Undergraduate education: St. John's University in Queens, New York.
Overall GPA: My overall GPA and my science GPA were both a 3.75
Science GPA: 3.75
Total PCE hours: I had ~ 2,500 hours when I applied! I gained my experience by working as a phlebotomist and medical assistant for a pain management practice.
Total HCE hours: I gained 40 hours of HCE by volunteering for an occupational therapist.
Shadowing hours: Because of COVID, I only had ~ 5 shadowing hours at the time of my application, and these were done virtually. I would definitely recommend having more hours than I did!
Volunteer hours: I had ~ 115 volunteer hours. The majority of those hours came from volunteering as a mentor/tutor to international students whose native language was not English.
How many times did you apply?: 1
Age: 24
Gender: Female
Why PA? After receiving medical care in an underserved area, I realized I wanted to be in a position that makes a difference in this type of environment. I did my research and learned how PAs have a unique role to make that difference.
How many programs did you apply to? Only 5! Risky? Maybe, but I was confident in what I had to offer.
How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? Applied to 5 programs. Offered 3 interviews. Attended 2 of those interviews - 1 immediate acceptance (Stony Brook University) and 1 waitlist that turned into an acceptance (Tufts University).
Where will you be attending? Stony Brook University in New York
Anything you found interesting about interviews? Although both of my interviews were rather traditional in style, they were so different! I found one interview to be very relaxed and conversational, while the other was very structured and intentional. I enjoyed both interview experiences and I can't stress the importance of thinking of the interview as a structured conversation. Your interviewers want to get to know you and how you will fit into their program so stay true to who you are!
Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, webinars, etc) you used to get through prerequisites courses, the application or interview process? Throughout the interview process, I used The PA School Interview Guide by Savanna Perry which was super helpful. I also watched some mock PA school interviews on YouTube and thought about how I would answer the questions asked. Lastly, I did a mock interview with the PA Platform.
Any advice for other pre-PA students? My 2 best pieces of advice: 1. Don't be afraid to take the gap year(s)! I learned so much during the year I took to gain my PCE hours and it was without a doubt, a valuable year. 2. Always ask questions and reach out. If you come across a student who attends your dream PA school, reach out and ask them how the program is from a student's perspective. Make those connections!
Where can we find you? Instagram: @kiaramenn
