in the selection process?

Another faculty interview went very well and she had very positive feed back for me. They said they will let every one know in a weeks time. Usually does admission committee sit together and make a decision?? I am just wondering how my work experience in India ( I practiced in General Medicine for a short time) would affect my admission. Thank you very much for your time.

[paadmissions]

@in-kognito Thank you for your questions. Based on your post, I commend your determination to succeed and so far it sounds like you have performed well while juggling life's curve balls. That said, if you want to address your struggles in your personal statement I would offer the following advice:

- Discuss your journey from where you were to where you are now briefly. Do not make your entire personal statement about your difficult journey to get where you are. Keep in mind that every applicant has a story. I definitely don't want to discredit your struggle in anyway, but there are applicants from everywhere that may have equally struggled, but in a different way. 

- Any discussion about your feelings about your community should be left out. It 1- is hard to discuss dispassionately and 2- you may seem judgmental, although you feel you are being judged by others in your community. Your words can lead committees to perceive your message opposite of your intentions.

- You need to make sure your personal statement is mostly about demonstrating through your clinical and academic experience how you have prepared yourself for PA school. Your journey is one thing, but the bottom line I want to read in a person statement is what you've done to prove to our program that you know what a PA is, why you want to be one and what you've done to prepare yourself for the program. 

 

This post leads me to think about a group exercise our program conducts occasionally. The session requires students to line up in a straight line. A faculty member asks a series of questions about your past experience (i.e. did you have insurance growing up, did you have nights when there was no food on the table, were you ever overlooked because of your race, gender or ethnicity, were you ever impacted by divorce, etc.), and based on your response, students take a step forward or backwards. Although we as a program have no idea whether are not students are willing to be honest about questions like this, nor do we want to offend anyone, it proves one major point, no matter if you end up at the front of the line or in the back and no matter what your struggles are, all of them have made it to this point in life...to be a PA. And quite frankly we want those students who are going to put their nose to the ground and work towards a common goal regardless of their past struggles. I think that's what needs to be taken away from a personal statement. I hope this helps!

Dear PA Admissions Director,

 

I would really appreciate if you can give me advise.

I'm working on my personal statement and I have a dilemma. There are many things that could work as an advantage and disadvantage for my case.

I fled from another country due to my political views being afraid for my life. I overcame many difficult decisions to get where I'm at now. I always wanted to be in a health care but my family was against it. So when I came here and learned English enough to start taking classes I developed the plan that looked logical. I decided to get into Nursing School to become a nurse, get a bachelor degree in Nursing while taking prerequisites for PA school. I always knew that nursing wouldn't be enough for my personality and went through the school so I would be able to be around helping patients, would have a profession, would be able to pay my bills. I worked two jobs while in Nursing school to be able to afford its cost. Now, I work full time position in the hospital as an RN, while taking 20 credits in three different colleges (one to get my BSN in July, 2015; and two others for prereqs). My academic career had a "hiccup" when I had to drop out from school due to my husband's injury. He wasn't able to work for few months and I had to find a third job to be able to survive and pay for his medical bills.

My GPA: 3.6 from out of country university, 3.2 from nursing school, 4.0 from BSN program.

 

We live in the area where people are very judgmental. I often witness statements that foreigners took their jobs, foreigners get paid for everything (education, medical bills, living expenses), and etc. In my case I didn't get any assistance and had to push through with what I've earned. Saying that, I'm not sure if I should even mention that I'm a foreigner and/or asylee. 

 

Is it an advantage to come to this country and build the life without anyone's help? Is it an advantage to work while studying? Is it an advantage to become an RN to get to the PA school?

Thank you so much!

[paadmissions]

@empowered CONGRATS! Sorry my previous response was delayed, but glad to hear everything worked out. Best wishes!

Dear PA admissions,

Wanted to update my status that I got accepted into the PA school of my choice. I am very excited...Thank you for all your help and insight.

