What is the PA-CAT? - with Researcher and PA from Exam Master - Scott Massey, PA-C and PhD

The PA-CAT seems to be on everyone’s mind. Do I need to take the test? Is it replacing the GRE? How do I study for it? We went straight to the source with this interview with Dr. Scott Massey, a PA with tons of educational experience and a PhD. Dr. Massey has spent his career researching PA education and trying to improve it, and he shares his involvement in the development of the PA-CAT and why this test is the next step in PA admissions.

P.S. This blog post is also a podcast episode! Listen to it here.

Dr. Massey: My name is Scott Massey, and I’ve been a PA for 36 years. I’ve been a PA educator for 29 years. To make a long story short, I've been in leadership positions in 4 PA programs, and I’ve been an active researcher over the years in particular about predictive factors for success in PA education. A couple of years ago, Exam Master approached me and the executive of Exam Master came to one of my presentations and asked if I would be interested in participating in this exciting project, which was developing and launching a PA admissions exam. He asked me and Dr. Johnna Yealy to be the co-investigators of this project, as there would be an 18 month research component for that. I won’t go into everything else as far as my PA career, but I’ve worked in numerous settings including more emergency medicine than anything else. I also worked internationally for a year, and I’ve worked in several countries around the world participating in projects as well. At this point in time, I’m focusing on research and education, and another part of my time is spent working on this project. So that’s a summary of me! 
Savanna: So a little bit of everything but sounds good! Yeah so I'm going to be perfectly honest. I am not exactly sure what my thoughts are on the PA-CAT, so I'm excited to learn more. I have been a PA for 5 years now, and I think if I was in a pre-PA’s shoes, I would be a little bit terrified. But as someone who has been through it and has helped pre-PA students throughout the process, I can see the benefits of a test that is designed like the PA-CAT to be more specific than say, the GRE. So I'm excited to hear more and see if it helps my thoughts on it a little bit more. So you said it wasn't your idea; you just got involved, is that safe to say? 
Dr. Massey: I was one of the principal investigators. When you launch something of that magnitude, there has to be some robust research behind it. The exam was launched in a research phase in 2018, and it’s been administered to over 2,000 students, both who are first years matriculated into PA programs and to participants who are in the interview phase. So obviously, because this has to be approved by Institutional Review Board, we cannot ethically administer this exam to pre-PA students in the case that people would use it for the purpose of making decisions. Up until now it has been in the research phase, and this will continue into the future as well. 
As far as what you mentioned about the concern from pre-PA students regarding PA-CAT vs. GRE, I can tell you honestly as a PA educator, I’ve been involved with admissions for now 28 years. I can tell you that whatever tools the educators are going to use to admit students, they are going to use. I’ve read virtually all the research that PA education and PA educators have done on the GRE and predictive factors and on the PANCE and its success. And it’s not strong. It’s not a great instrument. The comment I want to make to all those students is that do you want PA educators to use a tool that’s not very strong vs. one that is a better identifier of students’ success in the PA program. There's nothing we can do to really to allay their fears, it's going to be a process but we'll get into that more detail as you ask questions.

Savanna: Looking at applications and talking to students, I find it hard to help students understand that PA schools have to standardize patients to a degree. There is so much variety in where they are taking classes and getting their experience, there has to be some way to even the playing field a bit. So what have schools used traditionally up until this point? 

Dr. Massey: Unfortunately, they use science GPA quite a bit. We just got the data from a research phase for this project, which looks at several hundred students and their relationship to prerequisite science and admissions, basically like the first year of a PA program and the first year PACKRAT. The relationship between those variables are very, very weak. And what research shows is that science GPA, which intuitively we would think that looking at grades and performance in chemistry would be an indicator, and it hasn’t panned out. I’ve done my own assessment, so I’m involved with a lot of assessment. I have assessed several years of data looking at, here at Central for example, looking at how well science GPA predicts PANCE performance in an academic format, and there is a negative relationship, which means it is not strong. So PA educators are going to use that, even though it is not a great predictor. Interviews and other personal things, I think, are probably one of the more important things. We try to identify that by using MMIs, group interviews, and personal interviews. I think looking at personal statements are important. 

There are qualitative types of variables and the quantitative. 51% of the PA programs, as of last year, are using the GRE. So they plug the GRE score into a spreadsheet and formula, and they say, oh here is the score on the GRE, we will give the student however many points. So that’s kind of what happens. It’s not an exact science to admit students, and I’m the first to tell you that my whole career has been about student success. I work with students who have failed PA school. I worked with students who are trying to remediate and develop their remediation tools. At the end of the day, not every student who applies is able to handle PA school. It’s our moral and ethical responsibility to not admit students who are not going to be successful. So it’s tough, it’s a tough job.

Savanna: So what are the end goals and end points of the PA-CAT? Is it seeing a better performance on PANCE, better GPAs in PA school, less matriculation – how do you figure out if it is effective? 

Dr. Massey: I believe the best way to find out if it is effective is to see a slight decrease an attrition. Whether someone gets 450 or 500 on PANCE, I could care less. But you know, attrition rates in PA programs ranges from virtually 0% in some that only accept students in the top 10% of GPAs to much higher in programs that are trying to admit candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds and those kinds of things. So, if this tool at the end of the day, lowers some attrition, then that will be successful. So it's really about student success. Basically to me, it's the best tool in the arsenal that will probably be available to programs to look at cognitive factors. So the other thing I'll say is that some programs that have a mission to admit students that might get lower scores on this exam could still use this exam to try to identify those that need a pre-matriculation type of program as well. So, they have multiple uses. 

Savanna: That's interesting. So can you even compare the PA-CAT to the GRE?

Dr. Massey: Not necessarily because it is testing different types of skills. There is the verbal and quantitative. I think there is some overlap with quantitative because it is testing some statistics and some chemistry. But for the most part, it’s really testing basic science knowledge and social science knowledge. It is most closely aligned with the pharmacy CAT. There’s a PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test). During the development phase, the committee looked at the PCAT because that was probably the closest aligned exam that already existed. The MCAT, which has undergone some evolution, is basically testing the same thing. It is testing the typical undergraduate courses that PA students will have already taken. It does not assume that students have advanced biological science courses, for example. It’s based on the average prerequisites of all PA students in the country. We did a large assessment of that to make sure we are not overtesting content that is beyond the scope of what PA students are experiencing. 

Savanna: Okay. And I listed out the subjects on my website. There's a lot of them, so I don't know if you want to list them, but we can either direct people there or if you want to go over them, you can. But I want to know more the logistics of the test, like how long is it, how is it scored, that type of thing.

Dr. Massey: So the exam is going to be 225 questions. During the launch this year, 25 of those questions are going to be what are called “field test” questions. 200 questions will actually be scored. It will be based on the one minute per question framework. As far as scale, the scale process is very similar to what the PACKRAT uses. So with scaled scores, basically all the students in the country, the lowest score might be 200 and the highest might be 800, and students find out where they are in terms of their percentile. If they scored higher than 61% of people taking the exam, it will be 61. So they will be total scale percentile scores and subscores, which we are combining the subscores for biological science and AP chemistry and social sciences. 

Savanna: I guess with it being so new, is there anyway to tell someone the score they should aim for or what schools are looking for?

Dr. Massey: Not yet, it will probably take several years to get to that point. I will use the example of PAKRAT again, which has been used for 20 years now. There is research out there that looks at scoring PACKRAT. It doesn’t say this is the score you want; you research it, look at the data. Same thing here, it will take time. Each year, applicants will be scored against other applicants. It’s not going to be, here’s the score. Programs, just like they do now, take that data and begin to identify how the scores relate to their own specific departments. You can’t generalize all programs. They will also look at the relationship of the PA-CAT with the PACKRAT, EORs, and the PANCE. Like any instrument, it will take time to get to that point. The PACKRAT is administered on a psychometric model called the The Rasch model. Rasch is the framework of developing a scale and looking at performance within a group. We are not looking at everyone who has ever taken the exam; we are looking at all students within a specific testing window that year. 

Savanna: Okay, and I know you said every school uses their own parameters. Do you see this as something that could potentially replace the GRE or become something that is mandated for every single PA program? 

Dr. Massey: No admissions exam can be mandated unless the program decides to. Does PAEA condone the PA-CAT? PAEA is neutral. It doesn’t condone it one way or other other; it doesn’t say PA-CAT is better than GRE or vice versa. Programs will choose to adopt this exam and choose to use it in their cycle if they want. It is available.

Savanna: I’ve seen some programs have started to implement the PA-CAT in this upcoming cycle; do we know how many programs?

Dr. Massey: There is estimated to be about a dozen right now. There may be as many as 25-30. Upcoming years, it is really grassroots. As more PA educators hear about this exam, for example I’ve given webinars to PA educators, so they know about it. I don’t know exactly the percentage of programs that will use it; but I think it will probably grow. 

 Savanna: Alright, so what is going to be the cost of the test, and are there going to be fee waivers? I’ve gotten questions about cost being a limiting factor. What does that look like?

Dr. Massey: The cost of the actual exam is $149. When students register, they're also going to be paying the prometric testing center fee at the same time. So with the total cost, it’s comparable to the GRE. As far as the waivers right now, Exam Master is developing a program to support economically disadvantaged students, so they're connecting with various constituency groups. I know that the executive director is talking to the president of AAPA, trying to reach out to see how that can be done on as well as in state chapters. Certainly, that is the desire if students are challenged economically, to be able to have a scholarship program and offer it free of charge. I honestly don’t know how much that is happening with current exams, like the GRE or CASPER. But that is the intent of Exam Master. 

Savanna: Okay, and how would students send scores? I know with the GRE, students are able to send it to 3 schools for free, then you can add more later. Is it similar to that? 

Dr. Massey: When students register, there is an articulation with CASPA. The number of schools the students apply to, CASPA would then forward the scores. It’s a process, and I can’t tell you exactly how it is transmitted, but it will similar to the process the GRE uses. There will be a school code, and there is a transcript students can download. So that’s how it’s going to work.

Savanna: Okay, cool. So another question I’ve gotten is that students who have seen certain programs require the PA-CAT now are asking how to prepare. When I was studying for the GRE, I went to the library and checked out some books. But how can students actually study and prepare? 

