Anatomy & Biochem classes

Soup,

I just wouldn't be fully comfortable with SL courses unless I knew they would be acceptable to the school I was applying to (like Excelsior). There are just too many great online options for this to waste time with SL. New Mexico Junior College should offer everything your looking for via distance in either 8 or 16 week courses with Lab (very important)...and at a rock bottom price. I believe the University of Idaho independent studies may have a couple. and Cookderosa should be along in a minute to tell you where she did hers...some online school in New England I think.

Have you considered nursing? pays well, lots of jobs, fits your above criteria, and you can later transfer to a specialty or even seek Nurse Practitioner status...if I had it all to do over again this might well be the path I would take.

You might take a look at WGU online nursing programs...they blend online self paced learning with condensed practical experience in an actual hospital...cool program.

 

Enthusiastically seconded! Also see Clovis Community College.

 

I would agree to an extent with Rebel, however finding the online lab is something i just havent found anywhere other than SL. If anyone else has, please share a link to the course.

Id rather also avoid SL, but their (so far to me unique) available online lab component has made them a necessary evil.

 

There are plenty of schools that offer the lab at a distance:

I think this is the DO school that offers undergrad Medical Science via distance University of New England - COM - Online Education - Online Anatomy for the Health Professions

As mentioned, New Mexico JC and Clovis offer their courses this way. New Mexico Junior College - Distance Learning Read through a syllabus to see how they structure the class and lab portions: NMJC Course Syllabus

The University of Oregon has some...they used to let you come out for a week or so in the summer and complete labs in person after taking the written portion too! Online Chemistry & Lab Courses -- Online & Distance Degrees -- Oregon State University -- Extended Campus -- Ecampus

Colorado Community Colleges Online appears to offer online lab options Programs - Science | Colorado Community Colleges Online


Unless you are working towards a specific school/goal don't use SL as medical prereqs...your just begging for trouble! (if you KNOW they are accepted i have no trouble with SL...but a bunch of schools will not accept them ... caveat emptor)

 

I cant talk right now.... Im eating humble pie...

either things changed a lot in the last semester or i did a really crappy job in finding online A&P classes with Labs. I gotta swing Rebel's way on this. I just shot a note off to a CCC instructor and got this back:

Hey Mike

Thanks for your interest in Anatomy and Physiology Online at CCC. Here is some information about the class:

• All of the exams are contained online but you will have to find a proctor site for your final exam
• I have personally recorded lectures over the materials in the chapter for you to listen to
• You are also required to complete case studies each week and submitting them
• For the lab you will be purchasing a lab kit from our book store, completing the lab (with includes dissections), taking pictures and submitting the pictures into the system
• I do prefer that you take A&P I before A&P II
• We are using Hole's Human Anatomy and Physiology, 13th ed. (ISBN# 0073378275).

Hope this answered some of your questions, but if you still have others just let me know.


so, let me finish up my humble pie (.....wipes corners of mouth)... and agree with Rebel. Use SL only as a last (and most likley unecessary) resort.

 

Post of the year!!!! Well Done! Not the humble pie so much...but I loved it every time you said "rebel is right"!

Seriously...I only know this stuff because I'm such a freaking geek and I thought long and hard about how to step away from Paramedic and into something more fulfilling/lucrative.

One of the guys that teaches at Oregon is like teacher of the year or something, many of his lectures are on youtube and he really is something to see. A gifted teacher can make all the difference.

ratemyprofessor scored one of the Prof's at NMJC pretty high as well.

Best,
Reb

 

Thanks for the options. I have considered that about the SL courses. I might have to contact the schools again and see what they say. One of the schools said that they will take Clep/Dantes for the prereqs so I would think that SL would fit since they are ACE evaluated. I will still ask though and never assume.

I've considered nursing, but PT has always been an area I think would really be my niche area in medicine. I really like the personal nature of the field. I'm not really a blood/guts kind of guy so the trauma type of medical careers like nursing don't appeal to me. I know that it can't be completely avoided, but I'd rather it not be a daily occurrence.

I appreciate all of the responses so far. Oh and Rebel, why can't you go back? You're never too old or settled down to do what you really want. I'm trying to keep telling myself that right now. PT would be so far removed from my comfort zone, but it's always been one of my regrets. I think what I'm going to do is start volunteering at a PT clinic and make sure I really want to move forward with it.

