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Did you have to pivot and go back to school at a later date? As a Physician Assistant.
Did you shadow another professional in the field?
Did you join any school clubs related to your current profession?
Was there a particular subject you struggled with during your school years?
What skill sets did you learn or gain while pursuing your career?
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Shannon’s Answer
I regionally went to college to be a social worker. After being a social worker for a few years in an emergency department I really liked what I saw going on there. The pace of what was going on was fast and furious and I enjoyed seeing the wide range of medical complaints that could come in on a daily basis. I quickly realized that being a social worker was not for me anymore. After looking at my college transcript, I realized I needed to go back to school and pick up a few more science credits. I applied to Physician Assistant school while taking those classes and got in on the first try. This was rare. A lot of people have to apply multiple times before they can get in. Don’t be discouraged, this can happen. Given that I was already working in an emergency department I didn’t have to shadow anyone, my job was giving me all the experience that I needed. The biggest thing that I struggled with was the bio chemistry. It didn’t really seem to have any connection to what I was doing. However, the more people I asked for help, the more it made sense.
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Hwal’s Answer
Hi Tran,
I hope my insights are helpful to you:
Q: Did you shadow another professional in the field?
A: Yes, before starting/deciding to go to PA school, I shadowed and observed PAs, physicians, and nurse practitioners. Having prior experience in health care is usually a requirement for applying to PA schools, so this experience likely would offer opportunities for you to work with and/or shadow other health care professionals, including PAs.
Q: Did you join any school clubs related to your current profession?
A: Our PA program had a student society so I was a member of that society.
Q: Was there a particular subject you struggled with during your school years?
A: I cannot think of any subject I had trouble with, but I learned that all the challenges during training were worth it once I graduated and started practicing.
Q: What skill sets did you learn or gain while pursuing your career?
A: PA education and training is rigorous and comprehensive, so I believe that completing PA school alone should offer much of the skill sets and knowledge you need to succeed as a PA in any medical specialty and clinical setting. I personally was a registered mental health counsellor in Australia and worked in several different areas of health care in both Australia and the US before starting PA school, so all those years of experience helped me become a well-rounded healer as a PA.
Good luck, and let me know if you have any specific questions I can help with.
Hwal
I hope my insights are helpful to you:
Q: Did you shadow another professional in the field?
A: Yes, before starting/deciding to go to PA school, I shadowed and observed PAs, physicians, and nurse practitioners. Having prior experience in health care is usually a requirement for applying to PA schools, so this experience likely would offer opportunities for you to work with and/or shadow other health care professionals, including PAs.
Q: Did you join any school clubs related to your current profession?
A: Our PA program had a student society so I was a member of that society.
Q: Was there a particular subject you struggled with during your school years?
A: I cannot think of any subject I had trouble with, but I learned that all the challenges during training were worth it once I graduated and started practicing.
Q: What skill sets did you learn or gain while pursuing your career?
A: PA education and training is rigorous and comprehensive, so I believe that completing PA school alone should offer much of the skill sets and knowledge you need to succeed as a PA in any medical specialty and clinical setting. I personally was a registered mental health counsellor in Australia and worked in several different areas of health care in both Australia and the US before starting PA school, so all those years of experience helped me become a well-rounded healer as a PA.
Good luck, and let me know if you have any specific questions I can help with.
Hwal