Question about PA program prereqs.

[tony1853]

Hi all...this summer, and then the fall and spring semesters (concluding in May 2006) I will be finishing the prereqs I need for PA BS programs. To start any of these programs in the summer of 2006, I would apply in January 2006...HOWEVER...some prereq courses will not be completed at the time of application - they will be done in May...so I would be applying without grades for the second semesters of A&P, chem and developmental pysch.

Given this, is it:

1) still possible to apply, and

2) if possible, is it advisable, since there will be applicants who have completed all the courses by the time of application.

I really don't want to have to wait until I finish those courses, because that would mean applying in January of 2007...A FULL YEAR LATER.

Any opinions/advice would be very much appreciated! Thanks!

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[djquick83]

In general, I think its important to have those courses before u apply, but if u have doen well in everything else and are taking those courses at the time of applying, they make a note of it and still call u for interview. I could be wrong, but thats my guess because it always says what classes have u taken/currently taking in the grades part of the aplication. Either way, apply and see what happens.

 

[tony1853]

I e-mailed somebody at SUNY Downstate Med Center about this, and her reply was:

The Physician Assistant program is one of our most competitive programs. The Admissions Committee look favorably to applications with all of the prerequisites completed by the application deadline.

I am curious about re-applying...as in if I apply in Jan 06, before pre-reqs are completed, and didn't make it in, how would they look upon re-application a year later? Favorably, unfavorably, wouldn't matter...???

In general, I think its important to have those courses before u apply, but if u have doen well in everything else and are taking those courses at the time of applying, they make a note of it and still call u for interview. I could be wrong, but thats my guess because it always says what classes have u taken/currently taking in the grades part of the aplication. Either way, apply and see what happens.

 

[djquick83]

If ure interested in doin PA school in NYC, try Cornell, LIU in Brooklyn, or NYIT PA program in Long Island for masters. Downstate is a good school, but its cracked out and certainly not somewhere u wanna go to school. I should know. I lived in the ghetto my whole life. Your focus for PA school should be ure studies, not whether you will come home alive or not. Just my 2 cents.

 

[tony1853]

Ha! Funny you should say that - I have an uncle that knows Brooklyn very well, and when I asked him about Clarkson Avenue, he looked at me like I had 10 heads, and said "stay away from there!"

I want to also apply to Touro.

I briefly looked at LIU, but they are pricey: $651 per credit, so the total cost of tuition alone for the professional phase is over $43K. I still need 2 or 3 semesters of prereqs here at the CUNY school which should total out to between $5 and $7K. I am going to need to rely on loans exclusively (no savings, no family help, wife's salary is BARELY enough to support us, no way to secure any other loans)...the undergrad limit for Stafford loans is $46K, I have already borrowed $18K due to earlier "educational misadventure."...so I come up short.

One of the attractive things about downstate is that you pay SUNY tuition (about $5K per year). Keep in mind that if I entered the CUNY/Harlem Hospital program, I would pay CUNY tuition throughout the professional phase...so about $4K per year...

Stonybrook is about at least a 2 hour drive (one way) from where I live. My wife's job, that she dearly loves and is established in, is here...so I think that moving is out of the question.

Regarding master's programs, I really want to pursue this at the BS level to move forward with my life and get practicing.

If ure interested in doin PA school in NYC, try Cornell, LIU in Brooklyn, or NYIT PA program in Long Island for masters. Downstate is a good school, but its cracked out and certainly not somewhere u wanna go to school. I should know. I lived in the ghetto my whole life. Your focus for PA school should be ure studies, not whether you will come home alive or not. Just my 2 cents.

 

[djquick83]

Ha! Funny you should say that - I have an uncle that knows Brooklyn very well, and when I asked him about Clarkson Avenue, he looked at me like I had 10 heads, and said "stay away from there!"

I want to also apply to Touro.

I briefly looked at LIU, but they are pricey: $651 per credit, so the total cost of tuition alone for the professional phase is over $43K. I still need 2 or 3 semesters of prereqs here at the CUNY school which should total out to between $5 and $7K. I am going to need to rely on loans exclusively (no savings, no family help, wife's salary is BARELY enough to support us, no way to secure any other loans)...the undergrad limit for Stafford loans is $46K, I have already borrowed $18K due to earlier "educational misadventure."...so I come up short.

One of the attractive things about downstate is that you pay SUNY tuition (about $5K per year). Keep in mind that if I entered the CUNY/Harlem Hospital program, I would pay CUNY tuition throughout the professional phase...so about $4K per year...

Stonybrook is about at least a 2 hour drive (one way) from where I live. My wife's job, that she dearly loves and is established in, is here...so I think that moving is out of the question.

Regarding master's programs, I really want to pursue this at the BS level to move forward with my life and get practicing.

Actually, LIU PA is cheaper than their undergrad tuition. The whole program runs about 27,000. I thought it would be more but thats what they told me. They send u out into the field in your third week to do actual patient/hands on learning. I was gonna go there but things turned out diff for me so I chose DO school instead. I know a PA who worked with their students and he told me they know how to teach over there. Def. apply. BTW, price means nothing. With you salary as a PA, u can pay it off. The key is to learn something and appreciate your time there. Downstate is cheap, but you couldn't pay me enough to go to that school. Dont let the tuition scare u into goin there, not to mention their program is almost 3 years long when everywhere else is 2-2.5 years. Just my 2 cents.

