An IDP Experience by the Numbers
Sydney Saunders will complete a Bachelor of Science in Biology this spring, but her Chatham experience is just kicking off. As an Integrated Degree Program (IDP) student at Chatham, she’ll spend three years completing her undergraduate degree (check!) and two completing her Masters of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS). We caught up with Sydney to see what it’s like to complete two major degrees in just five years, and thankfully, she had already done the math. Here’s how Sydney has maximized her IDP experience at Chatham, by the numbers—
Sydney (front row, second from left) and the Pre-PA Club
1. Save $135,000 on school
What does Sydney value most about the IDP experience so far? How much money she saves! For Sydney, it’s $135,000, which is more than a Physician Assistant’s average yearly salary. Though her undergraduate studies are complete, Sydney won’t graduate with her bachelor’s degree until December of 2020. This allows her to pay undergraduate tuition for an additional year.
2. Juggle as many jobs as you want; Try five
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Sydney is a hard worker, but just how hard she works is wildly impressive. By her second semester at Chatham, she was juggling five jobs, including an on-campus position as an admissions ambassador and an online tutoring position. Though it looks a lot like evidence of her tenacity, Sydney swears it is proof that the IDP curriculum won’t overwhelm you or prevent you from seeking out jobs and extracurriculars.
3. EASE the anxiety of a 10-12% acceptance rate
With limited seats in a cohort and a strong reputation, admission to Chatham’s graduate programs can be competitive, particularly in our health science programs. But thanks to her guaranteed admission into Chatham’s physician assistant program, Sydney can shrug away the stress of applying to grad school while still completing her undergraduate coursework. Plus, she doesn’t have to worry about taking the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
Sydney (front row, first from right) and her co-ambassadors at an admissions event.
4. Explore near-infinite interests & specialties
As secretary, treasurer, and social media manager of Chatham’s Pre-PA Club, Sydney wears a lot of hats, especially right now, as she helps organize digital meet-ups to keep the club on track. As far as future plans, she is waiting until she starts her hands-on graduate classes to tie herself to a specific specialty, though she is currently leading towards OB-GYN: “I am a woman who enjoys helping other women,” says Sydney. Following Chatham, she hopes to venture outside of Pittsburgh—where she grew up—and try her hand at living somewhere new.
5. Share your wisdom with the masses
“I highly recommend doing an integrated degree program at Chatham. You save a lot of money, you can start your career sooner, and you won’t be in school as long. I know I don’t want to be in school forever,” says Sydney. Another perk is building a friendship with your classmates: five of Sydney’s undergraduate classmates will be joining her graduate Physician Assistant cohort, thus she already has a built-in grad school community.
If you’re interested in learning more about an Integrated Degree Program at Chatham, check out our web page, which highlights the differences between guaranteed and preferred admission as well as our different IDP programs.
