[CLOSED: Moderators please delete]

[deleted768370]

Deleted as I am making a new thread regarding this information.

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[pamac]

I got my CLS degree, and later on decided to go to PA school. My GpA was around where yours was. I got interviews, but it wasn’t easy. I used the CLS to get healthcare experience so that I could apply to places that had a high emphasis for that. Eventually I decided to go to nursing school instead for other reasons.


Your grades aren’t all that terrible, and just clustered in a few courses like o chem and biochem, but that’s going to be a hurdle.


I’d get your CLS. You can get a decent paying job with it, and can do that until the point where you can get into PA school, or whatever else you decide on. Getting into professional school is never a given, so it’s nice to have a CLS job in the meantime. It’s respectable, and pays almost what jobs like nursing do. It’s not minimum wage coffee shop work that you otherwise would have with just a biology degree. I was glad to have it while I had to look forward to the waiting game that comes along with applying and interviewing for PA school.


Using CLS as patient care is a bit tricky because it comes down to what the PA school counts as health care experience. Most decent HCE heavy schools count it. When I was a CLS, we did a lot of blood draws due to the rather small size of the facility I was in, so I wasn’t self conscious of the work. The responsibility level is very high, and it involves a lot of pertinent knowledge. But it’s not necessarily a slam dunk on its own, so you may need to consider retaking courses like ochem, and biochem. Tough break, I know. And take more science electives. You are really in some tricky no mans land circumstances where you are just out of reach of having an easy time getting into a program, but you aren’t totally sunk. The question is whether you want to put more time into this path only to have more uncertainty. But I think your situation makes it clear that obtaining the CLS certification and employment here is a smart way to start the process.

 

[deleted768370]

I got my CLS degree, and later on decided to go to PA school. My GpA was around where yours was. I got interviews, but it wasn’t easy. I used the CLS to get healthcare experience so that I could apply to places that had a high emphasis for that. Eventually I decided to go to nursing school instead for other reasons.


Your grades aren’t all that terrible, and just clustered in a few courses like o chem and biochem, but that’s going to be a hurdle.


I’d get your CLS. You can get a decent paying job with it, and can do that until the point where you can get into PA school, or whatever else you decide on. Getting into professional school is never a given, so it’s nice to have a CLS job in the meantime. It’s respectable, and pays almost what jobs like nursing do. It’s not minimum wage coffee shop work that you otherwise would have with just a biology degree. I was glad to have it while I had to look forward to the waiting game that comes along with applying and interviewing for PA school.


Using CLS as patient care is a bit tricky because it comes down to what the PA school counts as health care experience. Most decent HCE heavy schools count it. When I was a CLS, we did a lot of blood draws due to the rather small size of the facility I was in, so I wasn’t self conscious of the work. The responsibility level is very high, and it involves a lot of pertinent knowledge. But it’s not necessarily a slam dunk on its own, so you may need to consider retaking courses like ochem, and biochem. Tough break, I know. And take more science electives. You are really in some tricky no mans land circumstances where you are just out of reach of having an easy time getting into a program, but you aren’t totally sunk. The question is whether you want to put more time into this path only to have more uncertainty. But I think your situation makes it clear that obtaining the CLS certification and employment here is a smart way to start the process.

Hey,

Thank you so much for the reply. Taking what you said into consideration, I should mention that I'm a senior. Should I graduate on time and apply to hospital CLS programs or should I consider staying a fifth year at college to retake the courses you mentioned? Would it be more beneficial to work try concurrently work in a CLS program while retaking those classes?

 

[deleted768370]

So I was at an advising appointment today, and I think I have a plan for going about my business. Can anyone give me their thoughts or opinions given my current standing? (Read above)

I feel as though I should take pre-reqs for PA school while I'm still an undergrad (I'm in Michigan and some of the pre-req's required to apply to Michigan PA schools are NOT classes I need to graduate - I'm a senior on track to graduate Spring 2019)

I am currently planning on taking as many of these classes as I can during Summer and Fall 2019, meaning I would be a student for another 2 semesters beyond my planned graduation. As a Bio. Lab. Science major, MLS certification is a path people take right out of college. I have currently applied to the Michigan Match Internship program for placement at one of three hospitals that offer this internship in Michigan. Assuming at least one interview goes well, I want to apply for an internship start date of Jan. 2020. When I become MLS certified, I may work at that for a year or so and then apply to PA school from there.

Does this sound feasible? Is there a better way to go about my end goal given my numbers (in the original post)?

 

[pamac]

Yes, it sounds feasible.

 

[pamac]

Just stay on the path to your goal and don’t settle for a little bit of money in the lab science realm. People get situated and comfortable, and then stuck.

 

[deleted768370]

Just stay on the path to your goal and don’t settle for a little bit of money in the lab science realm. People get situated and comfortable, and then stuck.

Thank you sincerely for your response! This was a big concern of mine, going straight to MLS and not finishing pre-req’s because of possible complacency! Alright, I think that’s what I’m going to do.

