Failing current pa program but have an interview at another

[Vdragon]

Hello, I am writing this on behalf of my sister.

She accepted the first PA program that accepted her and she is not happy with the program nor with its curriculum (it’s currently on provisional review). She just failed her second exam and is convinced she’s going to be dismissed. 
 

however, she has an interview with another program in two weeks! Will the new program know that she’s failing her current program? Is there a way they would find out? 
 

im trying to be positive for her but i really don’t know how this works. Couldn’t she just drop out of her current program if her new program accepted her? 

[DizzyJ]

I believe I have seen posts before stating that once you accept a seat at one program that CASPA requires you inform all other programs to terminate your consideration.  Not only has she accepted a seat, but she is already sitting in it.  I would think an admissions committee would not want to offer a seat to someone already in another PA program (and one she is failing already).  

Edited March 15, 2021 by DizzyJ

[DKBobby]

"Within five (5) calendar days of enrollment at a PA program to which I have been admitted, I must notify all other designated programs for which my application is still under consideration that I no longer wish to be considered for admission to their program."

She signed the above statement as part of her application and risks being permanently banned from CASPA for violations.  Programs should be following this, or risk losing their ability to utilize CASPA.  

Why does she think she will do better in a different program?  Provisional accreditation is a fully accredited program and is probably working harder than established programs to ensure a good education and not losing students as they have multiple ARC-PA visits and reports due during this process.  There is also a legal requirement to provide ALL transcripts of previous colleges or universities to any place you enroll.  She would have to tell her new program about her current program and provide transcripts.  If they found out she did not tell them, that would be grounds for immediate dismissal for lying on an application.  There is a very clear question on the application that asks "Have you ever previously been enrolled as a student in a Physician Assistant program, Medical School (including foreign), or any health profession, including but not limited to DO, Dentistry, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Chiropractic, Podiatry, etc.?"  She would have answered no when she originally applied, but that would no longer be the case.

 

[UGoLong]

A "problem child" is a student who doesn't fit in with his or her peers, skates on the edge of flunking out much of the way through school, tends to be very verbal in declaring all of the ways the program is not meeting his or her needs, and takes an inordinate amount of faculty time to keep on track.

Legal considerations set aside, I don't believe PA programs go looking for problem children; some will turn up no matter what the applicant screening process is. If a student has been in another program only long enough to take a few tests, failed them, and now wants out to go to a different program, that's pretty much textbook "problem child."

She made a decision to go where she is currently. Now it's probably time to make the best of it.  All new PA programs I've seen start out provisionally accredited. It means nothing other than there is not yet a track record to judge them by.

[ANESMCR]

Your sister already came to the forum and asked herself. Was given the same answers. And disappeared. Agree with all of the above. You’re reading between the lines because she is your family, which is understandable. But...the harsh truth of it all is that this is HER fault. Provisional my ‘butt’. She is taking opportunities from other qualified candidates from not only one school, but now TWO schools. She is a “problem child” as pointed out above that I would not be eager to meet. She has three options. 1) Step it up and act like an adult, start passing exams. 2) Accept dismissal, which is likely justified, then apply for the next cycle, 3) accept the spot at the other program, ruin two spots for other candidates, and be disbarred from applying again.