What would you do/Recommend?

[MexicanDr]

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Hello everyone-

I am looking for advice/recommendation on what to do to be able to achieve my next goal in life.

I hold a B.S. in Public Health, GPA is barely in 3.0. This happened in 2008. I took a year off working on EMS, then I decided to apply to nursing school which I completed in December 2012. From December 2010 there is a clearly upward trend of only A and B grades, including the nursing program [Associates Degree]. Currently, I work as an RN in a critical care for and I have learned so much!

I want to apply to PA school next year to be able to start in the summer of 2015. The question is how to better prepare myself:

I will have the clinical experience due to EMS and also working in critical care as an RN.

I applied to an RN-BSN program and was accepted, this program will start next month. It seems to be logical since I will be obtaining the BSN after the associates, this will also show the I will keep the upward trend in my grades since 2010. Apart from these, I could take 2-3 more classes as electives in the Biology Department.

If I opted to get a second bachelor's degree in a science, it would take longer and financial aid wont approve me since I would have more units to complete.

Do you guys feel that doing this is a good idea? I will be applying to PA programs with the BS in Public Health, BSN and great hands on experience. Apart from that I will have involved in research, volunteering and other ECs. I live and want to work in a medically underserved area here in California; not sure if that would make a difference.

In all honesty/sincerity, what would you do/advice?

P.S. One of the programs I am looking at is the UC Davis, which offers the dual FNP/PA program, so I understand for that program this is a requirement. I prefer the PA model because of the general medicine background and ease of switching specialties if it came down to that in the future. Also, I feel I can identify myself more with the medical model than the nursing model.

 

[pamac]

Hello everyone-

I am looking for advice/recommendation on what to do to be able to achieve my next goal in life.

I hold a B.S. in Public Health, GPA is barely in 3.0. This happened in 2008. I took a year off working on EMS, then I decided to apply to nursing school which I completed in December 2012. From December 2010 there is a clearly upward trend of only A and B grades, including the nursing program [Associates Degree]. Currently, I work as an RN in a critical care for and I have learned so much!

I want to apply to PA school next year to be able to start in the summer of 2015. The question is how to better prepare myself:

I will have the clinical experience due to EMS and also working in critical care as an RN.

I applied to an RN-BSN program and was accepted, this program will start next month. It seems to be logical since I will be obtaining the BSN after the associates, this will also show the I will keep the upward trend in my grades since 2010. Apart from these, I could take 2-3 more classes as electives in the Biology Department.

If I opted to get a second bachelor's degree in a science, it would take longer and financial aid wont approve me since I would have more units to complete.

Do you guys feel that doing this is a good idea? I will be applying to PA programs with the BS in Public Health, BSN and great hands on experience. Apart from that I will have involved in research, volunteering and other ECs. I live and want to work in a medically underserved area here in California; not sure if that would make a difference.

In all honesty/sincerity, what would you do/advice?

P.S. One of the programs I am looking at is the UC Davis, which offers the dual FNP/PA program, so I understand for that program this is a requirement. I prefer the PA model because of the general medicine background and ease of switching specialties if it came down to that in the future. Also, I feel I can identify myself more with the medical model than the nursing model.

Hey, I remember your posts from before you went to nursing school. Congrats on graduating. Not many folks have it in them to go hard core and get that kind of HCE before they shoot for PA school, but you did it, and I think it will help you a ton.

It seems you have your heart set on PA school, but I'd take a hard look at NP school. The way things seem to be changing, lateral transitions will be harder for PAs just due to employers looking for PAs with more experience in a given specialty... At least that's what I've been hearing, seeing, and reading about. But if you want to jump around, PA is probably your option that will make you the most mobile for that.

The PA/NP combined program at UC Davis is going away.

I wouldn't go back and get another science degree... Waste of time. If you feel the need to retake some sciences, or take some more, do that. I'd try to wrap those up along with the BSN completion and see if your employer will reimburse you for a few
Science courses along the way. They probably won't, though. Just apply to the programs out there like MEDEX and Stanford foothills, and UC Davis... Places that respect real HCE. You may have to work for a few more years to get the required hours, but you beig in so cal can't be bad because of the pay, right? Start relaxing about your past grades and rely now on what you've accomplished over the last few years.

 

[benny32311]

I would be hard pressed to tell you to apply to PA school if you are going to get a BSN. Do you have the necessary pre-reqs for PA school yet? If yes, then I would just consider applying, since you already have a BA/BS. If you are going to go ahead and get your BSN, I would look at doing the NP route.