Question about physician assistants programs as backups

[PreMedical2012]

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Hi everyone,

I am on track to medical school and am currently a junior in college majoring in biology. I had a few questions about PA programs because I will be using them as a backup. What are the requirements to get into one if you already have a BS degree? Do I need to take an entrance exam like the GREs or MCATs? Is it a good field to go into?

Thanks in advance!

 

[DrYoda]

What are the requirements to get into one if you already have a BS degree?

It is variable by school. Many schools' differ significantly from the med-school pre-reqs. Look on the sites of the schools you are interested in.

I believe there is also a requirement for having a certain # of patient contact hours, but I'm not sure if it's universal or not.

Do I need to take an entrance exam like the GREs or MCATs?

GRE

Is it a good field to go into?

You'll have to make that determination for yourself.

 

[Dr McSexy]

Many schools' differ significantly from the med-school pre-reqs..

In fact, from the programs that I've seen, there are usually way more requirements for PA than medical school.

I.e. direct requirements to have patient contact hours (usually over 100 hours, Edit to Add: lulz, I looked at one school just now that suggested over 1000 hours of hands-on care (i.e. 1 full year)), taking specific higher level courses such as anatomy, physiology, and I think I saw even one school require a medical terminology course.

 

[sylvanthus]

OP- Be ready to be flamed for using PA as a back-up. But, I'll be honest I applied to both DO and PA school and primary had PA school as a backup. It is difficult to coordinate prereqs for both, so youll have to plan out your schedule well in advance.

For instance, it is almost a requirement to have clinical experience to apply to PA school. Also, pretty much every program requires anatomy and physiology, and many require some sort of psych class and potentially statistics and biochem. Also, the master's level programs will generally require the GRE.

So, it can be done, but it is a bit of a pain. Plus filling out the CASPA application and all the secondaries for PA school and filling out the secondaries for DO school at the same time is a serious pain. Furthermore, it is expensive to fly around for interviews for both.


Can it be done, yup. But you have to decide if it is worth it.

 

[DaTruMD]

What happened to DO as being a backup plan?

 

[Pons Asinorum]

What happened to DO as being a backup plan?

 

[DaTruMD]

I don't mean it to be offensive. It is a legitimate question considering the majority of DO schools have lower standards for acceptance than MD schools. Also, I obviously got the idea of DO as being a backup from this forum. I have never even heard of DO before I went on SDN.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

I don't mean it to be offensive. It is a legitimate question considering the majority of DO schools have lower standards for acceptance than MD schools. Also, I obviously got the idea of DO as being a backup from this forum. I have never even heard of DO before I went on SDN.

I couldn't agree more, friend. I also know that any comment that relegates DO to inferiority will light some fuses around these parts.

 

[jvesco22]

I couldn't agree more, friend. I also know that any comment that relegates DO to inferiority will light some fuses around these parts.

inb4willen013and/orjaggerplate

 

[Pons Asinorum]

inb4willen013and/orjaggerplate

Quite true. The smell of this thread is wafting over towards DOville as we speak...