Dr. Massey: First of all, I would say the preparation is not going to be necessarily as robust as looking at setting up and preparing for the GRE because it's a different kind of exam. Students will get you know review books for the GRE and the more that you practice those exam questions, the better you will do – the customer test phenomenon. Because the PA-CAT is based upon the typical undergraduate courses, Exam Master now has a downloadable document, which is like the outline of the exam. Students can go to their own content and their own textbooks and use that document as a guide. There may be some more truncated review books for certain subjects like biology and that’s up to them. Along with the payment for the exam, students do get access to a free practice exam, and that will give them an estimation for their scaled score. So if they go ahead and they take the practice exam. If they score a 450 for example, which is lower, that’s an indication they may have to study more. I can tell you that the outline is quite detailed, they can go into chemistry and review those concepts. I know that depending on when students have taken certain courses, I mean there are certain students that get to their senior year and applying to PA school – it’s been 3 years since they took organic chemistry. So they may have to go back and spend more time focusing on that. Because the concentration of the exam is a bit less on chemistry as opposed to biology and physiology, it’s not going to have as much of an impact on the scaled score.

Savanna: Okay great, so there is some guidance. Last time I checked the website, it wasn’t up yet, but I’ll link that so everyone can find it and feel more reassured. I think you have covered all of my questions. Are there any questions that you are getting regularly? 

Dr. Massey: Yeah we look at blogs sometimes, and there are concerns that come up. Let’s see… how heavily weighed will it be in the application process? That depends on the program and how heavily they want to weigh it. Some programs may use a percentile program; some may use a watch-and-see approach and gather all the data first. The other concern I’ve seen is that it’s being implemented under people’s feet, as in they already took the GRE, now they have to take the PA-CAT. The process of putting a new requirement for an applicant is based on, if it’s early in the cycle, it’s pretty permissible to include. Once before the application is due, that’s how programs will look at it and will put it on their website so applicants will know ahead of time. Applicants have to realize that individual programs have the ability to require various elements from their students, so same thing here. I’ve spoken to a few directors that are choosing to make it voluntary this year and phase it in. 

Savanna: Do you think there are any programs that will require the GRE and PA-CAT, or is that overkill?

Dr. Massey: I don’t know that for sure. Everyone I’ve spoken to so far is choosing to go to PA-CAT instead of GRE. Again I think the cost to students is concerning if you require both exams. Also, I’ve gotten the comment that if the PANCE score is high, why would you another instrument? Again, I’m going to go back to wanting to reduce attrition. If it helps reduce overall some attrition, then it’s worth it. So the message I want to get across the pre-PA applicants, is that this is about trying to ensure success. It is not about adding more barriers or eliminating people. It’s about ensuring the people who are in programs have a higher probability of succeeding. They’ve also got to realize that when you take 5-10% attrition across states – we are talking about hundreds of people that are being dismissed from programs across the country! So if that's lowered, it's worth it.

Savanna: Yeah, I completely agree, and I think sometimes too it's difficult from a pre-PA standpoint, when you haven't been to a PA school yet. With my class, we started with 44 and ended with 40. One person from my class who graduated never passed the PANCE. I mean, it sounds small, like 4 or 5 people, but that’s life-changing for those people. So, I think if there was something that could have prevented them or kind of indicated that maybe they weren’t going to be able to succeed in PA school, that would have been helpful in the long run. 

Dr. Massey: Making programs, myself included, we will look at like any predictive variables that may indicate where students might need more remediation along the way. So if we look at that, what programs do is that they look at applicants who get lower scores in certain classes. And we ask, what do these students need? Do they need study skills? More support? Sometimes it’s a number of things. Sometimes it’s just study skills they need to adjust. Sometimes it’s science knowledge and science aptitude or the ability to handle the fast pace of the program. Some programs also look at those scores and implement a pre-matriculation program review process or some form of intervention for those students. Some medical schools already do this. So I think it opens the door to those things too, not that Oh, I’m just going to reject you because your score is X.

Savanna: Yeah, just the more information, the better. I think that's great. Where can people find out more about the PA-CAT and ask their questions? 

Dr. Massey: They can head to the PA-CAT website: https://www.pa-cat.com/pa-cat-candidate-page/. There are a lot of resources on there now.  

How to Easily Learn Anatomy

Thanks to Anatomy Bootcamp for sponsoring today’s post!
Did you know there are ways to make your studying more efficient and even, dare I say, easier? It may seem impossible in the thick of schooling, but a few simple preparation steps will make your life better by lowering your stress when it comes to studying.

In today’s blog post, we’re going to break down a few action steps that will set you up for success using anatomy as an example, and specifically Anatomy Bootcamp. Why anatomy? It’s one of the main cornerstone prerequisites for physician assistant school and undergrad isn’t the only time you’re going to see it. Once accepted to PA school, you’ll repeat anatomy and physiology at the graduate school level, and it ain’t easy. It can actually be one of the most challenging courses, even with foundational background knowledge, because each structure has more structures and they all have multiple functions. You’ll need to know it all, and understand it all to apply to patient care, but let’s lay out some study steps. 

Before You Start Studying

Evaluate your schedule and look at the curriculum. Figure out what you need to know and when. Write it out in a list or planner so you have a visual aid to refer to and nothing gets missed. Identify a study resource or supplement, and figure out how much time it will take to get through the content. For example, Anatomy Bootcamp includes PDF outlines to go with bite-size videos, followed by Qbanks that apply your knowledge with actual cadaver images and explanation videos applicable to each question. While in-class lectures are oftentimes great, they also miss the mark on important content sometimes and don’t emphasize exactly what you need to know, which is why the next part is important - figuring out how you learn best.

How to Study Based on Learning Style

There are tons of online tests to help you identify your learning style, and watching someone talk about a PowerPoint may not be the best way you learn. That’s okay! You may also have some overlap in styles of learning, and utilizing resources specific to each of those methods will help you comprehend material faster.

The learning styles include Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic.

Visual learners like to see charts, images and diagrams. The interactive drawings used in Anatomy Bootcamp during the videos make great study tools for someone who likes to learn visually. Here is an example: 

Aural learning refers to comprehending material by hearing it, whether from a lecture or in discussion with peers. Teaming up with some classmates to listen to a short 3-10 minute video and then talking about the information is a great strategy to solidify information while studying. 

If you love to read or write, I’m right there with you. While going through each module, practice active note taking by jotting down and copying the drawings displayed in the lectures during Anatomy Bootcamp. When you go through the questions afterwards, you’ll be able to refer to your notes or take down extra information if there was an aspect you didn’t grasp fully with the first exposure. 

Kinesthetic learners like to put it all together and enjoy a multi-dimensional learning experience with application. For an Anatomy Bootcamp strategy, watching the videos and then using the Qbank to test the knowledge will satisfy your desire to stay engaged and hands on while learning. Especially with the cadaver images, you can make connections with what you’re learning in a dissection lab or on models/computer modeling during PA school. 

Whatever learning style you identify with, I encourage you to try out the others, especially when trying to learn a new subject. Quickly identify if a method isn’t working for you and look for new options and resources, realizing you may not get everything you need straight from the classroom.

Managing Time

The key to making the most of your resources and study time is managing your time effectively. You can study for hours and not actually learn the material if just going through the motions. If you set a dedicated schedule and allot a specific amount of time to studying, you’ll likely be more efficient than casually jumping around between resources and topics. If you’re not used to doing this, start with a small time period of maybe just 10-15 minutes and build your study stamina from there. With Anatomy Bootcamp, the modules and videos are short so you can fit them into small pockets of study time.

Remove all distractions, set timers, and allow yourself complete concentration in your ideal setting. What works for someone else may not be the best for you and that’s okay! Make sure all of the needed equipment is easily accessible. If you’re watching the videos in Anatomy Bootcamp, you’ll need a quiet area to listen or headphones. If you’re a notetaker like me, keep your favorite pens and notebook in a dedicated spot. A little bit of preparation ahead of time will make your process easier.

Go forth and study better! Share your efficient study skills and learning style in the comments, and leave your Anatomy Bootcamp feedback for other students who are struggling with anatomy and physiology.

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How to Study Anatomy in Undergrad and PA School

Thanks to Anatomy Bootcamp for sponsoring this post!

While prerequisites vary between physician assistant programs ton, there is typically always one class that is required no matter what - anatomy and physiology. Anatomy is also a core part of PA school curriculum in every program.

Having a thorough understanding of the various parts of the human body, along with how they work together to help everything function correctly, and what happens if something goes wrong, is the foundation of a medical education. How can you fix a problem if you can’t understand exactly where the cause is coming from?

If you’ve attempted any anatomy courses, you know just how extensive the lists of structures are. There is a memorization component, but pairing that with understanding is what helps the information stick. At an undergrad level, your goal may just be to pass and get through it, but as a graduate student, you’re studying to take care of actual humans and potentially save lives. That’s where Anatomy Bootcamp comes in to make sure you are gaining that comprehension of the material.

At the graduate level, like in PA school, anatomy is an entirely different beast. The structures have structures and they all have a specific role. (Except the appendix. No one can figure that one out.) That may require a change in study techniques or quick adjustments to keep up with the pace of PA school. I learned this myself in the first two weeks of school. Visual examples that Anatomy Bootcamp incorporates offers an easy, fun way to learn anatomy. By combining high-yield videos with an innovative question bank, you’ll master anatomy while applying your knowledge.  

During undergrad at UGA, anatomy wasn’t included as part of my biology major, but counted as an elective. It didn’t make sense then, and still doesn’t, but that meant I had to sign up for a summer course back at home. Over 12 weeks, I completed anatomy and physiology 1 and 2, and I scraped by on memorization. The lab portion of our course consisted of models, pictures, and frog and cat dissection. While those were good experiences, I can’t say I was fully prepared for PA school anatomy. If you’re going to be working on humans, using a tool that offers real HD cadaver images while studying like Anatomy Bootcamp will reinforce the information.

The first semester of PA school at Augusta University was primarily focused on anatomy. We started in May with 3 months to do a full cadaver dissection. We attended lecture from 8-12 Monday through Thursday, and then went into the lab from 1-5pm on two weekdays to dissect. We were combined with physical therapy and occupational therapy students, and we got very close over those 3 months. There were three separate test days with a traditional multiple choice section followed by a lab practical with the cadavers (spelling counted!).

