Graduated Pre-Med

[lcg00]

Hello, 

I graduated pre-med in May and now I think being a PA would be a better fit for me and the life I want to live. I am trying to figure out what I need to do because I want to apply next year. I know I have to go back and take courses. From my understanding I need to take anatomy and physiology with labs 1 and 2. I got credit with AP stats and AP calc, but it seems like most PA schools do not accept AP credits, so do I also have to take these? Should I go back to my university and take these pre-requisites or can I find somewhere cheaper. My university charges a little under $2000 for each credit hour when not a full time student. I want it to be a challenging school so it doesn't seem like I just slacked off to get my pre-requisites done. I know I have to apply soon or my classes will expire, so I am trying to take them next spring and summer. Any advice is appriciated!

[Cachi]

Your best bet is to call the schools that you are specifically interested in and find out their policies on AP credits. That being said, even if they accept them, it still might be a good idea to retake those courses to keep all doors open (since applying only to AP credit-accepting schools will greatly reduce your prospective options).

Community colleges can frequently offer cheaper courses, but that can also be a bit of a headache to navigate with the application process (so there's a bit of "pick your poison" to be considered). I doubt most schools would care if you did it this way just to fulfill the pre-reqs.

Also, you might get some better help in the site's pre-PA forum (or the pre-pa subreddit) as this forum you posted on is designated for current PA students:

 https://www.physicianassistantforum.com/forum/441-pre-pa-general-discussion/

 

Best of luck on your journey to becoming a PA!

[DiggySRNA]

Don't get your pre-requisites done at a more expensive school for the sake of "challenge" 

There are applicants out there with less than challenging degrees who did well enough to gain admittance to PA school. Go somewhere cheaper (albeit accredited). Applying to PA school is already super expensive so might as well save your money for that instead. $2000/credit is insane.

Portage Learning through Geneva College is an accredited institution and is accepted by many health care related professions.

[SedRate]

They will accept AP credits if you were dual enrolled and therefore received college credit from whatever college was attached to them. If not, refer to the above post and contact schools to check their policy. 

Take courses at a community college. No need to be from a university. 

I do have a question, how does a pre-med college degree not require anatomy and physiology? 

[lcg00]

10 hours ago, SedRate said:

They will accept AP credits if you were dual enrolled and therefore received college credit from whatever college was attached to them. If not, refer to the above post and contact schools to check their policy. 

Take courses at a community college. No need to be from a university. 

I do have a question, how does a pre-med college degree not require anatomy and physiology? 

Many med schools do not require anatomy and physiology because you will have to take it with them anyways. It is usually optional, but my university did not have anatomy as a biology course and therefore I wouldn't have been able to take it for credit towards my degree. Now I am here though so I guess I should have just taken them!

[SedRate]

17 minutes ago, lcg00 said:

Many med schools do not require anatomy and physiology because you will have to take it with them anyways.

Interesting. My alma mater required it pre-admission and also had it as part of their curriculum. I'm glad I took it beforehand.