Hdrol43560 Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 I just turned 20. Technically a "junior" but im behind in classes. My first 2 years were a joke. I was unmotivated, had no guidance and generally didnt know wtf what i was doing. Plus I was a business major for a short time so i wasted my time with some business classes. If i could go back in time, i would beat the living **** out of myself . But the damage has been done and ive really really been stressing about it lately. I can barely sleep at night sometimes because i keep thinking my situation is really bleak. I currently have a 2.9 cumulative GPA and withdrawals from the following classes: -College algebra -Trigenometry -Intro to Business -Calc for business I have a B in bio 1, a C+ in bio 2 and a C in elementary chem, and a D in college algrebra. The other classes really have nothing to do with anything and vary from Cs to As. I am currently in Gen Chem 1 and i still got up to organic to go, and i still have to finish anatomy and all the other pre reqs. So knowing that information, Do you think PA school is a realistic goal? I got like 3 or 4 years left to even get through undergrad. Im worried about some of my science grades and the 4 withdrawals. I dont have patient care experience. I shadowed for a month senior year of high school for my senior project at the pharmacy, ER and in a biochem lab but that was way back in high school. I dont know if this would count for anything significant, but ive worked in a lab setting last summer doing surgery on rats (testing the effects of a drug my dad, a physician, and his colleagues are working on). I plan to do this again this summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hdrol43560 Posted October 22, 2010 Author Share Posted October 22, 2010 I should add, realistically I probably wont turn it around and get ALL straight A's. But what if I coulld get consistent Bs on the science classes i have yet to take? (gen chem, gen chem 2, organic, A and P etc.) Im already pulling a B in A and P 1 and I am pretty confident i can pull off a B in gen chem 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpe178 Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 You have placed this in the Professional PA section of this website. This belongs in the Pre-PA forum. When you re-post it in the proper location, I also encourage you to utilize more professional standards in verbalizing your current situation. Should you maintain interest in the PA profession, please recognize that this forum contains your future classmates, preceptors and professors... none of which would condone the above response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradtPA Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 Consistent Bs aren't going to cut it. If you want a realistic chance for PA school, you need As from here on out. The average of the students matriculated into PA programs in 2007 was 3.5 overall GPA, 3.5 science GPA; you need to improve dramatically if you want to compete against that successfully. Get cracking on it, however, get some hands on experience in health care, and it most certainly can happen..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marilynpac Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 You are at what can be called crossroads. You have to ask yourself if you have the drive, motivation, determination, and focus to stay on track to get the As, not Bs that you will need to get in. You are at least 2yrs from applying and in that 2yrs you have to maintain high gpa b/c of the intense competition. Yes, you will read where someone got in with low stats, but those days are over b/c of so many applicants. Most schools will have 1 or 2 but that's it. Most PrePAs that are on this forum eat, drink, sleep nothing but PA school. Their focus is rock hard. You have to get some hce in the form of cna, rt, or emt. You will have to shadow a PA and you can find one through your state PA assoc or a hospital or clinic that hires PAs. Since your only 20 you certainly have plenty of time yet. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana815 Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 Though I can understand having a slow start in college, 2 years of drops and mediocre grades will be a tough uphill climb. I agree with Marilyn, you're best bet right now is to focus hard on getting A's(I know the pressure sucks, but it won't get any easier in PA school either!) and you really need real world experience which in my mind has always meant more than somebody with a 4.0 and no real health care experience. How the heck are you suppose to know you want to spend the next 30 years in medicine without actually working in it? Rt, emt, etc will give you a lot of experience and time to gain some maturity. It can be done, just know you'll be taking a longer road so don't focus on a timeline. Just do whatever it takes if this is what you really want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted October 22, 2010 Moderator Share Posted October 22, 2010 You have placed this in the Professional PA section of this website. This belongs in the Pre-PA forum. . Mods - can we get this changed over to Pre-Pa? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hdrol43560 Posted October 22, 2010 Author Share Posted October 22, 2010 Thanks a ton for the replies guys, especially PAMAC. That makes me feel a lot better. Yeah man i was nearly on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Im not suicidal at all, but i was probably as close as you can get without being it. It just felt like there was no hope at all. Its kind of a bummer i didnt start off with a solid plan. I wish i would have just started focusing on healthcare instead of being "undecided" but i guess theres no use stressing about the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marilynpac Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 I forgot to mention Hdrol that if your school offers free tutoring take advantage of it. I did and got As in almost all of the core sciences. I couldn't have done that w/o my tutor, she was able to show me ways that were easier than the instructors explanation...just saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hdrol43560 Posted October 22, 2010 Author Share Posted October 22, 2010 Yeah im trying to force myself to find time for tutoring, especially for chemistry. In the past i never even bothered with that, but thats definetly gotta change Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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