I felt alright on the first test day. Until I got my score back. 74. Whoops. As a perfectionist who was used to doing pretty well school, that hit hard. I realized quickly that something needed to change. My study methods clearly weren’t translating to comprehension of the material. I reached out to my classmates and advisors for advice. I’m a note taker, but there just wasn’t time to write everything out like I was used to. By switching my focus to starting with big concepts and working down to the details and incorporating more practice questions, I achieved a B on the second test, and finally an A on the last test. Using a custom question bank with Anatomy Bootcamp will personalize your experience so you can make sure to study what matters most. Tracking the concepts you struggle with by tagging questions will help you come back to the topics that need a little more focus. By making some changes, I was truly learning the material to set up my foundation for starting the clinical medicine sections in PA school. Ari, the creator of Anatomy Bootcamp, shares a similar story of the difficulties he faced in trying to learn how anatomy works so quickly with less than optimal images for studying. 

Here are my tips for studying anatomy:

• Start with your well known study techniques. Give them a chance if you know what works for you. Figure out how the information is divided in your class to focus on each section appropriately. 

• If your methods aren’t working, it’s time to move on. Spend some time revisiting your previous study skills and try something new. Look into new resources and ways of learning. It may feel a little uncomfortable at first, but that’s the best way to find growth. 

• Assess yourself regularly. Practice makes perfect, and will also allow you to gauge where you’re at with the material. The test shouldn’t be the first time you are applying your information. With Anatomy Bootcamp, you can even study on the go by studying anatomy right on your phone. 

• Ask for help! If you’re still struggling, reach out. Fellow classmates, instructors, TAs, prior students, advisors, social media, etc. Anatomy Bootcamp offers a team of teachers that’s like having your all-time favorite TA right by your side 24/7. You don’t have to do this completely by yourself and others have done it before you. Use their experience to make yours less painful. 

If you’re struggling with anatomy or worried about how to make sure you get the best job the first time, check out Anatomy Bootcamp! The video below will show more information. This is a great option for supplemental learning with any anatomy courses that have been moved to a virtual platform as well! Follow along on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for updates and sneak peeks of the great images and lessons included with Anatomy Bootcamp.

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What to Do During the Application Waiting Game

The Waiting Game

Let me start off by saying, I LOVE getting messages from you all. A good portion of the message I get are from first time applicants and reapplicants and one of their main concerns is, “What do I do after I submit my application”.

I have been there. You’ve worked really hard, you’ve been taking classes, done the volunteering, done the patient care experience, worked on your applications, done your personal statement, put in all this time and effort and money to you get to the point of applying to PA School.

You hustle really hard to get your applications submitted by the deadline that you’ve chosen or the schools’ deadlines and then after you push submit, you just sit there and you don't know what to do. Then you get really anxious and check your email 500 times a day because you're just waiting on those interview invites. Then you get an email from a school and you get really excited and you open it and it's just a confirmation telling you they got your application, with no information.

Talk about discouraging. Then you wait some more and you may get another email… that’s a rejection and that stinks and hurts and makes you feel like all this effort was for nothing. BUT then maybe that same day you get an interview invite. I just want you to realize that this process is so random, and I understand that it is so, so stressful and not really much fun. The day you get an interview is fun but the right after that your nerves kick in and you have a whole, whole other thing to worry about.

Today I just wanted to talk about that a little bit and go through some things that you can be doing while you're in that waiting period so at least you can calm yourself down but also feel like you're being proactive in that time period.

PA school has become very competitive and because of that, my advice to anyone whether it's your first time applying, whether you're reapplying, is to go into the cycle with the mindset of you're going to have to reapply. Even if your application is stellar, you can't think of anything else you need to do better, and you feel very confident still find ways to improve.

Think about having to reapply because here is an example of what your DON’T want to have happen:

Let's say you applied in May and then you kind of were like, “Okay I've applied I'm still waiting to hear back” and you decide to go, I don't know travel the world for a year. The next April you haven't heard anything from any schools you’ve gotten a couple rejection but you still want to go to PA school. When you go to reapply, your application will be the same and I'm and you can't expect any different or better result if you haven't improved your application.

At that point you need to have improved. You need to have things so you can say: ”Over this past year, this is what I've been doing differently” and then when those schools get your application for the second time, they need to be able to compare them and go, “You know this person really wants this and they've been working hard this past year to reach their goals.”

That's a mistake that some people make and just to clarify, when it comes to reapplying, a school only knows that you're a reapplicant if you have applied there previously. If you’ve submitted your application to a school and then you submit again the next year, they will know you're a reapplicant. If you submitted to school A and the next year you submit to school B, school B will not know that you’ve applied before unless you tell them. If you allude to it your personal statement or tell them at an interview, then they may be able to understand that. That’s one thing to take taking into consideration.

One thing I’d recommend, is try to be patient. It's not fun and like I said, I totally get the anxiety and stress that comes with it. Once you’ve turned everything in, there’s really not that much that you can do. You can’t change your application, so you can't go back in and edit things. Let’s say you go back in and you're pouring over your application and you realize there's a typo, you can't change it. At that point, you might as well just let it go. Don't go back into your application and double, triple check it after you’ve submitted. Because you're not going to be able to change any mistakes.

Now if you notice, let’s say you made a huge mistake. Let’s say you accidentally entered your hours completely wrong. At that point you still can't fix it through CASPA but you may need to contact the school's individually to give them an update on that and whether they take that into account or not is up to them, because some schools will only really consider what is on your application.

Each school has a different process and a different timeline and so if you’ve heard from one and haven’t from another, that doesn't necessarily mean anything, they just do things differently.

One thing I like to tell people to do and this is what I did, is to check the PA forums. So physicianassistantforum.com is a great community where people are always chatting and each school has a different thread and you can see for that application cycle and you can look at it and see if people are getting interviews or rejections and that can help you a little bit.

I want to say something about that because I do not want you to obsess over it and it can be easy do that when you get on the you just start checking them and you go, “Oh my gosh, Susie got an interview and I haven't heard back and her stats are so good and mine are so terrible.” Try not to compare yourself it is a small subset of people who are on the forum and it is not everyone whose applying, it is not everyone who is going to be accepted so don't let them be discouraging to you but just use them as a timeline check.

Let’s say that you applied a month ago and everyone’s gotten confirmations and you’ve heard nothing, you’ve haven’t even gotten a confirmation that they have your application. At that point, it may be worth reaching out and saying, “Hey, I’ve applied, I’ve submitted my fees, I’ve submitted my application, have y’all looked at it or received it?” That can help you if you want to make sure you are on the same page as everyone else, so something to keep in mind there. You know with working towards reapplying even though that's not what any of us want to do. You want to look at your application very critically and that's what we do in our pre-pa assessment and try to figure out what you can do better and what you can improve on, to make yourself stand out and show that you've improved for next cycle, when you potentially have to apply again.

Look at every part of your application, look at your coursework, do you have B’s or better in all of your prerequisite courses? How are your GPAs, is it competitive or do you need to keep working towards classes...? How many patient care hours do you have? What kind of variety do you have? What's the quality of your patient care experience? What about volunteering? Have you done some volunteering in your community to show your commitment to your area and your commitment to the underserved? Doesn't even necessarily have to be something medical, but you need to show that you have a passion for helping people. You can't go to an interview and say, “Yeah, I want to help people” if you've never done it. So you need to be showing that. Have you gotten shadowing hours in multiple areas, to show that you really understand the PA profession and know what you're getting yourself into? All these things are important.

Do you have strong letters of recommendations? Is your personal statement really good…? It should be because that's what's going to get you the interview, once you've checked all the boxes. These are all things that you want to look at and think about while you're in the process of making sure your application is ready for PA school. If you do have to reapply and again, we hope you don’t, but if you do, you want for that improvement.

Find some distractions and relax. If you do get into PA school, once you start it is full steam ahead so you really want to take that time even though you're probably working and working toward getting improvements on your application but spend time with your family and your friends enjoy yourself. You may have to move for PA school, who knows, but try to distract yourself.

Start working out, pick up a skill cooking, whatever but pick a skill so that you are not constantly stressing out and thinking about it. I know, easier said than done but do your best.

You can update programs periodically and so, I talked about earlier checking in with programs if you feel like you maybe should have heard something. Which is fine but also let's say that you do something, let’s say you going on a medical mission trip or you have gained a substantial more amount of hours or you do some more shadowing, you finish a course you get a good grade, you update a prerequisite, whatever. At that point you can update the programs. Now you can update these things in CASPA, and they will send out an update to the programs but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the programs look at it. What I would recommend is no more than once a month, send in an email to whoever is the head of admissions or the General Admissions email and just say, “Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I've gotten four hundred more hours, will you please update my file, thank you.” Short and sweet, not begging for anything but that does a couple things. It shows them you're still working towards this goal. It also shows them you’re still available and still interested. It's kind of a way to let that school know that you would like to hear back from them and you really are interested in their program. Don’t do it too much, don't bother them, don’t become an annoyance but you can periodically give them some updates.

Now another thing is go ahead and start preparing for interviews. If you submitted your application, you have no idea when that interview invite may come in and this can be very frustrating because you may get very little notice. I’ve gotten emails from people who have been asked to come to an interview, the next day if they were near a local program. I mean for me, I think I had for one interview about a month's notice and for one about 1-2 weeks but it is not uncommon for there to be a very short period of time for you to prepare and so you want to go ahead and start working on that. With preparing for interviews, I’ve done a lot of podcast interview episodes about interview. You can definitely check out the PA school interview guide (and now course!), that's the book I wrote about interviewing. There's over 300 questions in there and so that's one way to prepare talking to PAs, family members, friends, kind of getting them to quiz you. Doing some mock interviews, really just going ahead and practicing so that when that interview comes, even though you'll be nervous you may not be quite as nervous as you would have been if you are scrambling last minute to try to prepare.

Those are a few things you can do and again I just want you to know that waiting is the hardest and so after you wait, after submitting your application for the interview, then you have a whole other waiting process of waiting to hear back from your interview. Gosh that may even be worse, I’m not sure, but in that period at that point, there’s not anything you can do and so you may get the call that you're accepted, which is awesome. You may get put on a waitlist, which is better than nothing and uhm, at this point even to get an interview or put on waitlist is a huge deal and people come off waitlist all the time. Then you may get a rejection and if you do, if you're rejected from a school, either right before you get an interview or after, reach out to that program. See what they suggest you improve on, see what part of your application they didn't feel was adequate or didn't fit with their programs so that you can improve yourself, if possible.

