Hello all. I'll give you a quick run down of my background so you can see where my question is coming from. I'm 36 and dealing with regret of not going for PA or med school years ago. I have a bachelors in neuroscience (1998) and masters in medical sciences (2001). Then I switched gears and enlisted in the Army and worked as an intelligence analyst (Iraq combat veteran) for three years. I went straight from that into being a stay at home mom (3 kids) for the past 8 years.
So now, I'm feeling the need to just do this, I can't let it go. I am leaning towards a PA program. I'm limited geographically. There is only one PA program and one MD program that would be available to me here in central PA, Penn State.
My question is, in regards to PA programs, how do you handle letters of recommendations when you have been out of the field for so long? I do have experience interacting with patients in my past research experience (well over 10 years ago) and I know I could probably get two letters from supervisors (one PhD, one MD) that I worked with back then. But then I'm stuck with who to ask for the 3rd... I have Dr friends who at the time were co-workers and since became doctors, I have my supervisor from my time in the military who I know would speak highly of me, but it would not be medical related, probably speak more of my character. Or do I contact an acquantaince/old friend who is a PA and try to shadow her for a bit now, especially since I've been out of the field for so long, and then ask her for a recommendation?
So now, I'm feeling the need to just do this, I can't let it go. I am leaning towards a PA program. I'm limited geographically. There is only one PA program and one MD program that would be available to me here in central PA, Penn State.
My question is, in regards to PA programs, how do you handle letters of recommendations when you have been out of the field for so long? I do have experience interacting with patients in my past research experience (well over 10 years ago) and I know I could probably get two letters from supervisors (one PhD, one MD) that I worked with back then. But then I'm stuck with who to ask for the 3rd... I have Dr friends who at the time were co-workers and since became doctors, I have my supervisor from my time in the military who I know would speak highly of me, but it would not be medical related, probably speak more of my character. Or do I contact an acquantaince/old friend who is a PA and try to shadow her for a bit now, especially since I've been out of the field for so long, and then ask her for a recommendation?
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