PA application quandary

[Stronghorn]

Hey guys, I'm a Microbiology grad (3.52GPA at UT, 4.0 at community college) from UTexas at Austin in 2012 and started looking into the path to become a PA. I've been a molecular biologist / lab manager for almost the whole time since I graduated. I started looking at pre-reqs for PA school and saw that 7 years is how old they want science courses to be. So that means my early courses like intro bio have already "expired" and then others will soon follow. I called up Baylor's PA department and what they said sounded more like they put that 7 year limit there so it isn't so long that people aren't science stupid now. However, if I've "been using my scientific knowledge as I have been with my research" that it should be noted and would be considered. I'm also missing anatomy, physiology, and 2 psychology courses as pre-reqs.

So finally my question is what do you guys suggest as the best strategy to take in the coming year+ in the application process? I have to study to take the GRE, take about a full semesters worth of pre-reqs, potentially re-take old pre-reqs, and potentially shadow a PA to gain more experience to enhance my application resume. Is there anything I'm missing or in any particular order you'd suggest I'd tackle first? I'm just recently unemployed so the possibilities are wide open at the moment (one of the reasons why I'm looking for a long term solution like PA school/jobs) while I look for another job to hold me over financially.

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[Boatswain2PA]

Your question highlights the difficulties of attracting established, successful, mature people into PA programs. They have to effectively stop their lives for 1-2 years to jump through these hoops just to APPLY to PA programs. It's very difficult for an established molecular biologist, paramedic, or corpsman to jump through these hoops, meanwhile a 20 year old college sophomore can decide to take the appropriate classes and work part time as a CNA and go straight to a PA program at graduation.

Sigh....

Most of the answers to your questions are school specific. When I was looking at what schools to apply to I created a spreadsheet so I could more easily compare schools. On it I listed out things that were important to me (cost, pre-requisites, location, etc). By highlighting in red the pre-req's I didn't have yet enabled me to maximize the one year gap I had between retirement and starting PA school, and allowing me to apply to the largest number of acceptable programs.

Regarding your intro bio courses, I have a similar story but it was in psych. Some of the schools I was interested in required "Intro to Psych". I never took an actual Psych 101 course, instead I took the CLEP test for it (CLEP tests used to be common in military). But then in my undergrad I took additional higher-level Psych courses such as Abnormal Psych and a NeuroPsych class. As I applied for PA programs I was also finishing up my MPH where I took additional graduate level Psych courses, one on PTSD and one on Psychology of Disaster. So, while I hadn't actually sat in a Psych 101 course, I had many higher-level, including recent graduate level psych courses.

Of the schools I was interested in I called them and asked if they would consider my graduate level psych courses as meeting the Psych 101 requirement. Most of them said no problem, but there were 1-2 programs who said I had to take Psych 101.

So I had a decision to make. During my gap year between retirement and hopefully starting PA program I could take courses like Ochem 1 & 2, Biochem, Cell Bio, etc....or I could waste my time in Psych 101. Furthermore, did I really want to apply to programs who were, apparently, unable to apply common sense to their application processes?

I wound up scratching the 1-2 programs that were intransigent that I took Psych 101.

Hope that helps. Suggest you to to www.physicianassistantforum.com for more information/advice.

 

[pamac]

I had the same issue with one course that was just barely expiring when I had to retake for a school I didn't even get interviewed for after I applied with the course in hand. But I figured that if I wanted to reapply the next cycle, having everything current would be helpful. It seems reasonable for a course like A and P, but silly for something like child development or nutrition. But it's true, each program is distinctly different. It's best to look at a broad list of schools and tailor your transcript to play to the crowd.

 

[cowsunite]

Or take a leave of absence during the summer and take heavy loads during the summer. Since they are review classes they shouldnt be that bad. I took A&P I and II together in the same session after convincing them that I already have a bio degree. Ended up with A/A- in both classes. It was nonstop from 8-5pm every day for 5 weeks though. Lunch was 10 minutes in between classes. Some CCs have night time classes for general classes, so try taking those. They are often easier too. It depends on how much time you want to devote to it and your cramming ability. Look at online classes as well. I saw that one school offered biochem online. Cant beat that. It's ideal if you ask me....for a repeater that is.