[paadmissions]

@tkpa Thank you for your questions. I would recommend that you take this cycle off to improve your application. Keep in mind committees don't only focus on A&P and Micro courses. They will look at a all required prerequisites, test scores and clinical experience. Your post-bacc classes you've taken will be calculated into your overall GPA, but it is very hard to raise an overall GPA. Typically with a 2.6 GPA it will take several hours to bump that up to where you probably want it. Most applicants don't have the time or money to invest in that many post-bacc courses. I would recommend the following before moving forward:

- Research the programs that interest you to make sure there are no firm cut offs. You would be wasting your time applying to or pursing programs that have a hard cut-off at 3.0, for example.

- After narrowing down your search contact these programs to make sure you can take prerequisites at the cc level and that there aren't any other courses that you should be retaking. Don't assume anything.

- Check clinical experience requirements to ensure you're on track for meeting and/or exceeding them.

 

I hope this helps!

Dear paadmissions,

 

First and foremost, thank you for providing this opportunity for pre-pa students.

 

I would like your opinion on my current status regarding my academics and experience. I'm from California, and I've just finished my undergrad at a UC with an unfortunately low cumulative GPA of 2.6. I was able to fulfill some prerequisites at this UC including Biology, General Chemistry + labs, Organic Chemistry + labs, Physics, Statistics, Psychology, Calculus, and English courses.

 

After graduating in June 2014, I proceeded to take more prerequisites at a community college:

Anatomy + lab - received a B

Physiology + lab - received an A

Microbiology + lab - received an A

 

Letter of Recommendations/Experience:

I worked in a research lab for 1 year at the UC and volunteered at a hospital (around 300 hours), and will be beginning a teacher's assistant position for Microbiology. I will receive a LOR from the hospital and the professor I'm assisting. I have no shadowing experience, and I plan to shadow a PA and request a LOR. These are the 3 LOR's I plan to attain.

 

I have CNA and Home Health aide certifications with ~100 hours.

 

My questions to you are, from this background:

1) Would applying for the 2015-2016 CASPA cycle be a bad idea, considering I have to cram in hundreds of clinical hours, apply with a below acceptable cumulative GPA, and still search for a PA to shadow?

 

2) The only reason I think applying with a 2.6 GPA is possible is because of my grades in Physio/Anat/Micro. Do prerequisites I took post-bac at a community college get added to my UC GPA (therefore bumping it up a bit)? I know most schools have a minimum of 2.7-3.0, so I have a problem here.

 

**3) I understand the 2015-2016 window opens this coming April 2015, which gives me very little time. I guess my biggest question is: Should I just take another year off to apply for the 2016-2017 application cycle? This way I can retake courses to improve my GPA, accumulate more clinical paid hours, and shadow a PA longer. What are your thoughts on my situation?

 

 

Thank you so much for your time and consideration! I am very sorry for the lengthy post and questions.

[paadmissions]

@nelsonc17 Thank you for your question. My first advice would be make sure scribing hours count for the programs you're applying to. Not everyone accepts those type of hours. In regards to age, I get that question a lot my only answer is it's all how you demonstrate your maturity to the admissions committee through your interview and through the application process. I will get on my soapbox here just a tad because I've had issues with the younger applicants more so this year than years past. Things that will help everyone, especially the younger applicants

- Write a mature personal statement. Avoid driving home the statement "I want to help people." Its perceived as a very immature statement and so do 700 other applicants who have applied.

- Communicate in a professional way. This includes written and verbal communication with programs. If you call a program, be prepared with your question, do your research before you call the program so that your question cannot be answered on the website or information already provided by the program, and be specific with your questions or email to the program (meaning don't copy and paste your email to another program to our program, for example).

- If you are asked to respond to an invitation for an interview or acceptance RESPOND! It's amazing how many people just ignore emails or phone calls. No matter if you've been accepted to another program, have the professionalism and courtesy to decline the offer. This helps programs plan and allows other applicants a chance at the same goal.

- If you do not hear from a program in about 2 weeks of submitting your application, contact them to make sure they received it. Don't wait 6 months to call.

- If you make application to numerous programs and get accepted somewhere else, withdraw your application from consideration at the other programs.

