lgarciahalpin Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Hi all, So I have the typical story of a person who didn't do well in college (2.56 cum. GPA, BS-Microbiology) and am not mature enough and prepared for what it takes to become a PA. I had a few catastrophic things happen in college, but mostly I just wasn't ready to balance work, school, and partying. So, here's what I do have going for me: between research in college and working the past 2 years as a lab tech, I will have numerous authorships in 2 difference fields of medicine. Also, I've been volunteering as a Spanish interpreter and in triage at a free clinic, and have been repeating or taking any pre-req's I need at a very reputable university (all A's). Now, I think I need to tackle accumulating more HCE and proving to an admissions committee that I can handle the coursework and am a risk worth taking. I am thinking the best way to do this is to become an RN. My ideal path would be through an ABSN program. But, what are the thoughts on associates? (Cheaper, maybe easier to get into, more options?) I'm also more comforted by the fact that, if I don't get into PA school in my first year of applying, I'll have a quality career to fall back on. (AND, I hope I don't get any negative comments for saying this, but I'll probably also be applying to some Nurse Practioner programs - better not to limit my options as a future clinician with my odds.) Any thoughts, suggestions, encouragements?? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinntsp Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Work towards nursing or another allied health profession so that you can try to raise your s/cGPA while distancing yourself from your prior poor academic performance and also having a way to earn HCE. AFAIK nursing programs are now very competitive due to the overwhelming number of people trying to get in so it may not be a real viable option for you. Maybe the allnurses forum can offer more insight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timon Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Have you considered RT, EKG Tech or EMT? Being in your shoes I'd lean towards EMT and EKG tech because those are 1 month long courses and you can build HCE quickly. Also nursing is very impacted in certain areas and even if you were to fall back in that your HCE you'd get in a paid hospital setting will set you apart from everyone else joining the healthcare craze. As for classes something else to consider looking into are programs like the MHS at Touro NV and the MSMS program at western. Basically it's a 1 year master program and at the end you get to interview to either the DO or PA program. This shows you can handle masters level sciences, raise your GPA, and more importantly get your foot in the door at that university. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCEMPA Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Hey man, I read this post and it really resonated with me. To start, I'd like to commend you on the attitude you've put forward in this post, accepting responsibility and being honest with yourself, let alone others is a huge first step. I think you have the right idea moving forward. The first thing I think you need to focus on is like you said, improving your GPA or at least doing better in the required pre-reqs for the schools you may be interested in. While it wont improve your GPA by leaps and bounds, it will show a strong desire to improve yourself and a determination to reaching your goal. Next, as you pointed out, is the healthcare experience. I have read countless posts here and elsewhere about peoples healthcare experience/or problems there within, and I have always been grateful for the HCE that I got working in EMS. Although I currently work as a paramedic, the experiences that I got as even a basic or intermediate have/and will be valuable beyond belief. More so than the "technical skills" that anyone could learn, the ability to talk to patients, gain their confidence and respect, and ability to discern what's really going on are what really count. You'd also get a very real perspective of some of the problems facing healthcare, and learn to function (at times) under high stress situations. It's food for thought, and if I'm not mistaken, EMS courses count towards improving you GPA. Lastly I think getting your hands dirty early in the game could potentially serve as a real wake up call. I'm amazed at how many students come through on ride alongs with the dream of being a doctor, nurse, PA, etc, and after one or two shifts second guess their desire to work in healthcare. If I was in their position, I'd rather know that before I started such a lengthy and arduous endeavor that any one of those programs require. Just my take on it. Obviously the decision is yours, but like many people who have posted here before you and I, its often a battle to get there. If it's your dream to become a PA, keep fighting, because it's not going to get any easier once you get into a school. Don't sell yourself short. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktcan10 Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Hey man, I read this post and it really resonated with me. To start, I'd like to commend you on the attitude you've put forward in this post, accepting responsibility and being honest with yourself, let alone others is a huge first step. I think you have the right idea moving forward. The first thing I think you need to focus on is like you said, improving your GPA or at least doing better in the required pre-reqs for the schools you may be interested in. While it wont improve your GPA by leaps and bounds, it will show a strong desire to improve yourself and a determination to reaching your goal. Next, as you pointed out, is the healthcare experience. I have read countless posts here and elsewhere about peoples healthcare experience/or problems there within, and I have always been grateful for the HCE that I got working in EMS. Although I currently work as a paramedic, the experiences that I got as even a basic or intermediate have/and will be valuable beyond belief. More so than the "technical skills" that anyone could learn, the ability to talk to patients, gain their confidence and respect, and ability to discern what's really going on are what really count. You'd also get a very real perspective of some of the problems facing healthcare, and learn to function (at times) under high stress situations. It's food for thought, and if I'm not mistaken, EMS courses count towards improving you GPA. Lastly I think getting your hands dirty early in the game could potentially serve as a real wake up call. I'm amazed at how many students come through on ride alongs with the dream of being a doctor, nurse, PA, etc, and after one or two shifts second guess their desire to work in healthcare. If I was in their position, I'd rather know that before I started such a lengthy and arduous endeavor that any one of those programs require. Just my take on it. Obviously the decision is yours, but like many people who have posted here before you and I, its often a battle to get there. If it's your dream to become a PA, keep fighting, because it's not going to get any easier once you get into a school. Don't sell yourself short. @medic12: Amen. I'm an EMT, and I wouldn't change a single second of the invaluable experience I've gotten with patients. I went to EMT school for a semester, and was working with patients a month later. You can't beat that! Also, medic12 is right, EMT courses taken at community colleges count towards improving your GPA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alliecat419 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 It sounds like you have a good plan. Even though the research and lab tech experience may not count as "hands-on" HCE I'm sure they are valuable in other ways and will probably add to your application and set you apart if you get quality HCE too! If you are choosing between an AS and BS degree in nursing, i would consider cost of course, but also other factors that can be specific to where you live. Where I am, ASN programs actually have a longer waiting list. If you are def. going the AS route, some other degrees to consider are RT as someone mentioned, and also PTA and COTA (physical and occupational therapy assistants). All of these make a decent salary but the job market can vary greatly by location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorRRT Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 With your GPA, you need to calculate what type of increase you can expect from taking the RN route. Depending on your credit load, if you have 120 credits from your previous BS/BA and did 60 credits of 4.0 work, you'd be around a 3.0. In your case, I agree that this is the best way to go to both rehab that GPA, as well as acquire HCE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just_me Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 If you dceided to go the RN route....since you have a BS already, you could do a BSN in the same time as an ASN for slightly more money at a state university. Many have accelerated BSN for people with a BS for non-nursing majors Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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