Any Advice For Next Year’s Application?

[juicepouch]

Hi Everyone!! 

I am currently an upcoming junior with a senior standing and I really want to apply to PA school next spring/summer. I think I am graduating early as well! I was wondering if anyone had any advice in strengthening my application. I am a neuroscience major and have been part of a psychology department research group since my freshman year! I also did a Neuroscience study and joined their research group on COVID-19 this past semester as well! 

I have a 3.7 GPA so far and I have volunteered over 300+ hours in high school. I joined my school’s EMT group and managed to get some volunteer hours. I currently do not have any PCE but I am attending phlebotomy school right now and I plan to work immediately after and continuously til next May/June. I am trying to achieve at least 1000 hours. 

I also am president of a cultural group and hold a media chair position in another major cultural organization. I am hoping that my extracurriculars will show that I was active in other aspects of my life including my enthusiasm for research! This summer, I am also working at an internship for a research organization that looks more at social psychology. 

I already understand that I should have more PCE hours but please let me know if I should apply next cycle or wait a year when I have more hours :,(. I would appreciate any input!!

[UGoLong]

You can always get more PCE hours, take more classes, and prepare more. Assuming you fall within the minimums for a program, you can always apply. You might get in and you will learn something in the process regardless of how it turns out.

I only know about you what you are sharing above. I see no PA shadowing experiences that teach you what the job can be like: you should get some, which should be easier to do now than it was last year. I can't tell what courses you've taken. I recommend that you take and do well in pathophysiology because, at least to me, it is the closest thing to PA school.

As someone who is quite a bit closer to the end of my working life than the beginning of it, I would encourage you not to rush through things like college and career decisions. Many of us changed careers several times and taking a little time along the way can help keep you from getting too far off course. Your apparent hands-off HCE and lack of PCE could put you at risk for not understanding what you might be getting into. 

Whatever you do, good luck!