Those are my tips for today! Let me know in the comments if there are any other questions I can answer for you!

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Pre-PA Club FAQ

This week, I am sharing a Q&A session I had with a Pre-PA Club that I recently Skyped into. If you are apart of a Pre-PA Club, let me know! I would love to Skype in and chat with you all. This club had a lot of great questions that I think you all will benefit from too :)

Q: Since we are talking about hours, are there any general rules of thumb, how many hours one year of full time work would translate to?

A: In general, one year of full time work is 2,000 hours. You can kind of split that up too so a year working part time is about 1,000 hours or if you work full time for half a year that's about 1,000 hours.

Q: Is there a preference for the kind of healthcare hours, such as being a medical assistant?

It depends on the programs you're applying to that. That's very program dependent whether experience counts or how it counts or how it adds up. Definitely look at the programs you're interested in, if they don't specifically have your experience listed as what they consider it on the website. Ask them. These programs are very happy to help and answer questions. and they would even prefer you ask rather than just apply and not have the experience that they are looking for. When you contact them, I personally prefer email for contact because it leaves a paper trail. If they were to come back and say, “oh, that doesn't fit what we are requiring”, you say well I actually asked and he said it did on this date — just to go have something to fall back on. Now, whether that would do anything or not, because they have the final say, who knows. I would just double check the websites, and there's just nothing set across the board every single person is so different.

Q: I know you mentioned you have a whole book about interviews, but do you have any short tips you can give us for people apply soon and have upcoming interviews?

I could talk about interviews forever and ever and which I do during the interview course. One of my key point is that the biggest mistakes I see in interviews, is a lack of confidence. I know you're nervous. Everyone's nervous, you just have to kind of accept that and not let that get in the way. The other thing I see is people not giving thorough, complete answers. a lot of people stay very superficial with their answers. A good rule of thumb, if what you're saying could be looked up on Google, it's too generic. It needs to be personal. You've got to show them who you are.

If you get to the point of having an interview that's a big deal because at this point in time schools are getting thousands of applications. They then have to take that number down to a couple hundred maybe that will get interviews. Usually schools will interview 2-4 people for one spot. I mean you're looking at a 50% chance that you're going to get accepted. At that point this even playing field where the schools are really just looking to see if you're a normal person. If you would fit in well with their class because they do have some things that they tend to look for. Plus they want to make sure you like the program. It's just a little bit of a hurdle but if you can get past them and show them that you're ready for PA school.

Lastly, keep in mind that you are applying for an interview for PA school you're not applying for a position as a PA. So no matter how much experience you have or shadowing or whatever like you've got to assume the role of a student and show that you're going to be able to succeed academically and be someone who is receptive to instruction and ready to get in there and learn. You want that school to be the place that you do that.

It comes down to just really the confidence is the big thing and then not any major red flags. An example being, how you couldn't get into med school or not knowing the name of your profession and saying physician's assistant, some people are really, really care about that. Just try to show yourself but also, not being too nervous. Every interview is different too. Some of them like the MMIs don't give you as much of a chance to show your personal background is more about being able to show different personality traits and how you interact with patients how you communicate. You have to really be ready for anything and ready to walk in, and do the best you can. It’s only a few hours and you need to leave everything on the table.

Q: It’s been a while since I looked at CASPA but there is a part that asks if you are apart of any organizations. Do you recommend joining AAPA or any other paid organizations?

Yeah, you can definitely list like your list your society which would be great. I think there is value in being involved in either state or national organizations even on a pre-PA level. I don't know how y'all state’s society, if it's really involved or not. I know some, some allow for pre-PAs, some don't. The way I look at it is, for example, let's say you apply and you had the same stats as another person. Is this school looking at two different people to your applications, trying to differentiate them, and they see okay we'll see student A is a member of AAPA and they are supporting the profession. That shows a level of involvement that they hope will continue as a PA student and as a PA where you're supporting your profession as a whole. You’re not just somebody who goes to work and goes home. So I think it is recommended to join a state or national society. I don't think it's 100% necessary but do you think it's that gold star that makes them go, “Oh, well this person is actually invested in this”, and it's that little like extra sprinkle on your application.

Q: What kind of questions should you ask the faculty at the end of your interview with a school? You want to come up with something, right?

Yes, but you've got to feel out the situation and feel out your interviewers. You can't necessarily have a set thing you're going to ask because you may just like get a weird vibe or it may be like short on time. You just have to see how it goes. There's a few different ways to approach it. Number one, any questions that you feel like you really want to know the answer to that aren't already answered online, at a tour or by student, definitely use that opportunity to ask those questions. Whether that's about life on campus or rotations or advising whatever you really want information about to make your decision about that program, this is the opportunity. Beyond that, I think it's most effective (and I think interviewers like it the most) if you ask personal questions. That would be, asking “How did you end up working at this school” or “What specialties have you worked in” or “What has been your favorite specialty you worked in”. My favorite techniques to is to turn around and ask a question that they asked you. What I mean by that is, they asked you a question that was unique or interesting, ask them the same one. I did that in my interviews. They asked me, “If you got any other job besides being a PA what would you do” and so when they asked me if I had questions for them, I asked them that same question. I think they weren’t thrown off by it, but they mentioned no one's asked us that before. I think they kind of enjoyed getting to answer something too.

Another thing is to do is avoid questions that seem to show any doubt about the program. For example, “What can I tutoring you have available” or “What do you do to make sure students pass PANCE” or “What do you do if a student fails a test”. You don't want to ask any questions that indicate you're planning on failing. That just doesn't look good on you. It doesn't show confidence in the program. That's not the place to ask those questions, ask them anonymously online, if you really need to, but, not the place in your interview you want to be as positive and optimistic as possible.

Q: How do you go about pursuing a specialization?

There really isn't necessarily one, that is kind of changing a little bit, but you don't specialize at all in PA school. If you want to choose something to do your electives and you can, but that's still not considered specializing in any way. Once you graduate from PA school you have a couple options, you can go straight to a job, get trained on the job as supervising position. There are some now PA residences and fellowship programs where you can go specialize but it still doesn't mean that you're stuck in one career. Unlike a residency, after med school where that's all you can do unless you go to another residency. If you go to PA school residency for emergency medicine hate it, you don't even have to work with that residency ever again and you can switch to something else. There's the general boards for a PAs and then there are some specific tests in different areas if you want to show your knowledge in a certain area but those as of right now aren’t required and aren’t typically like a job requirement or even if someone's looking for a hire.

Q: Do you have some tips for Personal Statements?

I just did a podcast episode about personal statements. I have a lot of personal statement pet peeves because I read a lot of them but they best personal statements that I read are ones that don’t try to be too dramatic or fancy or anything. They simply answer the question of why that applicant wants to be a PA. When I am done reading it, I feel like I actually know the person and I am like, “Oh, I feel like I know you and I understand what brought you to this point and why you want to do this and I feel goo about you being a PA”.

It’s important to use stories and examples but make sure they are relevant. People will have this story they want to use but it’s kind of a reach and it doesn’t specifically relate to why you want to be a PA and it doesn’t really have a place in the personal statement. I would say started at least in January before you apply to PA school that gives you enough time and you can definitely be making notes ahead of time about what you want to put in it. Before you get to CASPA, before you get to applications, try to have it ready to go. It’s going to consume a lot of your headspace and you really want to be able to focus on your application when you get to that point and not be working on your personal statement. It’s something you can work on ahead of time and edit it forever and never feel like it’s good enough. Eventually you have to get it to the point where you are ready to submit and just leave it.

Q: There are a bunch of reasons I want to be a PA and some of them are not as romantic as others but one of them is it’s a masters level program that when I am done, I can raise a family. Should salary be omitted as a reason to want to be a PA?

My personal opinion is that I don't encourage putting on your application or in your essay for a couple of reasons. So number one, you have to think by your audience, it's an admissions person who is part of the program. They really want people who want to do this job. We all know the perks of being a PA — it's flexible you can switch specialties. there a good salary — that's why we're all here, right? But, we also want to help people and patients, and so I want to know more about those pivotal moments that got you to this decision rather than just you're excited about the perks of their career. While this does effect most people's decisions, including my own, especially like being able to graduate quicker and all that, I don't think talking about how it gives you more flexibility at home or anything like that is something that should be in your essay because I think that's a personal choice. No matter what your career is — whether you're a PA, physician, whatever that's up to you. At my old practice before I switched, I worked more than any of the doctors they all work less than me, and that was their decision, so they could be home with their family was to you that and have PAs who are more. Whereas, the practice I'm at now. I work the least of anyone there and then there's another PA there who works more than the doctors, so it's it all just kind of varies, but I think for your personal statement purposes, the main thing in there as far as your reasons, it should be like the job itself like talking about the roles and responsibilities, what you do on a daily basis, and teamwork. That's another pet peeve of mine — if a personal statement never mentioned the collaboration with a physician that raises serious doubts for me, that you understand what a PA is. Yes, we talked about independence and autonomy, but ultimately there is a collaboration, there is a teamwork involved with being a PA and that's really, really important to show that you understand, because that is a quick way to let schools know that they need to cut you out of the running is if they feel like you're someone who's going to come in there be a cowboy and just not be respectful to the profession as a whole.

Q: When is a good time to take the GRE? How long should you prepare for it and what kind of scores are schools looking for?

Ideally, you know, at least six months before you apply because that gives you enough time to retake it, and you don't want to take it too early because it can expire. It lasts for five years so ideally about six months before, as far as studying. Don't do what I did, I studied for a week, which was not wise, but the time was just what I could make work. I recommend 1-3 months, depending on your schedule and how much time you can devote to it is adequate for studying. It depends on what kind of test taker you are. I know that I'm pretty good at standardized tests, I may not be good at chemistry test but I, on a standardized test can typically do well. My husband will tell you he's awful at standardized tests. He's like I'm so glad you didn't take the MCAT because I think you have done than me. Now schools are doing PA-CAT, don't be freaked out about that.

The one thing it's really hard to study for quickly is vocab and that's what I found in my one week of study. I wished I had, gotten some flashcards, downloaded the vocab app, done something to where I was constantly working on that. The other stuff is a lot more strategy based so you can kind of practice it and get a feel for it. Some schools will have a set score minimum, some will say their averages across the board, the general expectation is around a 300 combined score so your math and verbal, writing doesn't matter for the most part, and greater than 50% are in both sections. If you do really great in one, like 90% job with other one you're like, 10%, you may want to retake try to get that 10% up, and the GRE is interesting because it is an area that you can keep working on you can repeat it, and try to do better and schools are going to look at that highest score.

