How necessary is significant paid experience to get into PA programs?

[Lindyhopper]

---

Members do not see this ad.

My finace is graduating with a BS in Chem and is interested in PA programs. She has significant basic research experience but is light on hands healthcare experience. She has volunteered at hospitals, school nurses offices, and now volunteers on a crisis line. Is this level of experience a devastating hurdle. Any info or suggestions?

 

[Wookieemom]

Some schools require paid experience, some consider volunteer experience to be worthwhile.

I had no paid experience, but did have 2+ years of volunteer experience in two ERs. However, my classmates that had worked in health care (EMT, PT, etc) had an advantage in classes as they were more fluent in the terminolgy, equipment, and such.

Each school usually states their requirement as to experience. If it states "paid" experience, they mean it.

I had one rejection from a program that was terribly condescending, offering to share my application with their Medical Assistant program! But I was accepted to my "dream school", graduated in July, and start work next Monday. So "volunteer" work is not a waste. Good luck to your fiance.

Wookieemom

 

[DrB]

Hi... I may be applying to PA school next year and I was wondering about my job as a phlebotomist. I have been working at the hospital for over two years and I wanted to know if this counts?

Thanks
-Vampire

 

[emtp2pac]

some schools may count this. prefered experience is at the level of nurse/medic/resp. therapist or another health care professional with significant clinical interaction/decision making with pts. check with individual schools