PA advice

[Marsdgrove33133]

Hello people. Its me again. Someone posted up a question that got me thinking. He’s a medic and he wants to do PA. The advice was given that he will be a great candidate because he is a medic. I use to be a EMT. I volunteered with fire rescue for a month back in 1998 in Bridgeport CT. I then came down to Miami and worked full time in Pediatric ER for a year as a tech (CPT), 7pm-7am 4x/week, this was in 1999-2000. From there I was asked to be a missionary. I did this for two and half years in South America and traveled all over. I came back to the states in Jan, 2003. I have 5 semesters left to finish my Health Science degree and Minor in Biology. HERE IS THE QUESTION: my work in the health field is old (99-2000), is that enough or should I be recertified and start working ASAP, of course that means I might to postpone my degree for a couple of semesters? What is recommended? Oh my GPA is not that great (3.0). Sciences are (3.2).

Is my work experience enough to compete? Should my GPA be more of a concern right now since I have work experience or should I get recertified and work and go to school? You guys are great .. Thanks again for everything. Much appreciated.

Mars

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[guetzow]

Some PA schools let phlebotomists in these days (So sad), so I wouldn't worry about your experience

 

[adamdowannabe]

The argument about PA schools switching up their requirements of previous experience has been totally exhauseted in the past year or so.

I am in agreement, people need to "be medicine" in order to learn medicine in such a rapid pace

BUT....in my program is a medic of around 20 years, she is in her 40's and worked as the FIRST female medic in Alabama (or so she claims) Worked as a medic and an Ortho-Tech and in the ER as a Medic/Tech too...

She is one of the worst students in our class, be it clinical skills or written tests. She is just totally all over the place, even when it comes to things she should know (ECG interpretations)



We also have a 23 year old with ZERO experience, she is one of the top students, and to see her do a physical is amazing. He lack of previous is of no hinderance to her, she is equally as effective with patients, although a little more nervous about the encounters.

I can't help but throw my hands up and say "what gives?!?!"

It's really on a person to person basis, nothing is a blanketed fact anymore.

 

[Croooz]

I believe your experience is fine. It might be best to work on your GPA and just shadow a bit or volunteer but your GPA needs to stay where it's at or go up.

My two centavos.

 

[Marsdgrove33133]

Good stuff. Thanks. It makes sense anyway that the GPA is key. They wouldn't even consider me if my GPA is low. Great. If anyone else wants to add anything please do so. Thanks again.


Mars

 

[corpsmanUP]

My guess is the idiot medic chick you are referring to in your reply Adam was let in preferentially because of her experience or she "knew someone". Medical experience is extremely beneficial and if there was a way to require it, it would be a good thing. I too have seen some of these young PA's with no medical background be very successful. Having a great deal of experience is not a "pass" to not have exceptional stats otherwise. Not many medics I ever worked with would be qualified to go to PA school, but the ones that were qualified would have done very well and should have got preferential treatment on admissions. But I too would take the young smart girl who is proven in the academic circle above the meager medic who barely passed biology and clept out of A&P with a 3/5.

 

[guetzow]

There was great 'late-40's' paramedic in my class who barely squeeked by to graduate. 22-year-old Fashion-Model-Phlebotomists were zipping by him left and right on the test scores.

 

[deleted6669]

There was great 'late-40's' paramedic in my class who barely squeeked by to graduate. 22-year-old Fashion-Model-Phlebotomists were zipping by him left and right on the test scores.

yeah, but what about clinicals....
medic: putting in central line and chest tube
model/4.0 gpa "the sharp end goes in the pt, right?"

fast forward to pance:
supermodel 95%
medic 84%

fast forward 2 yrs
medic/pa working trauma surgery/critical care for 125k/yr
fashion model/pa working at wt loss clinic for 55k/yr

sad but true...this is what happens......

 

[corpsmanUP]

yeah, but what about clinicals....
medic: putting in central line and chest tube
model/4.0 gpa "the sharp end goes in the pt, right?"

fast forward to pance:
supermodel 95%
medic 84%

fast forward 2 yrs
medic/pa working trauma surgery/critical care for 125k/yr
fashion model/pa working at wt loss clinic for 55k/yr

sad but true...this is what happens......

