Ask a PA Admissions Director

[jdasar 1]

Hello all,

 

I'm in need of some serious advice, either from someone who has been in a similar situation or can help out in general. I'll start with some backstory.

 

I'm currently a medical social worker and about a month ago realized that I probably should have gone into medicine instead of social work. The hard part is what I do isn't considered hands on and I don't have any prerequisites so I have to do it all. I'll lay out my plan and if anyone could help out with it hard be great because I'm a bit nervous about the process and the fact that it'll take me a few years to complete everything since I currently work full time.

 

I plan on taking all the prerequisites at my community college since all of the classes, with labs, are offered there. Unfortunately, this will take me about 2-3 years because I simply cannot leave my job to pursue his full time. My worry is whether schools will frown upon be doing these classes at a CC. I haven't read anything stating so, but it is a concern.

 

I plan on getting my CNA in the coming months and hope to work somewhere super part time, since I'll have school on my plate as well. I also currently volunteer at a medical clinic for patients who don't have insurance and do scribing there. Once I get my CNA there is a chance I could get approved by the medical director to do flu vaccines, urinalysis and blood sugar checks if I prove that I am competent enough to do so.

 

Is CNA worth it? Will be it good enough? Should I look into emt? It's a bit It harder, scheduling wise for me :/

 

I haven't sorted out he shadowing yet, but once my ducks are in a row I'll start looking into it more.

 

My gpa from my undergrad (psych) was a 3.1 and my masters gpa was a 4.0 so I hope to maintain hat range and stay at a 3.5 for science once I start classes.

 

I currently speak Russian and intend on learning Spanish because I have always been interested in it.

 

Please give me whatever advice you can offer, I really want to make this happen but am becoming so overwhelmed at the requirements since it's been a while since I have actually had to do this kind of thing.

 

I reside in California and can't leave the state so all programs I apply to will be in ca. Im in the Bay Area so if someone is local, I'd love to talk further. I don't know if my age matters, but I'm 26. Do I have a fighting chance here? Will my current degree help me stand out?

 

Thanks in advance for any help!! I'm beyond stressed and haven't even started!!

[rettikins 1]

Hello all,

 

I'm in need of some serious advice, either from someone who has been in a similar situation or can help out in general. I'll start with some backstory.

 

I'm currently a medical social worker and about a month ago realized that I probably should have gone into medicine instead of social work. The hard part is what I do isn't considered hands on and I don't have any prerequisites so I have to do it all. I'll lay out my plan and if anyone could help out with it hard be great because I'm a bit nervous about the process and the fact that it'll take me a few years to complete everything since I currently work full time.

 

I plan on taking all the prerequisites at my community college since all of the classes, with labs, are offered there. Unfortunately, this will take me about 2-3 years because I simply cannot leave my job to pursue his full time. My worry is whether schools will frown upon be doing these classes at a CC. I haven't read anything stating so, but it is a concern.

 

I plan on getting my CNA in the coming months and hope to work somewhere super part time, since I'll have school on my plate as well. I also currently volunteer at a medical clinic for patients who don't have insurance and do scribing there. Once I get my CNA there is a chance I could get approved by the medical director to do flu vaccines, urinalysis and blood sugar checks if I prove that I am competent enough to do so.

 

Is CNA worth it? Will be it good enough? Should I look into emt? It's a bit It harder, scheduling wise for me :/

 

I haven't sorted out he shadowing yet, but once my ducks are in a row I'll start looking into it more.

 

My gpa from my undergrad (psych) was a 3.1 and my masters gpa was a 4.0 so I hope to maintain hat range and stay at a 3.5 for science once I start classes.

 

I currently speak Russian and intend on learning Spanish because I have always been interested in it.

 

Please give me whatever advice you can offer, I really want to make this happen but am becoming so overwhelmed at the requirements since it's been a while since I have actually had to do this kind of thing.

 

I reside in California and can't leave the state so all programs I apply to will be in ca. Im in the Bay Area so if someone is local, I'd love to talk further. I don't know if my age matters, but I'm 26. Do I have a fighting chance here? Will my current degree help me stand out?

