Does a PA program for a newlywed who doesn\'t want to move every 8 weeks for clinicals exist?

[lindseyebelle]

I just got married and I've been looking into being a PA for years now. The only problem is that all the schools that I've previously looked into require students to move every 6-8 weeks during the second year consisting of clinical rotations! Are there any programs that would allow a student to live and do clinical rotations in the same area? If I can't find a solution I may have to settle for nursing. I'd appreciate any help you may have to offer!! Thank you!

[PaulK]

I think you can work this issue out. It\'s obviously very school dependent, but there are options.

At UCD, our rotations are scheduled for us, but if we find one on our own that meets the minimum criteria, they are usually happy to let you use that one instead of one that they would find for us. Many programs realize that PA students are more likely to have families and even careers than undergrads. Of course, some won\'t be able to flex in this area, so you should call the schools that interest you.

[shaner12586]

Hello,

Red Rocks Community College has rotations scheduled every month in the second year but many of them are in Denver. Any that are outside of the Denver area, housing is paid for so you would just need to be away for a month at a time or you could drive home for the weekends. Hope this helps.

[PA_90210]

This brings up a good question- i'd be interested for more people to chime in. My first thought was to suggest PA programs located in major cities as there would be a higher concentraion of medical practitioners and therefore a higher availability of rotations... but I'm not so sure that is always the case. I went to one of the 3 PA schools in pittsburgh and the rotation "market" was quite saturated. Oddly enough for those who wanted to battle it out for local rotations, the school basically gave first dibs to those with higher grades. I eventually did a rotation in a rural setting and it surprised me how much tge office appreciated my help- it was semi-rare for them to get students rotating through even though they are always accepting.

[rosabella]

I think if we find one on our own that meets the minimum criteria, they are usually happy to let you use that one instead of one that they would find for us.