Plan of Action

[bmart3]

Hello everyone!
My name is Brenda and I am 18 years old. I have a desire to pursue a career as a Physician Assistant (obviously, I ended up here!). I am having some difficulty in preparing a plan of action that I will take in college to make me a competitive candidate for when I apply to PA school. I will be a freshman this Fall, and although the application process for me is still a few years away, I was wondering if I could get advice on what I can do right now. I plan to major in Biomedical Engineering, is that a major that a pa admissions committee might consider relevant/competitive? I want to stand out, but also do well. As far as healthcare experience goes, I don't know when I should start. I understand that not everyone's paths are similar, but would it be better to chip away at it every summer being a CNA or EMT or do it for a whole year after I obtain a bachelor's degree?
Some of these questions might seem like no-brainers to some of you, but I want to make sure I plan ahead before the craziness of college ensues. I would appreciate additional advice any of you have to offer, as well as some general guidance for requirements (since PA schools vary).

Thanks!
Brenda

[PaulK]

Your first and only priority right now should be your studies. Pour yourself into school so you can start with and continue to get excellent grades. This is probably the single biggest thing you can do to prepare yourself. If you want to dip your toe into health care experiences during the summer, that's fine. But the real accumulation of health care experience won't begin until you graduate and get a job in the health care field. If you want to get your EMT or CNA over summer, you could do that. But you also might need a break from all your hard work!

As for majors, Biomedical engineering sounds fine. If you want more detail on choosing a major, read this article on majors, or listen to our podcast episode on the topic.

[bmart3]

Thanks Paul! That is very helpful. I will take your advice into consideration as I start my college career!