- #1 Pet peeve of mine is someone canceling or withdrawing from an interview or the program after paying an enrollment deposit at the last minute or knowing that you have intentions to attend elsewhere. Professional is demonstrated in so many ways and acting as if the program is an afterthought hurts the chances for other applicants to reach their goal. On the flip side of that, most of the time it shows the program that the applicant was probably not a good fit for the program, but still delays another qualified applicant a chance at PA school.

 

Remember, anyone of any age can act this way, but trends over the past 2 cycles have shown that younger applicants act this way. I hope this helps some and I'll step down from my soapbox now :)

Dear PA Admissions Director,

 

I am a 22 year old female planning to apply to PA school or the 2015-2016 cycle. My question is in regards to the HCE hours. I have been working as a medical scribe for the past 2 years and I will have accumulated about 2500 hours by the time of my application. I have also done about 600 hours of healthcare volunteer work and 2 semesters worth of undergraduate research. My question is how do Admissions committees view someone like me who is relatively young versus an applicant in their 30's who has 10-15 years of experience as a CNA or MA? After reading through a lot of these forums I am nervous that I  do not have enough HCE. However since I have been in school full-time for the past 4 years the bulk of my HCE was obtained by working part-time during school and during summers I thought that my HCE hours were in the competitive range. Now I am not so confident! How do admissions committees compare younger applicants with less experience to older applicants? Will I be at a disadvantage applying so young? Any feedback you could give me regarding this issue would be helpful! 

[paadmissions]

@Ichoi Thank you for your question. If you are interested in programs that require a lot of hours, then yes, delay your application so you can get more hours. It would be a waste of time and money to apply when you're falling short of requirements. That's usually not overlooked by committees. I hope this helps!

Admissions Director-

 

I am a 31-yr-old w/ a BS in engineering and 7 years of engineering experience (was climbing up the business ladder).  My undergraduate GPA was a 2.9, mostly because my first two years in college was less than focused.  However, I had a 3.5 engineering GPA (last 100 undergrad units) and have a 4.0 in my post-bacc work (Bio, Chem, AP, Microbio).  Unfortunately, this only brings my GPA up to a 3.0.  Moreover, I will only have about 300 hours of clinical experience since I have been working in a completely different field.  

 

At this point, I'm wondering if it's best for me to post-pone my application to 2016 so I can accumulate more hours or if I should just shoot for it with low clinical experience.  My GPA will most likely not change much because I have so many undergraduate credits...  What are your thoughts?  Do you think I have a chance?

[paadmissions]

@megpvb2 Thank you for your questions. If you don't receive an interview reach out to the schools for feedback on how to improve your application. It's not uncommon for applicants to apply more than once, but don't reapply to programs without making the changes they want to see. This may require you taking a cycle off to make improvements. If you submit the same application (unless you just applied too late) you'll probably get the same results. Be sure to submit a new personal statement talking about what you've done to improve yourself. Hope this helps!

Dear paadmissions,

 

As the 2014-2015 application cycle is ending, and I have still not had any interviews or acceptance, I'm coming to terms that I will have to reapply this upcoming cycle. I was wondering how schools react if you reapply to them, because I know you have to mark that on your CASPA app. Could you list the pros and cons of reapplying to a school, from a schools point of view.

 

Thank you so much for your time.

[calad]

---

[paadmissions]

@kristinnaaa Thank you for your question. Taking a stab at your question without knowing the specifics of the programs you're applying to, I would guess that more exposure to PAs may be at the top of list since you've been in the dental field for so long. I would also assume that academics may not be too much for a factor, at least for the programs that you've interviewed with, because academics typically don't tend to be a concern if you've been invited in. That said, you may want to contact programs that you plan to apply to in the future to make sure there aren't any academic factors that need correcting. Also, consider improving on your interview skills. If you've interviewed this year with the program(s) that put you on the waiting list ask for feedback. They may provide some further insight about improving your chances that I'm not thinking of right now. Hope this helps some. 

Dear Admission Director, 

 

I wanted to start off by thanking you for taking time out of your busy life to help everyone here. 

