Stuck between a rock and a hard place, need advice

[IntoTheZero]

Earned my bachelor degree in Biochem (3.7 GPA) a few years ago. I'm about to turn 25 years of age and I am clueless on what to do next. I hate doing lab jobs because I feel like I haven't been paid enough. I definitely wouldn't mind some Biotech job as well but I haven't been able to find any near my area. I was considering PA/NP school. PA would be nice because I would just step in right away and finish in 24 months. On the other hand, I would have to do an ABSN for about 15 months and probably have to work for a while (not too sure how long specifically and I would not like to work as a RN at all compared to other jobs) before I finish as a NP. PA school would definitely be more expensive for me meanwhile NP would take longer and would be much more money friendly/closer to home.

Is there any other comparable options to PA/NP that I could potentially get into? Which option would be best for me between PA/NP?

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[FiremedicMike]

There are some high quality direct entry NP programs, where they plow you through RN and then start your NP as soon as that's done, which is slightly condensed.. There are also some crappy DE programs..

On the other hand, if patient care is interesting to you.. is there a reason you're not considering med school?

 

[Noisewater-TDX]

^^^ Yeah, i would say give the MCAT a go and see if you get into a cheap instate MD program.

If not, PA school.

 

[IntoTheZero]

Might sound silly long term for me but high out of state tuition along with unwilling to commit to a lot more schooling is the reason I am dodging applying for med school.

I really feel that I'm in a weird spot at the moment. I did awesome in undergrad and feel passionate about a healthcare job but I am still lost somewhat in terms of what to do next.

 

[pamac]

Find one of the many, many PA programs out there that don’t care much about health care experience, apply, and get in. I don’t know why everyone thinks that high quality healthcare experience is an absolute must to get into PA programs. Most places let you in about a smattering of entry level CNA experience. The program nearest to me doesn’t even care about that. You could have experience as a scribe, or as a volunteer, and get in with a high enough GPA. One of the faculty even bragged to me “we’ve studied it, and we love found folks without HcE do just as well. We like folks with broad life experience”. Yeah... find that school.

 

[KeikoTanaka]

Find one of the many, many PA programs out there that don’t care much about health care experience, apply, and get in. I don’t know why everyone thinks that high quality healthcare experience is an absolute must to get into PA programs. Most places let you in about a smattering of entry level CNA experience. The program nearest to me doesn’t even care about that. You could have experience as a scribe, or as a volunteer, and get in with a high enough GPA. One of the faculty even bragged to me “we’ve studied it, and we love found folks without HcE do just as well. We like folks with broad life experience”. Yeah... find that school.

"high quality healthcare experience" for undergraduates... hahaha... Unless you're a Medical Assistant, EMT, Patient Care Tech, or Scribe, this is unlikely to ACTUALLY happen.

OP, it is ALL about how you swing things. You can turn a 20 hour shadowing experience that you were MISERABLE doing into how it was the most eye-opening and life-changing experience.

Also, to piggy back on what others said, Med school is def an option with 3.7 GPA in Biochem. Biochem is one of the trickiest parts of the MCAT, so you can definitely do well on that exam. Good luck.

 

[MidwestPAC]

Find one of the many, many PA programs out there that don’t care much about health care experience, apply, and get in. I don’t know why everyone thinks that high quality healthcare experience is an absolute must to get into PA programs. Most places let you in about a smattering of entry level CNA experience. The program nearest to me doesn’t even care about that. You could have experience as a scribe, or as a volunteer, and get in with a high enough GPA. One of the faculty even bragged to me “we’ve studied it, and we love found folks without HcE do just as well. We like folks with broad life experience”. Yeah... find that school.

Here we go again... I can tell you for the fact the high level HCE does matter AFTER your a PA. The guy your speaking of is taking about board scores which is fair. But in some areas of medicine having good HCE does matter as there is less of a learning curve during your first few years out.
Now you can also apply to many of the many NP programs that require NO nursing experience and do it all online and not even interview. Just pay the money and your 100% guaranteed to get in.

 

[IntoTheZero]

The bad thing about me going to PA school is the out of state tuition might be crazy bad based on what I've been researching lately and the adjustment period of being away from home. I know I am capable of doing this but the route definitely seems faster although more expensive in this case for myself. I feel pretty awful about my situation right now.

 

[d2305]

Stop worrying and carpe diem.

 

[Boatswain2PA]

There are some high quality direct entry NP programs, where

This is a pretty subjective statement. I think there are very few "high quality" NP programs at all, and doubt any are direct entry.

To the OP - you should shoot for med school. If you cant get into med school then PA or NP.

NP would take you longer as you would have to get your RN first, but can almost assuredly do this close to home and online, and it's much much easier.

PA would be shorter, and you get a much better medical education, but very difficult to get into.

Good luck!

 

[FiremedicMike]

This is a pretty subjective statement. I think there are very few "high quality" NP programs at all, and doubt any are direct entry.

This is also a subjective statement, don’t you think?

 

[Boatswain2PA]

This is also a subjective statement, don’t you think?

Hence the predicate "I think"....

 

[FiremedicMike]

Hence the predicate "I think"....

Yeah, I saw that. It just seems silly to try hammer me for making a subjective statement by making your own subjective statement.. but I digress.

I do believe Ohio State has a pretty well respected NP program, both direct entry and traditional entry, so I maintain that there are good programs out there for people who search..

