I am currently a Junior in high school, and my GPAs of my first two years were not exactly outstanding. Receiving a 3.0 and a 2.7 made me think about my future a bit more. I want to pursue my life as a Orthopedic Physician Assistant. I have a HUGE passion for the human body, and I really plan on making it my occupation. I wanted to know if I get good SAT/ACT scores, maintain an acceptable GPA, and have a large interest in the human anatomy/physiology, can I get into a 4 year?
University
- Thread starter ajp28
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I definitely know of people who get into a 4 year college with a sub 3.0 GPA, but you don't want to end up in that position. Main thing is don't just go for acceptable, but strive for more. Try to do well in your classes now, so you don't struggle in college. It will mean studying more than you have done in the past (don't be the type who studies the day before an exam). This is the best advice I can give you. I still think you have a shot of getting into a 4 year university, but remember to do WELL in your classes and your SAT/ACT.
When you are in a university, you will need to maintain a GPA of at least 3.5 to be competitive for PA programs. A 3.5 is hard to get in college than it is to get in high school. This is why it is important to do well now so you can reap the rewards later.
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You can do anything if you want it bad enough and work for it, and do everything you can.
Thank you for the feedback! Would I have a better chance of getting admitted if I get an internship at a local hospital or have CNA training?
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Well first and foremost get into a 4 year university. I did a little more digging into what an orthopedic physician assistant was and was surprised to see it was distinct from physician assistants that specialize in orthopedics. Here are a couple of links:
http://www.paos.org/info/why-pa-c
http://www.aapa.org/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=573
I am probably not the best person to ask about the field of orthopedic physician assistant and it would be best if you could find one to ask. Their practice seems to be limited to three states and are not reimbursed by medicare, unlike physician assistants in general. They don't seem to require you to go through a masters program, but to at least have 2 years of college and then you take a certification exam.
Look at all this information, I think the better route is to become a PA instead and then specialize in orthopedics (usually you get the training on the job). This way you can practice in all 50 states and get better reimbursement from insurance. So make sure you complete a 4 year degree and get as many clinical hours as you can. Most PA programs infact require you get between 500-2000 clinical hours. So if you can get an internship in a hospital or become a CNA you should cover those requirement pretty easily. I hope this helps.
