GRE for PA school

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Is the GRE required for PA school the GRE General Test or the GRE Subject Test?

General GRE.
Many schools require it but quite a few don't look at it at all.
Good luck.
L.

Thanks for the response. It seems like a stupid question, but I was unsure. I even searched and really couldn't find an answer. I'm familar with the MCAT, but I'm not exactly sure how the scoring goes with the GRE and what's considered great, good, average, and bad.

Pssst..

A lot of them just want you to have taken it and most of them don't really have minimum scores.

A lot of it is just used to weed out the morons, did I say that out loud?

haha thanks!! So I guess panicing and stressing out about the GRE isn't something I should concern myself with. I'll go over some practice tests and questions though in advance just to familarize myself.

I believe most schools require a 1000 minimum. It is similar in some ways to the SAT. It tests your basic math skills and verbal skills. Keep in mind, it is trickier than you would think. I am good at math and aced all my honors math classes, including calc. I was shocked at how bad I did on my first GRE practice test. It doesn't test your straight knowledge, but more so your reading, problem solving, and analytical skills. I'd do a few practice tests and see how you do. You might want to invest in a good book to get an idea of how to tackle the test.

Why don't PA schools use the MCAT like some of the AA schools? It seems like it is a better representation of the basic sciences required to complete the program plus it has the ability to weed out morans.


Seems like it would be a good way to demonstrate the difference in curriculum and prerequisites between PA's and NP's.

To the best of my knowledge, GRE has never been shown to positively correlate with success in a PA program or passing PANCE. Go back to the roots of the profession--our emphasis has always been on competency-based education. GRE "academicalizes" (is that a word?) PA training and is just one more artificial barrier to matriculation, and if we don't know if it's significant, where is the value?
IMO MCAT would be much more useful in screening out applicants, but many PA applicants choose PA considering they don't have to take that damn test. Having taken it twice now (yuck) I empathize.

As an undergrad, I agree with the above regarding PA school testing. I believe the MCAT should be utilized opposed to the GRE. As far as I know of, the GRE basically tests critical thinking, some verbal reasoning, and math..and maybe a few other areas I'm not sure of. Heck, I just finished off all my pre-med prereqs. I'd HATE to have to go back and study them, but I'd feel as though it would be a good way of weeding out applicant.

Originally Posted by Josh L.Ac.

Why don't PA schools use the MCAT like some of the AA schools? It seems like it is a better representation of the basic sciences required to complete the program plus it has the ability to weed out morans.


Seems like it would be a good way to demonstrate the difference in curriculum and prerequisites between PA's and NP's.

The reason why the PA schools do not use the MCAT because the requirements are different. You don't have to take certain classes like orgo 2 or physics for some programs. Most schools require some bio, chemistry, a class in either organic or biochem, microbiology, human anatomy, and human physiology. Those are different from the typical premed classes of bio, chem, orgo, and physics.

One positive feature of NOT accepting MCAT scores for PA school admissions is that it discourages "window shopping," or applying to PA school "just to see" if one could get in. Four-year med school is for people who want to be MDs or DOs. In the same way, PA school is for people who want to be PAs.

Southern Illinois University accepts the MAT or GRE or MCAT

Originally Posted by foreverLaur

Southern Illinois University accepts the MAT or GRE or MCAT

A couple of schools that I've been looking at accepts either the GRE or the MCAT... but why go through the stress of the MCAT if you don't have to take it... honestly.

Originally Posted by primadonna22274

General GRE.
Many schools require it but quite a few don't look at it at all.
Good luck.
L.

hi
i am trying for entry in pa course i think it will be wise to enter in a school not needing gre , without undergoing stress of these exams. please let me know if u know some schools not needing gre for entry pa programmes.

Originally Posted by jek

hi
i am trying for entry in pa course i think it will be wise to enter in a school not needing gre , without undergoing stress of these exams. please let me know if u know some schools not needing gre for entry pa programmes.

Do you mean a PA program? Last time I checked, becoming a PA is a lot more than just a course...

Also, why would it be wise to enter into a program that doesn't have a standardized entry test? I really can't think of any graduate programs that don't require a standardized entry test.

If you can't handle a standardized entry test, how do you plan to handle all the exams thrown at you in PA school and the certifying exam when you graduate.

Originally Posted by jek

hi
i am trying for entry in pa course i think it will be wise to enter in a school not needing gre , without undergoing stress of these exams. please let me know if u know some schools not needing gre for entry pa programmes.

https://portal.caspaonline.org/faq/ins_programs.htm

jek, your writing is unacceptable. Please use proper punctuation and sentence structure so that others can properly understand you. I would suggest enrollment into an English and Writing course.

Originally Posted by Sunfire

https://portal.caspaonline.org/faq/ins_programs.htm

jek, your writing is unacceptable. Please use proper punctuation and sentence structure so that others can properly understand you. I would suggest enrollment into an English and Writing course.

hi
its ok u could not understand my point. now, could you tell me of any physician courses not requiring gre for admissions

Originally Posted by jek

hi
its ok u could not understand my point. now, could you tell me of any physician courses not requiring gre for admissions

We already gave you a link that tells you ALL the PA programs in the US and what tests, if any, are required for admission. Perhaps you should look at the information already provided to you before requesting more.

And now you are talking about schooling to become a physician. All medical schools require the MCAT for admission.

Would PA schools rather see a person w/ clinical background and references w/ awesome GPA and a masters, even if their GRE scores are not good?

