Transferring from PA into Medical School

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senseiturtle

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Hey guys. Posting a question for a friend of mine (i'm accepted already, but she's considering other options right now.)


Is it possible to transfer from a 2nd/3rd year position at a Physician's Assistant school into Medical School?

If so,

Is it the same hoops and application procedure as any other incoming student, or do you have your own specific set of qualifications to follow? MCAT involved?

Has anyone on this site done it, or can point me in the right direction? A few quick searches didn't yield anything, and I'll continue to do it, but perhaps I might find someone with experience in this.

Thanks!

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Hey guys. Posting a question for a friend of mine (i'm accepted already, but she's considering other options right now.)


Is it possible to transfer from a 2nd/3rd year position at a Physician's Assistant school into Medical School?

If so,

Is it the same hoops and application procedure as any other incoming student, or do you have your own specific set of qualifications to follow? MCAT involved?

Has anyone on this site done it, or can point me in the right direction? A few quick searches didn't yield anything, and I'll continue to do it, but perhaps I might find someone with experience in this.

Thanks!


No
 
Most schools will require an applicant to complete the program where they are currently enrolled before matriculation to the medical school. So, your friend would need to finish PA School before or while applying to medical school. The application to medical school would be for admission to the first year class with all the same requirements (MCAT, LORs, AMCAS appie, secondaries). In general there would be no "advanced placement" for having done work as a PA student.
 
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To expand on the perfectly accurate post above - there is NO back door into medical school. There is but one door, and we all must walk through the same door.

To wit - MCAT, Pre-reqs, AMCAS.

To beat the metaphor to death, there is a small window that some kids crawl through called the "Combined BS/MD" and another even smaller dog door in the big door called the "MD/PhD" but the only other real entry way is the door mentioned above.

If you have been through the process, you can advise your friend. Best advice is to buy an MSAR.
 
grr..Lizzy snuck a post in between mine and the one that just said "no." She types too fast.
 
Most schools will require an applicant to complete the program where they are currently enrolled before matriculation to the medical school. So, your friend would need to finish PA School before or while applying to medical school. The application to medical school would be for admission to the first year class with all the same requirements (MCAT, LORs, AMCAS appie, secondaries). In general there would be no "advanced placement" for having done work as a PA student.

Agreed. Most want to see you finish your current degree requirements before entering a new degree.
 
Thanks, I'll pass the word along.

Perhaps she just heard that rumor from a source who got the facts a little wonker-jawed.

Good luck to ya'll.
 
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I went to PA school first and now I'm going to medical school, what's your point? Can't people realize they want something different and change their mind? Many people do.

No back doors into medical school, have to do it just like everyone else.
 
Not much to add except to say that your friend should really focus on doing well in her PA class too even if she has plans to be a doc. Adcoms will see her grades during that time and it would reflect badly on your friend if she did poorly in it.
 
I went to PA school first and now I'm going to medical school, what's your point? Can't people realize they want something different and change their mind? Many people do.

of course they can. i don't remember saying that changing your mind was a bad thing. but then again, i don't have my contacts in...maybe someone can tell me where i wrote that....

i changed my mind, too. i went to grad school for a PhD, changed my mind about doing research long-term, finished with a MS, and am now starting med school in the fall. more power to you, soundman.

i am just bored and wanted to hear this girl's story. that's all.
 
To expand on the perfectly accurate post above - there is NO back door into medical school. There is but one door, and we all must walk through the same door.

To wit - MCAT, Pre-reqs, AMCAS.

To beat the metaphor to death, there is a small window that some kids crawl through called the "Combined BS/MD" and another even smaller dog door in the big door called the "MD/PhD" but the only other real entry way is the door mentioned above.

If you have been through the process, you can advise your friend. Best advice is to buy an MSAR.

Some PhD programs practically backdoor you into medical school. My cousin started out PhD-> Md/Phd -> Md.
 
I went to PA school first and now I'm going to medical school, what's your point? Can't people realize they want something different and change their mind? Many people do.

Of course people can change their mind, but if a person cannot muster the commitment to finish the program that he chose to enroll in, then what is to stop him from changing his mind in the middle of med school and wasting a spot that could have went to another qualified candidate? A person who drops out of the program they matriculated in looks like a flake who is not ready to make serious commitments.
 
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