PA to MD . . . Yes ?? No ?? Have a year to spend and NEED HELP!

[coyfish]

Long story short I have a year to blow. I am graduating this summer and I can't apply for this years (2010) med class. Deadlines are rapidly approaching and I need to make a decision about what to do VERY soon. My dad is an MD and he is pushing me towards the PA schools. From reading in here I have found that MD programs (not DO) do not look at PA GPA . . . The disadvantages of PA school would be that along with the price / inability to finish the program (drop out after med school acceptance).

My GPA isn't the best. Im going to graduate with around a 3.4 overall GPA. Im taking the MCAT in may or june.

My ultimate goal is med school and after I graduate I need to study hardcore for the MCAT so I can get a 35+ for a shot at a decent school. Also volunteer work and some research will be on my agenda after I graduate.


The problem is that a year isn't enough time to finish anything I start. Im 22 and it took me 5 years to finish undergrad because I changed majors half way through. I don't really wan't to hang around anymore as an undergrad and just take random classes. But if thats what would be best than I suppose I can.

Any advice?? How about some graduate degrees (at least start them)??

Im really stressing out /:

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[illegallysmooth]

Long story short I have a year to blow. I am graduating this summer and I can't apply for this years (2010) med class. Deadlines are rapidly approaching and I need to make a decision about what to do VERY soon. My dad is an MD and he is pushing me towards the PA schools. From reading in here I have found that MD programs (not DO) do not look at PA GPA . . . The disadvantages of PA school would be that along with the price / inability to finish the program (drop out after med school acceptance).

My GPA isn't the best. Im going to graduate with around a 3.4 overall GPA. Im taking the MCAT in may or june.

My ultimate goal is med school and after I graduate I need to study hardcore for the MCAT so I can get a 35+ for a shot at a decent school. Also volunteer work and some research will be on my agenda after I graduate.


The problem is that a year isn't enough time to finish anything I start. Im 22 and it took me 5 years to finish undergrad because I changed majors half way through. I don't really wan't to hang around anymore as an undergrad and just take random classes. But if thats what would be best than I suppose I can.

Any advice?? How about some graduate degrees (at least start them)??

Im really stressing out /:

DON'T GO TO PA SCHOOL IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND MEDICAL SCHOOL. IT IS A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME AND EFFORT.

Why are you "really stressing out?"

Why do you even want to graduate school? Have you completed your prereqs? What is your sGPA?

 

[g8orlife]

DON'T GO TO PA SCHOOL IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND MEDICAL SCHOOL. IT IS A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME AND EFFORT.

Why are you "really stressing out?"

Why do you even want to graduate school? Have you completed your prereqs? What is your sGPA?

I'm a PA and am going MD/DO now. If I realized I'd prefer MD/DO beforehand, I would've saved $ and time by doing an SMP, BMS, or post-bac.

repeat: DON'T GO TO PA SCHOOL IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND MEDICAL SCHOOL. IT IS A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME AND EFFORT.

 

[Makati2008]

I don't think PA school is a waste of time/effort but it does make a good fall back plan for some people who don't have the highest GPA or MCAT.

Honestly if you are trying to go MD/DO go that route first. I went PA first and I am now going to medical school. I don't regret my decision for a second due to my program being dirt cheap as well as me saving enough to pay most of medical school off prior to residency(I plan on getting my current job to pay it ALL off but if something happens with my job due to the economy I wanted another fall back plan)

Sorry if I am rambling but I just woke up, but again think long and hard about if you really just don't want to do some research and apply to medical school for the 2011 cycle.

 

[riverjib]

Long story short I have a year to blow. I am graduating this summer and I can't apply for this years (2010) med class. Deadlines are rapidly approaching and I need to make a decision about what to do VERY soon. My dad is an MD and he is pushing me towards the PA schools. From reading in here I have found that MD programs (not DO) do not look at PA GPA . . . The disadvantages of PA school would be that along with the price / inability to finish the program (drop out after med school acceptance).

My GPA isn't the best. Im going to graduate with around a 3.4 overall GPA. Im taking the MCAT in may or june.

My ultimate goal is med school and after I graduate I need to study hardcore for the MCAT so I can get a 35+ for a shot at a decent school. Also volunteer work and some research will be on my agenda after I graduate.


The problem is that a year isn't enough time to finish anything I start. Im 22 and it took me 5 years to finish undergrad because I changed majors half way through. I don't really wan't to hang around anymore as an undergrad and just take random classes. But if thats what would be best than I suppose I can.

