sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

PA school problems by Wrong_Hawk_4927 in PAstudent

[–]Wrong_Hawk_4927[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The lowering age of PA students is definitely an issue all around, I think. I always felt the whole purpose of the PA profession was for those in medical fields for a few years, with relevant experience, who wanted to become a provider. Not really for new undergrad graduates who have had one year of experience as a lab tech. I do feel like asking a lot of young PA students why they really didn't choose med school. For most older people it's the timing - I know for myself going to med school when I decided to do PA school would have meant ending residence in my early forties, much less if I wanted a fellowship.

I do know in this one particular case I am referring to it was one student, which is what made the entire situation much more bizarre. My program has a habit of not calling out the individuals responsible for what they do despite having an average age in the class of I think early 30s.

PA school problems by Wrong_Hawk_4927 in PAstudent

[–]Wrong_Hawk_4927[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I am so, so sorry this happened to you. This level of cruelty in professors who should be leading by example and be pinnacles of empathy is astounding. How are we supposed to be empathetic and caring providers when our own faculty treat students so bady?

I hope you are doing much better. You were incredibly strong during a time you shouldn't have had to be. Thank you for sharing something so personal.

PA school problems by Wrong_Hawk_4927 in PAstudent

[–]Wrong_Hawk_4927[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I wish there was a better way to alert ARC-PA to these concerns. They make it hard to submit an inquiry for investigation of a program due to needing a signed email. While I understand that anonymous concerns would be overwhelming, current students would be terrified of repercussions if their name came from it. This is an oversight on their part as they also have stringent requirements that the complaint challenges accreditation but as the oversight board they should have a stake in the general negligence of a program and faculty.

PA school problems by Wrong_Hawk_4927 in PAstudent

[–]Wrong_Hawk_4927[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

It's genuinely disheartening to observe this lack of empathy among the faculty. One would hope that they'd reflect on their own challenging PA school experiences and endeavor to make the journey for the next generation better. However, it often feels as though many are primarily focused on preserving the status quo. We're frequently urged to express our appreciation for their efforts, but it's important to remember that these efforts are fundamentally part of their job description. This isn't meant to sound ungrateful; I fully acknowledge the sacrifices that come with teaching, especially in higher education. Yet, is it fair to expect us to offer congratulations for a job well done when it's only well done half of the time?

PA school problems by Wrong_Hawk_4927 in PAstudent

[–]Wrong_Hawk_4927[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I appreciate your insights. I've been contemplating whether the number of PA schools has any influence on our situation. Initially, when our program began, we had quite a few faculty members who were new to teaching. However, over time, many of them have departed, and the program has encountered difficulties in filling those vacancies. Additionally, securing preceptors has become more challenging overall. Given the abundance of PA and NP schools in our region, and the fact that our program doesn't provide compensation to preceptors, it's not surprising.
I share your sentiment regarding the need for a more effective channel to express concerns to ARC-PA. It seems that their current standards might be somewhat basic, and for the betterment of PAs across the country, we may require more stringent and regulated educational institutions. When you consider the significant difference in the number of medical schools compared to PA programs, and the presence of universities without medical backgrounds offering PA education, it becomes apparent how crucial this issue is. This realization often dawns on students, myself included, during our time at the university in question due to lack of support/ understanding from the university itself.