 

[EMDream]

Hm. I wasn't aware that BS programs really had a lot of prereqs. I attend D'Youville college and am a 2nd year transfer PA student I got in without A&P, though I had Gen Chem, microbiology, gen psych and gen biology. This year has been a bit tough since I have had to pack in a lot of credits, 21 last semester and 19 this semester, and I have to take Gross Anatomy and Biochem in the summer, to meet core requirements before going into didactic year in the fall(so close!)

Check out different programs, some don't have pre req's, it just might affect when you graduate.

In fact, if you applied to D'Youville now you could start Fall 2005. I applied in late MARCH and got an April interview! This school really isn't stringent on deadlines! But then again, you have to live in Buffalo which is not exactly pleasant but it's worth it to me to be graduating PA school in 2007.

 

[tony1853]

I am finding out that the pre-professional phase prereqs are not the prob...it is the liberal arts requirements of the school you are transferring into!!

This wouldn't be a prob for somebody that goes to that school as a freshman intending to enter its PA program, because they can cover those requirements for the beginning...but if you are transferring in, as I intend to do...you could have a prob if the courses you took (in my cases, 73 credits worth) are not those that your new school wants for graduation.

Relocation is pretty much out of the q because my wife's job is here.

The one thing I am afraid of is concentrating on getting the liberal arts classes specific to one college...and then NOT getting into that college's PA program!!!!

That's why it seems like I would have the most flexibility by looking at all the pgms I want to apply to, and then taking all of the courses required to meet the liberal arts rqrmts of ANY of those programs... but of course, that will add like a full year BEFORE I apply to any professional portion. And I don't want that! We're talking about more time, stress and money that way!!!

Of course, the other option is to apply wherever, and if I get accepted and get through the professional phase...and then I might have to take courses to satisfy the lib arts rqrmts to actually get awarded the degree! Can you imagine getting through your PA program yrs, and then having to sit through a speech class, or an english lit class before they hand you your degree!?!?!?

THAT WOULD SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hm. I wasn't aware that BS programs really had a lot of prereqs. I attend D'Youville college and am a 2nd year transfer PA student I got in without A&P, though I had Gen Chem, microbiology, gen psych and gen biology. This year has been a bit tough since I have had to pack in a lot of credits, 21 last semester and 19 this semester, and I have to take Gross Anatomy and Biochem in the summer, to meet core requirements before going into didactic year in the fall(so close!)

Check out different programs, some don't have pre req's, it just might affect when you graduate.

In fact, if you applied to D'Youville now you could start Fall 2005. I applied in late MARCH and got an April interview! This school really isn't stringent on deadlines! But then again, you have to live in Buffalo which is not exactly pleasant but it's worth it to me to be graduating PA school in 2007.

 

[djquick83]

Thats another problem. Every school has their own requirements, unlike med schools. Its hard to fullfill everyone, just try and have the major ones and take some that most schools usually look at, such as psychology and other social sciences and English Composition.

 

[EMDream]

I am finding out that the pre-professional phase prereqs are not the prob...it is the liberal arts requirements of the school you are transferring into!!


Of course, the other option is to apply wherever, and if I get accepted and get through the professional phase...and then I might have to take courses to satisfy the lib arts rqrmts to actually get awarded the degree! Can you imagine getting through your PA program yrs, and then having to sit through a speech class, or an english lit class before they hand you your degree!?!?!?

THAT WOULD SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I could not agree more! The liberal arts requirements are what really bugs me too. I would have SUCH a lax schedule without these liber arts requirements. For example this semester I'm taking Pathophysiology, A&P II, and the rest are total BS!! Bioethics (ok somewhat related), creative writing, eastern philosophy and statistics. Last semester my only sciences were A&P I and Organic Chem out of 21 credit hours! Because of these humanity credits I'm stuck CRAMMIN Gross anatomy and biochem in the summer PLUS another ethics class. Give me a break!!!

We aren't even allowed to enter the professional phase until all the core is finished.

 

[tony1853]

I here ya...

If I were to apply to the program that is affiliated with the school that I presently attend, I'd be fine as far as liberal arts requirements...because I used to be a bio major at this school about 7 yrs ago, and I managed to get 90% of the liberal arts stuff outta' da' way...

The problem arises because I want to transfer into to other programs...and therefore need to satisfy the rqrmts at that damn school!

One exception here is the PA program at SUNY-Downstate. They are a med school, and they have received a waiver from NYS for the liberal arts rqrmts that normally apply to a SUNY school...so all you need do is have the usual (1 yr A&P, 1 yr chem, 1 yr english, college level math)...

I could not agree more! The liberal arts requirements are what really bugs me too. I would have SUCH a lax schedule without these liber arts requirements. For example this semester I'm taking Pathophysiology, A&P II, and the rest are total BS!! Bioethics (ok somewhat related), creative writing, eastern philosophy and statistics. Last semester my only sciences were A&P I and Organic Chem out of 21 credit hours! Because of these humanity credits I'm stuck CRAMMIN Gross anatomy and biochem in the summer PLUS another ethics class. Give me a break!!!

We aren't even allowed to enter the professional phase until all the core is finished.