Q: If your GPA and CASPA is lower than what you had expected, if you retake classes, will it be recalculated next time?

If you retake classes and you have to reapply, you will send in those grades and then your GPA will be recalculated. Just keep in mind if you send in new grades while it's in the same cycle, your GPA will not be recalculated. It has to be a complete new cycle — not like I'm going to add new programs or after I complete this semester. They only calculate your GPA once and for anyone who's like, graduating and applying or anything or finishing a semester, that's another reason to wait till like end May or June because you want those transcripts to be complete you want those grades in by the time you do that. If you do it in April, that whole spring semester will be included, or verified on your application.

Q: Can you tell me what you're experiencing getting married while in PA school?

Yeah, so actually have a whole video on YouTube. If you want to watch like 12 minutes and you're talking about it, but it is not encouraged, or wasn't it my program. They told us that from the beginning, if your friends and family are getting married, go ahead and tell them you won't be there. But personally, we had to make the decision of what was important to us, and that was to get married during school. We didn’t have the option to get married before so we either had to get married during school or wait another year and a half based on breaks. I was living at home the first year which really helped because we were paying for a wedding. My mom was able to help a lot and really got everything done. Being that we were both in grad school level medical programs we really and an understanding of what each together was going through. That first year of school, we would only see each other, maybe once a week. We would try to meet up for lunch or meet the library to study, maybe dinner. We went from being in college where we had a lot of classes together, to that which was fine because we both were just busy and studying had to understand that.

Once we got married, it was a lot better because you were actually around each other with each other more and I was on rotation so my schedule, wasn't that bad. It was kind of like a regular schedule. Plenty of people do it I mean, I got married right in between didactic and clinical year and there were, towards the end of clinical year, a couple breaks. Every time we had a break, there was a wedding. That first break there was three weddings and then the month after school there were a bunch of weddings. I mean relationships started or in some cases, ended during school, but it is definitely possible just based on your priorities. If you watch my videos, you’ll hear how they changed the schedule on us and I almost missed the first week of PA school. It worked out for me and I know other people have done it too.

Thank you all so much for reading and following along! Again, if you are apart of a Pre-PA Club and would like for me to speak at it, just send me an email because I really enjoy doing them!

Everything You Need to Know About the PA-CAT

There’s been some chatter recently about a new proposed standardized test for PA school entry called the “PA-CAT” (Physician Assistant College Admissions Test). Think of it as the MCAT of PA school. Let’s jump into the details that are available currently.

For more details, watch now on Youtube!

What is the PA-CAT?

Number one, it’s a test. Think of the PA-CAT as the MCAT of PA school. While medical schools require the MCAT, it seems the PA-CAT was created as a complementary test for PA school. If you actually say it out loud, it makes sense. The goal of the MCAT is to test the actual knowledge that medical students will need to have a grasp on to succeed in their programs. There hasn’t been anything like that for PA school until now. 

This 3 hour test was created by Exam Master, and it includes 180 multiple choice questions based on 12 different subjects pulled from typical PA school prerequisites - anatomy (13%), physiology (13%), general biology (13%), microbiology (9%), general chemistry (11%), organic chemistry (9%), biochemistry (12%), statistics (3%), medical terminology (1%), sociology (4%), psychology (8%), and genetics (4%). These knowledge areas are then divided into determining different aspects based on cognitive level - knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis. There is also the inclusion of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy, which is of interest to programs wanting to evaluate a student’s ability to empathize with patients. 

Exam Master states that they hope to provide a test that demonstrates a student’s readiness in the basic sciences that are necessary for a solid foundation in PA school. There are two main PAs involved in the research around this exam - Johnna Yealy from the University of Tampa and Scott Massey from Central Michigan University. Having involvement from PAs in the education sector is a good sign that the PA-CAT is something that will continue moving forward. You can read about the whole research protocol here. The overarching goal is to provide a test that will reliably predict success on the PANCE for programs.

What is the test really like? 

I’ve personally never taken the PA-CAT, so I went to Instagram to get some feedback. Here are the results.:

“I personally felt that the A&P questions were very advanced. Other than that I thought the questions were reasonable.”

“It had anatomy questions, even as specific as to “if they rolled their ankle in this direction, what tendon in the ankle would be affected.” 

“However, I was surprised at how chemistry heavy the PA-CAT was. I’m not sure if it was just because mine was a pilot test at the interview, but we didn’t have any access to the periodic table which made organic chemistry questions on the exam nearly impossible.”

“The only challenging part about the content is that because all PA schools do not require the same pre-reqs, people may or may not have taken courses covering all the material.” 

“I felt that it was heavily focused in biology and physiology. The questions were about information that would have been memorized and learned in those classes. Specific gas points, routes of activation, etc.”

“I think it will be a great indicator as to what kind of knowledge the applicant has currently, which is a huge advantage for students who have a few lower grades on their transcript.” 

“ I hope applicants will at least have a layout of what will be on the exam, similar to the MCAT. But overall, I think it’s a great addition in the future. However, I think it’s going to take a few years before they can officially implement it into the admissions process.”

Overall, everyone I spoke with felt the PA-CAT was a better assessment than the GRE for PA school. Another comment that came up multiple times was in regards to non-traditional applicants or anyone who has been out of school for a while and that it may be very difficult for those students. In interview settings, it seems that the test was optional, but the applicants were informed that the results wouldn’t have any bearing on their acceptance. Some of the students who took the test at orientation did tell me that they didn’t take it very seriously or kind of skipped through thinking it was just an experiment, so I’m not sure how that could affect results of this research. 

“It did not mimic the GRE in any way. It wasn’t about logic or analytical reasoning. And there was no math.” 

“I was right out of undergrad with an exercise science degree. Took a ton of upper level science courses (biochem, 3 physiology courses, 2 anatomy courses, clinical obesity course, etc.) and I found the test to be VERY challenging, especially after a 3 hour interview process.” 

Do I need to take the PA-CAT?

Not unless someone tells you to! The PA-CAT is in experimental phase right now and there are a few programs who have given the exam at interviews or shortly after students begin their program. (You actually can’t even sign up individually currently). The actual study is looking at a sample size of at least 500 comprised of students in the incoming 2018-2019 PA class at ten or more program sites. These students have been given the test at interview sessions (like at the University of Tampa and AT Still) or during orientation after they are already accepted to PA school. 

If you do end up needing to take the test, it’s not necessarily something you’ll be able to study for at this point, but your coursework should prepare you. I say that, but you know there are tons of MCAT resources out there. Those aren’t going to help you right now because the subjects are different. Consider a quick refresher on the included categories, but don’t sweat the test for now. 

What is the difference in the PA-CAT and the GRE?

The PA-CAT is a more specific test than the GRE. The GRE is a general test required for many Master’s level programs (not just healthcare based ones), but it isn’t really a knowledge test. The breakdown of quantitative and qualitative sections show basic skills and test-taking strategy more than your ability to learn what’s necessary to complete PA school. For more information on why the GRE is relevant to PA school, check out this post. 

Because the PA-CAT is aiming to be more topical and actually test the knowledge that your prerequisites require. Since PA school is so fast, you are expected to have a good understanding on the material before you start the program. The usefulness of the GRE is questioned by admissions committees (listen to this podcast episode to hear the admissions direction Allan Platt from Emory’s opinion)

As of right now, the GRE isn’t required by all programs, and it will take time and a pretty strong movement to make any test a mandatory requirement. Even Exam Master states that this is something that will continue needing to be evaluated and tested. Currently, the PA-CAT has only been given to students who have already been accepted, not just all applicants in general. 

What is the difference in the PA-CAT and the CASPER test?

The PA-CAT and CASPER tests are completely different in that the PA-CAT is focused on scientific knowledge and the CASPER test gauges empathy. The creators and researchers of the PA-CAT didn’t want to completely disregard the importance of empathy though, so they included the Jefferson Scale of Empathy. This is interesting because if the PA-CAT is all inclusive, it could potentially do away with the need for the CASPER test in addition at some point (strictly my speculation). 

Should I be worried about the PA-CAT?

Not right now. Don’t waste your time, stress, or emotions at this time. This test isn’t currently being used to gauge anything significant in regards to PA school admissions. It’s in the testing phase and there still needs to be a good amount of vetting to determine how this test will best be used, how scores should be interpreted, and what the results indicate in regards to a student’s performance. With anything new, schools tend to be slow to adopt, so it will take some time before you need to add the PA-CAT to your checklist. And honestly, without an official breakdown of topics, it would be extremely hard to actually study efficiently for the PA-CAT exam. 

What schools are using the PA-CAT?

Very few so far, and they seem to be using it differently. As of right now, there is no consensus between programs about what tests they should be requiring. 

Will the PA-CAT replace the GRE?

Based on the research outline, it may be the goal that the PA-CAT replaces the GRE or MCAT for PA school. Again, this would take a very long time to implement and the research outcomes will need to be very strong for program’s to gain confidence in making the switch. Since this is the first year of testing, the results will not be complete until after completion of the 1st year of PA school and after completion of a PA program in its entirety. You’ve got a couple of years before any of this could really take effect. 

What does this really mean?

Personally, I don’t put much weight in the GRE. Its strategy, which doesn’t translate to a student’s ability to learn material for the PANCE, which is a knowledge test. To me, it’s a checkbox that some schools require to differentiate candidates. The PA-CAT has potential to change these requirements, but it will take time.

I see the benefits of the test for programs - a way to standardize expectations of prerequisites, rank students in a quantitative way, and determine preparedness for PA school and potential for passing boards. The PAEA’s research currently indicates that GPA is the best factor in predicting how a student will perform in PA school, but there are so many factors that go into that calculation (different levels of course rigor, prior GPA issues that have been resolved), making it not the most fair way to judge applicants. Right now, the GRE doesn’t actually test those things. The PA-CAT would be much more specific, but I also see some barriers to implementation at all programs. 

Since schools don’t currently have the exact same prerequisite requirements, some of the subjects on the test may not be required (namely genetics and organic chemistry). Since it’s developed by a third party separate from any of the PA accrediting bodies, I’m not sure if the goal is collaboration and becoming a standard or just another option. Only time will tell whether the PA-CAT becomes the MCAT of PA school.