I think you are making a pretty big assumption E. I am usually with you on the experience issue and I do believe it is highly valuable. But it should not trump grades and stats. There should be a minimum set of admission stats for all new PA students and then anyone over that bar with medical experience should get priority. Unfortunately many programs allow medical experience to be the end all be all. Its important I agree. The lady in Adam's paragraph undoubtedly had inferior stats in some manner or she would not be struggling that severely.

 

[deleted6669]

I think you are making a pretty big assumption E. I am usually with you on the experience issue and I do believe it is highly valuable. But it should not trump grades and stats. There should be a minimum set of admission stats for all new PA students and then anyone over that bar with medical experience should get priority. Unfortunately many programs allow medical experience to be the end all be all. Its important I agree. The lady in Adam's paragraph undoubtedly had inferior stats in some manner or she would not be struggling that severely.

probably true.......

 

[niko327]

You guys make it sound like all the medics and EMTs who get into PA school dont cut it as far as academics are concerned. My experience is not like what you described, 3 out of the 5 EMS experienced students were in the Top 5 in class, with the #1 and #2 student both being EMS. The other EMS experienced students did just about average.

 

[deleted6669]

You guys make it sound like all the medics and EMTs who get into PA school dont cut it as far as academics are concerned. My experience is not like what you described, 3 out of the 5 EMS experienced students were in the Top 5 in class, with the #1 and #2 student both being EMS. The other EMS experienced students did just about average.

DITTO MY CLASS of 80 students-
#1 emt-p
#2 emt-p
#3 emt-p(me)
#4 rn
#5 r.t.

it's the rare medic who does poorly in pa school...it is a natural continuation of our prior knowledge and training

 

[hospPA]

I think you are making a pretty big assumption E. I am usually with you on the experience issue and I do believe it is highly valuable. But it should not trump grades and stats. There should be a minimum set of admission stats for all new PA students and then anyone over that bar with medical experience should get priority. Unfortunately many programs allow medical experience to be the end all be all. Its important I agree. The lady in Adam's paragraph undoubtedly had inferior stats in some manner or she would not be struggling that severely.

I agree with this entirely. I know a lot of "monkey" medics who can do the medic job quite well, but could not make a decision outside a protocol to save their lives. As I've said before, the unexperienced one's have been impressing me lately. The experienced medics and such are the best candidates, if they can think on their own as well. Academics is not easy, and is nothing like medic or EMT school. The best are the one's that can both.

Pat

 

[deleted6669]

"Academics is not easy, and is nothing like medic or EMT school. The best are the one's that can both."

while I agree that academics in pa school are much harder than medic school, the field clinicals in medic school are much harder and more stressful. as a medic intern you have to have a good idea of what you are dealing with within the 1st minute. your skills literally can define whether someone lives or dies before they get to the hospital.pt doesn't speak english and no translator around? guess what, you still have to figure it out. as a pa student there are always senior pa's and docs around who can bail you out.as a pa student you are not pushing meds without discussing it with someone 1st. medic protocols are now at the point that calling the hospital is basically just a courtesy to let them know you are coming. "medical control" as such is currently a myth. as a medic intern it's all you...yes, your medic preceptor MIGHT help you out with a difficult intubation, etc but the really hardcore preceptors(...like mine....) would just watch and say" can't intubate?, better bag and try again..... can't get the iv?...try again or do something else to get the meds in "

 

[guetzow]

Lots of "Appendage" PAs scuttling about behind their SPs, Cosma-Derma-Hair-Removal PAs and Ad-minnies that don't need/use those skills, however.

 

[deleted6669]

Lots of "Appendage" PAs scuttling about behind their SPs, Cosma-Derma-Hair-Removal PAs and Ad-minnies that don't need/use those skills, however.

waste of an education if you are basically working as a medical assistant who can write rxs for weight loss pills or do laser hair removal.....