Fear factor

[Nostraadms]

Hello, everyone. I know admissions says that GPA isn't the most important factor to consider, but I believe it to be the best measurement to forecast on my ability to handle the workload and stress of PA school.

 

I have 2 GPAs because I went to a community college and UC.

My current cc GPA is 3.73

my UC GPA is 3.1

and pre-req GPA is 4.0

 

I can tell you that one of the reasons I performed poorly at UC is due the intimidation factor. I also feel like some of the people in my classes at UC were too smart. Only the top 20-30% usually got A's, while the rest got B's or C's. I never really struggled in any of my chemistry, biochemistry, or physical chemistry classes. In fact, I enjoyed studying biochem. However, I did end up getting all B's and B+'s in my chem classes, except for 3 of them. 2 C's in lower division ochem and 1 A in upper division ochem (very easy class). I performed poorly in Calc II and Calc III and differential equations (all C's). I do perform better at my cc classes because these classes are based on traditional grading scale ( A: >90%).

 

As you can tell, I have doubts on my skills and ability to perform well, or finish, in PA school. I also feel that I perform poorly whenever I am taking several difficult science classes at once. I'm also taking my pre-reqs at a cc (anatomy, physio, micro, psych) and I am worried that they are not as rigorous as they should be to prepare me for school. I am about to complete my certificate degree for medical assistant. Again, I feel as if it was not challenging enough because it wasn't.

 

I'm sure many of you have had a similar experience. What did you do to overcome this fear? And what can I do to reassure myself that I am ready for PA school? I am really considering of completing physiology and microbiology and applying to several RN programs. This is because I feel more confident that I can perform better in a RN program and do not fear of dropping out. I also feel like becoming an RN will adequately prepare me for PA school. What do you think of my self-assessment and fears?

[Just Steve]

Your fears are real to you, we can't tell you they are irrational. That has to come from you. One way that I got over feelings to what you describe is simple life experience. As you get older, you start to better understand that your degree of being uneasy is pretty much in line with everyone else's.

 

Clonidine is a blood pressure med that we prescribe for the treatment of anxiety, which I am gleaning from your post. Talk to your care provider and see if they feel if its a med for you. Also, cognitive behavioral therapy, to learn how to redirect your stressed feelings, may prove beneficial. Good luck

[Nostraadms]

I can assure you that my blood pressure is stable and I am not losing sleep over it.

[uscbigdawg]

Ain't nothin' to it, but to do it. Fear is about the stupidest emotion that I can think of, especially when irrational. I'm not fearless, but I will say energy expended over something that might happen equates to cardio hand wringing = pointless. To hell with if you think you've been prepared or not to succeed. As the great philosopher Yoda says, "Do or not do, there is no try". Go to PA and succeed or don't go. Go to nursing school and succeed or don't go. Go to work at McDonald's and succeed...or.... (you probably get the point)

 

That said, go be a medical assistant and see how well you are/are not prepared for real medicine, not the academics of medicine. I will strongly argue that grades are about the worst predictor of academic success for PA school because there will likely be a huge difference in the academic expectations of PA school to what you did in undergraduate and post-bacc study. IMHO, the best predictor of success in PA school is first a history of completing challenges/tasks given to you and an individual's personality.

 

More sports psych oriented, read "Shooting From Within," by Lanny Basham or any myriad of golf psychology books. That should help with the self esteem and confidence parts pretty well.

 

Rich

[Just Steve]

I can assure you that my blood pressure is stable and I am not losing sleep over it.

 

1. The blood pressure medicine is prescribed at a lower dose when used for anxiety control. Just like many meds are prescribed for off label use. Not trying to change your pressure, only dull the sympothemetic response you get when you start worrying about your situation, or other stressful situations.

 

2. If you are not worried or concerned about your situation then perhaps you may want to reconsider using words such as "fears...intimidation...doubts" when describing your situation.

 

3. What I wanted to type was

 

"grow up and get some intestinal fortitude. There are very few things more annoying than a smart person hyperventilating about how worried they are about not being good enough, especially even before they try."

 

instead, I gave the best advice I could muster. It was constructive, meaningful, and a method that has been tested to work. For you to toss it back in my face is rather short sighted.

 

Good luck

[Moiraine57]

I had/have a lot of anxiety like you describe, due to my upbringing. I have found that Cognitive behavioral therapy, as well as an anti-anxiety med when things get too stressful, has largely eliminated my symptoms.

 

good luck.

[mkels]

I'm not saying this to be mean hearted, but you might evaluate your self assessment skills (If that isn't a circular task I don't know what is!). You say you did well in all your chem classes except for three. Well, three classes is a pretty large exception. You say you performed poorly in UC because some students were too smart. Blaming others' good performance for your poor performance is a practice that will not gain you confidence to improve nor the sympathies of pretty much anyone. Many of us have been where you are, so I mean this as constructively as possible. Try to be completely objective and honest about where you sit right now. Outline concrete tasks to improve...repeat.

[GatorRRT]

 

I can tell you that one of the reasons I performed poorly at UC is due the intimidation factor. I also feel like some of the people in my classes at UC were too smart. Only the top 20-30% usually got A's, while the rest got B's or C's.

 

I can tell YOU with an attitude like that you aren't mature enough to handle PA school. You're aware PA school programs are typically full of overachievers with type A personalities right? Don't blame others for your poor performance.

[just_me]

I can tell you that one of the reasons I performed poorly at UC is due the intimidation factor. I also feel like some of the people in my classes at UC were too smart.

 

Thinking like this will kill you in any PA program. It is nice to be concerned with your grades, but you cant go in comparing yourself to others. There will be people in your class that just hear a lecture/read a book and they know it stonecold and if you go in thinking like you did at UC, you will find yourself doubting your abilities and constantly competing with them internally<-----not healthy, you will have enough crap to worry about without all that going on in your head.

 

Theres nothing you can do to assure yourself that youre ready because honestly, unless youve experienced it before, theres just no way to prepare What you can do is get use to the idea that it is quite possible you will do poorly on some tests....or should I say, score lower than you had hoped and at the same time....someone will ace it. Prepare yourself for that....prepare yourself to accept that and you will already be miles ahead of many in your class.

 

Like GatorRRT said, your class will be full of overachievers....many who have not seen a B or C or gasp....a D in their whole academic career and for many of them....getting any of those grades is like running face first into a brick wall---but if they have learned to accept it then its not so bad--and this is coming from an overachiever (my first/only C in undergrad made me cry :sad:)

[uscbigdawg]

After your response to Just Steve, I say you should become a college professor. Not mean, just a realist. If you're having this much anxiety and then add in the rude response to questions that you offered up, then medicine is likely not the best choice for you. Of course, you could take this and just say, 'F that guy, I'm going to do it', and if that's the case so be it.

 

At the end of the day, don't go down the road if you're not sure as you're likely taking a seat from someone that is.

 

Rich