A PA's chance of getting accepted to a Texas Medical school?

[Ryze]

Hello fellow med school applicants!

I wanted to ask what you guys thought would be my chances in applying to Texas Medical schools. I have everything right now except for the MCAT and the pre-req Biochemistry. However I am debating on whether or not I should just apply to one DO school this upcoming cycle (TCOM) as they don't require Biochem. Or wait until 2022 (after taking Biochem) to have a wider net of medical schools? Honestly my dream would be to go to either TCOM or UTSW as they are both located in my hometown and could stay near family and friends (since PA school already took 3 years away). However, UTSW seems really competitive, as my stats are not that high. Would I have a chance at all for MD schools by having a master's degree/PA experience? Or should I just focus on DO schools? Do you think I can get into TCOM on my first try?

[I am not here to explain why I have such an unorthodox journey to medical school; I do acknowledge that and will prepare a strong answer for that]. Right now, I would just like some advice on my stats/resume and any advice on strengthening my application, thank you 🙂.

-TCOM/UTSW are my top choices (As they are located in Dallas)
-Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology
-Master of Physician Assistant Studies Degree
-PA work experience: New grad, currently applying to jobs (but have 1 year of clinical rotations/~1,500 hours)
-1,500 hours of ER medical scribe experience
-150 hours of volunteering in undergrad
-National Society of Leadership and Success member in undergrad
-involved in a spiritual/religious community that do mission trips and activities
-certifications: BLS, ACLS
-clinical skills: suturing, digital/field/topical block, IV’s with ultrasound, joint reductions, I&D’s, joint effusion, staples, surgical first assist in the OR, and etc

For the grades, they are not the best:
-Overall graduate school GPA: 3.4
-Overall undergrad GPA: 3.57
-Overall BCPM: 3.42
-Overall BCP: 3.44
-MCAT: not taken yet
-77 hours of undergrad science credits

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[orthoPA81]

Hey, fellow PA here. Be prepared for programs to not care at all you are a PA. I made the mistake thinking MD/DO programs value the PA education. The short answer is they don’t. If you’ve been out working for a number of years then you might have an advantage but that is program specific. The DO program I was accepted at seemed PA friendly. Otherwise I felt like it was almost a disadvantage because of how PAs are viewed by docs. Long story short, do well on the MCAT and you’ve got a shot. MCAT is heavy on biochemistry so until you’ve taken that course you might struggle.

 

[Ryze]

Hey, fellow PA here. Be prepared for programs to not care at all you are a PA. I made the mistake thinking MD/DO programs value the PA education. The short answer is they don’t. If you’ve been out working for a number of years then you might have an advantage but that is program specific. The DO program I was accepted at seemed PA friendly. Otherwise I felt like it was almost a disadvantage because of how PAs are viewed by docs. Long story short, do well on the MCAT and you’ve got a shot. MCAT is heavy on biochemistry so until you’ve taken that course you might struggle.

Hey! What makes you say they didn’t value your PA education? Also what state/schools did you apply to and end up getting into? Mind sharing some stats/resume?

 

[orthoPA81]

I’ll message you.

 

[Ultimax]

I am not a PA but NP here. Take it for what it is worth, my stats were cumulative GPA 3.78, sGPA 3.76, MCAT 514 and I received 7 interviews from Texas MD/DO schools. It really depends on how well you do on the MCAT. I believe average MCAT of matriculants are 511 (83-85 percentile). In myhumble opinion, applying to only 2 schools in Texas is a huge mistake. You need to give it your all, apply broadly to all medical schools in Texas. You should take biochemistry to have a better chance, because you will need it on your MCAT anyway. Your experience as a PA may or may not help you, just because the applicant pool is super competitive in Texas. There are many students in my classes who are PharmD, PD, NP, PA, DDS, veterans with Purple Heart, etc.
Ask yourself, if the only medical school who accepts you is in Alaska, would you go there, or would your rather be reapplicant and face the uphill battle once again?

 

[Ryze]

I am not a PA but NP here. Take it for what it is worth, my stats were cumulative GPA 3.78, sGPA 3.76, MCAT 514 and I received 7 interviews from Texas MD/DO schools. It really depends on how well you do on the MCAT. I believe average MCAT of matriculants are 511 (83-85 percentile). In myhumble opinion, applying to only 2 schools in Texas is a huge mistake. You need to give it your all, apply broadly to all medical schools in Texas. You should take biochemistry to have a better chance, because you will need it on your MCAT anyway. Your experience as a PA may or may not help you, just because the applicant pool is super competitive in Texas. There are many students in my classes who are PharmD, PD, NP, PA, DDS, veterans with Purple Heart, etc.
Ask yourself, if the only medical school who accepts you is in Alaska, would you go there, or would your rather be reapplicant and face the uphill battle once again?