 

In addition to UNE (where you may begin DL science courses w/ labs at any time of year), Ocean County Community College also offers a number of options.

Ocean County College

 

I may bridge to RN one day...I like the format of the Excelsior program and that's one college i never attended

Right now I work as the Emergency Manager of a Community Hospital...I thought it would lead to management/better pay/ and increased job satisfaction but it really hasn't done any of those.

You should really think about Nursing...it's definitely not all blood and guts. In fact it is a notable profession due in part to the incredible variety of work within the umbrella of nursing. Many RN's almost never deal with blood or trauma, yet find important and meaningful work. OT's do quite well also...but there isn't nearly the variety you will find in Nursing.

Best,
Reb

 

You really should man, especially if it's something you feel like you'll always regret. Keep us updated!

We are in similar circumstances. I like what I do, but I feel like something's missing. Plus, I know I'm going to regret not trying. If nothing else, I will finish these prereqs. They are just about identical for nursing, med school, PT school, etc. so it won't hurt if I change my mind.

I'll have to do some research plus I have several family members that are nurses. I have one that's actually a nurse anesthetist so I'll talk to them.

 

I love this board and also hate it at the same time (I'm kidding). For the last several days, I've been thinking hard about your question. I am now considering this as an option as well, but also pondering what the easiest transition into the field would be for me. I hold an AAS, BS, and masters, but does this help at all?

There are limited DL options for all things nursing, but some options exist for at least the didactic portions of the programs. I would still need to take the prereqs and would like to start right now, but it looks my options are limited to Straighterline and UNE. And I've read on allnurses.com, that there seems to be no clear resolution as to whether or not Straighterline is accepted at all.

So should I consider a distance LPN? EMT then Paramedic? What would be the easiest transition for someone in my position? I'd like to keep my family life and career intact while pursuing this via DL. I know that's a lot to ask for.

I looked at WGU's prelicensure program and it looks great, but it's a very selective program. I don't mind the challenge of competition, but I also want to explore every available option. A DL LPN --> ASN/ADN/Rn seems reasonable as well. Then I could focus on the path to NP. Since I already have a masters, would I have to go the path of RN-->BSN-->NP or would I be able to skip the BSN because of my masters? As you can see, I have plenty of questions and very few answers.

One last thing, are they phasing out the masters level NP in favor of a doctorate? I wonder how that would affect me if I'm in the middle of this transition. Thanks again Ladies and Gents.

 

Nursing school is a different bear from what we generally seek on this forum. There is a good deal of hands on practical instruction that just can't be fully taught online. I honestly think the best place to take it is at your local CC. Your looking at around 1.5-2 years to get it all done, though accelerated programs do exist. I would think your past academic success would be well received by WGU if you went that route.

Rather or not your existing degree's will be well received depends a bit on local climate and who is doing the interview. I know a lot of nurses that either don't have advanced degrees or dont have advanced degrees in nursing...this doesn't seem to hurt them. Number one in Nursing is...the Registered Nurse (RN) designation. I know one guy that has his BA in Russian History, he's currently leading a critical care flight team and teaches TNCC (Trauma Nursing Core Curriculum) in his spare time.

Paramedic to RN is a little easier. I did my Medic back in 2006-07 and there were 3 guys going through with the expressed desire to finish the medic and transition to RN. This is a sort of side door to RN and it's not available in all states (New Mexico has no transition program). The upside is that while RN school can be selective and difficult to enter, paramedic schools usually have easy admissions standards and the Paramedic to RN track programs are usually easy to get into. Excelsior even has a test out Medic to RN program that minimizes bedside time to about 4 days...pretty sweet deal. If I ever transition it will likely be through EC. Transition programs like this are usually available for LPN's too, often in the same class.

LPN school might be easier than Paramedic school and depending on where you live there may be more jobs. In Florida LPN's are used practically like med techs and the jobs for real nursing are quite limited (though you can make $20/hr pushing a med cart at an old folks home and giving shots and pills out) Paramedics are taught a bit more autonomy and different skill sets, I wouldn't have done well as an LPN. LPN or Medic will take a year minimal....you will have to be an EMT-Basic (one semester) before you can get into most Paramedic Schools....LPN is often taught at a vo-tech but is typically easy to get right into.

