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Hello everyone,
I didn't match this year....15 yr old grad...thinking to go to PA school...Is it worth spending money...done all USMLES including step 3...have research experience...have done MPH....nothing helped...scores are passing on first attept except step3 which is on 3 attempt...
Can PA school improve the resume for primary care residency...I mean family medicine.
thanks
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Hey Sarah, I tried PA thing. Its very tough to get in. I am thinking of MPH now.
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why its tough...we are already doctors and ECFMG certified... PA is just a refresher course for physicians...
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Gimme ur email address. Il explain in detail...
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excuse my ignorance, but what's MPH?
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@ chicagogal can you please explain it to me as well..am in the same situation and planning on PA. Thanks.
iamtom2012
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my email is saimarizwanpk
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PA schools are also very competitive. Some may even look down upon your admission application if you are already an MD. My wife also did not match last year and applied to around 50 PA schools as backups for this year. She had above average GMAT scores and did undergrad degree at US school (then went to Caribbean Med School) She did not get any PA interviews. So, just because someone has an MD degree does not mean automatic admission to PA programs. Good luck.
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Dear sara2014,
You will be getting many of your questions answered once you visit the paschoolfinder.com
Especially for FMGs who have already ECFMG certified US must give some special consideration of waiving all theory components and train them in clinical rotations and allow to take the PA licensing exam. That way it will be mutually beneficial to both US healthcare system and legal residents of US with ECFMG certification.
Unfortunately, this is not in our control as we can't change the healthcare training system in the US.
PA will be the next best match after medical residency for docs who did not match. The roles and responsibilities of PA are closer than any other profession for MDs. Once you are PA licensed, you are in a highly wanted profession with excellent job satisfaction and reasonably good quality of living.
Another option is getting trained as an RN and shortly moving on to be a Nurse Practitioner. This is totally a different pathway and mostly not the one our docs from our backhomes. It never is considerd as a professional career for our docs as we always carry that false notion of nursing being far inferior to medicine. But these are only our assumptions. I personally knew some of our FMGs who got trained as NPs are very well settled and are very happy as professionals. I knew a guy who did an ADN-RN , moved on to BSN and later did his NP and now practicing in CA and is doing very well in terms of professional and monetary satisfaction. Interestingly, his wife is also an FMG who obviously denied this pathway initially but ultimately followed the same as it proved successful and safe in his case.
Another but related profession is CRNA-Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. It is a Masters level certification program mostly for RNs. It is in very good demand as a profession with lots of unique benefits and challenges. Google search for more details.
I know, it is a great compromise and totally a different pathway involving a lot of schooling, challenges esp in clinical rotations (you are being ECGMG certified, for sure you know a lot more than your teacher does). But once you get your license you are valued more than ever before and you feel that professional satisfaction from being a part of the healthcare team.
Don't get disappointed. There are many ways of achieving your dreams. May be, you need to look around for alternate pathways for your success.
Well, it all depends on individual's situations and practical solutions.
What ever your ambitions, may God bless you for a successful career.
Best of luck.
SS.
