r/prepa

A little background, 25f with a BS in Nutrition and have been working as a WIC nutritionist for almost 3 years. Originally I wanted to become an RD but after working as a Diet Tech for 2yrs and shadowing RDs I really disliked how little they do and becoming an RD is basically a scam now tbh. I also struggled a lot academically and by my last sem of undergrad I was over it and just wanted to graduate, I brought my gpa up that last semester (so I could graduate) and decided to just take a break and figure out what I wanted to do next.

Since then I’ve been working at WIC and now feel better prepared to decide on my future career. I have an atrocious cgpa and sgpa that would require about 60 credits of straight As to bring me up to just a 3.0. This highly stresses me out and I wish I was more serious during school. I started with a 4.0 at the beginning of college that unfortunately got worse until my last sem where I did significantly better. I know I am capable of difficult course work and getting good grades.

Right now I am sitting at around 5k hours of PCE, my WIC role includes hgb finger pokes and collecting ht/wt then education/assesment around that as well as nutrition/prenatal related medical conditions. I know not every school would accept this as PCE but I have confirmed with one school in my state that they do.

Really I don’t know if I’m being a little delusional with how much I need to do just to be able to apply to PA school in probably 2 years. I don’t know if I’d be a desirable candidate either. I love medicine, working with people, helping people, especially pediatrics and neonatalogy and diseases are so fascinating to me. I am good with patients, education and care plans relating to nutrition (I do that all day). I just would like to hear from anyone if this would be even doable for me or if I should reassess. I would like to add I hate any admin related work and have no interest in sales. I do plan on shadowing a few PAs soon (no confirmed dates rn). Thank you!

I am currently in my second gap year after graduating with a B.S. in Biology and have been preparing to apply to PA school but have recently wondered if it would be worth it to try and go the Nurse-Midwife (CNM) route..

I am conflicted because I really like the concept of the PA profession and have a strong interest in practicing as a PA, but also have a strong interest in working closely with pregnancies in terms of management and birth itself.

PAs are currently a minority in L&D with limited responsibilities whereas CNMs dominate that field. I am also generally interested in pre and post natal care which is definitely an option as a PA, but it will not be as involved as the CNM role.

Pursuing a CNM would mean I would most likely need to look into joint BSN-CNM programs or accelerated nursing programs since you need to a nursing degree and to be a RN to apply to traditional CNM programs. This would add even more time to the current path I'm on and I'm not sure how I feel about that.

Overall I've become very stressed over this lol and am conflicted on how strongly I feel about the involvement and what my passion truly is. I would still enjoy working with women and managing women's health as a PA but will I want that involvement only a different certification would provide me with?

Hi! I just graduated high school last month and am going to uni for human bio. I wanna start accumulating patient care hours ASAP. Should I get my CNA license or try to do MA with on the job training?

I submitted in about 9 applications yesterday and CASPA has sent confirmation emails that I have submitted those applications. However, I have not received any response from those schools and one is supposed to send a link to pay an application processing fee link in the email. Is this normal to not heard anything or not normal?

Hey everyone! Appreciate any advice you can give!

At an early health career fork in the road and would love to hear from people who have been there / are actual practicing PAs and NPs.

I'm torn between going to PA school vs. doing an ABSN, working acute care for a few years, then going back for NP or BSN->DNP.

My ultimate, long-term goal is to work as a APP in inpatient palliative care, ideally in the Bay Area or Sacramento. I know it'll probably take some speciality-hopping in order to get there. Currently I live in Colorado.

Help me out! My current thoughts on PA vs. NP:

• I don't particularly want to be a nurse
  • TBH I'm scared of working nights (don't do well on flipping schedules lol), and making it through bedside nursing for however many years I'd need to have enough experience for AGNP school
• The work of a PA is a much better fit for me than RN (I've shadowed both) - I want clinical decision making, high-level charting, and the like
  • However, I'm concerned that PA has more of a "glass ceiling" than NP - lack of full practice authority, and fewer opportunities for leadership. Would biting the bullet of bedside nursing for a couple years make this worth it...?
• NP vs. PA job availability in Northern California is still a bit unclear
  • I know nursing is unionized and highly paid there but unsure if that means NPs are also hired over PAs
• "The way you think is a better fit for the nursing model!" - WTF?
  • I do want to see people as people beyond their disease. But I hope nurses aren't the only ones who can see this, lol?
  • Does the whole "Medical vs. Nursing model" for education actually matter? I've mainly heard that NP school contains a lot of fluff while PA school is more rigorous...