 

[MidwestPAC]

Yeah, I saw that. It just seems silly to try hammer me for making a subjective statement by making your own subjective statement.. but I digress.

I do believe Ohio State has a pretty well respected NP program, both direct entry and traditional entry, so I maintain that there are good programs out there for people who search..

Some NP programs? You mean just a couple? Like <5%? Can you name more than Ohio State and not "I do believe" show proof.

 

[pamac]

The bad thing about me going to PA school is the out of state tuition might be crazy bad based on what I've been researching lately and the adjustment period of being away from home. I know I am capable of doing this but the route definitely seems faster although more expensive in this case for myself. I feel pretty awful about my situation right now.

When you are talking about in state vs out of state tuition for PA programs, you aren’t usually talking about a huge amount of difference in money in the big scheme of things. Most folks have to do the shotgun approach to getting in to school because there are so many applicants applying to quite a few schools each. You’ll be best served by doing the same thing. Unless you live in a state with like 12 state PA programs (which I don’t think there even is such a place) you’ll probably also be applying to out of state programs, as well as private programs (which are often a LOT more expensive than even out of state programs). The PA program selection process is a year long. Every time you don’t get in, you are waiting for the next year to be able to apply again. You apply before the summer of say 2020, and you are interviewed and get acceptances over the 2020/2021 year to hopefully get started in fall of 2021. Because of that, sometimes it’s just better to apply to a ton of programs that are acceptable to you so you don’t risk having to wait until the next year if you don’t get in.

Some NP programs? You mean just a couple? Like <5%? Can you name more than Ohio State and not "I do believe" show proof.

You know how often I get people PM ing me for advice? All the time. Literally. At least once a week, but many weeks I have several folks asking me for advice, and commonly about PA questions.... ones you can't answer for them because nobody thinks you’ll give them advice they can use. How many people light up your inbox? A bunch? Yeah right....

 

[MidwestPAC]

When you are talking about in state vs out of state tuition for PA programs, you aren’t usually talking about a huge amount of difference in money in the big scheme of things. Most folks have to do the shotgun approach to getting in to school because there are so many applicants applying to quite a few schools each. You’ll be best served by doing the same thing. Unless you live in a state with like 12 state PA programs (which I don’t think there even is such a place) you’ll probably also be applying to out of state programs, as well as private programs (which are often a LOT more expensive than even out of state programs). The PA program selection process is a year long. Every time you don’t get in, you are waiting for the next year to be able to apply again. You apply before the summer of say 2020, and you are interviewed and get acceptances over the 2020/2021 year to hopefully get started in fall of 2021. Because of that, sometimes it’s just better to apply to a ton of programs that are acceptable to you so you don’t risk having to wait until the next year if you don’t get in.



You know how often I get people PM ing me for advice? All the time. Literally. At least once a week, but many weeks I have several folks asking me for advice, and commonly about PA questions.... ones you can't answer for them because nobody thinks you’ll give them advice they can use. How many people light up your inbox? A bunch? Yeah right....

Cool man. I gave up on you a while ago. Keep doing what you do, even though you aren't a PA. I think your famous quote to me was for people to not listen to me about nursing because I am not a nurse....

 

[pamac]

Cool man. I gave up on you a while ago. Keep doing what you do, even though you aren't a PA. I think your famous quote to me was for people to not listen to me about nursing because I am not a nurse....

Maybe it’s famous to you, but I don’t remember saying that. What is true is that it seems you don’t know what you’re talking about most of the time. It’s all “PA better, NP bad” followed by a lot of off the wall inaccuracies that are easy to recognize as such. You illustrate absurdity so well that it speaks for itself.

 

[MidwestPAC]

Maybe it’s famous to you, but I don’t remember saying that. What is true is that it seems you don’t know what you’re talking about most of the time. It’s all “PA better, NP bad” followed by a lot of off the wall inaccuracies that are easy to recognize as such. You illustrate absurdity so well that it speaks for itself.

If I wasnt so lazy I would look back through the forum and copy and paste your comment. Please prove even 1 inaccuracy? I am a PA and my wife is a NP. I have nothing to win. I only state facts. Please prove me wrong....

 

[pamac]

If I wasnt so lazy I would look back through the forum and copy and paste your comment. Please prove even 1 inaccuracy? I am a PA and my wife is a NP. I have nothing to win. I only state facts. Please prove me wrong....

Anyone can look back and find them. In tons of posts you are showing your wares.

 

[MidwestPAC]

Anyone can look back and find them. In tons of posts you are showing your wares.

Ok buddy.

 

[Emmet2301]

Any updates?

 

[IntoTheZero]

I'm currently studying for the GRE and applying for PA schools while also attempting to job shadow/gain more experience in the hospital. I really want to get accepted into this PA program in my state that would cost around 40K overall tuition. The other programs I would have to spend 80K+.

I also have an accelerated BSN program that I believe will cost me $20K overall in tuition in play for next Fall just in case the PA application cycle backfires on me.

Is there anything else I can do/apply for throughout these next 9 months that you would suggest for me? I really hope everything comes together for me these next few months.

 

[pamac]

The choices I’d suggest in order of priority are 1) the $40,000 PA program, 2) the $20,000 ABSN, 3) just about any other ABSN, and 4) not even consider any other PA program.

What you do with the next 9 months should be to do what it takes to make you look appealing to an ABSN program, because of you don’t get into your cheap PA program, you want to be ready to go to an ABSN program in the fall instead of sitting around waiting another year to re apply to the cheap PA program.