 

Thanks in advance for any help!! I'm beyond stressed and haven't even started!!

Jdasar,

 

~3 years ago I was starting a career as a territory manager for a medical device company in the orthopedic space. I had a background in management and had never considered medicine for a career, but it wasn't long before I cared more about the patients than my quota. So, I decided to make the transition. I took 1-2 prerequisites per semester at a local community college. My particular school offered evening class times so as to not interfere with my full-time position. None of the schools to which I applied had any issue with the fact that they were taken at CC level...

While my position did involve physically fitting patients at their home with prescribed post-operative devices, this was not considered to be "direct patient contact" in the eyes of the admission boards. So, I similarly considered EMT vs. CNA/LNA. In my area, EMTs are strictly volunteer through the FD and the certification process was much longer than CNA/LNA. While it would have provided much greater technical ability, I decided that the CNA/LNA was the pragmatic route. I was able to obtain the license/certification over the course of 8 weekends, while still fully employed. This past May, upon receiving my license, I resigned from my med device position and began working at an assisted living facility comprised primarily of residents with late-stage dementia -- many of whom on palliative/hospice. The position isn't very technically-inclined, but you have a TON of patient contact and it will either reaffirm or make you reconsider your decision to practice medicine. While doing this, I took my GREs and shadowed in various settings (ED/ICU/Ortho)

I ended up applying to 9 programs in late Sept of this year, was invited to 4 interviews, attended 2, and was accepted into both. Moral of the story, it can be done. I actually believe that many programs like a non-traditional student. Good luck! 

[Enol_Ether 0]

Thank you for replying to this in advance.

 

I am currently a graduate student pursuing a PhD in organic chemistry.  I have a 4.0 in all 5 advanced graduate level classes  in organic/physical organic chemistry.  I have realized that this is just not what I want to do anymore and want to pursue my life long ambition of working in the medical field.  I am 28 (29 in June) and it seems that the MD is a road that I do not want to take at this point.  I have talked to 3 PA's and they all love their job.  Seems like a easy fit.  My real question is what I should do about having not taken the biology classes needed in many years?  My undergraduate classes in biology will have been 7-8 years ago by the time I apply.  Since I will leave with a M.S. in organic chemistry I think my chemistry is taken care of.  But general biology I have not taken in a decade because of AP Bio in high school (received a 5).  

 

It is worth noting that I was not a good student as a kid.

 

2.9 at community college

3.2 at a SUNY school  in chemistry

Worked for 4 years as an organic chemist

Then came back to pursue Phd.

 

Since I will already have a masters in chemistry and I can do graduate work.  Should I just retake classes at a community college?  Post bacc?  What is the move?  I say this because listed below is what I am working with for an application:

 

3.1 GPA in science as undergrad (5 years ago)

4.0 GPA during Masters in Organic Chemistry

TA for General Chemistry I (2 semesters) and TA for advanced organic lab (2 semesters)

4 years as a working chemist

2 awards for teaching as grad student

Tutor for Ochem for the last year

In the process of writing (1st author publication) a paper for journal that will be my thesis

 

 

Now....the down side:

 

Almost no patient contact but just was accepted to volunteer at a hospital (VA, Federal Backround Check).  Also pursuing being a scribe and shadowing

 

Have a DWI 5 years ago and DWAI 8 years ago...I know..bad..

 

Thank you for reading and your responses!

[PA Dexter 1]

Has a person's social media presence ever factored into the admissions process? 

