2017 Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide for Physician Assistants

If you have a physician assistant in your life, I know you want to make sure to get them the best present ever! We'll cover Pre-PA, PA students, and practicing PA presents, and it's not too late to make sure the PAs in your life have a present that they'll love. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. 

Pre-PA

Medthusiast is a great place to start for anyone in the medical field, especially since the company was started by a PA. Specifically, for Pre-PA students, they have some catchy shirts and these amazing anatomy mugs. 

There are plenty of books out there that any Pre-PA student would appreciate. Here are a few that I would recommend: 

The Applicant's Manual to Physician Assistant Programs - A resource with all of the information needed for applications about the various PA programs that are available. 

Better by Atul Gawande - Dr. Gawande is an amazing writer, and I recommend that anyone interested in the medical field read his books. 

The Ultimate Guide to the Physician Assistant Profession - A colleague wrote this book and it's a comprehensive book about what it takes to become a PA. 

If your Pre-PA gift recipient has a job in the medical field, scrubs are always a great present. A few on my favorite and more inexpensive brands are Med Couture, Maevn, and Nursemates Brand. 

A gift from The PA Platform is always a good option too! Whether it's a Pre-PA Assessment or a Mock Interview, make sure that your Pre-PA student is as prepared as possible to take the necessary steps forward in becoming a PA. The Physician Assistant School Interview Guide is also available for anyone who is anticipating an interview for PA school in the near future. 

PA Students

If you want to step up the scrub game for your PA students, check out Medelita scrubs. (If you don't already follow @thePAplatform on Instagram, make sure to check it out because there might be a giveaway coming up!) These scrubs will last forever and the styles are very flattering. If you use this link, you'll receive $20 off of a $70 purchase and you can use the code "PAPLATFORM4" for another 20% off. 

Another thing every PA student will need is a great PANCE review book. PANCE Prep Pearls is a great one that would be much appreciated by any student no matter their year in school. 

For a book that is more "fun" reading, Complications by Atul Gawande is a great option. 

For a PA student on rotations, the White Coat Clipboard will come in handy for keeping notes organized and having important information accessible at all times. Another small reference that was essential during clinical year was the Maxwell Quick Medical Reference. 

If you want to splurge, one tool that was extremely helpful during PA school was my Microsoft Surface. It's so much easier to take notes and write directly on the screen than trying to print everything out! 

Physician Assistants

Medthusiast also has shirts for physician assistants, and this is one of my favorites! 

Medelita also has some amazing white coats that can really up the game for anyone in the medical field. One thing that's cool about Medelita is that the company was started by a PA! There are tons of options and the fit and quality can't be beat. 

If your PA needs a new stethoscope, check out the ERKA from Medelita as well. 

For $20 off a purchase of $70 or more, use this link to set up your account, and use the code PAPLATFORM4 at checkout for an additional 20% off! 

You can also look and see if there are any CME resources or review materials that would be helpful, and I'm sure any PA would appreciate if you ask if there's something they've been eyeing. 

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Guest Post from Danni: A Student's Perspective on Joint BS/PA Programs

I "met" Danni through Instagram, and she's currently a PA student, but not what I would call a "traditional" applicant. Danni is actually doing a joint Bachelor's and PA Program. There aren't a ton of these out there, but if you know you want to be a PA right out of high school, it may be a good option. If you have more questions for Danni, you can find her on Instagram @discovering_danni to follow along! Make sure you follow her hashtag #discoveringme where Danni encourages you to learn one new thing each day to grow and improve yourself! And you can email danniscribani@gmail.com with any questions! 

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Hi my name is Danni! I’m 22 years old, originally from NYC, but currently living in Scranton, PA (The Office, I know) where I attend Marywood University. I received my Bachelors in Biology in May 2017 from Marywood as well because I went through Marywood's 5 year BS/MPAS Physician Assistant Program. I also ventured on a Medical Mission Trip to Guatemala two years ago! I am currently in my clinical year, and half-way through! I am on my 5th rotation out of 10, which is OB/GYN. I have already completed my Emergency Medicine, Elective, Pediatric, and Internal Medicine rotations. I am on a specialty track in Hospitalist Medicine, and chose to do my elective rotation in Gastroenterology. Once I graduate I wish to work in Gastroenterology! My love and obsession of GI diseases stems from my own personal battles, as I suffer from Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome, an extremely rare vascular gastrointestinal disorder, as well as post-surgical Gastroparesis. Feel free to ask me any questions about my chronic illnesses, or gastroenterology. The intestines are my favorite organ, and the fact that this long tube, known as the GI Tract, connects your mouth to anus blow my mind to this day.

