Undergraduate education: B.S. in biology from Texas Tech University; I also received my Master of Science in Medical Science from UNT Health Science Center
Overall GPA: 3.35
Science GPA: 3.15
GRE: 311
Total PCE hours: 3,166
Shadowing hours: 288
Other volunteer hours: 413
LORs: 5 -- dean of my graduate program, two of my graduate professors, a physician I used to work with, and a PA that I shadowed
How many times did you apply?: 5
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Why PA? Flexibility of the job, able to give more attention to patients
How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? Received 3 interviews so far. Interviewed at 2, declined 1
Where will you be attending? UT Medical Branch, Galveston
Anything you found surprising about interviews? How personal they were. My questions focused mainly on assessing my personality, my outlook on life, my goals, and how I respond to my environment. One of the faculty of the first school I interviewed with asked me "what wakes you up in the morning". From my experience thus far, I have noticed that schools want your application to reflect your "why PA" side with all of your experience, while they use the interview to gauge your bedside manner, whether you are a reactor or a responder, how you manage stress, if you are able to accept criticism and how you handle change.
Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process?This year, I actually ended up working with a former pre-PA adviser-turned application consultant that reviewed and polished my whole application (big props to Karen Hudson, she is incredible!). In my graduate program, part of our curriculum was pre-health interview preparation, so we were able to gain experience in MMI and one-on-one interview styles and having that practice was a HUGE help. Also shout-outs to Khan Academy (the G.O.A.T.), PA Forum, The PA Life, PA Platform, Medgeeks, Complete Anatomy App, and so many other apps and blogs that got me through undergrad and graduate school.
Any other advice for other pre-PA students? Keep working, volunteering, studying, striving, shadowing, TRYING. Do not give up. I am a low-GPA miracle and I worked so hard to get here. I retook almost all of my undergraduate prerequisite classes (I don't recommend this, get it right the first time because CASPA is super unforgiving in this GPA aspect). Reach out to your pre-PA community and your peers. Make friends with your professors and the PAs and physicians you work with. My first PA shadowing experience only started because I called and emailed every physician's office in Lubbock (sometimes multiple times) until I got someone to tell me they had a PA that I could shadow, and it turned out to be one of the greatest experiences of my life. I am still in contact with that PA to this day, even 5 years later. This journey is not going to be easy, and it probably won't be fun most of the time, but I promise you, it is so incredibly worth it to finally get that "YES".
Where can we find you? Instagram and Twitter: @ann_amazingg