[JessJack 8]

I need some advice about my graduate degree. My undergraduate GPA and sGPA is pretty good at 3.6, but my graduate degree's GPA is a 3.3. I made mostly B's, a couple A's, and one C. The C was in a really tough microbiology course. I'm afraid programs will look at my graduate degree, especially the C, and decide that I'm not able to handle a professional program. Will my graduate GPA severely limit my chances of being a accepted to a good school?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ChangeOfHeart 0]

Greetings,

 

I have a bit of a strange question. I applied to some programs this past cycle and was unsuccessful. Part of that is attributed to a late application with very average stats, but another part of it was my essays were seemingly lackluster. I spent a lot of time reflecting on my motivations and realized that my heart was not in it, that I truly wanted to go to medical school and become a doctor. I am wondering if application data is shared between the programs of the school, seeing that a few of the schools I applied to also have a Medical School that I will likely apply to. It would, at the very least, affect how I'd have to approach writing my personal statements and secondaries, and could even become a potential topic in an interview.

[Jaustin07 0]

Will having a background in mental health help me at all? I worked in a residential facility for a year, a crisis unit for a year and a half where I was trained to dispense prescribed medication, and for the past 5 years I've worked as a clinical mental health counselor, conducting assessments on individuals who are a danger to themselves and/or others and determining if they need to be in a psych facility against their will. With my current job, I've worked collaboratively with doctors and PAs pretty much every day. I'm going to be working towards completing prerequisites for PA school and getting HCE in the next year, but was curious if my mental health experience would count towards HCE, would just be a bonus, or wouldn't be that big of a deal. Thanks!

[ckas22 4]

Since this thread is about applicant advice, I just wanted to throw in a plug... I am in the middle of didactic year and just launched a new blog that will encompass a lot of helpful PA school advice, information, and fun related content. the blog is http://www.balancingchina.com 

 

If you want to subscribe, you will be notified of any new posts. As new content gets published, it will help prepare you for school and give you some insight into what didactic year (and beyond) is like! 

[bassetthound 0]

Hello,

 

First of all, thank you so much for this thread, and also for taking the time to read & answer my question.

 

I will provide some context but if you would rather not read it, I will ask my question first.

 

I was diagnosed with ADHD years ago and have a prescription for adderall. Will listing this on the required health forms & assuming I test positive for my prescribed substance effect me being able to attend the program I have been accepted to/paid my seat deposit?

 

I was accepted into pa school back in Oct/Nov.  I accepted my seat & sent in my deposit. Right now I am finishing up undergrad (graduate in May) and filling out all the necessary immunizations, paperwork, and drug tests for matriculation to the program in May. 

 

I prefer to keep this info confidential (my doctor & parents are the only people who know) and have not listed the ADHD and/or medication in CASPA, any applications, or in my interviews - nor do I receive any academic accommodations.  I have medical history forms to fill out & a drug test to take.  If I list my ADHD & medication in all my forms, will that effect me being able to attend PA School?  With my necessary (& completely legal, of course) medication, I meet all technical standards, etc.

 

I do not fit the stigma/stereotype of the college kid getting amphetamines from a buddy to get the "speed" effect and cram for a final.  I take this as a necessity, only when I have to, and in fact would rather have never been prescribed it in the first place.

 

Thank you!

I was diagnosed with ADHD years ago and have a prescription for adderall. 

[rno 7]

Hello, 

 

I applied this past cycle in July to 13 schools and did not receive any interview invites. I feel that my GRE score, PCE, HCE and volunteer hours were relatively strong. As were my letters of recommendation. Ultimately I think it was my undergraduate GPA that really tanked me. My stats are listed below: 

 

Cumulative Undergrad GPA: 2.97    undergrad science: 2.76

Post Bac GPA (18 units including anatomy, physio, micro, sociology, med terminology): 4.00

GRE: 161 verbal, 158 quantitative, 5.0 writing

 

HCE: 969

PCE: 2512 (at the time of application in July. This has increased to over 3k now) 

 

I have been debating whether it would be best to keep working and receiving PCE or to get a Masters in Physiology and show through my graduate degree that I can handle the rigor of a PA program. Obviously I will continue to volunteer and try and earn more PCE while in this program (but since I will no longer be full-time I won't be accruing it to the same degree that I am now).

 

Do you feel getting a masters degree is the best choice? Once admissions slows down for schools I plan to call them and see what their individual perspectives are on the matter as well.

 

Thank you!!

