Undergraduate education: Pace University
Overall GPA: 3.4
Science GPA: 3.04
Total PCE hours: 2,020- Medical Assistant at Headstart Daycare/ Learning Center and Medical Assistant/ Phlebotomist at Urgent Care
Total HCE hours: 448- Counselor at Addiction Treatment Hospital (Rehab) and front desk at Urgent Care and
Shadowing hours: 11- Shadowing PA at the Addiction Treatment Hospital (on my day off) and Virtual Shadowing
Volunteer hours: 503- Through Church (homeless shelter, tutoring, religious education teacher), Meals on Wheels (telephone reassurance volunteer), Respond Crisis Translation (Spanish translator for attorney and clients)
How many times did you apply?: 1
Age: 21
Gender: Female
Why PA? Lack of Spanish speaking medical providers in my area. As a Latina, I saw the need from my community for a provider that understands and can communicate with them. PA allows me the flexibility to work as a provider and contribute to my community through social working and public health.
How many programs did you apply to? 9
How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? 1 interview with my top school and I accepted
Where will you be attending? Pace University
Anything you found interesting about interviews? I did a zoom interview and it went well, there were more students than I expected (about 12) interviews were one on one which I appreciated because I got to bond.
Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, webinars, etc) you used to get through prerequisites courses, the application or interview process? The only thing I used to prep for interview was advice given on Instagram from PA mentors/ current PA-S
Any advice for other pre-PA students? Follow different Instagram accounts and apply the advice they give. Also make a document where you include all of the schools you “need to apply to, want to apply to, and wouldn’t mind applying to” include all their stats and apply to the ones where your stats align with theirs. Add safer schools and reach schools. It’s not necessary to apply to more than 10 schools (even that’s too much) if you feel like you need to apply to many schools your first time DONT. It’s a waste of $ and you can use that to take the year and take a course (MA or CPT) to increase PCE.
Where can we find you? I post PA content and advice on Instagram! @pa.rivz My personal Instagram where I just post my life and fun stuff: @amyrivadeneira
