I am trying to make the transition from dental to PA, and would like to know if there are any post-bacc programs that will accept any undergraduate GPA below a 2.7 and graduate GPA of 2.9
I know my GPAs are very low, but I would like to find out if there’s a program that will look holistically and possibly consider a high standardized exam score.
The standardized test score you are thinking of that might budge the needle a bit for you would involve the GRE, which you would have to literally ACE. Even at that, it probably wouldn’t account for much. Programs don’t want someone who struggles with the curriculum, and good grades demonstrate mastery of study skills. Programs might let you pay application fees and apply with those grades, but they won’t accept them. The graduate degree was the way to redeem the grades for the undergraduate degree, and a 2.9 suggested you struggled with the attempt at redemption. PA schools have lots of applicants, most with quite good grades, and they don’t need to have any space for candidates with low marks. It used to be they would round out their applicant pool with folks with some non trad backgrounds, but they really don’t need to compromise anymore. If they want someone older with healthcare experience, there are plenty of folks in that demographic that they can choose from that have the grades.
Students who spent undergrad enamored with the idea of being a medical professional cling to the idea of wearing a stethoscope, or donning a white coat, or being called doctor. When one door closes, they try to find a substitute like chiropractic, podiatry, or PA. In a few years, being a PA will pay the equivalent of $75k per year in today’s dollars. Go become a career RN, Rad tech, medical lab scientist, respiratory therapist, or occupational therapist. Or get a cushy civil service job working for health and welfare with an obscure title like “health promotion specialist”. Or get a healthcare administration degree, and run the business side of medicine. PA is probably off the table, and that’s probably a good thing in your case. I’ve seen people who spun their wheels for years to become PAs after struggling with poor grades, and they hit a workforce to land jobs that pay $80k… which was less than I was making my second year as a nurse.
Don’t despair about your grades, retool your outlook, and consider some other options. Likely, you’ve known a well off PA and figured it’s a decent consolation prize. I’m afraid that becoming a PA isn’t even a good consolation prize even for becoming a PA… not for $80k per year to start, and $200k in student debt.