[FuturePA-S1995 26]

If you've been waitlisted to your top choice, is it appropriate to write a letter of intent to the school stating your desire to attend there for reasons x,y,z?

[vtdcpac 0]

Hello,

 

I am a UC Berkeley Grad with 2.718 cumulative GPA and ~2.8 science GPA. I have around 2500 clinical hours with a PA/physician. My current plan is to do well on the GREs and take/re-take pre-requisite classes at a community college. Do you think a post-bacc program would be necessary? Assuming that I am able to do well on the GRE/pre-requisites, what other options do I have to strengthen my application?

[kvarmstrong 0]

Hi!

 

I am looking for advice for getting into Physician Assistant school. I am a graduate from the University of Michigan (2014) with am undergraduate GPA of 2.9. I have taken extra classes to boost my GPA post-grad. My science GPA is ~3.0 and I have a Master's in Health Psychology(2016) with a GPA of 3.7. I have been a EMT- Basic in a busy 911 system, assisting with ALS procedures for 4 years, a Emergency Department Technician in a Level 1 Trauma Center for 1 year, and now a 911 Dispatcher for about a year. I have 6000-7000 hours HCE. I am still being denied entry into any program without any offer of an interview. I am looking for any suggestions to help me get into PA school. I have also been thinking about obtaining my paramedic/nursing license..don't know which one would be more beneficial. Thanks in advance for all the help!!!!

[DCDarling 2]

@paadmissions 

 

I am currently working at the National Cancer Institute (Administrative/Research position) but really miss interacting with patients and having more of a direct impact in the health landscape. As such, I am seriously considering pursuing a career as a PA. My current stats are as follows...

 

Undergrad major: Biology and Psychology 

undergrad GPA: 3.9

sGPA: 3.9

Masters in Clinical Exercise Physiology

Masters GPA: 4.0

GRE: 161 quantitative, 165 verbal, 6.0 writing 

 

Grad School Experience 

* Graduate Assistant: Conducting exercise Testing/Body comp testing  (VO2max, DEXA, RMR, etc.) 

* Teaching Assistant: A&P I and II and Exercise Physiology I & II 

 

HCE

* ~600 hours in cardiac rehab internships, rotations and CPET testing (I know many places don't count internship hours)

* 50 hours volunteering in a health clinical as a behavior change counselor 

* Undergrad exercise-oncology clinical research assistant for ~200 hours -- biomechanics/gait lab (working with knee and hip replacement patients) for ~500 hours 

 

Volunteering: >500 hours 

 

 

I have contacted some schools who note they would accept my internship hours and others that have a later date by when the minimum 800-1000 hours need to be completed. If I am able to get a CNA position to accrue the minimum hours by the defined date, would it be worth while for me to apply to these handful of schools this cycle? Or would I likely not be a strong candidate? 

 

Any advice you could offer I would greatly appreciate. Thank you!

[ColoradoSouthpaw 0]

I have been following these forums for several years now, but this is my first post. As the 2016/2017 cycle has come to a close I am gearing up to apply again for this next cycle.  I would love to get some feed back where I can improve my application. This will be my 3rd year applying.  I received 1 interview invitation during my first application cycle with none this cycle. Although I have yet to hear from 4 schools (Im assuming I won't get an invite). Coming into this application cycle I will have more than 4k HCE hours with over half being dedicated to direct patient care from urgent care and as an ED Tech at a regional trauma center, 400 hours as an athletic trainer, and 365 healthcare education hours. My GRE is a 305 overall. My overall CASPA GPA is a 3.11 at 246 graded hours, post-bac GPA being 3.37, overall science of 3.32, and post-bac science of 3.38. My LOR the first cycle came from my physiology professor, a nurse I was working with, and a supervisor.  This past cycle I got my LOR from two PAs I worked with and my anatomy professor. I feel like on paper I'm not an awful candidate, but clearly something is missing. Where am I going wrong? Any input or help is greatly appreciated.