Thank you for your response! I am taking mental notes from everyone. Let's say I score 510+ on the MCAT as an example: what if I apply to the one DO school this upcoming cycle (2021-2022) while I start my first job as a PA? And if I don't get in the first time, re-apply again the following year, but this time with biochemistry taken, so I can have a wider net of schools (all texas medical schools). It doesn't seem that hard to re-apply since you can polish up your PS and re-use the letters of recommendations with interfolio. Is this a smart plan?

 

[Drsecondchance]

Thank you for your response! I am taking mental notes from everyone. Let's say I score 510+ on the MCAT as an example: what if I apply to the one DO school this upcoming cycle (2021-2022) while I start my first job as a PA? And if I don't get in the first time, re-apply again the following year, but this time with biochemistry taken, so I can have a wider net of schools (all texas medical schools). It doesn't seem that hard to re-apply since you can polish up your PS and re-use the letters of recommendations with interfolio. Is this a smart plan?

I'm sorry, but this is nowhere near a smart plan. Every year, at any given school, THOUSANDS of people apply for one of between 30-250 seats. You never know what will happen - I was shocked to find myself denied at for-profit RVUCOM, yet accepted to Foster/ interviewed at UHCOM and UTMB with the potential to match to one, this cycle with a big red flag I won't get into here, but was completely honest about. This med school admissions game is a total crapshoot - you need to give yourself your very best chance of gaining acceptance. There are also too many variables up in the air - TCOM, like all schools, will only be able to interview about 10-20% of the students that apply and if you are lucky enough to gain an interview, then only 25-50% of those interviewed at any given school will actually be accepted. Your interview day could be flawless without getting in, or you and your interviewer(s) could get off on the wrong foot and just not mix well, or you could be sick with a cold that day and just feel off, shooting yourself in the foot. You do NOT want the stigma of being a reapplicant, as there is a strong bias against them and you would have already hurt yourself further in the next cycle by almost assuredly forcing yourself to be a reapplicant. You also do not need to have taken every prereq in order to apply, as long as you finish them before matriculation. Instead, you can be taking your biochem course the Fall semester you apply. Here's what I WOULD recommend:
1) Prep for the MCAT thoroughly, self teaching yourself biochem and not taking the test until you are ready to score 510+. Best recommendation, if you can study thoroughly by then, is to prepare for a May MCAT.
2) Submit TMDSAS, AMCAS, and AACOMAS before the end of June and submit all secondaries in the two weeks after they are received, prewriting secondaries to the best of your ability as you wait to be verified. I would recommend applying to about 25 schools, maybe 15 MD and 10 DO. This should include ALL Texas schools. You should also include schools such as Tulane, CCOM, AZCOM, DMUCOM, ACOM, KCOM, PCOM Philadelphia, NYITCOM Old Westbury, and maybe ARCOM since it's not too far from Texas, although any of the above would be preferable to ARCOM. HOPE for an acceptance from TCOM, UTSW, or TCU-UNT, but don't discount attending school elsewhere in the state. Take an especially careful look at A&M, where you would take your first year in College Station, but then get to go home to Dallas potentially for your clinical training.
3) Take Biochem the coming Fall. If you make an A, you have something to update your schools with to show continuing interest in TCOM, UTSW, TCU-UNT, & A&M.
I don't really see your PA training as being a problem, particularly as it might give you some wonderful patient care stories to talk about in your interviews. Best of luck. Please update us on how your MCAT prep and cycle are going along the way.

 

[Ryze]