For more details, check out this post on the PA-CAT exam from our Pre-PA coach Erin

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How to be a Competitive PA School Applicant

This blog post was inspired by a presentation I did for a Pre-PA Club and there is an accompanying YouTube video you can watch here.

As an undergrad, you are in a great position to be a competitive PA school applicant even if you're applying this cycle because you still have some time to work on your application, and not feel like you're playing catch up. Even if this was a decision you made later on in your schooling or something you're still trying to decide, you can be taking steps to make sure that when you do apply (if and when) you'll be in a position to make yourself appealing to the admissions committee, and hopefully competitive against other applicants.

I applied for PA School in 2011 and it has become more and more competitive evert single year and I think that is because people are learning what a great career path it is and there are a lot more qualified applicants. It was competitive when I applied too which says a lot because that was 8 years ago and it’s definitely more competitive now. That being said, I am not trying to scare you! I just want you to know what you are getting yourself into.

Finding Resources

When I was applying to PA School, I felt like there was a huge lack of resources, which is why I started The PA Platform and the amount of resources available has improved some over the years. The process is very long and not straightforward so when I graduated, I started The PA Platform as a resource for those considering the PA career path and it has evolved from just a blog to have a bunch of coaches and a variety of services that has helped hundreds get into PA school. If you are new here, we have Accepted posts every Monday, blog posts every Tuesday, a new podcast episode and newsletter every Friday plus we have a Facebook group with over 8,000 pre-PAs too. We have all kinds of content just to spread the word about being a physician assistant and to help people figure out how to reach their goals a little bit easier and trying to answer some of those questions that applicants have. We offer some services like assessment and mock interviews. We have a PA Program Map that helps you see what programs are available across the US. We have three guidebooks to help you out — PA School Personal Statement Guide, PA School Interview Guide and The Pre-PA Workbook, all available on Amazon. We also have an interview course that supplements the interview guide as well.

Apply Early

My number one tip for just increasing your chances of acceptance, apply early. The sooner the better. This doesn't mean apply before you meet all the requirements, but when it comes time time and you decided this is the cycle I'm going to submit my application, get it in earlier than later. A lot of these schools do something called rolling admissions, you may be familiar with that but basically what that means is you submit your application as soon as it's complete they're going to review it. They're not going to wait for all 2,000 applications to get in and try to go through them all. They're gonna go through the 10 or 20 or 50 that came in that week. If they like, what they see, they will invite you for an interview. If they like what they see at the interview, they will offer you a spot. This can give you an advantage, because even if you are an extremely strong candidate, if you wait to apply it could get bumped because all the spots are taken. It's really important that you plan accordingly to get all your information in.

What's early? In my opinion I would say, shoot for May or June. I typically see people applying a little later than they had initially planned because the process of getting everything into CASPA, which is the universal application software, getting all your letters in, and making sure everything's good with your transcripts can take a little bit longer than you're expecting. If you shoot for a little bit early, hopefully you'll have an it in by that June/July mark, and that should be plenty early. That's not to say that if you apply in August or September that you wouldn't get accepted but if you're looking at increasing your chances, the earlier you can get your application in the better.

GPA

GPA is the next biggest thing. Grades are very very important for PA school. Being an undergrad, you're in a good position, especially if you have a few semesters left to work on this, and really maintain those grades and work on your GPA. Majority of programs will have a minimum requirement and the ones they point out most often are the Overall and the Science GPA. These typically range from 2.75 - 3.2. Now there are programs that will say they have no minimum, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they aren't still looking for a certain number. From what I've seen, just doing mock interviews for a while, and 3.0is the magic number if you can get even slightly above a 3.0, you're much more likely to get an interview and at that point it's an even playing field. With grades, it's a lot easier to lower your GPA, then, to increase it and you actually can't necessarily increase it. You basically start with a 4.0 and then go down from there. The minimums are non-negotiable if a school has a requirement and you do not meet that requirement, they will never see your application.

If you're, let's say of a 2.98, and the requirement is a 3.0, your application is going to get weeded out before the admissions committee can even look at it. You don't really want to waste your time or your money, applying to somewhere where you don't meet their requirements. The PAEA which is the Education Association for PAs, a while back this study, and they pointed out that GPA is the best predictor of how a student will perform in PA school. That's why schools look at this so closely. It can be tempting to try to rush everything and get all your hours, experience, and shadowing all at once. Don't let your grades sacrifice for trying to do all that. It's better to take a break, take a gap year, go a little bit slower than to try to rush and have your GPA suffer because it's hard to come back from that.

Healthcare and Patient Care Experience

WhenI applied there wasn’t even a difference between the two, they just said healthcare experience. I worked as a CNA for a summer, I did not have a ton of hours. Schools now will have no requirement to 500 - 1, 000 - 2,000 hours that they require. There's a differentiation now between health care and patient care experience. Healthcare experience means that you are in a healthcare setting, a medical setting, but you are not performing a job that is directly involved with the patient or directly related to their care. These types of jobs would be, being a transporter, a receptionist, a medical assistant who only does paperwork, scribe falls in between these (some schools consider healthcare some schools consider a patient care) just something where you're not necessarily hands on involved with that patient care. Now if you're putting your hand on a patient — you're taking vitals, you're drawing blood — that's patient care. This is when you are directly involved with their care so a CNA medical soon, working in the back, working with patients, EMT, paramedic, patient care tech, a lot of these are just titles and it comes down more to the roles and responsibilities. You have to look at what you're actually doing I get a lot of emails new. “This is my job title is it healthcare experience or patient care experience” but you really have to look at the actual job description to be able to tell which one it's going to fall under.

Volunteering and Shadowing

Volunteering and shadowing — these are more hours you've got to work towards getting, and with any of these experiences and with coursework. Some schools will be okay with you have these things in progress while some require you to have them complete by this time you apply, that's another requirement. You've got to look into to make sure that you are able to check that box before you apply to the school. Now the shadowing a lot of school will say, we prefer that you shower shadow or it's recommended. In my book, recommended is required. If something is recommended, you want to try your very best to get it done.

The importance of shadowing is being able to show that you have a good understanding of the PA profession and that you have really put in the time effort to understand what the job actually looks like. My rule of thumb, and this sounds like a lot, is 100 hours across three different specialties or settings so a total of 100 hours, and try to get different experiences. Schools do like to see that you've done some in primary care, but then look at other specialties, so dermatology, orthopedics, ER, GYN — anything and then, different settings, outpatient inpatient, surgical. Really trying to get that variety so you when you are working your essay your interview and say no I feel very confident that I've seen the variety of the PA profession and it's something that I want to be involved with.

With volunteering, schools are looking to see a commitment from you, to your community, and to the underserved populations over a period of time. It's great to do events here and there so you know soup kitchen or things you do with your sorority every once in a while, but it's better if you have something that you do periodically — weekly, monthly. When I was in college I was very involved with one of our campus ministries called the Wesley Foundation and that was a weekly commitment so in one year, I worked with have a big sister program with a girl from one of the underserved communities in Athens, Georgia. I worked with all different kinds of things while I was in college, I went on mission trips but you really want to show your compassion and that you're someone who likes to help people. It's one thing to say you want to work in medicine so you can help people and it's a different thing to show that you’re really actually enjoy helping people and that's why you’re doing this. Choose something you're passionate about, it doesn't have to be medical. The things I did in college weren't medical, they were just things I was interested in, with mentoring freshmen and mentoring students in the community. Find something and stick with it.

GRE

The GRE — so should you take the GRE? That’s always the first question. In my mind, yes, it depends on the programs you're applying to. If they don't require the GRE it's not going to matter, they don't care how you did on it. By taking the GRE it opens up more opportunities, it gives you more schools that you can apply to. For example, we will use the University of Georgia and the University of Tennessee. The University of Georgia, does not require the GRE. So, they are going to have 2,000 people apply, who did not take the GRE. If the University of Tennessee does require the GRE, they're going to have let's say 1,000 people find who took the GRE. Now those same thousand, who applied and took the GRE can still apply the UGA. It's a much bigger pool of applicants with schools that have less requirements. The more specific the requirements of the school, the less competition you'll have. If a school requires the GRE and you meet their requirements or you have this even somewhat competitive score because this really isn't that important, you're just giving yourself better chances. With the GRE, some schools will say what they want you to hit as far as scores, but you really want to shoot for a minimum of 300 total score, combine score between your quantitative and qualitative section and then a greater than the 50th percentile in each section. The writing portion really doesn’t matter so that's kind of arbitrary. These tend to be the numbers that schools are looking for.

Personal Statement

After you've met all the requirements, it's time to apply. The best thing you can do to secure an interview is have an amazing personal statement. I always say your personal statement is what gets you the interview, the interviews gets you accepted. You want to plan enough time to work on this. I usually recommend starting the January before you start applying in April. Right now, if you're in undergrad or not applying for a couple years, start a note. Write it down, make a note on your phone, start brainstorming. If you're at work and something interesting happens, go ahead and just make a note for yourself things that you may want to include, you may end up not including it, but it won't help you just have some ideas. On The PA Platform, if you go to www.thepaplatform.com/downloads we have Personal Statement brainstorming worksheets that kind of work you through kind of thinking through your experiences and focusing on the subjects and the topics that, when I edit an essay I'm looking for. When it comes to actually writing, I say just start writing. People get really hung up on trying to have an amazing intro, but that can come later. You don't necessarily have to have this huge dramatic story. When I read an essay I just want to hear your story. I will really want to know why you chose PA. Everything in your essay needs to relate back to this decision and how you came to this point. Get your ideas together, get your statement, then edit it. You should not have any grammar mistakes. The flow should be really good, and then get people's opinions — people who know you and professional opinions. This is really, really important so just make sure that your personal statement is as polished and strong as it can be.

Keep in mind also that it's 5,000 characters including spaces, which is about a page and a paragraph single space. It's not very much space to spill your life story, so you may have to elaborate on something supplementals and just keep things really really concise in your statement.

The Interview

All right, then the interview, which is my favorite part, which is also the most nerve wracking part, but interviews can be kind of fun! Here are some of the big questions to prepare for.