[itzsommyjr 19]

I posted this in its own thread, but I'm dropping it here as well. Any help would be appreciated:

 

A little background first:

 

I'm 33, a non-traditional student who first returned to school to pursue pre-PT and around the time I was applying to PT school, I realized that PA school would be a better fit for me.

 

I ended up only being able to apply to one PA school last year (didn't realize that there was a time limit on Statistics as a prerequisite at most schools, as I had previously taken stats in 2004). I did not get an interview.

 

Wanting to cast a wider net in terms of applications this time around, I decide to retake stats and also take biochemistry this semester. Long story short, I currently have a C in the class, and though it's possible to get a B+ at this point, it's highly unlikely. I have a very hard time figuring out what is going to be on each exam (the volume of information is huge), and am already putting in a huge amount of time outside of class studying. I work full-time and am a home owner with tenants, so it is unrealistic to put more time into studying.

 

Truth be told, the programs I really want to get into are all local programs (I'm a homeowner and my parents are in their 70s and I would prefer to be local) and none of the local 4 programs (Wayne State, U of Detroit, Eastern Michigan, Toledo) require biochem as a prerequisite, so retaking the course isn't absolutely necessary. Wayne State would be my dream school to get into.

 

My question is should I withdraw from the course or should I tough it out and try to salvage a good grade? I know the pragmatic thing to do would be to withdraw, however, I do have concern that taking a withdrawal this late in my academic career would look bad. Am I being unreasonable?

 

For the record, my other prerequisites are done (except medical ethics, which I'm going to take at a CC next semester so I can apply to UD-M). My post-bacc GPA is a 3.97, and my last 60 credit hour GPA is about a 3.87 (I have 56 post-bacc credits currently).

[wamucc 20]

I posted this in its own thread, but I'm dropping it here as well. Any help would be appreciated:

 

A little background first:

 

I'm 33, a non-traditional student who first returned to school to pursue pre-PT and around the time I was applying to PT school, I realized that PA school would be a better fit for me.

 

I ended up only being able to apply to one PA school last year (didn't realize that there was a time limit on Statistics as a prerequisite at most schools, as I had previously taken stats in 2004). I did not get an interview.

 

Wanting to cast a wider net in terms of applications this time around, I decide to retake stats and also take biochemistry this semester. Long story short, I currently have a C in the class, and though it's possible to get a B+ at this point, it's highly unlikely. I have a very hard time figuring out what is going to be on each exam (the volume of information is huge), and am already putting in a huge amount of time outside of class studying. I work full-time and am a home owner with tenants, so it is unrealistic to put more time into studying.

 

Truth be told, the programs I really want to get into are all local programs (I'm a homeowner and my parents are in their 70s and I would prefer to be local) and none of the local 4 programs (Wayne State, U of Detroit, Eastern Michigan, Toledo) require biochem as a prerequisite, so retaking the course isn't absolutely necessary. Wayne State would be my dream school to get into.

 

My question is should I withdraw from the course or should I tough it out and try to salvage a good grade? I know the pragmatic thing to do would be to withdraw, however, I do have concern that taking a withdrawal this late in my academic career would look bad. Am I being unreasonable?

 

For the record, my other prerequisites are done (except medical ethics, which I'm going to take at a CC next semester so I can apply to UD-M). My post-bacc GPA is a 3.97, and my last 60 credit hour GPA is about a 3.87 (I have 56 post-bacc credits currently).

 

I'm not an admissions director, but my advice is to take the W: it'll be easier to explain it than to recover from the damage to your GPA. Be prepared to explain it, if asked why you dropped and definitely ensure you get a better grade in it when you retake it.

 

For what it's worth, I'm also a non-traditional student and had a W in a pre-req -- I was never asked about it (I had three interviews before I accepted a seat, and I turned down three additional interview offers, so it didn't appear to have a negative impact). I did retake the class and obtain an A, so maybe that helped, but I also think most programs understand "life happens" when you're working full-time, etc.

 

Whatever you decide to do, good luck!

