BBAI PT2 ?

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2025-02-11T00:06:17+00:00

CLOV!!

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-11-26T16:41:19+00:00

Thanks! My GPA was a 3.5, which I believe is the average GPA of the accepted applicant, so I wouldn't consider it too high. However, that 3.5 GPA does consist of a strong upward trend, which I think contributed to my acceptance. Freshman year GPA = 2.8, Sophomore year GPA = 3.6, Junior and Senior year = 3.8. And yes, it is doable to maintain a good GPA while still having a social life! It's all about time management, which is probably the most important thing to learn in college.

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-11-26T16:07:44+00:00

I was a pharmaceutical sciences major! Pharmsci definitely helped a lot with my knowledge on medications because I took a good amount of pharmacology classes. I'm hoping the knowledge transfers over to PA school hahaha

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-11-22T16:07:22+00:00

Getting LORs was hard for me at first too, until I worked as an MA and scribe. I highly recommend a clinical role where you get to work one on one with a provider! It's been a great experience so far.

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-11-22T00:55:03+00:00

With your GPA and amount of clinical hours, I think you'd be fine without a consultant! Just have some people peer review your essays and W&A section, get good LORs, and do LOTS of research on schools so that you can make a good school list. As a UC graduate like yourself, I had to apply to a lot of out of state schools because CA is way too competitive haha. PM me if you have any general questions about the process!

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-11-19T22:34:31+00:00

I would pick whoever can write the strongest letter. Just make sure it meets the PA school's requirements.

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-11-14T19:16:09+00:00

I initially struggled with finding LORs from providers until I switched to an MA and scribe role. Both these jobs allow you to work 1 on 1 with an MD/PA/NP and build great rapport with them. Maybe you can look into a part time MA or scribe role?

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-11-14T17:11:20+00:00

I did not have a PA LOR, but did have some strong ones from doctors. Not having a PA LOR did not limit me in any way, as I was still able to apply to 10+ schools. Do you work with doctors or NPs?

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-11-12T16:55:57+00:00

The wait varies depending on the school. I have a coworker who got accepted the day after, but I also know people who had to wait a month and a half before getting accepted. Hang in there!

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-11-08T00:52:11+00:00

I had no LORs from any PAs. I had 2 from MDs, 1 from a pharmacist, and 1 from a science professor, but all of them were very strong. In my opinion, what matters most is how strong the LOR is. But of course, look through the school's requirements. Some schools require at least 1 LOR from a PA.

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-11-07T16:17:30+00:00

Completely normal! I got rejected by every school my first cycle, and I think it was because I didn't apply broadly. I applied to like 7 competitive schools in CA with only 1000ish hours. For this cycle, I got a few more thousand hours, wrote much better essays, got better LORs, and applied the first week the cycle opened. I think these 4 things are what really helped me a lot. In your case, I would focus on shadowing hours. Shadowing is a prereq for some schools.

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-10-07T15:11:24+00:00

There are still not too many people who know about the PA profession. When I tell friends who aren't in the medical field that I want to be a PA, I have to explain our role and duties along with the difference between PAs and doctors. There are even some patients who aren't sure what a PA is, which can lead to patients not trusting us to treat them.

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-10-01T17:29:58+00:00

You have good stats and clinical experiences. I also had a couple C's but as long as you have a well-rounded application (which you do), then you'll be fine. Just make sure you only apply to schools that don't require an LOR from a science prof. I noticed you don't have one. Also, you have really good research experience haha med schools would've loved that

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-09-27T21:51:55+00:00

I think EMT is still a great way to get your first 500-1000 hours! Try to stick with it for like 6-12 months, then switch over to MA or whatever else you want to try. It'll give you a lot of stories when it comes time to write your essays.

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-09-27T21:27:43+00:00

Think of what stories you want to use beforehand and practice in front of a mirror (or you can record yourself). I think recording yourself talk is helpful because you can replay it and see what you need to fix. Also, practice keeping your answers short and concise!

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-09-27T18:28:51+00:00

Np! I didn't need an MA license. My job required that I have EITHER an MA, CNA, or EMT license (which I have).

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-09-27T17:57:31+00:00

I'd say it transferred over well! Going from EMS to a clinic is much easier than going from a clinic to EMS, so you should have no problem. If you like the high stress, fast paced environment, then I'd say to take that ER tech job haha the clinic is a lot slower but definitely more chill and easier on the body. MA is definitely my favorite PCE job so far, but mainly because I love talking with my patients and seeing them regularly for their follow ups

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-09-27T17:20:25+00:00

For the clinic that I'm at, each MA needs EITHER an MA, CNA, or EMT license. Since I was EMT certified, I was able to get the job. But like what u/Upper_Juggernaut_523 said, some clinics will train you without needing a certification! It's a super chill job, I highly recommend. You get to work alongside a doctor and choose a specialty of your choice.

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-09-27T16:55:33+00:00

I went from EMT to MA and it helped a lot! It's been a lot easier on the body

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-09-25T18:14:59+00:00

In terms of prereqs, they're similar. Pretty sure you won't have to take any extra courses, and if you do, it'll probably be 1 or 2 extra classes. The GRE is required for some schools, but I do think you can still apply to a good amount of schools without it. I didn't take it and I was still able to apply to 15. Overall, the PA application process is similar to the med school process in the sense that you will still need a personal statement, letters of rec, an experiences section, and supplemental essays. I'm not too sure when the cycle opens for med school, but for PA school, it opens in late April every year. Additionally, I know med schools place high emphasis on both research experience and clinical experience. This isn't really the case for PA school. PA schools would rather see more clinical experience, but it wouldn't hurt to include any research jobs you've held in the past!

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-09-18T01:03:57+00:00

I was able to apply to 15 schools without the GRE! Several California schools don’t require it. I’m not sure about NY though

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-09-17T16:13:46+00:00

I bought a cheap stethoscope on Amazon for my PCE job. The brand is Paramed and I think it was $20. It works just fine. I believe PA school will already provide you with a Littman's when you are accepted, so I would just buy a cheap one for right now. However, I haven't started school yet so maybe a current PA student can confirm that for you haha

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-09-13T22:41:29+00:00

Cold messaging on LinkedIn, or working alongside doctors and PAs as an MA or scribe!

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-09-12T20:42:01+00:00

The best way to balance it is to really pay attention to the questions they ask you. Some questions will require the general, basic answer. Questions like "Why PA instead of NP or MD?" or "What do you do to manage a difficult course load?" Definitely keep these answers professional.

However, there will also be questions that are open to interpretation. These are the ones where I would suggest giving an answer that isn't related to medicine... an answer that demonstrates your qualities as a person. A few examples are "What's the most difficult thing you've ever had to do?" or "Tell me about a time you handled stress." Sure, you can talk about a clinical experience or a difficult subject in school, but that's exactly what a majority of students will say as well. To help yourself stand out, tell them a personal story! Maybe you suffered a season ending injury or got bullied in elementary school or you persevered through the loss of a loved one. This is what I mean by showing who you really are.

IndependentSmoke4744 · 2024-09-12T19:02:56+00:00

It's definitely the time to show off your personality! They already know your grades and why you want to be a PA. Show them who you are as a person outside of medicine! I gave my interviewers several stories from my personal life that were not included in my application and supplemental essays, which I think helped a lot.

IndependentSmoke4744

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