I'm sorry, but this is nowhere near a smart plan. Every year, at any given school, THOUSANDS of people apply for one of between 30-250 seats. You never know what will happen - I was shocked to find myself denied at for-profit RVUCOM, yet accepted to Foster/ interviewed at UHCOM and UTMB with the potential to match to one, this cycle with a big red flag I won't get into here, but was completely honest about. This med school admissions game is a total crapshoot - you need to give yourself your very best chance of gaining acceptance. There are also too many variables up in the air - TCOM, like all schools, will only be able to interview about 10-20% of the students that apply and if you are lucky enough to gain an interview, then only 25-50% of those interviewed at any given school will actually be accepted. Your interview day could be flawless without getting in, or you and your interviewer(s) could get off on the wrong foot and just not mix well, or you could be sick with a cold that day and just feel off, shooting yourself in the foot. You do NOT want the stigma of being a reapplicant, as there is a strong bias against them and you would have already hurt yourself further in the next cycle by almost assuredly forcing yourself to be a reapplicant. You also do not need to have taken every prereq in order to apply, as long as you finish them before matriculation. Instead, you can be taking your biochem course the Fall semester you apply. Here's what I WOULD recommend:
1) Prep for the MCAT thoroughly, self teaching yourself biochem and not taking the test until you are ready to score 510+. Best recommendation, if you can study thoroughly by then, is to prepare for a May MCAT.
2) Submit TMDSAS, AMCAS, and AACOMAS before the end of June and submit all secondaries in the two weeks after they are received, prewriting secondaries to the best of your ability as you wait to be verified. I would recommend applying to about 25 schools, maybe 15 MD and 10 DO. This should include ALL Texas schools. You should also include schools such as Tulane, CCOM, AZCOM, DMUCOM, ACOM, KCOM, PCOM Philadelphia, NYITCOM Old Westbury, and maybe ARCOM since it's not too far from Texas, although any of the above would be preferable to ARCOM. HOPE for an acceptance from TCOM, UTSW, or TCU-UNT, but don't discount attending school elsewhere in the state. Take an especially careful look at A&M, where you would take your first year in College Station, but then get to go home to Dallas potentially for your clinical training.
3) Take Biochem the coming Fall. If you make an A, you have something to update your schools with to show continuing interest in TCOM, UTSW, TCU-UNT, & A&M.
I don't really see your PA training as being a problem, particularly as it might give you some wonderful patient care stories to talk about in your interviews. Best of luck. Please update us on how your MCAT prep and cycle are going along the way.

Omg this is exactly what I needed, a strong strategy/plan! Thank you so much! Are you a med student already?

 

[deleted6669]

I assume you know about the PA to DO bridge program at Lecom? 3 years. No mcat required.

Accelerated Physician Assistant Pathway | (LECOM)

The Accelerated Physician Assistant Pathway (APAP) is a fast-tracked, three-year medical school curriculum leading to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree.

lecom.edu

 

[Ryze]

I assume you know about the PA to DO bridge program at Lecom? 3 years. No mcat required.

Accelerated Physician Assistant Pathway | (LECOM)

The Accelerated Physician Assistant Pathway (APAP) is a fast-tracked, three-year medical school curriculum leading to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree.

lecom.edu

Yes I do, but I'm actually trying to stay in Texas because of cheap tuition (~80k for 4 years) since I already paid a lot for PA school. Aslo I know you from the PA forums! xD

 

[Drsecondchance]

Omg this is exactly what I needed, a strong strategy/plan! Thank you so much! Are you a med student already?

Yes I do, but I'm actually trying to stay in Texas because of cheap tuition (~80k for 4 years) since I already paid a lot for PA school. Aslo I know you from the PA forums! xD

I'm so glad to be helpful! I am an accepted student and have received 7 acceptances (6 DO, 1 MD) + 12 interviews so far this cycle, looking forward to starting in July.

I know I suggested a list of schools to consider, but I wanted to also suggest you carefully consider LECOM as one of your safety schools. While most Texas schools are on their face cheaper, 1 year of attending salary is going to more than make up for the difference here- LECOM is 35K*3 years = 105 K - 80K = 25K vs lowest average family physician annual salary $153,929 (North Carolina). Some of the schools I suggested, in fact, have 70K per year tuitions, but wasting your time not getting into medical school, or missing out on a really good quality medical education, while settling for somewhere cheap that won't give you the best chance of matching in the specialty you want, is even more of a risk. This is a highly competitive, tough game we play. Get in somewhere, take out your loans, and become a doctor. The rest is icing on the cake.

 

[Apollo1]

-Master of Physician Assistant Studies Degree
-PA work experience: New grad, currently applying to jobs (but have 1 year of clinical rotations/~1,500 hours)

This may be one of the biggest hurdles you have to overcome. You're a brand-new grad with no actual work experience in the field, and it may appear that you're jumping ship. In addition, the standard argument of "wanting more depth to my education" might work against you, partly due to the lack of work experience and partly due to the well-understood fact that PA education is superficial.

You may be better served by working a few years first, then applying if your heart is still set on med school after gaining real-world experience.

 

[deleted6669]

This may be one of the biggest hurdles you have to overcome. You're a brand-new grad with no actual work experience in the field, and it may appear that you're jumping ship. In addition, the standard argument of "wanting more depth to my education" might work against you, partly due to the lack of work experience and partly due to the well-understood fact that PA education is superficial.

You may be better served by working a few years first, then applying if your heart is still set on med school after gaining real-world experience.

A lot of the folks (most) who attend the Lecom program work a bit as PAs during 1st and second year. I think the longer the OP waits, the harder it will be to go back. Right now they are in student mode and not used to a six figure salary yet. hard to become a student again after making big money for a few years.