 

I'm at a point in my life where I am totally lost on how to proceed with my PA applications. I have applied the last two years, gained interview, but was put on the waitlist both times. I'm not sure what to focus on, I know I need more interactions with a PA. I have only been able to shadow a PA, but am still looking for either a volunteer position or paid position working in a medical office, hospital, etc... But I do have 8 years of full time experience as a dental assistant.

 

I have my BS in Biology, but I felt my GPA was too low so I took many science courses at my local community college to raise my GPA. I am also now in my Master's in Healthcare Administration program. Although there's not much science involve with this program, I am learning a lot about grant writing and proposals in the healthcare setting. I hoping this will help me in the future. 

 

What else can I do to strengthen my application/interview so that I'm not put on the waitlist anymore?

 

Thank you in advance!

[TeacherPA]

Dear PA Admissions Director,

 

I am going to try to make this short, I have 3000+ hours experience as a medical scribe in an emergency department (2.5 years part time, but picked up extra shifts frequently). I would like to apply to PA school this cycle (which is quickly approaching), but I have two big concerns.

 

1. My experience as a scribe is not what PA schools are looking for/what would best prepare me to be a PA (not my question, that has been answered on boards)

 

2. My experience is OLD (I worked as a scribe from June 2009 to December 2011)! 

 

My question is: Do you think I would benefit more from A) shadowing PAs in other specialties B) working part time as a scribe again or C) something else (and what?). I want to get in to PA school, but I also want to be a capable provider when I get out (which I understand is the major concern with low HCE applicants). I was thinking of doing a residency post-PA school, if I felt that my skills were not adequate, but would like to know how admissions might look at older HCE.

 

Thank you so much!

 

Teacher PA

 

PS. I can provide you with more information about me/stats, but I wanted to keep this short(ish) :)

[unculturedpearl]

Dear PA Admissions Director,

 

I'd first like to thank you for taking the time to give such great advice. I'm currently completing prereqs and would like to apply 2015-2016 cycle. At the time of submission, I would still have 3 classes to complete (Microbiology, Biochemistry and Biology II). I will be enrolled in those courses, Biology II - 3rd summer session and Microbiology & Biochem - Fall 2015. Will incomplete/in progress hurt my application?

 

In terms of the rest of my application, I have ~1000 HCE as a PT Aide, volunteer with the Medical Reserve Corps and will have 50-100 volunteer hrs with a community EMS squad (I'll also be working towards an EMT cert). My cumulative is 3.12 with ability to reach a 3.2 after prereqs are done and my science gpa is a 3.45 with potential to reach a 3.6.

 

My undergrad is in Health and Exercise Science.

 

I do not plan on taking the GRE as it isnt required for any of the programs I'm interested in. They also only require 200 HCE as minimum. I'll be shadowing an orthopedic PA for 2 days (10-16 hrs) and currently approaching OB/GYN and Oncology PAs and a Primary Care NP for shadowing opportunities.

 

Do I stand a chance?

[hello1212]

.

[chelseacat92]

Hello, I found this post very helpful. I want to apply this summer (2015) to PA school. I really want to know my chances as this is (as cliché as it may sound) my dream career.

 

I graduated from Sacred Heart University in May 2014 with a 3.8 GPA and a B.S in Chemistry/Biochemistry. My Pre-Requisite GPA is 3.6, sciences only, and 3.67 with 3 Psychology courses added. I also received the Silver Medal of Excellence for Chemistry when I graduated.

 

I just began working this October (2014) as a paid EMT in Bridgeport, CT (urban). I am also a volunteer firefighter in Stamford, CT and I am beginning to pick up more volunteer hours there.  So far I have 300 hours of clinical experience, but expect to have at least 900-1000 by summer.

 

I have volunteered with a traveling hospice (150 hrs), Underprivileged Child Mentoring ( 1 semester, 65 hrs) , “Best Buddies” volunteer working with mentally disabled teens ( 1 semester, 50hrs), collecting money for a Toy drive with EMS (10 hrs), Working with Girl Scouts and a Domestic Violence Agency trough my sorority Kappa Delta ( minimum of 80hrs).  Total: 355

 

My practice GRE score without any prep was 302. I am still prepping and taking it in late March.