[gb_atc 20]

So here's my situation - I'm a post-bacc finishing up classes and will be applying this coming cycle. I know applying earlier is preferred but I'm taking a bio and genetics class in spring term that won't have grades posted until late June pushing out the time until CASPA would able to verify transcripts until the end of July. Side note one class is a retake and genetics is preferred. I already have my BS in athletic training having worked +1500 hrs and a 3.5 GPA overall 3.7 post-bacc and 3.3 undergrad with 80 hours of shadowing PAs and a good bit of volunteering done.

 

The question is - if I'm looking at schools with rolling admissions should I submit my application early and send them transcripts when grades are finalized, or wait for the grades before submitting my application?

 

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

[LadyNichiavelli 237]

I posted this in its own thread, but I'm dropping it here as well. Any help would be appreciated:

 

A little background first:

 

I'm 33, a non-traditional student who first returned to school to pursue pre-PT and around the time I was applying to PT school, I realized that PA school would be a better fit for me.

 

I ended up only being able to apply to one PA school last year (didn't realize that there was a time limit on Statistics as a prerequisite at most schools, as I had previously taken stats in 2004). I did not get an interview.

 

Wanting to cast a wider net in terms of applications this time around, I decide to retake stats and also take biochemistry this semester. Long story short, I currently have a C in the class, and though it's possible to get a B+ at this point, it's highly unlikely. I have a very hard time figuring out what is going to be on each exam (the volume of information is huge), and am already putting in a huge amount of time outside of class studying. I work full-time and am a home owner with tenants, so it is unrealistic to put more time into studying.

 

Truth be told, the programs I really want to get into are all local programs (I'm a homeowner and my parents are in their 70s and I would prefer to be local) and none of the local 4 programs (Wayne State, U of Detroit, Eastern Michigan, Toledo) require biochem as a prerequisite, so retaking the course isn't absolutely necessary. Wayne State would be my dream school to get into.

 

My question is should I withdraw from the course or should I tough it out and try to salvage a good grade? I know the pragmatic thing to do would be to withdraw, however, I do have concern that taking a withdrawal this late in my academic career would look bad. Am I being unreasonable?

 

For the record, my other prerequisites are done (except medical ethics, which I'm going to take at a CC next semester so I can apply to UD-M). My post-bacc GPA is a 3.97, and my last 60 credit hour GPA is about a 3.87 (I have 56 post-bacc credits currently).

 

I'd take the W for sure.

[Gallant 6]

My main area of concern is with my GPA from Pharmacy School (2.6 in 4 years of course work).  My undergraduate GPA was 3.65 (science and non science).  When I started pharmacy school my son was 3 years old and began exhibiting serious behavioral/psychological issues about midway through my first semester.  This required a great deal of attention (doctor's appointments, missed or early dismissal from day care, etc).  I'm not trying to excuse poor performance, but I do need advice on how to best address this.   My undergraduate GPA was strong.  My PCAT was in the 93%.  By every metric I should have been a top performer in Pharmacy school.  Personal/family issues were the primary reason for the problems.  Understandably, admissions committees will want to know what happened.

 

I know to briefly address this in the personal statement (not toward the beginning) and stick to the facts with no excuses.  How is a situation like this best phrased?

 

Will a strong GRE score significantly improve my chances for admission despite this academic blight? 

 

My Pharmacy school GPA is my most recent GPA.  Would it provide a significant advantage to take upper level undergraduate science classes to prove my academic aptitude.

 

My HCE includes 9 years as a pharmacist, 6 years as a clinical pharmacist in a hospital and physician's oncology practice. 

 

I am very nervous about how this may adversely affect my chances.  Any words of advice would be greatly appreciated. 

[aspiring__PA 42]

Hi Paadmissions,

 

couple of questions for you.  I am applying to 10 PA programs the day they open. my resume is as follows:

 

major: Exercise science

Cumulative GPA: 3.56

CASPA science calculated GPA: 3.46

anatomy & lab- B

physiology & lab- A

microbiology & lab- B

physics & lab- A

med terminology- A

Chem 1- B

chem 1 lab- A

Chem 2- C

chem 2 lab- A

O chem 1- C

O chem lab- A

cell bio & lab- B

Genetics- C

genetics lab- B

statistics- A

 

The reason why my science calculated GPA is higher than the pre-req GPA is due to the fact that I have many additional science classes that I got A's in- exercise physiology, drug-related classes, etc.