Originally Posted by Mucaro

Would PA schools rather see a person w/ clinical background and references w/ awesome GPA and a masters, even if their GRE scores are not good?

They probably had a decent GRE score if they already have another masters degree...

It also depends on the school. Some schools are bigger into clinical experience than others. You can be lacking in one area, but you have to have to be above average in other areas to make up for it. The GRE isn't that hard if you prepare... I met the minimum score of 1,000 on a practice test at home after prepping for just a week and I bombed the SAT back in high school.

i agree--the gre is not that difficult and does not require half as much preparation as the mcat. the verbal section does require some memorization, but there are lots of online notecard programs to test and strengthen your vocabulary. reviewing math skills is important too, esp if you havent studied math since high school. if youre trying to get familiar with the requirements of the exam (length/study schedule/etc), i would try www.crackthegre.com.

Originally Posted by jek

hi
its ok u could not understand my point. now, could you tell me of any physician courses not requiring gre for admissions

You're not making any sense. Good luck to you.

Originally Posted by foreverLaur

I believe most schools require a 1000 minimum. It is similar in some ways to the SAT. It tests your basic math skills and verbal skills. Keep in mind, it is trickier than you would think. I am good at math and aced all my honors math classes, including calc. I was shocked at how bad I did on my first GRE practice test. It doesn't test your straight knowledge, but more so your reading, problem solving, and analytical skills. I'd do a few practice tests and see how you do. You might want to invest in a good book to get an idea of how to tackle the test.

Thanks for this ... I hope this still is the same when I am ready to take it in about a year

I wonder if they would waive the GRE for someone that already has an MBA (GMAT)

After all, the point of the GRE would be to determine if you would do well in a master's program.

ive not heard of any PA school that requires the gre to allow a waive of that test. i know that one of the schools near me uses it to evaluate applicants for interviews through assigning points values for the scores, along with gpa. ive the gre isnt so much a measure of fitness for a masters program as much as it is a way to satisfy other academic departments with masters programs to the fact that a PA programs fall in line with what the graduate schools require. mostly, you will see a PA school gre requirement at places that have a graduate school that students must be admitted under. for instance, to go to the university of washington PA program, one must be admitted to the university of washington graduate school... and they require a gre be taken for all the departments in the graduate school. so the gre is par for the course. additionally, they could give a darn whether you were smart enough to get an MBA. PA school is a different ball game.

Originally Posted by FireCloud9

I wonder if they would waive the GRE for someone that already has an MBA (GMAT)

After all, the point of the GRE would be to determine if you would do well in a master's program.

I'm looking into it myself since I have a M.Div. There are some. It comes down to contacting each school you're looking at applying and asking them. A few have it on their website for those that don't I'm contacting the school or just taking them off my list.

Originally Posted by pamac

ive not heard of any PA school that requires the gre to allow a waive of that test. i know that one of the schools near me uses it to evaluate applicants for interviews through assigning points values for the scores, along with gpa. ive the gre isnt so much a measure of fitness for a masters program as much as it is a way to satisfy other academic departments with masters programs to the fact that a PA programs fall in line with what the graduate schools require. mostly, you will see a PA school gre requirement at places that have a graduate school that students must be admitted under. for instance, to go to the university of washington PA program, one must be admitted to the university of washington graduate school... and they require a gre be taken for all the departments in the graduate school. so the gre is par for the course. additionally, they could give a darn whether you were smart enough to get an MBA. PA school is a different ball game.

You've probably not heard it because it's unlikely that schools advertise it, though I'm sure some might. Besides, who would want to take the GMAT plus 2yrs of an MBA to avoid the GRE?

Sorry pamac, but on this issue I will have to respectfully disagree with you.

The purpose of the GRE is not up for debate, the answer is well documented by ETS, it's not my opinion, just go ahead an take a look for yourself by googling it.

PA school is indeed a different ball game than an MBA, though having excellent grades in the GRE tells admissions nothing about the individual doing well in PA school. In fact, many PA schools don't require it.

The GRE is a standardized exam that is used for thousands of different masters degrees. It's purpose is simply to determine your ability to handle graduate work (and even at that it's not a very good indicator).

I know colleagues that pursued 2nd masters after their MBAs - one in psych, the other in telecom, both schools waived the requirement for them. Neither school mentions it on their website, they just had to call.

I was just wondering if PA schools that require the GRE, would waive it. That's all.

Similar to one of my classes that required 2 pre-requisites that I did not have, but it was the only class I could attend at the time. The school waived the requirement, but warned me that w/o the requisite background I may not do well. I was one of the few in the class with an A. The rest, with all their pre-reqs and healthcare backgrounds didn't fare as well. So much for pre-reqs.

It's on that basis that this coming semester I'm taking other classes where the pre-reqs have been waived for me by 2 different schools.

I suspect that many schools would waive the requirement, depending on the candidate situation. GMAT+ 2yrs of MBA trumps a 3hr exam in my book. It'll be up to each school to make that determination. If they say, "no", so be it.

I also think the reverse is true. That is, someone with an MCAT+master's level clinical credentials. I suspect many MBA schools would waive the GMAT requirement for that individual.

If I really wanted a particular PA school (the one by me doesn't even require the SAT or a bachelors) that required the GRE, it would just be an inconvenience, not an obstacle.

While we disagree on this one issue, I always respect your opinion and insight.