Undergraduate education: Ball State University
Overall GPA: 3.89
Science GPA: 3.84
GRE: Below 300 (Not competitive)
PCE: ~500 (Patient Care Assistant)
HCE: ~400 (Hospice volunteer, Medical brigade volunteer, Hospital volunteer)
Shadowing: ~80 (Family Medicine, Orthopedics, Dermatology, Oncology)
Teaching: ~2,500 (Graduate Assistant, Biology Supplemental Instructor, Anatomy Study room assistant)
Non-healthcare volunteer: ~100 (Camp Counselor, Habitat for Humanity volunteer)
Leadership experience: ~2,500 (Hall Council President, HOSA Future Health Professionals collegiate chapter Founder/President, Leadership ambassador, Camp Kesem officer team member)
Research: ~400 (Cancer)
Extracurricular: Workout classes, boxing club and a member of various campus organizations
LORs: MD, PA, Biology/Microbiology professor, Pre-health professions advisor
How many times did you apply?: 1
Age when applied: 24
Gender: Female
How many programs did you apply to? 10 programs
How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? I was offered 5 interviews. I was denied from 1 program, an interview alternate at 1 program and have yet to hear from the other 3 programs. I attended 3 of the interviews, denied interview offers from the other 2 programs and I received acceptances from all 3 of the programs I interviewed with.
Any red flags on your application? I had a non-competitive GRE score, low amount of direct patient care hours and two-course withdrawals on my transcript. When applying with my lower GRE score I looked at programs that didn’t require the GRE, did not focus or mention a specific GRE score they were looking for applicants to obtain. Also, with my low amount of PCE hours, I looked at programs that didn’t require a certain amount of hours or required the number of hours where I met the minimum.
Anything you found surprising about interviews? Every interview I attended was completely different! The interview styles I experienced included traditional, situational/ethical and MMI. It was a great opportunity to see how each program used their own unique interview techniques for picking their future students from a variety of diverse applicants. Additionally, I was shocked at how friendly and sociable fellow interviewees were! Interviews are a stressful time yet everyone was talkative and wanted to get to know you. I actually made quite a few friends throughout my interviews and even saw some of the same people at multiple interviews! Overall, I had a wonderful experience with my interview process and just know everyone there wants to see you do well and succeed!
Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? I used a variety of resources from a plethora of social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Podcasts and various websites. I highly recommended joining the Pre-PA club facebook page/group to meet fellow Pre-PA students from around nation. I followed various PA-S/PA-C on Instagram who talk about their experiences, how to prepare for the PA school application process and write very helpful blog posts. I listened to The Pre-PA club podcast by Savanna Perry, I watched Adanna the PA videos on YouTube and visited ThePAPlatform.com which all helped me get more exposure to information regarding Pre-PA FAQs. To make sure I had a great personal statement I utilized editing. Then, once I started receiving interviews I ordered the Physician Assistant School Interview Guide book by Savanna Perry. By using these resources it allowed me to have a diverse outlook on what are the beneficial ways to be the most competitive applicant you can be!
Any other advice for other pre-PA students? Start as early as possible! This can be through getting PCE hours, shadowing, taking to GRE and completing prerequisites. As you know this application process for PA school is very competitive so the more you can stand out, the better! I also would recommend trying to become a well-rounded applicant and not just focusing all your energy on one aspect like PCE hours. Also, PA-S’s and PA-C’s are all so willing to help and want to see Pre-PA’s succeed! This is because they were in your shoes and understand what you are going through. With this being said don’t be afraid to ask them for help or questions. Lastly, just believe in yourself and know your hard work will pay off!
Where can we find you? Instagram: @m_wisuri
If you've recently been accepted to PA school and would like to be featured in an "Accepted!" post to share your story and advice with other PA hopefuls, send an email to savanna@thepaplatform.com
