Premed to PA. Still on the fence and also doubting strength of Aaplication?

[lisalisa313]

Im currently a senior who decided to make the switch from premed to PA for a couple of reasons. I'm worried both about my final decision and about my application for PA school ( wil be applying next round, or Spring/Summer 2013)

 

I've been on the fence for a long time but in the end I guess what decided it for me was lifestyle and length of program, along with lateral mobility. I am still young and while some would say I still have the time for medical school I don't feel as if I want to devote the next 7 years of my life to the immense commitment that is medical school. Moreover, in terms of lifestyle afterwards regarding working hours and responsibility I think I'd be happier as a PA. I would like to be able to start a family, take care of my elderly parents, etc, and I don't know if I can do that practically if I'm in school for 7 more years. Furthermore, while I would like to have the option of lateral mobility I most likely would like to go into pediatrics or family medicine, neither of which are specialties that I feel having an MD would give me a distinct ability to practice differently than as a PA.

 

Current stats:

GPA-3.65

MCAT-36

GRE- Have not taken yet

HCE- Volunteered at Hospital- 250+ hours

Non Health care-

Public Health internship, teaching health modules to underpriveleged and at risk populations.

Rotaract Community Service Org- President

Research experience- Research in an Alzheimer's Laboratory- 1 year.

 

 

My other problem is that I won't be done with my coursework and the additional PA coursework till August ( I have to take extra classes to catch up on classes PA schools require that Med schools don't). I can apply to some schools with prereqs in progress but others I cannot apply to. Should I apply in August? Or only apply to schools that allow prereqs to be in progress. My HCE hours also aren't great so I'm worried about the strength of my application as a PA student :/

 

Any thoughts on this case? I have read many forum posts but I thought I'd post my personal situation and hopefully get some feedback from all of you awesome forum members :)

[briepm]

I would recommend taking a year to work in a situation where you can be around PA's and Docs (maybe pediatric ER tech?). Don't rush the decision - you don't want to have any regrets either way. This will give you the opportunity to really see if you'll be happy being a PA plus get some killer health care hours that will help your application.

[Just Steve]

36 on the MCAT is a killer score. Congrats on that, plus a solid GPA. Assuming you can interview decently I am sure a school will pick you up.

 

It sounds like your mind is already made up. I don't agree with what you are writing, the reasons you are giving do not always pan out like you think they do. Pose your dilemma to your family and ak them "would you like me to not go to med school so I can be more available to you?"

 

40 is the new thirty. Stop rushing the family thing. Oodles of very successful and happy families started after 35. The opportunities in life are much more plentiful for a physician. Your first three years of med school are tough...the next four years is much more job like, especially with the hour restriction that residents can work.

[lisalisa313]

briepm, I've had the opportunity to shadow the residents at the hospital as well as talk to some medical students. What I've gotten from this mostly is that while they are happy to be where they are, many of them said they would not recommend it and some said that they wouldn't even choose to go down the same route if given the choice again. They stressed the idea that unless you were 100% committed to the long stressful hours and the huge commitment, that I might want to consider something else... I talked to a PA as well and she said that she loved her job and seemed very very happy to have made the decision not to go to medical school.

 

Overall, I guess my mind is made up not to spend more than 1 year ( which I will already be taking a year off because I'm applying as a senior in college), working before I go to school. I would really rather get started in PA school than work as a tech for an extra year.

[lisalisa313]

Thanks Steve.

 

I know that having a family later in life is possible but to be honest I don't want to. My parents had me when they were 40 and they are old enough now to have health problems that I worry about. I want to spend time with them while I still can and while some may say that putting this ahead of medical school isn't worth it, I think it is. I just don't think it's realistic for me to also put myself in debt for 4 years of medical school and go through a grueling 3 years of residency when I only plan on going into family medicine... It just doesn't seem worth it. The residents I've talked to say that it's not worth it unless you're 100% committed and don't seem to have the greatest life balance. They are working full 80 hour weeks and have no time for anything else. I guess I just don't want a life like that.

 

I'm just unsure about whether or not I'll get into a PA school as medical schools and PA schools are looking for different things...

[beattie228]

With your stats, you're definitely competitive for some of the programs that don't require solid healthcare experience. If you have the money to spare, I'd say to do some research about which schools don't require a lot of HCE and apply to them in August. Above all, my recommendation would be to take a year after you've finished your prerequisites to rack up some HCE hours and to have time to study for the GRE. With quality HCE and the GRE (it's not do or die like the MCAT is), you'll increase the number of schools that you'd be a great candidate for and likewise increase your probability of success. Best of luck to you!

[Will352ns]

briepm, I've had the opportunity to shadow the residents at the hospital as well as talk to some medical students. What I've gotten from this mostly is that while they are happy to be where they are, many of them said they would not recommend it and some said that they wouldn't even choose to go down the same route if given the choice again.

 

Here is the key. You are talking to residents and med students. You are interacting with these folks during the most stressfull times of their lives. I have worked in teaching facilities and worked with residents; seen their progress through the course of the residency. They start fresh, get tired, burn out, and then graduate. After a couple years post residency, most of these folks will have a much different prospective.

 

You may not believe it, but seven years is a blink of an eye in the grand sceme of things. Short term pain for long term gain.

 

Good luck.

[Syedpdx]

I have gone through the same thought process as yourself, wondering if I should go to Med school or PA school. I have been working at a hospital for the last three years, and have spoken to several different practitioners--and get different perspectives. Majority of them say they would never do it again; however that's because they have lived through hellish work hours and can't seem themselves reliving that. On the other hand, some doc's are really happy with there decision, and are very encouraging. Same goes for the PAs where I work. Some of the love their jobs and others recommend to suck it up and go to med school. At the end of the day, it's your decision. However, do not look at it as an end all decision. I used to think that it was either PA or MD, but that is not the case anymore. You can pursue PA, and somewhere down the line after having kids, saving money, gaining the right experience, you decide to pursue med school, they will still be there. It will be harder with all those commitments; however lots of people are doing it, so it's not impossible, look at student doctor net or mommd. Best of luck to you, which ever route you choose.

 

P.S. You have a highly competitive MCAT score, GPA...don't ever have to study that again! And you can have kids in Med school :) just saying...