rn to pa

OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN · Aug 13, 2010

At all the Universities where I live, in Michigan, you have to take general chem and organic chem. For your associates or bachelor's you have to take general chem at most schools. I'm working on my bachelor's so I've taken both.

mariposabella · Aug 13, 2010

PA? You mean physicians assistant? PA's need years of experience in a health professions such as nursing or EMT and they need a bachelors degree and PA programs are very competitive. As for chemistry, some schools you will need general chemistry I and II. You can take it before you get your BSN which I would recommend. So when you go into your BSN program all you have to worry about is your nursing classes and clinicals.

RNTwin · Aug 13, 2010

PA? You mean physicians assistant? PA's need years of experience in a health professions such as nursing or EMT and they need a bachelors degree and PA programs are very competitive. As for chemistry, some schools you will need general chemistry I and II. You can take it before you get your BSN which I would recommend. So when you go into your BSN program all you have to worry about is your nursing classes and clinicals.

not true... have a friend that is a micro major(worked as a lab tech for a yr or so) that just finished PA school.

kenpochic · Aug 14, 2010

i had to take chemistry for my adn program. why would you become an RN just to become a PA later. i understand you need health care experience but perhaps become an EMT or something that doesnt require such intense schooling. I am an EMT right now and it only took 3 months. I wouldnt reccommend going all the way through nursing school with the intent of my final goal being a PA. I would become a EMT, get a job in the hospital and work on my prereqs to apply to a PA school while getting my bachelors degree. you need a bachelors degree to apply. if you go for a bsn just to apply to a pa program....lol i dont know what to say :)

JonB04 · Aug 14, 2010

I was jus wondering im going to be an FNP with a DNP. Because by the time i finish msn programs will be gone. And when i become an FNP i will be called a doctor. A doctor of nursing.

chicagoing, ADN, RN · Aug 15, 2010

I would also check to see if the general chemistry required for the BSN will transfer to the PA degree. I know someone who is now a PA; 5 years ago, he was in the process of finishing his pre-reqs. He needed to take general chemistry for science majors.

OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN · Aug 15, 2010

It just depends on the program. At my school the chem we have to take for nursing is for science majors however, the PA program at one of the schools by me requires it and the other doesn't so it really depends on the school you're planning on attending.

LJR2010 · Aug 15, 2010

It does depend on the school, you can always find a school somewhere in the country with lighter admissions requirements. Here in Florida, PA schools require at least one year of full time work with patients. So you would have to work as a nurse for at least a year. And yes, they do require more chemistry than a typical BSN.

I was just looking at the University of Florida PA program:

Prerequisites and Other Courses School of Physician Assistant Studies - College of Medicine, University of Florida

OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN · Aug 16, 2010

The schools in Michigan do not have lighter admission requirements, all I was stating was that if you were going to get your BSN here you must take general chemistry and organic chemistry, and we do not have a special one for nursing students and one for science majors, they are the same. The rquirements are not easier just different, one program doesn't require chemistry but you must take advanced bio classes and one graduate bio course as a pre-req, so obviosly to take those classses you must have taken chemistry previously so it really doesn't matter.

LJR2010 · Aug 16, 2010

No, I was referring to the post that said you don't need years of health professional experience. From what I've seen, you need a minimum of one year of full time work hands on with patients. Since we are talking nursing, that is one year of working as a nurse. But one year is only the minimum, so I assume 2-3 years is probably the norm. You don't have to be an RN, there are other positions such as EMT and I think even phlebotomy that will be accepted. They can be picky about what type of work they will accept, so double check if you're not doing RN.

I really don't know that much about PA schools, which is why I posted that link.

And I certainly wouldn't call Michigan schools "lighter", I had to take orgo for my biology degree, I'm surprised to hear that some BSN programs require it. You definitely learn a lot in those classes.

mid31 · Aug 16, 2010

Hi,

This is exactly what I'm doing, going to nursing school then applying to PA program. You will need to take Chem 2, O Chem I, and an extra writing course. Like many others have already stated, requirements vary depending on the type of program you're applying to. I know for a fact, that you DO NOT need to have any clinical experience. The requirements for the schools in Texas are, having a BS, completion of pre reqs which are very similar to the ones for nursing school, and passing the GRE. PA programs are very competitive but it is such a great profession. Good luck to you!!