MD to PA

Started by Anony-mouse
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Anony-mouse

Physician
10+ Year Member
Hello,

I had some questions about transition from a MD to a PA. If someone has completed medical school, would I be required to take pre med coursework, the MCAT, GRE before applying? From what i'e seen it varies f rom school to school.
 
Dave1980 said:
whats the story? didn't match? asked to leave?

wont need the MCAT (obviously).
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forums.studentdoctor.net

Other - Returning to residency after leaving military

Hello So apologies in advance this is a long one. During my first year of Residency I was placed on academic probation for a period of 3 months for professionalism and patient care issues. Specifically, being late for clinic as well as assessment and plans that were not at my expected level...
forums.studentdoctor.net forums.studentdoctor.net
 
Forget prerequisites for a second - you have a much bigger issue. I know of former med students/unmatched MDs who have gone on to become PAs/other midlevels, but they had really good explanations for why med school or residency didn't pan out (e.g., naïveté about the Caribbean, horrible family issues, etc.)

But your situation sounds much trickier. With the caveat that I know virtually nothing about PA school admissions and I'm only speaking to the obvious questions someone would have about your situation, you need to have a really good explanation for what happened with your residency. If your PGY2 professionalism issue was due to something correctable - immaturity, poor skill set, a health condition - then maybe you'll be OK. But if your essentially forced resignation was because you slept with a patient or hit a nurse, then I can't imagine any healthcare field is going to be open to you. So I hope for your sake (and ours) it's something like the former.

PA route aside, with one year of GME, shouldn't you be able to practice as an MD in many states? You won't get an academic/private practice group job, but I'd imagine you could hang a shingle somewhere. Why not pursue this route?
 
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Your best bet is to go Nurse Practitioner. PA route still has standards, whereas nowadays anyone can get into NP direct-entry programs. They will take you in a heartbeat

EDiT: I know some of you don't like this, but it isn't my fault that there are direct entry 100% admission rate NP programs out there. Simply, these are a safe bet to OP than trying to be admitted into a PA program
 
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I did some reading on my own. I don't think I'm going to be able to apply without doing all the pre med coursework and stuff again, since I took them a long time ago anyway.

To answer someone above, the amount you can do with a year of training is medicare home health exams, prison work, IHS. Not to belittle any of those organizations at all.
Goro said:
forums.studentdoctor.net

Other - Returning to residency after leaving military

Hello So apologies in advance this is a long one. During my first year of Residency I was placed on academic probation for a period of 3 months for professionalism and patient care issues. Specifically, being late for clinic as well as assessment and plans that were not at my expected level...
forums.studentdoctor.net forums.studentdoctor.net
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Some do. Some don't. The other issue is undergrand courses need to be taken within a certain period in most cases at least for the schools near me.
 
Anony-mouse said:
I did some reading on my own. I don't think I'm going to be able to apply without doing all the pre med coursework and stuff again, since I took them a long time ago anyway.

To answer someone above, the amount you can do with a year of training is medicare home health exams, prison work, IHS. Not to belittle any of those organizations at all.
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What about a med spa paying you for your signature as a medical director?
 
Didn’t you complete a year of residency? Do you have an unrestricted license? Just work urgent cares man

alternatively there are 100% fm programs that will take you. They may not be the best and may not be many but if you applied to every single one you’re bound to get some bites. You’re a us grad. Why not give it a go?
 
Natremia said:
Didn’t you complete a year of residency? Do you have an unrestricted license? Just work urgent cares man

alternatively there are 100% fm programs that will take you. They may not be the best and may not be many but if you applied to every single one you’re bound to get some bites. You’re a us grad. Why not give it a go?
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FM programs are not desperate to take someone that has had major residency issues with a PD letter that is heavily negative. If OP had minimal red flags (eg, a failed class in med school, had to take step twice, etc) then they'd have a chance, but what has happened to OP is career ending
 
AlbinoHawk DO said:
FM programs are not desperate to take someone that has had major residency issues with a PD letter that is heavily negative. If OP had minimal red flags (eg, a failed class in med school, had to take step twice, etc) then they'd have a chance, but what has happened to OP is career ending
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I disagree. I know people with WORSE academic records that have matched FM (ie terminated from residency and also red flags from med school)
 
Natremia said:
I disagree. I know people with WORSE academic records that have matched FM (ie terminated from residency and also red flags from med school)
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What do you disagree based on? Legit question. Have you spoken to PDs or know someone in your program that was admitted with these red flags?

I know a few people that have gone unmatched more than one cycle for simple red flags such as failed steps and have seen these kinds of candidates filtered out. Professionalism and performance issues, particularly during residency, I often see as the biggest factors for people not to be extended interviews or ranked
 
Why did you leave the military? Why not stay and accrue pension and build connections and get into a military residency? If you had enough seniority, you probably could have gotten your pick.

I was a slacker in medical school and thus bonded with other slackers. One of the biggest slackers in my class was a girl in the military. Last time I heard of her, she did internship and was a GMO for a few years and then went into occupational medicine.

You were part of a network that would have supported you (even with your black marks). Why did you give that up?
 
I haven't been able to find urgent care positions that accept people who aren't board certified. I took the risk of getting out, at the time I had a few interviews so I thought it would work out differently. Obviously I was wroing.
 
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