Any advice?? How about some graduate degrees (at least start them)??

Im really stressing out /:

If you're not at all interested in PA, don't apply, First of all, it's probably as competitive as med school is now, and the pre-reqs are different. Some require biochem, anatomy, physiology, and other classes. Plus, I'm not sure how ADCOMs view dropping out of a PA program, but I know that they expect applicants in PhD programs to finish before matriculating.

My fiance and I met in gen chem. He was doing an informal post-bacc after rescinding acceptances to law school. He decided to apply to PA school, and I made him take Orgo 2 with me even after he was accepted in case he later changed his mind. Working in health care for years, I had a lot of friends who were PAs, and they either LOVED the profession or hated the limitations and chose to pursue med school later. Now he's halfway through his program, and he knows he made the right decision. He jokingly nudges me for making him suffer through Orgo 2, since he'll never need it. The program is shorter but as intense as med school, so it's better for you if ADCOMs don't consider your grades...it's really difficult to maintain above a 3.5. Just finishing with the required 3.0 is tough, and prospective employers are much more concerned with PANCE (board) scores than they are with GPA.

Anyway, decide what will make you happy and go for it. If you need GPA rehab for med school, you'd also need it for PA school--his school (and my school's PA program) admit students with an average GPA around 3.7. Definitely don't go for PA unless that's what you want to do in the long run. If you're going for med school, I'd suggest an SMP or a post-bacc program that has matriculation agreements with med schools. If you maintain an extremely high GPA in one of those programs and have great recommendations, you're pretty much guaranteed acceptance somewhere. Good luck!

 

[deleted6669]

AGREE WITH THE ABOVE POSTERS. IF YOU WANT MD/DO GO THAT ROUTE.
that being said there is no reason pa school gpa wouldn't be counted as long as it leads to a recognized degree(bs/ms).
I have many friends who have gone pa to md and all of them had no problem doing so and submitted their pa school grades which were worked into their total cumulative gpa.
some older pa programs and a few( like 6) of the 150 out there gave a certificate. I can see how that would not be accepted but if you have a bona fide bs or ms it's just like having a bio degree. your grades would be counted.
ps a 3.4 gpa without significant prior medical experience(like paramedic/rn/rt/etc) would not get you into pa school.
it would get you into many carib md programs though....

 

[riverjib]

AGREE WITH THE ABOVE POSTERS. IF YOU WANT MD/DO GO THAT ROUTE.
that being said there is no reason pa school gpa wouldn't be counted as long as it leads to a recognized degree(bs/ms).
I have many friends who have gone pa to md and all of them had no problem doing so and submitted their pa school grades which were worked into their total cumulative gpa.
some older pa programs and a few( like 6) of the 150 out there gave a certificate. I can see how that would not be accepted but if you have a bona fide bs or ms it's just like having a bio degree. your grades would be counted.
ps a 3.4 gpa without significant prior medical experience(like paramedic/rn/rt/etc) would not get you into pa school.
it would get you into many carib md programs though....

I'm pretty sure that PA school grades wouldn't be factored in, unless they were from undergrad programs which are quickly being phased out. And you're right, a 3.4 is not competitive. I'd be willing to bet that even now, PA matriculants' GPAs are actually higher than MS-1 uGPAs. PA is becoming really popular. Nursing students in my school need nearly perfect GPAs (3.8+) for acceptance, and I'm sure PA schools are becoming more selective. My fiance said his school (good, but not especially prestigious) has rejected plenty of Ivy applicants, and he knows one kid who applied PA/MD/DO this year who got into NYMC and Downstate, but not NYIT's PA program.

 

[deleted6669]

why wouldn't gpa from a masters in pa studies from an accredited university be counted?
that's like saying"med schools won't look at your gpa from an mph degree".
trust me, if it's an accredited degree(bs/ms) they will factor it in. I've seen it happen many times.

 

[kristieb1]

It's going to be difficult to get into any PA school if you don't have at least ONE year of work experience in health care (you didn't mention any). With good ECs and plenty of work experience, your GPA could still get you in. But doing everything last minute or in a gap year isn't quite the same as doing those activities for 4 years (or 5) during undergrad.

My friend had strong ECs and lots of health care experience. She had barely above a 3.0 cGPA and around a 2.9 sGPA. She got in to 2 schools on her second cycle.

