What is the quickest way to get health care experience for PA school?

[BlurredFocus]

I just graduated with a BA in Psychology and want to apply to a PA program in the next few years. I'd like to spend those few years off working in a clinical setting and getting health care experience. I'm trying to both figure out how to get the experience and how to get the education to do the job.

1. Second Degree BSN: My GPA is only a 3.0 and I am worried about getting in. I would have to take a few prerequisite classes before I could apply.
2. Surgical Tech: I could complete the program in about a year I think and I would love the OR time as I would like to ultimately become a surgical PA.
3. EMT/Paramedic: I'm not sure how long I'd have to go to school to be able to function in a role where I would feel like I had real hands on "live saving" experience?

What do you guys think would be the quickest way to get the experience while having a job that would make me enough money to live on? I live in Austin, TX and need programs in that area - does anyone know how to find programs in the Austin area? I know Austin Community College has a surgical tech program, but I can't seem to find any others and Google searches aren't helping me much.

Thanks in advance for the help!

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[deleted6669]

ask this question at the pa forum and it will be viewed by > 12,000 pa's and pa's in training:
www.physicianassistant.net

 

[mednoob]

I just graduated with a BA in Psychology and want to apply to a PA program in the next few years. I'd like to spend those few years off working in a clinical setting and getting health care experience. I'm trying to both figure out how to get the experience and how to get the education to do the job.

1. Second Degree BSN: My GPA is only a 3.0 and I am worried about getting in. I would have to take a few prerequisite classes before I could apply.
2. Surgical Tech: I could complete the program in about a year I think and I would love the OR time as I would like to ultimately become a surgical PA.
3. EMT/Paramedic: I'm not sure how long I'd have to go to school to be able to function in a role where I would feel like I had real hands on "live saving" experience?

What do you guys think would be the quickest way to get the experience while having a job that would make me enough money to live on? I live in Austin, TX and need programs in that area - does anyone know how to find programs in the Austin area? I know Austin Community College has a surgical tech program, but I can't seem to find any others and Google searches aren't helping me much.

Thanks in advance for the help!

i wanna do the same thing that ur planning to do. i would go with the surg tech idea because u said that ultimately u want to become a surgical PA, so having prior experience in surgery is definitely a plus. plus it's only a year of training give or take a couple months.

 

[RAMPA]

I just graduated with a BA in Psychology and want to apply to a PA program in the next few years. I'd like to spend those few years off working in a clinical setting and getting health care experience. I'm trying to both figure out how to get the experience and how to get the education to do the job.

1. Second Degree BSN: My GPA is only a 3.0 and I am worried about getting in. I would have to take a few prerequisite classes before I could apply.
2. Surgical Tech: I could complete the program in about a year I think and I would love the OR time as I would like to ultimately become a surgical PA.
3. EMT/Paramedic: I'm not sure how long I'd have to go to school to be able to function in a role where I would feel like I had real hands on "live saving" experience?

What do you guys think would be the quickest way to get the experience while having a job that would make me enough money to live on? I live in Austin, TX and need programs in that area - does anyone know how to find programs in the Austin area? I know Austin Community College has a surgical tech program, but I can't seem to find any others and Google searches aren't helping me much.

Thanks in advance for the help!

St Philip's College in SA has a surgical tech program.
Baptist Hospital in SA also has a surgical tech program.

 

[primadonna22274]

hahahaha
I certainly would, but that's because I'm the resident PA bitch.

. . . and all 12,000 will immediately respond "Why don't you try using the search function?"