I am applying to PA school and need hours, does MA or EMT look better on applications for DPCE?

[sanfordad]

I am applying to PA school in the fall, with a noncompetitive GPA so my patient care experience, shadowing and volunteer hours will have to overshine my GPA. I am currently deciding between EMT courses or accepting an MA job that is training me, so I don't have to get certified. My biggest concern is what will look better on my application, as well as gaining knowledge in the healthcare field. 

[BLM8867]

I'm going to assume that you have 0 PCE/HCE. Most schools require 1yr of PCE (~2000hrs) in order to apply. Applying in the fall may not be so fruitful for you. Maybe take a gap year, and reach the 1 year of PCE. But to answer your additional question, EMT would look much better. 

[Christine6teen]

Agreed, EMT looks better plus you will have a national registry certification as an EMT versus no certification as an MA.  EMT is more hands on, while MA has a lot of "back office" (phone calls, filing) that are not direct patient care related and are seen as lower quality experience. 

[ohiovolffemtp]

On a practical basis, what you do while working as an MA or EMT also matters.  Many ED's hire EMTs as techs, and that is often very good PCE, given the wide variety of patients seen in the ED and the range of tasks ED techs do.

[1madmamma]

On 6/21/2022 at 2:32 PM, BLM8867 said:

I'm going to assume that you have 0 PCE/HCE. Most schools require 1yr of PCE (~2000hrs) in order to apply. Applying in the fall may not be so fruitful for you. Maybe take a gap year, and reach the 1 year of PCE. But to answer your additional question, EMT would look much better. 

Agree as well. You would need a good amount of quality PCE to buffer a lower GPA (not sure what sanfordad means by a noncompetative GPA?). My cohort average PCE was 3400+ hours. Plus you want to get the highest yield PCE where you will learn the most in the time there that you can build upon as a PA, not “what looks good” to an Adcomm.