PA-->DO. IM programs in the NE.

[FilviaSerretti]

I am a physician assistant matriculating into a DO program in July 2020, class of 2023.
In this curriculum pathway, you begin rotations very early with the first rotation coming in the first 6 months or so. I am interested in an IM program with good ICU exposure as I am considering pursuing a CCM fellowship following IM. While it is very early and speculative (I have no board scores other than PANCE which aren't applicable in any fashion) I hope to perform moderately well if I continue study habits and trends from PA school (GPA 3.9, passed all EOR exams with high scores above nat avg, passed boards well above minimum requirement and nat avg) - please don't read into that meaning I think med school will be the same or easy....

I will be in the Pittsburgh area and am willing to travel throughout the NE as necessary but would like to stay closer to Pittsburgh if possible to be near my in-laws during residency so my wife has more support - not stuck to this idea but would like to plan for this if at all possible. All that being said, any recommendations for IM programs to look into for possible rotations/residency? I know the program requires a few sites for most (maybe not all) students but there are some that I have some say on as well.

Thanks a ton!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Kardio]

You can use this website to sort through residency programs: FREIDA Residency Program Database | Medical Fellowship Database | AMA

 

[DennisReynolds]

I am a physician assistant matriculating into a DO program in July 2020, class of 2023.
In this curriculum pathway, you begin rotations very early with the first rotation coming in the first 6 months or so. I am interested in an IM program with good ICU exposure as I am considering pursuing a CCM fellowship following IM. While it is very early and speculative (I have no board scores other than PANCE which aren't applicable in any fashion) I hope to perform moderately well if I continue study habits and trends from PA school (GPA 3.9, passed all EOR exams with high scores above nat avg, passed boards well above minimum requirement and nat avg) - please don't read into that meaning I think med school will be the same or easy....

I will be in the Pittsburgh area and am willing to travel throughout the NE as necessary but would like to stay closer to Pittsburgh if possible to be near my in-laws during residency so my wife has more support - not stuck to this idea but would like to plan for this if at all possible. All that being said, any recommendations for IM programs to look into for possible rotations/residency? I know the program requires a few sites for most (maybe not all) students but there are some that I have some say on as well.

Thanks a ton!

question for you.

why did you pursue the DO route after PA if you don't mind me asking? Can PM if you'd like! Congrats on the journey thus far!

 

[risus_sardonicus]

I am a physician assistant matriculating into a DO program in July 2020, class of 2023.
In this curriculum pathway, you begin rotations very early with the first rotation coming in the first 6 months or so. I am interested in an IM program with good ICU exposure as I am considering pursuing a CCM fellowship following IM. While it is very early and speculative (I have no board scores other than PANCE which aren't applicable in any fashion) I hope to perform moderately well if I continue study habits and trends from PA school (GPA 3.9, passed all EOR exams with high scores above nat avg, passed boards well above minimum requirement and nat avg) - please don't read into that meaning I think med school will be the same or easy....

I will be in the Pittsburgh area and am willing to travel throughout the NE as necessary but would like to stay closer to Pittsburgh if possible to be near my in-laws during residency so my wife has more support - not stuck to this idea but would like to plan for this if at all possible. All that being said, any recommendations for IM programs to look into for possible rotations/residency? I know the program requires a few sites for most (maybe not all) students but there are some that I have some say on as well.

Thanks a ton!

Focus on step 1. A trash step 1 will close more doors than you could ever open by auditioning at each of your researched programs.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

 

[calvinhobbes]

Too early to say. Focus on boards and studying early on. You're going to be at LECOM right? I know LECOM has a program pathway for PA -> DO. I know people that have done it, landing residency is really all up to scores and connections you make during rotations and auditions. Where are you from? Regional community and/or academic hospitals tend to prefer applicants from their area, especially since you have experience as a clinician already. IM is not competitive, especially if you apply to previous-DO IM programs. Just study and pass everything (and do well) on your first attempts, and you will have no problem matching IM.

 

[Oligodinero]

Focus on step 1. A trash step 1 will close more doors than you could ever open by auditioning at each of your researched programs.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

Step 1 will be P/F for him.

 

[Oligodinero]

OP, are you going to be matriculating at LECOM-SH? I ask because in the past, the APAPs don't start rotations until the end of year 1....where they do FM/OMM and GeriMed during June and July. Has that changed?

