New PA hopeful :) Some Questions!

[MelissaL]

Hi everyone! I am thrilled to have found this forum!! I am sure it will be an amazing resource :)

 

I am a 27 yr old FRESHMAN..lol! Back in school after about 6 years... after HS, I went into a sad little medical assistant program. Completed an 'externship' (worked for an awesome doctor and with a lot of inspiring PA students and I knew it would never be enough!) I was offered a job but didn't take it as it was $8.50/hr and I was making more at the walmart .. lol.

 

I really wish I had taken it, to gain more experience..but surely I will be able to use that 8 weeks as patient care experience right? I also worked for about a year in an assisted living facility caring for some amazing people, hoping that will count too. I also plan on building some volunteering experience and hopefully will find a shadowing opportunity down the line.

 

The programs I am looking at for PA school (Arcadia, USciences, Lockhaven..any others to check out in the SEPA area?) do not seem as intensive in requirements as I have read from other schools, the general is around 500 hours of patient care, GRE and courses that will seemingly flow fine with my chosen Psychology major. Am I being naive in thinking this? I ask because I've had conflicting advice from the advisers I've seen. The first told me Psych was a bad choice and changed me to Natural Science, the second said it was totally appropriate and we changed it back...

 

Anyway, the main issue I am dealing with right now is that I am at a community college. I had planned to transfer right out into West Chester or Temple next year. I am really trying to be as fiscally responsible as possible in undergrad, and it is very appealing to stay here for 2 years, get involved with the honors society and try to attain scholarship money for my chosen 4 years.. I do not want to do this at the risk of looking unappealing to grad schools though. Would love some honest opinions on how 2 years of community college looks..of course my school doesn't think it looks bad.

 

And for some silliness - up until I was around 20 years of age I could faint at the sight of blood / thoughts of needles! I have always seen myself working in the medical field so I knew I would have to 'get over it'. I have - for the most part. I have gotten a few piercings, fine with blood, watching surgery or dissection is no big deal, etc. I can turn down the fuzzy thoughts if they happen at all. My last 'episode' was in med assistant school at 20- I had breezed through practicing phlebotomy often - totally loved it, felt so good about controlling my mind. Then one day, touring a hospital..I found myself getting fuzzy in the room where they stored the blood and I dropped like a ton of bricks! I was so embarrassed but I managed to collect myself and continue with the tour and class..hasn't happened since. It's all mental, and perhaps a little related to blood sugar as I recall having very little or nothing to eat on these days where I fainted.

 

I am so calm and collected in messy situations - I could totally see myself working in an ER. I am just wondering if anyone here has attended class with someone like me? I am hoping it never happens again (will be arming myself with lots of bagels and juice before class!) but I think just the fact that it's always in the back of my mind is a huge disadvantage and it will probably win out again at some point (in gross anatomy?..lol) when I have time to work myself up. I am wondering if you would/did see the person as weak and unfit? My parents and friends laugh a bit at my chosen career choice knowing my history - but they're supportive!

 

Anyway, thanks for looking and any advice offered ..sorry that this was kind of rambly :)

[bradyg007]

Well first off hello!!! Don't feel bad about fainting, I have been in EMS for almost 5 years now and work with many EMTs and Paramedics that gag when a patient is vomiting or with GI bleeds. So you aren't the only one!! Second, no matter what PA school you apply to you need a BA/BS Degree, and at minimum a 2.75 GPA, more preferably 3.0-3.4 and up cumulative and a Good overall Science GPA of around 3.0+. Once those two things are secured its all about your CASPA application. Some schools require 3,000 hours and some require none but be prepared that if you do not have any HCE or very little that you need to be able to show and explain why you chose PA, and not MA or RN. Your CASPA Personal Statement has to POP and so do your LOR. I would suggest trying to find maybe a PT job as a MA, since you have the certificate and are not using it. or something to at least get your foot in the door. If you don't have time or cant take the pay cut to gain HCE than you need to shadow PAs to understand the occupation and what it takes to be a PA and to completely understand what a PA is and does. Because honestly you could have a 4.0 GPA and a perfect GRE but if you've never seen a patient and have never talked to or worked with a PA and only wanna do it cause you make 90K a year and CNN says its a top 10 US Job then you will not get accepted. anywhere. So I would say at minimum shadow a PA, get involved, and get a BA/BS and get good grades! but again in all honestly you dont want to just do the minimum to apply, 1000s do that each year, and yeah some may get in but you wanna go above and beyond; Show the AdComs that you really REALLY want it.

[EMEDPA]

no matter what PA school you apply to you need a BA/BS Degree,.

NOPE...there are still certificate, a.s., and b.s. level programs out there....!

[bradyg007]

Sorry.....very few allow it yes. But if you want to get a Masters PA then you need a BA/BS

[mackjacks]

You can major in whatever you want-psych or natural science is fine, just make sure you do the pre-reqs for PA school. I'd go above and beyond the pre-reqs, throw in some more advanced sciences/pathophys/etc. Most schools think it is fine to do 2 years at a CC, just make sure you have great grades all 4 years. It would look bad to get As at CC then have grades drop at a university. You should also do some PA shadowing because adcoms like to see a bit of that, no need to go crazy but at least spend a few hours in a few different fields if possible.

 

If you haven't heard the term vasovagal syncope, you'll probably find it interesting to read about re: fainting.

 

And just some thoughts...if you're not set on a specific major, I'd suggest looking for one that will give you a decent job prospect at the end of your bachelor's degree in case it takes a year or two to get into PA school or just to have a fallback incase anything happens. Say you have a kid or are caring for an ill parent and need to delay school or you get a SCI or something else terrible (kid not necessarily terrible :smile:). I have a BS in anthropology and while I loved my classes, I wish I had done something like engineering, economics, clinical lab science, BSN. Nursing, biomedical engineering, and CLS would fit best with PA school prereqs.

[MelissaL]

Things to think about! Thanks. You guys all brought up a good pt with the major, finding work after if I do not get into PA school. I know that a BA in psych doesn't give me a lot of options at all, so that is more than a little scary. I chose it just because it moves me the most while still being relevant, but I am not glued to it.

 

I feel better about my fainting too, always good to hear other people go through it in the field! I recall my MD throwing the term vasovagal syncope at me a few times. I don't trust my nervous system too much now obviously...lol.

 

Have schools cut back on experience hours?? I've been looking into this the last few years and I feel like 2k was the general recommendation. I think Arcadia definitely said 2000 not long ago, when my adviser printed me out some info on the PA progams around I was very surprised to keep seeing 400-500hours! Could be imagining it I suppose. I have around 2000 with nurses aide work (uncertified) as well as my externship, but plan to build on top of those. Using my MA would be preferred!