Switching directions again. Advice/thoughts appreciated!

[ADK]

I'll try to make a long-story short: I finished undergrad in 2012 as a biology major/history minor. I was originally a pre-dental student. Things didn't work out as I had hoped with an extremely late application. I applied to podiatric medical school and was accepted, but deferred for a year. I was supposed to start just a few weeks ago, but I withdrew. I think I've finally decided on what I would like to do, that is, become a PA. However, I do not have direct patient care hours in order to apply this cycle. As of now, I have shadowed a dentist (125 hours), an orthodontist (125 hours), and a podiatrist (10 hours). I am starting a CNA program that runs from mid-September to mid-December. After that program, I plan to accumulate as many hours that I can until the 2015-2016 cycle opens. Still, I do not think the hours I can possibly accrue in that time will be sufficient. I am just worried that I will wait around until January 2016 or so (whenever acceptance/rejections happen) and then be disappointed in not getting accepted anywhere. The other option I was weighing is starting a nursing BSN program, which would end in Dec. 2016.... but what I really want is to attend PA school. I'm just really unsure about my chance at PA school acceptance, and any advice would be helpful. I'm currently 24 and my parents are harping on me to get on with my life and make a decision. I haven't been using my bachelors degree in the meantime either... I was waitressing instead (not sure if that will be looked down upon?). I calculated my GPAs to be: Non-science= 3.97, Science(BCP)= 3.74, Overall= 3.87. I did not take the GRE and do not plan to do so. Schools that I am considering applying to include: Le Moyne, Pace, Hofstra, Daemen, Touro College, Northeastern, Salus, Rutgers, Franklin Pierce, and Eastern Virginia.

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[pamac]

You'll get in to most of the pa programs you apply to. I don't even know if those schools care much about hce, you'll have to check. Get some humanitarian volunteer work behind you.

 

[wutthechris]

Why do you think you want to be a PA now? You should really do some shadowing and then spend some time earning HCE around PAs to find out if it's what you really want to do. I would be hesitant about throwing down 100k+ after being so wishy washy the past couple of years.

 

[ADK]

The reason I withdrew from podiatric medical school and switched directions is because it is so specialized and I was not interested in surgery, which is now a huge part of podiatry school. Also, I no longer desired being in school for another 4 years and then having to complete a 3-year surgical residency. I was accepted two years ago and then deferred for a year. Even though that was only a two-year time span, I believe I have matured a lot and now desire different things. I have been contemplating PA and NP school since April. I was going to attend nursing school for a BSN and then complete a NP program a few years later, but realized that was pointless/"stupid" (both financially and time wise). I am currently setting up shadowing with two different PAs, but I am for once confident that I will enjoy these experiences.