 

I really want to know if I would get an interview or get accepted with these credentials to enter a program in 2016. I do write well and I tend to be well composed in interview/ stressful situations.

Should I consider a Medical Mission trip, is this necessary?  My top choice school is Trevecca Nazerene, but I am applying to many others that I am very interested in as well.

Thank you to whoever wants to give advice or thoughts.

[paadmissions]

@teacherPA thanks for your question and sorry for the delay. Before you decide to pick up additional hours, narrow  down your list of PA schools to see what experiences are acceptable for the programs. I think this should help guide you in the right direction. Some programs accept shadowing and scribing as hours and, as you know, some do not. If you find the majority of your desired programs do not accept these type of hours try a ER tech, Patient Care Tech, or medical assisting position. With your connections/experiences that you have as a scribe you may be able to easily transition to an ER tech (or a similar position) that would allow for more direct patient care. I hope this helps.

Dear PA Admissions Director,

 

I am going to try to make this short, I have 3000+ hours experience as a medical scribe in an emergency department (2.5 years part time, but picked up extra shifts frequently). I would like to apply to PA school this cycle (which is quickly approaching), but I have two big concerns.

 

1. My experience as a scribe is not what PA schools are looking for/what would best prepare me to be a PA (not my question, that has been answered on boards)

 

2. My experience is OLD (I worked as a scribe from June 2009 to December 2011)! 

 

My question is: Do you think I would benefit more from A) shadowing PAs in other specialties B) working part time as a scribe again or C) something else (and what?). I want to get in to PA school, but I also want to be a capable provider when I get out (which I understand is the major concern with low HCE applicants). I was thinking of doing a residency post-PA school, if I felt that my skills were not adequate, but would like to know how admissions might look at older HCE.

 

Thank you so much!

 

Teacher PA

 

PS. I can provide you with more information about me/stats, but I wanted to keep this short(ish) :)

[paadmissions]

@unculturedpearl thank you for your question and sorry for the delay. The outstanding coursework will depend on the programs you're applying to and their deadlines for coursework completion and/or if they have a minimum number of courses that can be outstanding when you apply. I would THINK you would be ok if all other prerequisites are strong, but every program is different. That science/prerequisite GPA will need to be very strong 3.4-3.6 (sounds like you're almost there) to be competitive. Continue your shadowing hours and remember to spend quality time with the PAs in different fields, don't "hop" from PA to PA only spending 8 hours (for example). Hope this helps. 

Dear PA Admissions Director,

I'd first like to thank you for taking the time to give such great advice. I'm currently completing prereqs and would like to apply 2015-2016 cycle. At the time of submission, I would still have 3 classes to complete (Microbiology, Biochemistry and Biology II). I will be enrolled in those courses, Biology II - 3rd summer session and Microbiology & Biochem - Fall 2015. Will incomplete/in progress hurt my application?

In terms of the rest of my application, I have ~1000 HCE as a PT Aide, volunteer with the Medical Reserve Corps and will have 50-100 volunteer hrs with a community EMS squad (I'll also be working towards an EMT cert). My cumulative is 3.12 with ability to reach a 3.2 after prereqs are done and my science gpa is a 3.45 with potential to reach a 3.6.

My undergrad is in Health and Exercise Science.

I do not plan on taking the GRE as it isnt required for any of the programs I'm interested in. They also only require 200 HCE as minimum. I'll be shadowing an orthopedic PA for 2 days (10-16 hrs) and currently approaching OB/GYN and Oncology PAs and a Primary Care NP for shadowing opportunities.

Do I stand a chance?

[paadmissions]

@hell1212 Thanks for your questions. I would research the programs you're interested in to check out the following:

- When outstanding courses have to be completed (at the time of application or by a certain date)

- Are your hours meeting the requirements for the program

- GPA and GRE averages, requirements or recommendations. If you are falling short in any of the GPAs or GRE scores (when you take them) you need to reevaluate if you should take more classes or if you need to retake the GRE. 

 

I open myself up to potential applicants emailing me transcripts and I provide honest feedback on whether or not they should apply this cycle or next. It wouldn't hurt to reach out to those programs to see if they could offer the same feedback. Hope this helps!

