PA School

Tonight I spent some more time figuring out my schedule for next quarter. I went over my major requirements and now I have a completely different schedule, one that works much better with Daniel's schedule and work. And that led me to thinking about Nursing school prerequisites (because I'm taking a bunch of those right now). As I think more about Nursing school, it just doesn't seem to work. After 4 long years of college, I would spend one more year (in the accelerated program- if I get in) and I would still just be a registered nurse. If I had just gone to school to become a nurse from the beginning, it would only take me 2 years to become an RN. And it's not what I want. I ultimately would have to work for a few years and go back for another 2 years to become a Nurse Practitioner. So though I would be done with school quicker in the short term, I'd have to go back later.

So that brings me back to looking at PA (Physician's Assistant) schools. I looked at CU Denver's program. I have all the prerequisites done and unlike nursing school they don't expect you to have any healthcare experience at all. At CU Denver it's a 3 year program, 3 semesters (summer, fall, spring) with clinical rotations and normal seminar-style classes. They got 400 applications for 40 spots last year. Average GPA is 3.6. My GPA is 3.5 right now. Yikes. And the program starts June 6. DU doesn't end until 2 weeks later. Which means I'd have to ask for special permission to start before I've officially graduated, or else wait almost an entire year to start the three year program. And the cost- it would be about $13,000 a year. I'm not sure if my parents/grandparents would pay for PA school, especially if we're married by then.

The other option is Red Rocks Community College. Their program is one whole year of classes, and one whole year of clinical rotation. It's about 30 minutes from our house, a little further than CU Denver. They accept only 30 students, but the average GPA was only 3.1 so it seems it would be easier to get into. It's slightly more expensive per credit hour, but less credits overall. They have a statement on the website that you must accept your clinical rotation no matter where it is- and that it almost certainly will be outside the Denver metro area. I don't really understand what that means. Do they set up housing for you somewhere else? It doesn't really make sense to me. But if it's easier to get into, and shorter, it may be better. And the program starts in August which means I could start just a few months after I graduate in 2011. With both programs, we would have to squeeze the wedding during my winter break and Daniel's which would be only about 2 weeks, and it would be over Christmas. No matter what, I am committed to finishing school. If it absolutely has to, the wedding can wait. Daniel and I both agree that finishing college is our best chance to have the kind of life we want- with financial stability and a solid future for our children.

This is complicated. I really want to work with patients. I want to be a healthcare provider. I'm fascinated with the human body and how it works. I have always loved going to the doctor because I want to ask a million questions. It seems I'll have to make some difficult decisions- and soon! If I want to start as soon as I graduate, that means applying by this September. That is scary.