New PA Applicant Advice

[LUC78]

I recently decided to switch to PA from Optometry and would appreciate some advice.

I just graduated from undergrad, and am planning on taking a gap year and applying to PA school next summer. I have a 3.0 science GPA and a 3.6 overall. I am starting off with 0 clinical hours.

I'd appreciate some advice on what I should focus on this next year to strengthen my application.

Initially I intended to focus on accumulating my hours during my gap year but am also concerned about my science GPA. I will be taking 2 science pre-requisites (which will probably not raise my science GPA significantly) but did not plan on taking any more classes because it would take away time from a full time job/clinical hours.

Additionally- Since I'm applying next summer, I would end up having to take 2 gap years. I would also be working the 2nd year but I'm not sure if those hours would count or if hours need to be in before you apply.

Any advice would be appreciated!

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[jan_dents]

I recently decided to switch to PA from Optometry and would appreciate some advice.

I just graduated from undergrad, and am planning on taking a gap year and applying to PA school next summer. I have a 3.0 science GPA and a 3.6 overall. I am starting off with 0 clinical hours.

I'd appreciate some advice on what I should focus on this next year to strengthen my application.

Initially I intended to focus on accumulating my hours during my gap year but am also concerned about my science GPA. I will be taking 2 science pre-requisites (which will probably not raise my science GPA significantly) but did not plan on taking any more classes because it would take away time from a full time job/clinical hours.

Additionally- Since I'm applying next summer, I would end up having to take 2 gap years. I would also be working the 2nd year but I'm not sure if those hours would count or if hours need to be in before you apply.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Reddit would be more helpful. Look up the pre-physician assistant sub

 

[phagocytosis41]

I recently decided to switch to PA from Optometry and would appreciate some advice.

I just graduated from undergrad, and am planning on taking a gap year and applying to PA school next summer. I have a 3.0 science GPA and a 3.6 overall. I am starting off with 0 clinical hours.

I'd appreciate some advice on what I should focus on this next year to strengthen my application.

Initially I intended to focus on accumulating my hours during my gap year but am also concerned about my science GPA. I will be taking 2 science pre-requisites (which will probably not raise my science GPA significantly) but did not plan on taking any more classes because it would take away time from a full time job/clinical hours.

Additionally- Since I'm applying next summer, I would end up having to take 2 gap years. I would also be working the 2nd year but I'm not sure if those hours would count or if hours need to be in before you apply.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Retake those science classes. 3.0 is sorta low... Not saying its terrible, but it isn't great. Beef it up and increase those clinical hours.
I promise you you need a lot of (preferably payed) health care experience. I had over 900 hours ... but unpaid and didn't get into PA school and I had better stats than you (3.6 overall, 3.5 science gpa) and I was already an RN. You have a lot of work to do.

 

[pamac]

Retake those science classes. 3.0 is sorta low... Not saying its terrible, but it isn't great. Beef it up and increase those clinical hours.
I promise you you need a lot of (preferably payed) health care experience. I had over 900 hours ... but unpaid and didn't get into PA school and I had better stats than you (3.6 overall, 3.5 science gpa) and I was already an RN. You have a lot of work to do.

OP, this commenter ^ is what you are up against. Back in the day there was room for folks that had a hiccup or two in their transcripts. PA schools had more seats to fill, and folks with health care experience were folks who had demonstrated they had staying power. Now everyone wants to be in the provider role in healthcare and wear the stethoscope around their neck, and grades were their first thought as freshmen until they graduated. You have to imagine that there isn’t much wiggle room anymore with seats because schools don’t think of charity the same way that they used to. Instead of giving a valuable seat (with 8-10 applicants per seat) to a struggling student, they take great students and try to encourage them to perform charitably after graduating with a very valuable degree. There just isn’t a way to talk your way into a seat with a jazzy essay, or doing shadowing with an influential physician. Good healthcare experience is being disregarded. Grades are what predicts how well PA students will do in school. They won’t slow down and hold your hand.

 

[phagocytosis41]

i

OP, this commenter ^ is what you are up against. Back in the day there was room for folks that had a hiccup or two in their transcripts. PA schools had more seats to fill, and folks with health care experience were folks who had demonstrated they had staying power. Now everyone wants to be in the provider role in healthcare and wear the stethoscope around their neck, and grades were their first thought as freshmen until they graduated. You have to imagine that there isn’t much wiggle room anymore with seats because schools don’t think of charity the same way that they used to. Instead of giving a valuable seat (with 8-10 applicants per seat) to a struggling student, they take great students and try to encourage them to perform charitably after graduating with a very valuable degree. There just isn’t a way to talk your way into a seat with a jazzy essay, or doing shadowing with an influential physician. Good healthcare experience is being disregarded. Grades are what predicts how well PA students will do in school. They won’t slow down and hold your hand.

haha he isn't against me. I'm beyond all that application crap. But I was rejected from PA school.
<< Class 2021 DO Candidate

 

[pamac]

Good for you! Upgraded, then!

 

[Med_usa]

Retake those science classes. 3.0 is sorta low... Not saying its terrible, but it isn't great. Beef it up and increase those clinical hours.
I promise you you need a lot of (preferably payed) health care experience. I had over 900 hours ... but unpaid and didn't get into PA school and I had better stats than you (3.6 overall, 3.5 science gpa) and I was already an RN. You have a lot of work to do.

Hi I was wondering how you got rejected... I'm sorry I'm new to this area, but need some help with application etc... My PCE aren't that great at all, and my GPA is okay I believe... but I also have other non-related experience. Would like to chat if possible... thanks.

 

[phagocytosis41]

Hi I was wondering how you got rejected... I'm sorry I'm new to this area, but need some help with application etc... My PCE aren't that great at all, and my GPA is okay I believe... but I also have other non-related experience. Would like to chat if possible... thanks.

NP! You could pm me, I could give you better answers there.