Thanks so much, I really do appreciate your help

 

[deleted768370]

Posting because I'd like others insights on this!

 

[Makati2008]

Posting because I'd like others insights on this!

I’ve reviewed your post. I think you’ll be fine with your plan

 

[deleted768370]

Going to update this with this semesters grades, fun...

On the bright side, I got accepted into an MLS internship program. Scheduled to start in December of 2019, so I'm going to shoot for an extra semester after graduation to take some PA pre-req's before the internship starts.

GRE this summer?

 

[pamac]

I commented before, and I've given a lot of thought lately to what advice I would give to myself if I had a time machine and could go back and offer advice to myself at an earlier stage in my academic career. I didn't consider this in relation to your post specifically, but have been asked for advice recently in person, and it got me thinking along those lines.

I've never regretted getting the medical lab science degree, nor working in the MLS field. Its a real job, and a decent paying job. In your situation, I would totally do it. Its the best way to make the most of what you have done thus far, and it helps you salvage something from your academic situation. So I've traveled some of the same ground as you, and know the terrain.

While its certainly possible for you to get into PA school, it will come after lot of hard work, and a lot of time. Your grades aren't awful, and you showed some good performance in a few. The big question that remains in my mind is what gets you to where you want to go in the most efficient manner possible, with the most certainty. I look at PA school these days as a crap shoot for anyone without a really consistent academic record, and I wonder how many people are really up for that reality. I've lived it, and it wasn't satisfying. I don't like the flow of the PA application process. I've watched friends of mine struggle several years in a row to get in to PA school, and the problem is that by the time you know if you are in or not, its too late to make a meaningful attempt to improve your academics for that year. You often don't get final word on where you stand until after January of the following year, and that's after you submit your application packet the previous summer. In the meantime, you have the option of doing nothing and waiting, or else pay money taking classes while you wait. If you do nothing, then you have little to no improvement to show for yourself for the year of waiting. That's how the process pans out. For me, I applied to nursing school alongside PA school, and had an acceptance to nursing school in hand before some PA schools even got back to me about interview offers. To this day, I've come to feel that my nursing degree opened up more doors for me than anything I've ever done academically, both financially and professionally. To do things over at any point in my education, I would advise myself to have obtained a nursing degree as quickly as possible. An accelerated BSN would have been the most helpful, but even my two year nursing degree was enough to put me on the track to become an NP quickly. I think I even lingered too long as an RN. I wouldn't bother with toiling to become a PA, nor would I even consider medicine, dental, or podiatry. But that's me. Psyche NP is what I've wanted to do for some time now, and my state is an NP independent practice state, so I have a lot of options.

What I think this would mean in your case for you is that I still would get that MLS degree because its a good checkpoint. You get it and you start working, and you can feed a family and live middle class while you plan your next step. That may mean making multiple attempts to get into PA school (which is what I think it will take for you to get to PA school, and even then that's a gamble for you). But another option is to gear up to do a one year accelerated BSN degree, then go on to NP school. Its a long time, and you are probably thinking that PA school could happen quickly and you'll be done in 2 years as opposed to something like close to 4 as an NP. But I think the thing that tips the scale in favor of NP is the uncertainty that you will have due to your grades. If your science GPA was 3.4, and your overall GPA was 3.4, I wouldn't suggest NP. With what you have right now, and even with some nudging up with some stellar grades this last semester, I still don't think you have a clear shot. You are stuck in a position where you are a risk for a PA school that is very risk averse with who they grant seats to. Nothing compels them to take those kinds of risks when they have 5 times more applicants that present a solid academic record that shows that they won't buckle under pressure. Each of those seats they give out is worth tens of thousands of dollars, or even a hundred thousand dollars. They make very safe picks for those positions.

People get tunnel vision when they set their sights on their chosen professional school. I applied to 10 PA schools and one RN school. I got interview invites at less than 4 PA schools and got into RN school. I'm really glad I went RN for a lot of reasons I won't go into here. I watched a friend apply and get rejected to PA school enough times that they could have gone through RN school and been an RN for a few years before that person landed in PA school. Along the way, as an RN, this person could have been making great money, and feeling a lot better about life.

 

[precisiongraphic]

This is a great post and I agree.

One thing I might suggest is to do what PAMAC said and apply to ASBN programs the same time that you apply to PA programs. Or if you don't get into PA school the first year then definitely have a dual application process the second PA round.

I commented before, and I've given a lot of thought lately to what advice I would give to myself if I had a time machine and could go back and offer advice to myself at an earlier stage in my academic career. I didn't consider this in relation to your post specifically, but have been asked for advice recently in person, and it got me thinking along those lines.

I've never regretted getting the medical lab science degree, nor working in the MLS field. Its a real job, and a decent paying job. In your situation, I would totally do it. Its the best way to make the most of what you have done thus far, and it helps you salvage something from your academic situation. So I've traveled some of the same ground as you, and know the terrain.