I understand they are phasing out the Masters level NP in favor of a Doctorate...your well beyond my experience here though. You might consider LPN/Medic and then direct admit to a PA school though, I have a couple pals that are pursuing that avenue as medics.

 

I really like the path to PA as well, but the same problem exists in that there are very little DL options. I know all clinicals are (and in my opinion SHOULD) be hands on, but the didactic portion would be nice to finish online. Actually, I had been considering PA before I started with the NP route in the last several days. Any suggestions on that path? I really want to be as informed as I can because once I start this, I don't want to start second guessing myself. Like I did in all of my previous degrees, I go full force and commit myself 100%. Thanks Reb!

 

what state are you in Soup? near what major city?

 

I'm glad to see excitement about the health professions! I recommend taking the EMT-Basic course first to introduce you to the field. Across the country, the course averages about a $1000 and 4 months in length, give or take. It will give you the opportunity to see if you love the field without going bankrupt! In addition, the skills you learn can come in useful even if the medical field is not for you.

If you already have a bachelors degree or higher, you may consider taking pre-requisites for the PA route! Unfortunately, the PA route has become almost as competitive as the MD or DO route. PA schools have a surplus of applicants and admission is very competitive. Although, I think this route would be much faster than the Paramedic or LPN to RN to Rn with a BSN to NP with a DNP route which is roughly 8 years! Most DNP programs with a nurse practitioner specialty are 3 1/2 years in length!

I went from EMT with a Bachelors and Masters in another field to RN with ASN to MSN and Family Nurse Practitioner. I was able to bypass a second Bachelors degree in Nursing through a "bridge program' to Nurse practitioner and it still took me 3 more years with about 6 years of course work in total. The PA school is usually a two year program! The programs love to see healthcare experience and excellent grades in the pre-reqs which usually include; Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy, Microbiology, Statistics, etc. I suggest you get an EMT and join as a volunteer at a local free medical clinic for the uninsured, translating, doing vitals, assisting, etc.

In response to your question, yes, many schools are now DNP or phasing into DNP for the nurse practitioner programs although many schools will continue to offer the masters degree as well. Always a rebel!

 

I think Delta is right....If your end goal is PA/NP just go do EMT-Basic (sent you a link), get a part time job in a hospital or on an ambulance and knock out pre-reqs for the PA route....but understand it's like Delta said...very competative and may entail uprooting the family for a couple years to go to school. Of course in the end you can make $65+ an hour working, essentially, as a physician.

 

This route does look like my shortest path since I already have an advanced degree. My undergrad and masters GPA are very high, but with grad inflation these days, I'm not sure how much I would stand out. My masters GPA is a 3.875 and my undergrad is a 3.8. I might consider getting the EMT-Basic just to do it because locally the courses are cheap and it actually compliments my field. :approve:

 

Thanks! I slowly see at least a proposed plan coming together. I will take a few weeks and think about it like I always do to make sure I make an informed, educated decision. I don't like firing from the hip, especially when it comes to spending money on education. Thanks so far for the advice and sorry to the OP for the derailment.

And thanks for the link Reb! I'll definitely look into that!

 

A PA program will want to see at least some patient care...so EMT basic and part time employment in the field are really a basic requirement. you might get around this with volunteer work...but the more commitment you demonstrate the better your chances. PA school really is akin to medical school, at least in the entrance requirements. Your GPA is solid, keep that up in the pre-reqs, add some sort of patient care, and I think you would be competitive in pursuing a PA school slot.

 

My plan would be to volunteer as time permits in the evenings and weekends on ride alongs and ERs. I have a few friends that can help facilitate this. I think the EMT-B will also help me make sure this is something I can and want to do. And like I said it helps in my current field anyways so there's no actual loss if I don't go as far as PA school.

I do have another question and I'll just link the thread I started several months ago for my sister (who starts her EMT-B in December). What are your thoughts on the DL programs linked in this thread?

http://www.degreeinfo.com/general-distance-learning-discussions/41756-emt-b-asic-via-distance-online.html