Withdrew from a PA program in fall of 2011, now reapplying

[wrobl019]

Hello,

 

I found a few posts about applicants who withdrew from PA programs, but I would like your opinions as well. Here's my story:

 

I got into a PA program that began the summer of 2011. Coming into PA school, my undergraduate GPA was around 3.5, and I had about 3000 hours of CNA work. I did not shadow a PA. Once I learned I was accepted to a PA program, I slacked off my last semester of my Undergrad: a B, C, and C- were my grades. It ultimately dropped my undergrad GPA to a 3.3.

 

Once I was in PA school, I felt unprepared, as my only experience with Anatomy happened 5 years previously at a community college. Let's just say there's a major difference between Anatomy at a CC, and Gross Anatomy at the med school my pa school partnered with. I fell behind rather abruptly in that class and Pathophys. Going into the last exam, my advisor said I had little chance of passing Anatomy, and that I would probably dismissed from the program after the summer. Fortunately, that prediction did not hold: I got a high A on the exam and passed, though I ultimately went on academic probation for the following semester. Over the two weeks we had off, I went back home, and coming back to my program, I felt odd. After the start of the fall semester, I suffered a mental breakdown, and was hospitalized. Afterwards, my program was very supportive, but said it would be best to withdraw from the program, seeing that I missed the first two weeks of school. I took there advice, and moved back home.

 

Looking back, I'm grateful for all that had happened. For one, when I came home, I saw a few great health professionals that were able to tell me that I had been misdiagnosed with a disorder for the past five years. Having the time to see specialists for an extended period helped them make that decision. I was also able to gain a much richer patient care experiences.

 

I took a job at an assisted living facility where I gave medications under the license of the RN. I was also able to work with many hospice patients, which I really enjoyed. I then got a second job at a trauma 1/safety-net hospital as a float healthcare assistant. I learned what it is like to work in an ICU, in orthopedics, in peds, in internal medicine, in cardiac rehab, and in acute psychiatric services, among other floors. Just when I thought I had found my dream job, a job opened at a neighboring hospital as a psychiatric associate in child and adolescent psych. There, I work in the intensive care treatment unit, where we see a lot of patients with autism, psychosis, severe depression, and patients with assualt precautions. My main job is to de-esculate agitated or psychotic patients. Instead of the nervous wreck I was in PA school, most of the nurses and other staff I work with think I'm the calmest person on the unit, and that patients respond very well to my calm demeanor.

 

Also, this summer and fall, back at my undergrad university, I retook classes I either had poor undergrad grades in, or classes I felt inexperienced in going into PA school: Biology, Statistics, Anatomy, and Developmental Psychology. In these four classes (14 credits), I've gotten 3 As, and one A-, raising my undergrad GPA back to a 3.4. I'm planning on taking Microbiology with lab, and Anatomy lab this spring (7 credits). I also have shadowed a PA two times (I'm going to shadow her again next month). This PA is writing me a LOR, as well as my professor I did research with during my undergrad, and the RN I worked with at the assisted living facility.

 

 

...Okay, sorry for being so long winded. I realize that it is difficult to get back into a PA program after withdrawing, granted I did so on my own terms, though I was on academic probation. I also know that I am only a year and a half removed from my leave. Do you think I'm ready to apply again to PA school? I've toured many of the PA schools around the midwest, where I am from. I feel light years more mature than I was during my final year of my undergrad and into PA school. I also realize that any program that would accept me is taking a risk because I had difficulty my first round. I do think my recent grades will help that, but I maybe have to do more to convince schools that I am competent.

 

Right when I came home, I had long thoughts about "is PA right for me?" I thought about Clinical Psychology, Social Work, Nursing, even MD, but after my shadowing, and knowing my personality, I definitely want to work in primary care, and working as a physician assistant fits what I want to do the best.

 

Any advice you would have is greatly appreciated. I plan on applying next cycle to about 9 schools, and possibly the school I withdrew from, though I'm concerned that I should stay close to my family and friends in the midwest. I also have thought about getting my RN or doing a health science masters program if I do not get in this cycle, though I'm probably thinking too far ahead.

 

I apologize if this is too long, but I thought I'd give the forum a good description of my case in order to get quality replies. Thank you so much!

[just_me]

All I can say is that withdrawing is better than being dismissed. I would address the withdrawal (why & what you have done to overcome it) but make it a lot more brief and concise than what you have here....it should not be the focus of your personal statement. The only thing I dont know is if it should be part of your CASPA essay or the supplemental app essay.

 

Will your program make any considerations for you? Did they not have some sort of process in place that would have let you recycle into the next class?

 

Anywho I see nothing wrong with applying to a couple direct entry MSN programs (I did this as a backup). Many of them are considered like an advanced BSN and take in students with a BS that is not in nursing. You could also do an accelerated BSN. If youre not able to get back into a PA program, the NP route will get you into primary care as well.

[wrobl019]

Thanks for your feedback. I definitely need to make it more concise in my PS, and keep the focus on why I want to be a PA and the qualities I would bring to a program.

 

We have some really great MSN programs in the area, so that is definitely a good idea.

 

Thanks

[wrobl019]

Also, I would need to put my PA grades on my CASPA application, so I should mention it in my PS, at least briefly, correct?