How does my plan sound? How can I improve it?

[whiskers]

I just completed my undergrad majoring in biology alongside a minor in chemistry. (3.71 GPA)

 

I have now began a one month CNA course that finishes at the end of June and will start a job in September to accumulate my HCE. I wont be applying this cycle but plan on applying in April of 2014 instead. Assuming I am working full time from September until I enter PA school will I be in decent shape at the time of my application? (that is around 8 months of CNA work at the time I would apply) I have about 4 full days of shadowing various PA specialties and two leadership positions from college as well.

 

Does it make sense for me to apply as early as possible next year? Any other advice to improve my chances? Let me know if any additional information would help.

 

Any advice regarding my CNA job search to find positions that would help prepare in some ways for PA school?

[UGoLong]

At many schools, that should make you competitive. Not all schools maybe, but it may not be worth it for you to spend years getting more HCE.

 

Good luck.

[PM2PA]

I would apply now if you got all your paperwork in order. Try to get a job in an ER as a tech; there's only so much you can learn working in a nursing home primarily wiping butt.

[taotaox1]

Agreed. Just apply and follow through with the HCE in case you don't get in somewhere. Your GPA is good enough to get into the no HCE schools.

[ickspiders]

I got several hundred hours of HCE as a CNA working 2nd shift in an assisted living facility. It was hard work, because it was SUPPOSED to be an assisted living facility, but a lot of the residents really should have been in nursing homes. That means they were less mobile than the requirements to be in assisted living, but we didn't have the necessary lifts, etc., to help move them. I quit that job as soon as I got the hours I needed to round out my application, because -- even if your body mechanics are solid -- lifting people who weigh twice what you do does not do wonders for your back. I woke up a couple mornings and could barely move because of the previous night's work moving people. I don't know where you are hoping to be accepted, so I can't say whether the quantity or type of HCE will be suitable for your school. I can say that, while not much of what I did as a CNA was useful as far as how it prepared me to be a PA, what it DID do is show my school that I don't mind getting my hands dirty (...literally, albeit while gloved) and that I'm not gonna be grossed out by bodily fluids (helpful to figure out BEFORE PA school). AND it did the most important thing, which is get me into my top-choice PA school. From what I understand from recent students, you learn all you need to know for PA school while you are actually IN PA school. And as far as other training after graduation, recent grads say that they learned the most pertinent information for their current job within the first 12 to 24 months.

[whiskers]

Thank you for all the input!

 

I will apply this cycle to some of the schools with december deadlines (since I wont be ready for my GRE until august). If I don't get in then I will just apply in April. I am beginning full time CNA work in september while taking a EMT B class to open up more options for work.

 

Is home health care a reasonable way to get some hours (assuming a hospital job is not yet available and the only other option is nursing home care?)

[ickspiders]

Check with each school before you put in the hours to see if they will accept home health care. Some schools will only accept it if the hours are as a CNA (as opposed to a PCA), and some will not accept home health care hours at all.

[alster]

@ickspiders Do you remember what schools you found accept CNA but not PCA? I've got my CNA and work as a PCA, and I haven't come across that exclusion as I've researched schools. I'm hoping I'm just applying to different places than you did, but I'm curious about at which schools you found that specific requirement. Thanks!

[IndianaU-PA]

Alexandra PPA:

 

It sounds like you have a solid plan. Several programs do not require HCE explicitly but often have so many well-qualified applicants with significant HCE, that it becomes a de facto requirement.

 

Your academic accomplishments should make you competitive for both non-HCE and HCE required programs. IU's program in Indianapolis doesn't require paid experience and it can be observational, so you should be OK for programs like ours. The quality of the experience would come up on an interview, so I encourage you to get a broad range of experiences if possible.

 

Good luck!

 

Josh Morrison

Indiana University Physician Assistant Program

[EKR007]

Hey!

I would look into working in a hospital and getting a job as a nurse's aide or patient care assistant. Your CNA training will be valuable for that job because it is a lot of the same work, but also more "healthcare" related things, like taking EKGs, removing Foleys, dealing with drains etc. besides the basic bath/toileting/ADLs a CNA would be doing. I'm not sure how this varies state to state, but in PA prior training wasn't a job requirement and the hospital I work at provided the training over 2 weeks (paid) before orienting on the floor. As above posters said, CNA work is physically... bad, even for a fit young person. I would still take the CNA class since many places accept hours from training programs as HCE, but you can learn valuable stuff just from being in a hospital/acute care environment vs. a nursing home type situation. I hope this helps!