But I agree, if you want to go to med school don't bother with PA. Tuition is not cheap and you're going to have to learn basic sciences twice. Why torture yourself twice? lol

 

[wholeheartedly]

also, don't start a graduate program if you don't plan to finish. don't do something just to be doing something.

there are quite a few medical schools that have made deals with their respective graduate schools not to let people matriculate who haven't finished their graduate degrees. This is done so the graduate programs don't get screwed by admitting and funding students who leave after a year for medical school. my state school does this (and it doesn't matter if you're 1 year into a masters at the same school or a school clear across the country, you have to finish that before you can matriculate) and I've read similar things on admission requirements of several other med schools. it doesn't go over well.

personally I'd spend your year "off" bolstering your gpa with some more sci classes and other experiences.

I think what everyone is saying about the PA school grades "not being counted" is that graduate gpa's are calculated seperately from undergraduate gpa's on AMCAS and are weighted differently with respect to medical school admissions, undergrad being most important.

just my two cents though

 

[coyfish]

Thanks for your help guys. I was stressing because I missed the deadlines for this years med school. My parents were pissed and now I have a year to spend. Decided on just sticking around for another year in undergrad. Take some science classes to get A's in. As well as have more time to smoke the MCAT.

Going to do research and volunteer work as well so its not all bad. Just kind of sucks that I missed the deadlines. . . Lesson learned.

 

[g8orlife]

Just kind of sucks that I missed the deadlines. . . Lesson learned.

No, it doesn't suck. Now, you'll have a kick-@$$ mcat score, better EC's, and you'll be one of the first applicants to all your desired programs ... which all increase your chance of getting in. Only ~50% of applicants are accepted; so, might as well be the best you can be.

Don't worry about your parents. They'll be making less decisions for you as you get older; this is just the first of many. Good luck

 

[UnitedWay211]

Long story short I have a year to blow. I am graduating this summer and I can't apply for this years (2010) med class. Deadlines are rapidly approaching and I need to make a decision about what to do VERY soon. My dad is an MD and he is pushing me towards the PA schools. From reading in here I have found that MD programs (not DO) do not look at PA GPA . . . The disadvantages of PA school would be that along with the price / inability to finish the program (drop out after med school acceptance).

My GPA isn't the best. Im going to graduate with around a 3.4 overall GPA. Im taking the MCAT in may or june.

My ultimate goal is med school and after I graduate I need to study hardcore for the MCAT so I can get a 35+ for a shot at a decent school. Also volunteer work and some research will be on my agenda after I graduate.


The problem is that a year isn't enough time to finish anything I start. Im 22 and it took me 5 years to finish undergrad because I changed majors half way through. I don't really wan't to hang around anymore as an undergrad and just take random classes. But if thats what would be best than I suppose I can.

Any advice?? How about some graduate degrees (at least start them)??

Im really stressing out /:

Don't start a graduate degree unless you plan on finishing it. Medical schools won't take you unless you have completed it. I wanted to matriculate without finishing my Masters degree in Chemistry and found out that that was the worst thing that I could have done. It makes one look indecisive, and med schools are aware that grad programs spend ALOT of money on their students.

If you have a year to spend, you might try AmeriCorp. You can obtain experience and a stipend. Some programs also offer educational awards, too.

 

[DrArete]

Long story short I have a year to blow. I am graduating this summer and I can't apply for this years (2010) med class. Deadlines are rapidly approaching and I need to make a decision about what to do VERY soon. My dad is an MD and he is pushing me towards the PA schools. From reading in here I have found that MD programs (not DO) do not look at PA GPA . . . The disadvantages of PA school would be that along with the price / inability to finish the program (drop out after med school acceptance).

My GPA isn't the best. Im going to graduate with around a 3.4 overall GPA. Im taking the MCAT in may or june.

My ultimate goal is med school and after I graduate I need to study hardcore for the MCAT so I can get a 35+ for a shot at a decent school. Also volunteer work and some research will be on my agenda after I graduate.


The problem is that a year isn't enough time to finish anything I start. Im 22 and it took me 5 years to finish undergrad because I changed majors half way through. I don't really wan't to hang around anymore as an undergrad and just take random classes. But if thats what would be best than I suppose I can.

Any advice?? How about some graduate degrees (at least start them)??

Im really stressing out /:

Seriously???


Just CALM DOWN.

You have a year in your early 20s to do as you wish.

Go here - www.idealist.org

Find a place you want to go, find something health related, and go and help people.

There are THOUSANDS of opportunities.

Don't waste time in the USA doing a worthless degree or a menial job.