Going into the interview, they want to know about you. So tell me about yourself. Why do you want to be a PA? You should have a solid answer for that. It should be more than I like the flexible schedule or I don't want to go to med school. You should want the job, the daily roles and responsibilities that come with being a PA, the teamwork of cooperating with a supervising position. Really kind of think about the pivotal moments that got you to this point and then some soul searching about why this is the job that you want. Why do you want to go to this school, why you want to go here? There should be specific reasons that you apply to a certain school and shouldn't be completely random. What does a PA do? You need to be able to show your understanding which is where you're shadowing and work experiences come in.

For the whole process, specifically for interviews here are my takeaways: confidence is the one thing I see people lacking the most, and it can really affect performance in an interview. If you get invited for an interview you at some point, it's because the school is very interested in, they really wants to know about you and know more about you so that should in itself give you confidence. Always be positive, there's no reason to point out negatives. You can take something negative like I know a C in ochem and talk about how you learned how to study from it and kind of turn that into a positive thing. Some people will say “I know I don't have as much experience as everyone else or I'm not as old as everyone else”, and there's no reason to do that again they're interested in you and your unique and bring something to the table. Always be honest throughout this entire process, being dishonest can really bite you and lead to really getting dismissed from a program which is bead.

Throughout everything be completely honest you have to submit all your grades talk about all your experiences, if they asked the question about a strugglers and they usually be really honest about it. Be yourself. Sometimes people will try to say what they think the admissions committee wants to hear and you can tell, it comes off as very strange so just be yourself throughout the entire process. In an interview, specifically, be prepared for anything. I heard schools and do quizzes one areas I was that we had to draw a question out of a fishbowl and stand up and answer it in front of all the other applicants and the faculty and we had a minute to do so it was really strange. It was like a Miss America Pageant. It was very very stressful. You just have to go into it prepared and then make everything a story too, the more examples you can use in your essay and your interview, the more memorable you will be to the admissions committee.

Final Thoughts

All right, and then my final advice. Instead of just trying to meet minimum, which tends to be a common mindset. Try to think about it as not giving the admissions committee, any reason not to accept you. If you're looking at your application and you are looking at the weaknesses, work on those first it can be easy to say well you know I have this C in chemistry, but I have a lot of hours and I'm just going to keep getting hours. When you call that admissions committee and say why was not accepted, they're going to point out the C in chemistry. While different parts of your application can balance out, I think it's really important that you're looking at it as someone who is being very critical and can say, you know, I want when I call them, there's nothing they can tell me to improve on. Try think about like that.

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What to do if You are Waitlisted for PA School

Let’s talk about being waitlisted for PA school. I know that this can be an uncomfortable subject but it’s an important subject to cover incase you find yourself in this position. What is a waitlist? (also can be called an alternate list) Let’s say you apply for PA school, you interview and then there are three ways it will go from here. 1. You are accepted into the program as a future student. From here you can accept or decline the offer. 2. You are waitlisted, which means you are put on a list of people that if a spot opens, it may end up being yours and 3. You are rejected. Rejected is the one you do not want. It is much better to be waitlisted than to get a straight out rejection because at that point in the current cycle, your time with that particular school is done. There is no way to go back and dispute that in any way and you have to move on. 

The waitlist can be a little frustrating and everyone's first question is, “why am I on the waitlist?” I get emails like this constantly. First of all, being on the waitlist does not say anything about you as a person. It does not mean that you are a failure. It does not mean they hated you. There are a lot of factors here and you have to be a good fit for that program which you all know how competitive PA school  is. Sometimes there is a person who has just slightly better stats than you or interviewed a little bit better and that is why you are on the waitlist while other times there isn’t a particular rhyme or reason. Don’t try to read into it too much or use this as something that affects your identity. I know how tough it is. It stinks and it’s a huge disappointment but again it doesn’t say anything about you as a person -- I just want to make that clear before we move on. 

Some schools even have waitlists for interviews which is a little bit of a different situation but just know that this is not an uncommon practice for a school to have. Each program has a limited number of spots and they have to choose who they think is going to fill those spots appropriately and make a nice cohesive class that is going to do well over the next two years. 

Once you receive notice that you are on the waitlist, it is ok to take a couple of days to let it sink in and it’s ok if you don’t feel excited about it. Just brush it off, move on and get to work and prepare for the next time. If you are in The Pre-PA Club on Facebook, there are tons and tons of people who are on the waitlist and tons of people who have gotten off the waitlist too. I was on there the other day and one person said they got pulled off the waitlist a week before school started. Now that’s a little nerve-wracking. It’s a very fluid process. Just know that every school has a different process as to how they do waitlists.

Some of them will have a group of applicants on a waitlist and if a spot opens up, they go back to the list and reevaluate everyone and choose a candidate to offer an acceptance to. This is an unranked list. 

There are schools that write their list as they come and sometimes these rates are set in place so they will tell you your number. You could be number two and be number two no matter what. These can be fluid lists as well though. If they have another interview group come in and they may put someone else down as number two and then you get bumped down to number three. Schools do not always disclose where you are at on the list. If they are going to tell you, they will go ahead and tell you. It’s not going to be a secret but if they don’t disclose you probably can’t convince them to tell you. It doesn’t hurt to ask but most likely they are going to share because that is not how their waitlist works. 

Everyone wants to know what their chances of getting off the waitlist are. You can call and ask but they probably aren’t going to tell you because even they don’t know what the chances look like. I would say most schools have a waitlist around 40 (from what I have seen). They essentially keep they waitlist the same size as the class just in case something happens. They can pull 30% of the class from the waitlist one year and just 1 or 2 people from the waitlist the following year.

What you should know about being on a waitlist and what your chances are, it's hard to say because of all these different processes. If you think about it, people are getting accepted to different schools every single day. Their first choice may not be your first choice. If you're on a waitlist at your first choice program, and then someone else who has been accepted that program gets into their first choice, that opens up a spot. That's why I say this process is so fluid and always changing. Just know that there's a chance and please don't give up. I feel like I've gotten so many sad emails lately -- it makes me feel so sad. Just really, really try to hang in there and know that you can come off the waitlist. When can this happen? I mentioned earlier, but it can happen up until the program starts. The thing is PA programs want to have a full class, they want to fill every single seat. Of course, things happen -- people have emergencies, illnesses, family issues, and sometimes they have to give up their seat last minute. These schools want to have someone in that seat. That's why you could get a call even a few days before school starts. It's it can be crazy. 

Another thing that complicates this is if you're on the waitlist, but you've been accepted to another school and you're on, let's say, the waitlist for your first choice. That's tough -- what do you do? It's my opinion that you have to think really long and hard before you give up an acceptance, just because that may not come again. You don't know what the next class of applicants is going to look like, or the school will change their requirements. If you have been accepted, really think about giving that up. If you just want to be happy at the school and don't feel like you could do it, that might be a good reason to give it up. Otherwise, I would try to stick it out. You may lose some deposit money if you come off the waitlist, but in the grand scheme of things that is not the end of the world. 

One thing I know some people do when they have an acceptance to their second school and they are waitlisted for their first is to call the school and let them know what is going on and see how they respond. I have seen it go both ways. Sometimes, it lights the fire and they accept you because they want you and other times they will see that you already have an acceptance somewhere and let you go. So there is definitely a risk there but again, I have seen it pay off. I think there is no shame in letting the school know that they are your number one choice. I did that in my interviews, and I think it paid off. If you're being genuine about it, they'll be able to see that. 

So In the meantime, you get this call, you're on the waitlist, you take a couple days you take a bath, get a massage, eat ice cream, self care, people! Now you go okay, well, what can I do. If you're on a waitlist, go ahead and start preparing, as if you need to reapply. Take a very objective, look at your application, find out where your weaknesses are. I found that most people want to focus on their strengths and keep making those stronger instead of making their weaknesses better. That's something I've seen in The Pre-PA Club on Facebook, too. People will say- I'm not going to take more classes, I'm not going to do more hours, I'm not going to volunteer more and that's not really the best attitude to have. If you really want to get into PA school, you've got to think about making your application as strong as possible and giving the admissions committee no reason not to accept you. You want them to look at your application and go, they've done everything they can and I don't have a reason not to accept them. That comes down to volunteering hours, shadowing hours ,healthcare experience, patient care experience -- hours gain a variety of experience, a variety of shadowing, showing commitment to the underserved and your community. 

Look at your grades, this is everyone's least favorite but looking at your grades, looking at your GPA… are all of your prerequisites correct? Are they matching up the way they should with the programs you're applying to? Maybe even retake classes and get those higher score. Really look at every single part of your application and go into this as if you're going to have to reapply. If you do something that's significant, i.e.,  if you get a lot more hours, if you take some classes, tell the program you are waitlisted at that. Shoot them an email and just say, “Hey, I wanted to let you know that I have 400 more hours of working as an EMT, I've been volunteering an extra hundred hours and I just finished my repeat of general chemistry and I got an A.” Give them an update because this does a couple of things, 1. It shows that you are still working towards this goal and you're not just sitting at home waiting to see what happens and that you are still available and interested. I would much rather you send an update to a program then just constantly be asking, Am I still on the waitlist? What rank am I? You certainly don't want to annoy them before you are even student. Being able to update them on what you're doing to be a good student is a little bit more of a smooth way to do that to get your name in there to remember you and then hopefully, hopefully, hopefully get off that waitlist. Fingers crossed.

If you're on a waitlist, please let us know in the comments below and we will send all the good vibes and prayers your way and support you through that. 

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Guest Post: Why I Decided to Go Back to School

Hey Everyone!  I'm so excited to bring you a guest post from someone I spend more time with than my husband, and who keeps me sane - the medical assistant I love the most, Taylor.  I'm really lucky to work with someone who is also one of my best friends, and we have SO much fun.  She also is one of the most positive people I've ever met, and she puts up with my (occasional) stress and negativity so well.  I'm so proud (and sad) that she's decided to pursue becoming a PA, and I think you'll gain a ton of knowledge by following her journey here!  

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This one time we dressed the same for the Christmas party completely on accident!

    Hey there! My name is Taylor and I work with Savanna. I have been working in the medical field for almost six years now, and as a Medical Assistant for four years. If you were to ask me in high school what I wanted to be when I grew up, the answer was always the next Katie Couric. Friends actually signed my senior yearbook with “Can’t wait to see you on The Today Show!”  I come from a family with zero medical backgrounds, and honestly I was never interested in medicine. Flash forward to my senior year of college in 2010, and realized I really don’t see myself having a career in PR. I was one semester away from graduating and wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life. 

