Career change to PA, advice please.

[46&2]

I am a Corporate Finance professional with about 8 years of experience. I have a BBA in Finance and my MBA (Masters of Business Administration). Recently I have had the thought of leaving the business world and pursuing a medical career. I have looked at the admissions requirements at the closest PA schools. While I was earning my undergrad I worked in the ER as a patient tech for three years. My questions are.

 

1) i worked in the ER from 2002-2005, is that experience still relevant as it pertains to meeting the admissions requirements?

2) is it practical to assume that if I completed the minimum science courses that would be ok or do I really need a science undergrad?

 

I am ok with taking a course or two a semester to get the roughly 36 required hours for admissions. I am also ok with taking a pay cut upon graduating and taking 3 years off of work to go back to school to do something I would enjoy.

 

I plan to inquire with the institutions themselves but wanted to get some advice from some folks that have a more practical view.

 

Rhanks,

46&2

[Timon]

You can make the change but it's a lot of work. You don't need another degree, just take the science prerequisites. My background was business and I started the career change last year. I have an MBA as well and schools do look at people with various backgrounds. Regarding your previous healthcare experience I would contact each school individually to see if you need more current experience. If you do need something more recent maybe look into some per diem jobs to keep it current while going back to school. It is possible to continue working at your business job while taking prerequisites if you're from So Cal as there are some schools that offer courses on sat/sun only.

 

Here are two posts that you may want to read:

 

Post #9

http://www.PhysicianAssistantForum.Com/forums/showthread.php/34848-Burnout-Tips-on-Dealing-With-It?highlight=Burn+out

 

Post #1

http://www.PhysicianAssistantForum.Com/forums/showthread.php/37214-I-did-it-you-can-too!

[WanderlustPA]

Go for it! As far as the healthcare experience, I would think your experience would suffice, but as Timon said, check with the individual schools. Some schools don't require any HCE, though many say it's "highly recommended." That being said, I got an interview without any HCE, so it is possible (yet to be determined if I get accepted). If this is really what you want to do, then the sacrifice and the hard work is well worth it. I went from having my own business to being back in school and working part-time. I had to give up a lot, but I'm so excited to finally be doing something meaningful, and something that I enjoy!

[Just Steve]

I saw the years that you worked and thought "well that isn't too long ago, most schools like it within ten years or so" then I realized... that is ten years or so...how times flies. The older I get, the faster time seems to go.

 

Sounds like you are in a good place for a career change, seeing how you made it clear that finances were not a primary concern. You don't need a science degree, just have to meet the school pre reqs. If you can find a way back into direct patient care to help refresh your previous experience, it would do nothing but help you. Good luck

[46&2]

Thanks for the replies, I really appreciate it. I am going reach out to the admissions department tomorrow. Thanks again.

[DoTheEvolution]

if you can wing it financially, try to drop your business career hours and find a part-time job that allows you to bank new patient-care experience while taking classes part-time. Can almost guarantee PA schools will want to see you with 'up-to-date' patient care experience after 7 years away from it, sort of akin to most programs not accepting pre-req credits if they were completed more than 6 years ago (depending on that school's statute of limitations).

 

But no, a science degree overall is irrelevant at many programs, especially if you are an older (non-traditional) student with life/work experience who can show aptitude for excelling in your pre-req science courses, based on the people I know who have started PA careers in their 30s/40s with previous careers that were not close to being science-related.

 

Plenty of folks on this forum can back me up on this, too.