While its certainly possible for you to get into PA school, it will come after lot of hard work, and a lot of time. Your grades aren't awful, and you showed some good performance in a few. The big question that remains in my mind is what gets you to where you want to go in the most efficient manner possible, with the most certainty. I look at PA school these days as a crap shoot for anyone without a really consistent academic record, and I wonder how many people are really up for that reality. I've lived it, and it wasn't satisfying. I don't like the flow of the PA application process. I've watched friends of mine struggle several years in a row to get in to PA school, and the problem is that by the time you know if you are in or not, its too late to make a meaningful attempt to improve your academics for that year. You often don't get final word on where you stand until after January of the following year, and that's after you submit your application packet the previous summer. In the meantime, you have the option of doing nothing and waiting, or else pay money taking classes while you wait. If you do nothing, then you have little to no improvement to show for yourself for the year of waiting. That's how the process pans out. For me, I applied to nursing school alongside PA school, and had an acceptance to nursing school in hand before some PA schools even got back to me about interview offers. To this day, I've come to feel that my nursing degree opened up more doors for me than anything I've ever done academically, both financially and professionally. To do things over at any point in my education, I would advise myself to have obtained a nursing degree as quickly as possible. An accelerated BSN would have been the most helpful, but even my two year nursing degree was enough to put me on the track to become an NP quickly. I think I even lingered too long as an RN. I wouldn't bother with toiling to become a PA, nor would I even consider medicine, dental, or podiatry. But that's me. Psyche NP is what I've wanted to do for some time now, and my state is an NP independent practice state, so I have a lot of options.

What I think this would mean in your case for you is that I still would get that MLS degree because its a good checkpoint. You get it and you start working, and you can feed a family and live middle class while you plan your next step. That may mean making multiple attempts to get into PA school (which is what I think it will take for you to get to PA school, and even then that's a gamble for you). But another option is to gear up to do a one year accelerated BSN degree, then go on to NP school. Its a long time, and you are probably thinking that PA school could happen quickly and you'll be done in 2 years as opposed to something like close to 4 as an NP. But I think the thing that tips the scale in favor of NP is the uncertainty that you will have due to your grades. If your science GPA was 3.4, and your overall GPA was 3.4, I wouldn't suggest NP. With what you have right now, and even with some nudging up with some stellar grades this last semester, I still don't think you have a clear shot. You are stuck in a position where you are a risk for a PA school that is very risk averse with who they grant seats to. Nothing compels them to take those kinds of risks when they have 5 times more applicants that present a solid academic record that shows that they won't buckle under pressure. Each of those seats they give out is worth tens of thousands of dollars, or even a hundred thousand dollars. They make very safe picks for those positions.

People get tunnel vision when they set their sights on their chosen professional school. I applied to 10 PA schools and one RN school. I got interview invites at less than 4 PA schools and got into RN school. I'm really glad I went RN for a lot of reasons I won't go into here. I watched a friend apply and get rejected to PA school enough times that they could have gone through RN school and been an RN for a few years before that person landed in PA school. Along the way, as an RN, this person could have been making great money, and feeling a lot better about life.

 

[Apollo1]

Go through CASPA's website and download their Excel spreadsheet for calculating c/sGPA. Many times what your school calculates won't match what they do, and you want to know how CASPA tabulates your metrics when looking at a program's GPA thresholds.

I didn't see A&P on your attached screenshot, which is a necessity for any PA program.

 

[deleted768370]

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Hey,

I've not been on the forums since my last post but I'm disappointed to say that my cGPA is now a 3.24. It is blatantly obvious now, more than ever, that this will be a long process. Thank you so much for your lengthy response. You don't know how much it means to me that you would take time out of your day to write all that in an attempt to help me sort my **** out even as my numbers plummet further.

It seems, as you've suggested, that some other form of schooling is essential in moving forward. Did you say you first took an accelerated BSN program for a year and then applied to NP school? Meaning this took ~4-5 years for you to finish? My knowledge is pretty limited when it comes to Nursing, can you apply to NP school without the BSN?

Given my current dilemma and the fact that, at this point, I still want to pursue a PA end-goal, is it still worth me staying past my graduation at school this spring to take the pre-req's required for most PA schools in this state (Michigan)? Scheduling it out, I would stay at university through this summer and fall (with my MLS internship beginning in Jan. 2020). My advisor said it is cheaper to delay graduation and take these classes to save money, which would definitely be a factor for me to consider (versus coming back to my school at some point after graduating and having to reapply and then take these classes as a "lifelong learner") as I am going to be funding this all on my own from here on out.

Could staying the next two semesters (where I'm actually taking most of the PA pre-req's) help boost my GPA even though I would technically be graduated at this point? Or is my cumulative already low enough that even if I had a good pre-req GPA, they would rule against me because of my cumulative?

 

[deleted768370]

Also, a big thank you to every in this thread that has responded. I am very grateful to all of you <3

 

[deleted768370]

Taking my last final in a few hours. This semester has not treated me well.

Will make a final post when my senior year grades are back. I think it's pretty much over for me tbh.