Undergraduate education: Bachelor's in Global Health from UC San Diego
Overall GPA: 3.79
Science GPA: 3.7
GRE: 317
Total PCE hours: 345
Total HCE hours: 1,400
Shadowing hours: 70
Other Volunteer hours: 110
LORs: 1 from my PA mentor, 1 from my anatomy professor, 1 from my supervisor, and 1 from an internship coach.
How many times did you apply?: 1
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Why PA? I stumbled upon the profession while exploring the healthcare field. All of the normal perks of the job looked nice on paper, but once I shadowed a PA I knew it was right for me. Never before have I met such friendly, caring, confident, and curious people. I was also very lucky to be mentored by a PA where I worked in clinical research. With his help I was able to understand the profession and a PA's role in healthcare.
How many programs did you apply to? 9
How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? 2 interviews with 1 denial and 1 waitlist where I was later accepted.
Where will you be attending? Midwestern University, Glendale
Anything you found surprising about interviews? No matter how hard you prepare there will always be something that catches you off guard. Be ready to adapt and be flexible. Also, you'll be told this so many times, but be honest. They want to know you as a person.
Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? In finding schools I found the The Applicant's Manual of Physician Assistant Programs very helpful. In preparing for the interview I would highly recommend using the programs' websites and physicianassistantforum.com for insight to the process. Savanna's book the Physician Assistant School Interview Guide and the PA Platform's mock interview service were also very helpful for my confidence.
Any other advice for other pre-PA students? If becoming a PA is as important to you as it is to me you are more than capable of getting in. Just remember to do your research, take time to make your application shine, and to try not to get too stressed. Use others' stats only for reference, not as a means to compare yourself. You and your experiences are unique. Use them to your advantage.
Where can we find you? @finn.shea.the.pa on Instagram