Where I'm at, if it helps:

• 27f, Non-nursing Bachelor’s, 4.0 GPA in all pre-PA coursework except for Anatomy and Phys will take this fall; might need a couple more classes for ABSN
• I currently work as a Medical Assistant in a behavioral health clinic. I also have 500 hours as a Mental Health Technician at this same behavioral health clinic and 1,600 hours as an outpatient Pharmacy Technician at a Trauma 1 hospital prior.
• I have some family support, so biting the bullet for PA (even with the shitty government loan situation) would not rule it out financially- and I'm not in a situation where I need to go RN quick to make money

Appreciate any insight, brutal honesty, or advice you can throw my way!

I’m currently a incoming senior and I plan to apply next cycle for the school year 2028-2029

UNT just came out with a new requirement where students have to complete their prereqs before submission. For those who say submit your application as early as possible, what if my classes end early May. Is that gap between April and May critical for submission?

I’m lowkey tweaking and I don’t know if I should stack 17 hr credits or just continue with my normal route.

Hi future and current PAs. Im getting ready to submit but coming to this realization that perhaps the admissions will be overwhelmed or question my ability to committ. This concern is stemming from my experience list having 15 different experiences, all which are genuine and have helped me better understand myself.

For background I am a nontrad applicant, with that said my work history is a little bit more vast. Here's what my experience lis is looking like

PCE: 4463 across 4 different companies

HCE: 1022 across 2 different companies

Volunteer: 300 across 5 different orgs

Extra curr: 300 across 2

Leadership: 300 across 3

Non Healthcare employment: 5000 across 2 companies

Basically I'm thinking do I include all of this or will adm think im spread across so much and see all these activities as things I was just trying to check off? Because it wasn't,my journey just hasn't been linear and I've always wanted to help my community even before knowing I was going to pursue this career

Just want your perspectives

Hi there! Long time reader, first time poster on this board. I have a background in business, and I’m a couple years post grad. I’ve been blessed to have a well paying job that supports my lifestyle, but I’m struggling to find meaning in it and just don’t see myself staying in business for the longterm. I have really enjoyed the (50+ hours) shadowing I’ve done so far with “middle level providers” NP and PA.

Non science GPA was a 4.0. and I’ve been getting A’s and all my pre-reqs while working full-time and managing a business. I’m VERY hesitant to go down the PA school because it seems just as expensive as doing an ABSN, working a few years (which I wouldn’t mind) then working through a NP program. What worries me about PA school is it seems like an accelerated med school. Even though I have good grades I worry about failing out, taking on debt, and starting over (I’m a bit dramatic). I’d also have to quit my lucrative corporate job and work as a CNA/MA and pray I get in somewhere. Also have to get some cert to work as CNA/MA which can be pricey.
A good problem to have, but I also have a house that is close to a ($40k) ABSN program which I know I can get into, and two private PA schools (cost of attendance $120k for each). I’d like to apply to as many schools as possible if I go PA, but having to move ontop of that seems rough too.
For context, I’m 26 and make $80k a year, so I’d take a small pay cut as a new grad.

I fully understand I’m in a good position and incredibly blessed. Thank you in advance for any insight you can provide!

OK, I need some advice. I really want to go to PA school. I’m 24 and just turned 24 this year. I’ll finally be finishing my associate’s degree next semester. I started college later because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I graduated during the COVID year, I had to start working instead of going straight to school. Looking back, I’m actually glad because I probably wouldn’t have chosen healthcare otherwise.
Right now, I really want to move out of my parents’ house, but I also have at least two more years to earn my bachelor’s degree before I can apply to PA school. I’m currently working as a medical assistant in cardiology, I need more financial income and I’m trying to figure out the best path forward. I’ve been thinking about going into nursing so I could have a stable career while finishing my bachelor’s degree and completing the remaining prerequisites for PA school. Does that sound like a good idea, or would you recommend a different path?

Got my first rejection out of the 8 schools I applied to. I felt like this cycle was a longshot for me. I’m a fairly non traditional applicant since I’ve been out of school for 5 years. I am retaking some courses this year that I hope help my application next cycle. Some of my early coursework is hitting the 10 year mark next year so should I continue retaking courses like gen chem next year? Was hoping to get away with only retaking A&P 1 and 2 and microbiology which I’m doing this year.

PCE: 2,000
HCE: 5,000
cGPA: 3.5
sGPA: 3.4
Shadowing: 150
Volunteer: 200
LOR: 4 (2 physicians, 1 PA, 1 supervisor)

So I just applied 2 weeks ago, and I guess I just wanted another set of eyes on my stats to see if I even have a chance this cycle. A little background I just graduated with a bachelors degree in kinesiology & health promotion. I graduated high school with an associates degree and so I just turned 20 which I know I’m pretty young but I’m not sure if they really care much about that.

