Any EMT-P going to PA School?

[Bubba12253]

Contact the PA school of you want to apply to, however most require them not to be older than 5 years.

I'm graduating in 2013 so within 5 years I'll be applying to PA School. I want to go to MedEx (University of Washington Seattle) because it's in the top five ranked schools. They require 4000 hours before considering your apply, however most have seven years of experience. They train you above what most PA school teach because everyone has a considerable amount of time invested in the field making them very independent and self-sufficient.

 

[JPINFV]

I've been thinking about PA school. The only problem is I graduated with my bachelors degree almost 10 years ago now so I will have to retake all the awesome hard classes like Micro, genetics, A&P etc. Major suck factor.
Anyone know of any PA programs that don't have time limits on their prereqs?

Contact the admissions departments of the schools you're looking at. Application requirements can always be waived.

 

[Anonymous]

What university's have those PA programs that don't require BA/BS? I'd like to know their passing rate for the PANCE exam.

One is Riverside Community College. Their program is actually well regarded and born out of the Keck at USC program.

http://www.rccd.edu/academicprograms/pa/Documents/NCCPA Pass Summary Report 2011-2012.pdf

 

[Charlton]

Yep, RCC is hard to get into, as well. Only 30 students per semester as I remember from the last orientation I attended.

 

[DrParasite]

I know a couple former EMTPs that went to PA school. I (dumb EMTB) tried to get in, but didn't make the cut. Completed all the prereqs (bio 1 and 2, chem 1 and 2, psych, soc, organic chem), and applied, but many of the people who I was competing against are people who got rejected from med school (straight A career students, who never worked a full time job and were coming right out of undergrad).

It's a tough field, but it can be done. study hard, get great grades on the prereqs, and keep in mind that PA school is a full time commitment, and you can't work during the time (so you need to have a sugar momma or daddy to support you).

Also the trend is to require more advanced degrees, but the requirement to be a PA is to get your PA-C certificate. there are some Associates degrees, but more and more are going towards Masters degrees.

good luck

 

[Craig Alan Evans]

Our department has had 2 EMTs go on to PA school and 2 go on to become physicians.

 

[TatuICU]

Can I ask why PA for some of you guys? Why not just go on to med school? Is it the price? Time?

 

[usalsfyre]

Can I ask why PA for some of you guys? Why not just go on to med school? Is it the price? Time?

I'm considering it, and my answer for why not med school is that I'm nearly 30 and would be 32 by the time I was eligible for med school. Leaving me 40 at the end of school and residency. By the time you pay of student loans your looking at a limited time working compared to PA/APN.

That said my first paramedic preceptor was older than me when he went back to school and is now a physician.

 

[Tigger]

Can I ask why PA for some of you guys? Why not just go on to med school? Is it the price? Time?

I'm not interested in going to school for that long, nor do I think I am even in a position to do so. I screwed around too much early in college to me competitive to get into med school (and possibly PA school, we'll see). I like being the one in charge, but I think I don't have the needed personality to be an ER MD, which is where I am interested in working. I'm not much for the "specialties," so it seems like PA might be a good place to start. Alternatively I'll say screw it and go get a BSN or MSN instead and find a place with that.

 

[silver]

I plan on moving on to PA after medic school. The beauty of California........you don't need a Bachelor's to be a PA.

You may want to do your research on what hospitals are hiring though. You don't want to get out in the field only to realize no one wants to hire you.

 

[JPINFV]

You may want to do your research on what hospitals are hiring though. You don't want to get out in the field only to realize no one wants to hire you.

Hospitals are generally not the ones who are going to hire mid-levels. The question is, "Are the physician medical groups going to hire a non-graduate degree PA?"

 

[Amberlamps916]

I know many non-graduate PA's who work at hospitals in California. I remember when I did my EMT clinicals at a hospital in Riverside, I met a PA, that graduated from RCC, who wouldn't stop bragging about how much money he made. From the people I've talked to/research I've done, Paramedic experience is a good bonus.

 

[silver]

Hospitals are generally not the ones who are going to hire mid-levels. The question is, "Are the physician medical groups going to hire a non-graduate degree PA?"

I guess. In my area there are a lot of hospitals that use PAs on their services, but you are right the major of the PAs are going to work for a group.

 

[Amberlamps916]

Go to sites like Indeed.com and look at PA job postings in California. Tell me how many places absolutely require a Master's degree.

One of the hospitals we go to in Covina has a non-graduate PA who basically runs the ER singlehandedly until the Physician is needed.

 

[JPINFV]

I know many non-graduate PA's who work at hospitals in California.

Working at a hospital and working for a hospital are not the same thing, especially in California given the laws regarding the corporate practice of medicine. Those doctors at hospitals? They don't work for the hospital, they work for a contracted physician group.

 

[silver]

Go to sites like Indeed.com and look at PA job postings in California. Tell me how many places absolutely require a Master's degree.

One of the hospitals we go to in Covina has a non-graduate PA who basically runs the ER singlehandedly until the Physician is needed.

The question is though: would you want to limit your education intentionally in such a competitive and developing field?

 

[Amberlamps916]

http://www.indeed.com/m/viewjob?jk=9946e3fb8e350f8d

 

[Amberlamps916]

The question is though: would you want to limit your education intentionally in such a competitive and developing field?

If I can get the same job without a Master's degree, then yes.

 

[Amberlamps916]

Working at a hospital and working for a hospital are not the same thing, especially in California given the laws regarding the corporate practice of medicine. Those doctors at hospitals? They don't work for the hospital, they work for a contracted physician group.

I'm aware of that....Emcare is a big one.

 

[JPINFV]

edit.... answered.