Dear paadmissions,

I want to thank you in advance for taking time to give me advice, it means so much!
I've recently made the decision to apply to PA school instead of medical school. I did not make this choice just because I "can't get in to med school". It wasn't an easy choice, but I know that becoming a PA is the right choice for me.

Below are my credentials:

My GPA:
First 2 years at community college: 2.7
Last 2 years at university: 3.79
Degree: B.S. Biological sciences

I've calculated a GPA just north of 3.2 when putting those grades together, and there is a notable strong, upward trend in my last 2 years with A's in genetics, biochemistry, functional genomics, and other demanding upper division courses at the university I attended.

HCE:
ER Scribe at medical scribe systems for 6 months (~700 paid hours as of now). I'm SURE you know what a scribe is but here it is anyway... I work with a PA or a physician each shift, and document the history of present illness, review of systems, physical examination, procedures, etc. I also get to see the medical decision making process from the time the patient is seen, to the time they are admitted or discharged. I'm starting to be able to predict what the doctor will order based on how the patient presents. This position has opened my eyes to how it is to work in the medical field and I've been able to see the difference between a doctor and a PA first hand. I don't think I want to work in an ER as PA, but this job has still given me great medical exposure and I continue to learn from it.

Volunteering:
I know this is bad, but I don't have volunteer experience and I am actively looking for a volunteer position in hospice care, or something similar.

GRE:
Have not taken it yet. Will only apply to schools that don't require it if I apply this cycle. Will take it if I apply in the future.

Prerequisite courses:
I will be taking the PA prerequisite courses that I am missing (microbiology, anatomy/physiology with lab, medical terminology) this upcoming summer. Does this already push me out of the upcoming cycle or does the application process allow us to apply with these courses in progress?

My questions-
If I apply for the 2015-16 cycle that opens in April do I even stand a chance of getting an acceptance? If not, should I apply later on in this cycle or wait until the beginning of the 2016 cycle?
I'm currently in my first gap year and am worrying about taking more gap years; I already feel like I am in limbo as it is! I am 22, if that matters!

 

Thank you again for reading my wall of text!

[paadmissions]

@chelseacat 92 On paper it sounds like the academics are there. Make sure the hours will be competitive with the program you're considering. I don't think a mission trip is necessary as those types of trips are not as uncommon as once before. It's good experience and would encourage you to do it if you're interested in it, but I don't think it makes or breaks an application. Sometimes you can see just as much in a rural area of the US as overseas. I hope this is helpful and let me know if you have any further questions.

Hello, I found this post very helpful. I want to apply this summer (2015) to PA school. I really want to know my chances as this is (as cliché as it may sound) my dream career.

 

I graduated from Sacred Heart University in May 2014 with a 3.8 GPA and a B.S in Chemistry/Biochemistry. My Pre-Requisite GPA is 3.6, sciences only, and 3.67 with 3 Psychology courses added. I also received the Silver Medal of Excellence for Chemistry when I graduated.

 

I just began working this October (2014) as a paid EMT in Bridgeport, CT (urban). I am also a volunteer firefighter in Stamford, CT and I am beginning to pick up more volunteer hours there.  So far I have 300 hours of clinical experience, but expect to have at least 900-1000 by summer.

 

I have volunteered with a traveling hospice (150 hrs), Underprivileged Child Mentoring ( 1 semester, 65 hrs) , “Best Buddies” volunteer working with mentally disabled teens ( 1 semester, 50hrs), collecting money for a Toy drive with EMS (10 hrs), Working with Girl Scouts and a Domestic Violence Agency trough my sorority Kappa Delta ( minimum of 80hrs).  Total: 355

 

My practice GRE score without any prep was 302. I am still prepping and taking it in late March.

 

I really want to know if I would get an interview or get accepted with these credentials to enter a program in 2016. I do write well and I tend to be well composed in interview/ stressful situations.

Should I consider a Medical Mission trip, is this necessary?  My top choice school is Trevecca Nazerene, but I am applying to many others that I am very interested in as well.

Thank you to whoever wants to give advice or thoughts.