Souzou Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Hello everyone, I'm going to be applying to PA school next year so I have a year to strengthen my application. I'm a rising junior in college. Major: B.S. in Psychology with concentration in Neuroscience Overall GPA: 3.75 Science GPA: 3.64 Patient care experience: Currently an EMT-b. I have accumulated approximately 245 hours, and I plan to continue volunteering 10-15 hours a week for the next year. I ride at home and at my university. I know I need to get these hours up. I'm also currently shadowing a PA in the ER, and I'm an officer for my university's EMS organization. I am also working in a neuroscience research lab at my university. So my concern is that my application is pretty blah. I was thinking of volunteering with the Red Cross by helping teach children some basic first aide. What else do I need in order to make my application stronger? Any advice is appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackjacks Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Sounds like you're a traditional age college student. If you can afford it, an international medical service trip can never hurt and can give you experiences to write about in your PS/supplemental application. All the supplementals I did asked about working with people who are different from you. I did a trip through International Service Learning. Some schools require experience hours to be paid so if you can get a healthcare job that would help. If there are nursing homes around you they're usually easy to get hired at, hospitals are harder. Nursing home would be nice since residents are long-term where you can provide continuous care vs EMT when you see the pt for a short time. Hospital work would probably "look" better. Diversifying your volunteering is a good idea. Shadowing PAs in other medical fields can't hurt. Congrats on having good grades, sounds like you are on a good path! You can take the GRE whenever you have time so I would start thinking about when to do that if the schools you want to apply to require it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC99 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 I would study hard for the GRE. Also, depending on your school, some schools will tell you a list of classes that will strengthen an application. For instance, UF has abnormal psych, immunology, ect so you may want to contact the schools you are interested in. Lastly, rack up more HCE like you said. Maybe work 2 jobs if you have time (such as an ER scribe to rack it up faster). Also, if you become an EMT maybe they have volunteer program near where you live which can help you gain experience quick. You can easily do 24 hr shifts at a fire dept and sleep part of it. Also, note that some schools will not accept or look down upon nursing home experience so if you are going to do that, then check with the schools Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted July 25, 2012 Moderator Share Posted July 25, 2012 looks good overall. maybe do something out of the ordinary to set yourself apart like an overseas medical mission. makes great fodder for your interview...best of luck. you are on the right track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hubbardtim48 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 I agree with the medical missions 110%! I did one and I used up 15 mins of my interview talking about it and it is something that will change your life and people can TELL that you are/were passionate about the trip and about helping people out. It shows through in ones emotions when you talk about something you did and loved it while doing it. I am hooked on medical missions and will be going ASAP after PA school, plus you get to travel the World going anywhere you want! :) For the neuroscience lab...what are you doing in the lab? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyssaesco Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 How did you get involved with medical missions? I'm trying to figure it out. Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beccab23 Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 Just wanted to throw out there that the majority of my hce was as a CNA in nursing homes (I also worked as a chiropractor assistant for a short time). I was accepted to CU-Denver, Duke, and Northeastern. So if that's what you want to do, go for it! Some schools may look down upon it, but that has not been my experience. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sartort Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 Check out Global Medical Brigades. Maybe your university or one nearby has a trip planned for next year. There are also programs that require you pay tuition and fees to go volunteer overseas. They are expensive but a lot of pre-meds do them so I'm sure they are beneficial. If you don't find one, do something else with underserved populations. Many programs focus on care for the underserved. Even if the medical experiences are limited, the interactions will teach you a lot. If you haven't already, take a class in medical anthropology or something similar. I took that and a medical ethics, and both seemed to help me formulate stronger answers during interviews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackjacks Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 How did you get involved with medical missions? I'm trying to figure it out. Thanks!! I went through this program. Expensive but it was a good experience and I learned a lot. http://www.islonline.org Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WanderlustPA Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 As others have said, I think you're on the right track. Just my opinion, but consider some volunteer experience that is not medical-related. I think that makes you a more well-rounded applicant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just_me Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 Personally I would pick up more hours of hce and maybe some healthcare admin courses like epidemiology, healthcare ethics, healthcare delivery systems, healthcare law and courses like that--even intro to coding. I think courses like that help round out healthcare providers....gives them a taste of the other side of healthcare. Its kind of like how people treat waiters a certain way until they have to work as one--knowledge (even a basic one) of the non-clinical side is beneficial and its definitely something that I appreciate having. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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