 

[FilviaSerretti]

Thanks for all of the feedback thus far to all that have replied.

Certainly early in the process as mentioned above - will plan to perform well academically and on exams, only time will tell.

Yep, LECOM-SH. My understanding from my interview with PD was that they had to move a rotation to the winter break of year one to ensure that all the required rotations were completed and that exams could be done in a logical manner. There was no elaboration on which rotations these were - but it is possible that it will be locked in as OMM/FM and GeriMed for first 2 rotations with others to follow. I plan to detail my experience as several fellow PAs are curious about the program so I can have a better for answer for that later.

Some questions from above answered quickly:
- not from the area but plan to remain in Pittsburgh to be around wife's family. I will have to use my new "Yinzer" familial connections to help at regional programs I suppose.

- why PA - DO? this is a pretty multifactorial answer that I will attempt to answer succinctly. My understanding was that the goal of the PA profession was to help physicians provide great care to patients by freeing them to do more of what they were trained to do best - thinking critically and managing complex patient care while providing another outlet for patient questions and care. This new era of midlevel/APP/NPP governing bodies are seemingly focused on one thing - autonomous practice. While PAs are trained in a medical model and have quality education guidelines - we shouldn't be managing patients alone, nor should NPs. After a few years of practice, I realized I might not have the medical career that I pictured when I first chose to pursue medicine. Simply, I want to have the education and ability to take care of patients autonomously in a safe and effective way - for me, med school is the only way that seems appropriate, safe, and fair to future patients. I love my fellow PAs, just looking to take that next step.

 

[InternistDO]

Specifically in the Pittsburgh region I think the best option for a large academic-y hospital that takes DOs is Alleghany General Hospital. UPMC has taken them once in a blue moon but that's definitely a stretch.

As you work your way closer to Philly, Penn State, Lehigh Valley, and Geisinger are also big centers kinda in the middle of nowhere, and then in Philadelphia area there are several--Cooper, Einstein, Lankenau, and Christiana take DOs regularly (of which Einstein is probably the best for future fellowship), and then Temple and Jefferson take them occasionally.

 

[Ho0v-man]

Thanks for all of the feedback thus far to all that have replied.

Certainly early in the process as mentioned above - will plan to perform well academically and on exams, only time will tell.

Yep, LECOM-SH. My understanding from my interview with PD was that they had to move a rotation to the winter break of year one to ensure that all the required rotations were completed and that exams could be done in a logical manner. There was no elaboration on which rotations these were - but it is possible that it will be locked in as OMM/FM and GeriMed for first 2 rotations with others to follow. I plan to detail my experience as several fellow PAs are curious about the program so I can have a better for answer for that later.

Some questions from above answered quickly:
- not from the area but plan to remain in Pittsburgh to be around wife's family. I will have to use my new "Yinzer" familial connections to help at regional programs I suppose.

- why PA - DO? this is a pretty multifactorial answer that I will attempt to answer succinctly. My understanding was that the goal of the PA profession was to help physicians provide great care to patients by freeing them to do more of what they were trained to do best - thinking critically and managing complex patient care while providing another outlet for patient questions and care. This new era of midlevel/APP/NPP governing bodies are seemingly focused on one thing - autonomous practice. While PAs are trained in a medical model and have quality education guidelines - we shouldn't be managing patients alone, nor should NPs. After a few years of practice, I realized I might not have the medical career that I pictured when I first chose to pursue medicine. Simply, I want to have the education and ability to take care of patients autonomously in a safe and effective way - for me, med school is the only way that seems appropriate, safe, and fair to future patients. I love my fellow PAs, just looking to take that next step.

the hero we need...

You should speak at the national level about this exact issue when you’re done. Seriously.

 

[slowthai]

Simply, I want to have the education and ability to take care of patient$ autonomou$ly in a $afe and effective way - for me, med school is the only way that seems appropriate, safe, and fair to future patients.

Hmmm tell me more. Kidding, lol. Welcome to the med school forums haha

 

[DOPA-C]

Current APAP student here. Made the same decision as you OP and for the same reasons; congrats on your acceptance. Unless there have been very recent changes to the curriculum that I'm unaware of, the first two rotations are FM and geri-med in June/July following 1st year. The Geri rotation is required to be done in Eerie.