Stats
PCE: 2000
HCE:200
Shadowing: 80 multiple PAs and MDs
GPAs: 3.75
GPAc: 3.94
Volunteer: 80

I’m really just concerned about my age and my low volunteer and leadership stats.

recently graduated college as a first gen grad, and conflicted on if i should apply this year or wait till next cycle when it opens in April. i’m pretty much alone in this process and have no family in medicine or support so i’ve been working full time trying to save up for caspa costs. i just really want to not have to apply again financially speaking. is it better to higher up what im lacking to really solidify my chances? all info helps thank you!

cGPA: 4.0
sGPA: 4.0

PCE: 1300 (CNA at a rehab and memory care facility)

Volunteer: 200 (variety: kids with autism, animal shelters, homeless shelters, food banks, cleanups, community scientist)

Shadowing: 8 (in progress with an MD)

Leadership: 800~ (might be more)
- Organismal Bio TA
- Mental health awareness org - founding officer
- Filipino Student Association- officer

Research: 300
- NSF undergraduate fellow (won an award)

Extracurriculars: student athlete (college club soccer/powerlifting) also a personal trainer

im really lacking in my shadowing and have been trying my hardest to shadow a PA. if anyone’s texas based that has leads that would be awesome or if anyone has a connect that can get me a pct/ma job at the hospitals at the texas med center that’d be awesome too. thank yall!

Bonjour, je suis actuellement en prepa pcsi au lycée Michelet et l'année prochaine on n'a orientée vers une pc non étoilée à Lakanal. Je sais que en sortant d'une classe non étoilée on a beaucoup moins de chances d'intégrer les mines ou centrales et que on vise plutôt les ccinp. De plus, ma 1ere année a été assez dur et j'ai peur de pas tenir le rythme pour une 2e année de prepa. J'avais donc penser aller en double licence physique chimie à Paris Cité en L2 et passer les concours gei univ en L3. J'ai peur que via la double licence je me retrouve avec aucune école et tout le monde dit que il faut avoir mention bien minimum sur chaque année de licence mais je sais pas à quel point cela est réalisable. Ma question est donc: pensez vous que quitter la prepa c'est pas raisonnable ou le risque en vaut le jeu ? Merci

I was an EMT in my hometown for almost 3 yrs during HS. Can I include this in my PA school application as PCE? I ultimately had to quit as I was going to college and also the environment was lowkey toxic but regardless it was great experience. I’m just wondering if I can include it? Or would they not care cause it was in high school

Hi, I signed up to take two pre reqs for nursing school on portage learning yesterday. My application is due on July 15th, and I feel I can easily finish the pre reqs by then.
I noticed portage learning has a minimum of 28 days to finish a course. Does this mean they don’t let you complete it before then? I need to finish it in around 20 days to be able to submit my application. Please help me before I waste my money to get these pre reqs done. It sucks cuz now I think I’ll have to wait a whole another year to apply because of the 28 day limit!

I'm looking for any insight on my chances as I'm going through this completely alone. I'm a first time applicant with cGPA 3.37, sGPA 3.19, last 60 3.67 and postbacc 4.0 of 3 classes, PCE is 8,000+ hours, 300 hrs of teaching, 400 hrs research, 44 hrs shadowing, and 100 hrs volunteering. I'm an immigrant and first gen college grad, I've gotten several great feedbacks on my PS. do I have any realistic chances of getting in on my first try? I've applied to 15 schools so far (many reach schools tbh) and was planning on taking the GRE in a couple weeks to apply to 5 more.

ALL PRE PA / PA students:

Hi I’m currently taking a gap year to work in derm as a prepare to apply to PA schools. I’m struggling to decide whether I should work at a private clinic OR work at a large hospital.

Someone please let me know if there are advantages of either for PA school admissions or whether one is a clear right answer or not. THANKS!!!! ❤️💗🥹

I became interested in healthcare after realizing I didn’t enjoy working in tech as much as I expected. I’ve shadowed a PA once so far, and I really enjoyed learning about the profession. I still have a lot of prerequisites left and need to gain PCE hours, but I’m curious if anyone else has made this pivot and how it went.

Hello kinda just looking for some guidance from some seasoned pre med students. So long story short I used to go to a 4 year university had a pretty shit GPA (2.99) and had to take a medical leave of absence my junior year. I transferred into community college where I have my GPA to a 3.88. So basically I was applying to RN clinical at my college and the cut off was a 4.0… the wait list is very long and I don’t particularly enjoy bedside as I am a current CNA. I am thinking of pivoting to physician assistant because I want to finish my bachelor’s and think PA aligns more with what I would like to do. I am just wondering if I even have a chance given how bad my record was at the previous school …. Tyy

Hello! I am currently applying to MCPHS Boston and one of their prerequisites is “Biology with Ian”. I assumed it’s a typo and they are just meaning an upper level Bio course but would love to know if anyone has more insight on this! I don’t want to not match anything and have my application rejected just for this.

Thanks!!!