    I moved to a new city and started to look for PR jobs with non-profits. After several months on the job search, and a quick stent at my favorite quick-service restaurant (let’s just say ‘my pleasure’ is forever engrained in my head), I came home to my roommate telling me I had a job interview with a local dermatologist. This is just one example of one of the most valuable lessons that I have learned post-college - networking is everything. This roommate worked at a hair salon where my new boss had her hair done, and mentioned that she was looking for a new hire since her receptionist just got into PA school. Always be on the lookout for opportunities to network! 

    I asked my roommate what the job entailed, and she had no idea. All I knew is it sounded somewhat interesting, and I knew I wanted a change of scenery. I went into the interview, and the first question they asked was “Are you okay with blood?” I responded with a cautious “Sure?”  The office manager proceeded to tell me the different responsibilities of the job, and the tasks I would be doing. I started off mostly as a front desk receptionist, and worked with the physician one morning a week so her medical assistant had time to do paperwork and catch up on other tasks. After a few months on the job, I could see that being in back with patients, interacting with them, and learning about dermatology, was the most enjoyable part of my job. 

    A few years later, we hired a Physician Assistant and I became her full time medical assistant. This was as far as I could move up the ‘totem pole’ at my job, and for several months was satisfied with where I was. For someone who had no experience in the medical field, I found it very intriguing and could see why people would want this career. When I first started this job, I knew being an MA was not something I could see myself doing my entire life. For several years I thought about possibly going back to school, but to be honest, it scared me, and I thought it would be too much. One of my greatest weaknesses is my love of comfort. I was comfortable with where I was. I knew what was expected of me and knew my job and could do it well. 

    This year, I finally decided it was time. I never wanted to look back in five years, and regret the fact that I wasn’t willing to take a leap into the unknown. I am single, don’t have children, and thankfully did not have student loans, so what was I waiting for? I was quite nervous when I first decided to go back to school. I have been out of college for six years, the only science classes I took were 10 years ago, and I am working full time. How was I going to juggle all this?! One step at a time, that’s how. So in September, I began. I am two classes down of the eight I need to apply for PA school, and guess what? I’m still alive! It has taken a lot of time management (Hello Kate Spade Planner for the win), saying no to dinners with friends and weekends away, and knowing that “This too shall pass.” 

    For all of you college students out there wanting to go to PA school straight after graduation, I am kind of jealous. I have thought recently how nice it would have been to graduate with a degree and know exactly what you wanted to do for a career. But do I have any regrets about waiting? No.  I have learned some valuable lessons in my twenties. I have learned what it means to live on my own, that the real world is not as easy at it seems, that time management is very important, and that it really is never too late to chase a dream. All it takes is one little step, and that first step is usually the hardest, but is always worth it. I do not know where this road the Lord has me on is headed, but I am going to trust that “there are far better things ahead than anything we leave behind.”

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If you're struggling with deciding if this is something you can do, i hope Taylor's story and insights have provided some encouragement to keep pursuing your dreams!  Leave any comments or questions for Taylor below!  And if there's anything else you would like to hear her perspective on, leave a comment! 

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Getting into PA School with a Low GPA

So the question comes up a lot about whether it is possible to get accepted into PA school with lower grades or an overall low GPA.  If you work hard enough and apply widely and realistically, there is almost always a way to reach your goals, but that can be difficult when you're staring at some C's and D's and a number that is lower than you had hoped.  It is discouraging to know you are going to be quickly judged and maybe not even considered because of some mistakes in school or a really difficult schedule.  I hope to encourage you and provide some hope and tips for how you can still make your dreams happen.  And thanks to Bhmbl from Reddit for some of the ideas in this post.  Make sure to check out the Pre-Physician Assistant page for an active forum with other Pre-PA students.  

When it comes time to apply, you have to look at your overall application and determine how competitive of a candidate you are.  The main factors to take into account are GPA (overall and science), grades in prerequisite courses, GRE (if necessary), healthcare experience (HCE), other work or volunteer experience, and shadowing.  Most schools will have a cut-off for the majority of these categories.  I'll go ahead and say that if you do not make the minimum requirements, your application will likely never make it to the PA department.  They use those numbers to weed out applications, and so that they can get the candidates that are most qualified.  So if you have a 3.02, applying to a program with a 3.25 minimum will likely be a waste of your time and money.  

“ GPA is the best predictive factor of how well a student will do in PA school.”

One of the best ways to make up for a lower GPA is to make the rest of your application shine.  Thankfully, PA school places a huge emphasis on patient care or healthcare experience (PCE/HCE), so that gives you the opportunity to show that your experience makes up for where your grades fall short.  In comparison, medical school focuses on GPA and the MCAT, and they often don't even require HCE, so if you don't make the grades, the chances are much lower for finding a medical school that is realistic.  You want PCE that is going to be valuable and show that you have had good patient contact, so look into taking a class to become a certified nursing assistant (CNA), medical assistant (MA), or EMT.  Although it may take you longer to get to the point that you feel comfortable applying, try to be patient, and know this process is a marathon.  

I also recommend doing some extra shadowing and trying to get really strong letters of recommendation.  You want people who are familiar with you and who will write something that is both personal and positive.  

Your personal statement is going to be one of the most important factors in landing an interview.  This is what will make the program really interested you, and your goal is to show them who you are in a way that makes the admissions committee want to meet you in person.  While there are differing views on what to talk about in your personal statement, you can choose to discuss your lower grades or GPA if you feel like not addressing this may prevent you from getting an interview invitation.   It's not a bad idea if you feel like you can address it in a way that does not look like you are making excuses, and shows how you have improved and overcome the situation.  Your GPA or a bad grade should never be the sole focus of your essay.   

If you are applying with a lower GPA, be prepared to reapply.  PA school is getting more competitive every year, and it is common to not get acceptance the first year of application. You can use that year to prepare more for PA school, and to improve your application.  If you feel like your GPA was the only thing that prevented admittance, then take some additional courses to both raise your GPA and show that you are capable of rigorous coursework even though you may have had some stumbling blocks in the past.  You can repeat courses you had lower grades in or take some more advanced science courses.  It is very important that you do really well in these classes because you do not want to further jeopardize your GPA or your application.  If you do repeat some prerequisites and do better, it's important to note that CASPA averages all grades in their calculations.  Here is a post all about calculating your CASPA GPAs.  You may want to consider schools that recalculate your GPA based on the higher scores or look closer at the last 40 or 60 hours of coursework.  Here is a list of some schools that have post-bac classes you may want to look into. 

While in a gap year, you want to be improving your application in other ways as well, such as volunteering and HCE, but not at the expense of your coursework.  It's important to find a good balance because you want to be able to show how your application has improved during the next application cycle.  

When choosing which schools to apply to, you'll need to check their minimum requirements before applying.  It's not worth your time or money to get an instant rejection based on your GPA.  Most programs list this on their website and you can find it in our Program Spotlights as well.  

An interesting option that has come up for students with lower GPAs is to go the nurse practitioner (NP) route, as opposed to the PA route.  While I am in no way the expert on all things NP, it's a reasonable option because depending on the state, most NPs and PAs operate quite similarly.  I think a lot of that has to do with who you are as a person.  This path would mean going to nursing school to get an RN, and most are 2 year programs once you have the correct prerequisites.  Some NP programs require experience working as a nurse before applying, and there are some accelerated programs as well.  There are many more nursing programs than PA programs, and they are typically easier to get into to at the BSN level.  

If you are struggling to decide if you should apply to PA school, where you should apply, or what courses you may want to take or re-take, make sure to get some advice.  Whether that's a PA, a student advisor, fellow students on Reddit, or through a Pre-PA assessment here, it's always better to have a neutral party evaluate where you're at and offer their opinion. 

Comment below with any advice or questions about GPA! 

Prerequisites for PA School

When it comes to the classes required to get into PA school, most programs are pretty similar across the board.  Occasionally one program will be more picky than another or have more required courses, but the basics tend to be the same.

If you already have a Bachelor's degree and are going back to take classes, it will be easier to pick and choose what you need.  Some schools require that courses be done within a certain time frame (like the last 5 or 10 years), while others will accept coursework no matter when it was done.  This is definitely something to look when deciding where to apply if your undergraduate work was done some time ago.

If you are working on your degree and know you want to go to PA school (or do something medical), you have a choice of what major to choose.  There are many majors that will also require the majority of prerequisites needed for PA school, and although it would be wise and most time efficient to choose one of these, you may have other interests that you would like to pursue as well.  I majored in Biology, but in my graduating class there were all kinds of degrees, including Math and Accounting.  Some other majors to consider would be Chemistry, Health Promotion, Biological Science, or Kinesiology.  Your school may have some other specific majors that would get you what you need as well.  So it's not really what your major is that matters, it's what classes you take.

So the basic classes you will need for PA school are typically as follows:

• Biology w/ lab - usually 2 semesters
• General chemistry w/ lab - usually 2 semesters
• Anatomy and Physiology w/ lab - usually 2 semesters of a combined course or one of each if they are separate
• Statistics or Biostatistics - Some schools will only accept one of these so be sure to check the program's website and if you still are not clear, call the program and ask specifically

Classes you might need, and should consider taking if possible:

• Psychology
• Organic chemistry and/or biochemistry w/ lab - (Organic chemistry II was my only C+ in college, and it was miserable, so unless you have a deep love for chemistry, avoid this if possible.   Mine was part of my Biology major so it was not an option.)
• Microbiology w/ lab
• Other science electives

It is a good idea to check the website of any program you are interested in and the prerequisites should be clearly listed, and then crosscheck this with courses you have already taken or what is required for your major.  My biology major only counted Anatomy as a general elective, so I ended up taking over the summer since it was basically just extra.  I was concerned about taking it at a different school than UGA, so I called ask the programs I was interested in if that was ok, and the consensus was that as long as I had the prerequisites, it didn't matter where it was at.

As daunting as the coursework may seem, it is really to your benefit when you start PA school.  It's so fast paced that there isn't time to review everything from undergrad, and they need you ready to go and familiar with science basics.  Most medical schools don't even require anatomy or some of these other courses, but it's because they study anatomy for an entire year, while PA students typically do it in 1 semester!  These are tough classes, so if you are able to spread them out, that may be in your favor if you are able to get better grades.  In some cases schools want at least a C or B, no matter what your overall GPA is.  So start planning as soon as possible to get all of your classes done to be ready to apply!

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