 

I have 2000 MA experience, 200 PA shadowing hours, 200 volunteer hours, a GRE of 308 with a writing score of 4.5.

 

Should I skip out on this cycle, because of my few C's? My caspa calculated GPA and cumulative GPAs are competitive, but I worry my couple of C's will keep me from getting accepted.  What are your thoughts?

[pearls33 10]

I am a non traditional applicant in my late 20s, looking to reapply for pa school. Previously (a few years ago) I had been admitted into a program, but due to child loss, medical and family issues I deferred then eventually decided it was better to focus on family matters/health and reapply in the future. My GPA is 3.47 with old HCE hours of around 1000. Will my previous situation be of hindrance? Thank you

[klaceypost 1]

To PA Admissions Directors:

 

Does the admissions committee place a lot of emphasis on where the applicant took their prerequisites. I completed my bachelors degree at Cal Poly University, but want to retake a few classes to boost my GPA. I was thinking of taking them at a private regionally accredited institution in California. National University is the school. Not sure if the reputation of the school would hinder my chances on receiving an interview and I should just wait to take it at a CC?

 

Please help!

 

Lacey

[ScubaBubble 14]

I have 3.6 overall GPA, with 3.4 science GPA. GRE 305

1 year out of college

 

Some experiences include clinical research intern at Georgetown Medical Center; selected speaker for the Consortium of Universities Global Health Conference in 2015 held in Boston, MA; philanthropic efforts in Peru and Honduras; shadowing PA's and physicians in US and Peru.

 

More importantly, I have been working as a medical scribe reaching a year in June. My total healthcare hours as a scribe total around 1200 hours.

 

My question is, should I wait until next next year to apply and increase my healthcare hours to compete against the 3000+ crowd? Or do I still have a good chance of landing an interview?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[paadmissions 100]

@gallant If your prerequisite GPA for the programs that you're applying to is strong I don't think it's necessary to go back and retake undergraduate courses to improve your overall performance. That said, I would recommend getting back in the classroom if you've not taken classes since you have worked as a pharmacist. There may be some time limit issues with some of the courses that are required of the programs that interest you.  I do think it is worth calling out the elephant in the room in your personal statement as to why your pharm GPA was low, but would briefly mention it and not make your personal statement all about it.  I think it would perceived as an excuse. I would also be prepared to answer the question succinctly, but with confidence in acknowledging why the GPA was low, if you're invited in for an interview. Hope this helps!

My main area of concern is with my GPA from Pharmacy School (2.6 in 4 years of course work).  My undergraduate GPA was 3.65 (science and non science).  When I started pharmacy school my son was 3 years old and began exhibiting serious behavioral/psychological issues about midway through my first semester.  This required a great deal of attention (doctor's appointments, missed or early dismissal from day care, etc).  I'm not trying to excuse poor performance, but I do need advice on how to best address this.   My undergraduate GPA was strong.  My PCAT was in the 93%.  By every metric I should have been a top performer in Pharmacy school.  Personal/family issues were the primary reason for the problems.  Understandably, admissions committees will want to know what happened.

 

I know to briefly address this in the personal statement (not toward the beginning) and stick to the facts with no excuses.  How is a situation like this best phrased?

 

Will a strong GRE score significantly improve my chances for admission despite this academic blight? 

 

My Pharmacy school GPA is my most recent GPA.  Would it provide a significant advantage to take upper level undergraduate science classes to prove my academic aptitude.

 

My HCE includes 9 years as a pharmacist, 6 years as a clinical pharmacist in a hospital and physician's oncology practice. 

 

I am very nervous about how this may adversely affect my chances.  Any words of advice would be greatly appreciated.