Undergraduate education: UCLA
Overall GPA: 3.5
Science GPA: 3.4
GRE: 312 (V153/Q159/4.5)
PCE: 2000+ (MA, EMT, Optometric Assistant)
HCE: 1800+ (MA, Scribe, Community Health Fairs)
Shadowing: 174 (Family/Sports Medicine, Emergency, Urgent Care, Pediatrics)
Teaching/Non-healthcare volunteer: 220 (CPR/BLS, Geriatrics, High School, Orphanage, Community Nature Restorations)
Research: 110 (Nephrology, Neurology)
Extracurricular: Meditation Classes, Yoga, Backpacked through Central America
LORs: MD, PA, PA, Microbiology Professor
How many times did you apply?: 1
Age when applied: 24
Gender: Female
How many programs did you apply to? 17 programs
How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? I was offered 9 interviews and 3 acceptances!
Any red flags on your application? I had C’s in my core science courses, but this experience helped me learn how to study. It refined how I approached material in the future. I ended up retaking my classes to show academic maturity.
Anything you found surprising about interviews? I actually met a lot of great friends at interviews. It was an awesome opportunity to meet people from across the country. I kept in touch with a few people from every interview and overall the experience was really welcoming and warm at every program!
Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? I found awesome resources on YouTube, Instagram, ThePAPlatform.com, How to Ace the PA School Interview book by Andrew Rodican, PA-C, and PhysicianAssistantforum.com. This application cycle showed me how collaborative the PA community is. I found a community online that helped with revisions, mock interviews, and more!
Any other advice for other pre-PA students? Be proactive in everything you pursue. Planning ahead will definitely help you in the long run. Don’t be afraid to take that step to ask. The worst thing that can happen is someone can say no, but there are so many opportunities waiting if you just ask politely and stay proactive.
Where can we find you? Instagram: @lenainmedicine
If you've been accepted to PA school and would like to share your story in an Accepted! post, send an email to savanna@thePAplatform.com or use this link to contact us at The PA Platform now.