My hobbies include running, fitness, cooking and nutrition, reading, shopping (duh, I’m a city girl at heart), giraffes, and anything that involves being outside in the sun (I hate the snow and cold). I was a competitive Junior Olympic Level 9 gymnast until I was 17 when I fell ill. I picked up running when I got to college, and have been improving ever since! I hope to run a marathon by the spring of 2018. I enjoy yoga, hiking, and anything that will keep me active. When I was diagnosed with SMAS, I began becoming extremely interested in nutrition and cooking, as it plays a huge role in my chronic illnesses. I follow a gluten-free, and mostly plant based diet, occasionally eating fish (I love sushi), and eggs. I enjoy reading journal articles, newspapers, and enjoy listening to podcasts daily. I’m a firm believer in learning one new thing every single day, especially in an area you’re not well-versed in. 

What influenced your decision to pursue a BS/PA program? 

• I chose to do an accelerated program for a few reasons. First-off I was accepted into the pre-physician assistant program out of high school, and in the long run it is a lot cheaper than the traditional route. Also, I knew from the beginning that PA was the career I wanted to pursue, so I didn’t see the need to spend more time in school than necessary. I really liked the idea of staying in the same school, because you are able to build extremely strong relationships with your professors, there was no need to adjust to a new campus and such, and you are able to build roots in a place you may potential want to work in the future. 

How exactly does a combined BS/PA program work? 

• Now I only know how my program worked, which isn’t to say every program works this way. So, when you applied to Marywood in high school you apply to the Pre-Physician Assistant major. You needed a certain SAT/ACT school and high school GPA in order to be accepted into the major. The grades needed have changed since I was a freshman, as the number of students applying has increased tremendously. As a Pre-PA Major, you take classes alongside Pre-Med majors and pursue, basically, a biology degree. At the end of your sophomore year you can begin applying to the PA Graduate Program. If you meet the criteria, you are granted an interview, and then find out if you are accepted prior to the start of your junior year. You complete junior year with your tentative acceptance, and instead of starting senior year in undergrad, you begin the PA Program in May. So, your senior year, and first year of grad school occur simultaneously. After didactic year, you graduate with your bachelors, and then start clinical year, which is also your second year of graduate school. After clinical year you graduate with your Master’s in Physician Assistant Studies, totaling 5 years.

What are the advantages to doing a BS/PA program? 

• One huge advantage of Marywood’s program, again I do not know if this applies to all 5-year programs, is the fact that since you do not have a degree yet during didactic year, you are still considered an undergraduate, pay undergraduate tuition, and are able to keep your academic scholarship. This applied to myself and greatly influenced my decision in choosing Marywood’s Program as opposed to others because it cost the least amount of money. Your second year of graduate school you pay the typical graduate tuition, but one year as compared to two years of graduate tuition adds up, trust me. Another advantage is that you graduate early, and if accepted, do not have to worry about gap years, or things of that nature. Also, being at the same school is super comforting when you’re dealing with the hardships of PA School. At my school, some of my undergraduate professors taught courses in the PA Program, which was extremely nice because you already know their teaching style, and felt comfortable with them. 
• I believe the biggest advantage of the combined program is that as a Pre-PA you do not apply through CASPA. Marywood has 60 seats, and roughly half go to Marywood students and the other half go to CASPA students. As, what we call, an “Internal Applicant” you are only compared to other Internal Applicants and are up against those students, so the pool is much smaller, but just as competitive. Another great thing about 5-year programs is that if you don’t get in during your junior year, you don’t lose any time. Instead, you continue along the tradition 6-year path, and re-apply next year after receiving your Bachelor degree, and also have the opportunity to apply to any PA school you want, as you now have a degree. 

Are you guaranteed acceptance into the PA program at the beginning of your BS portion?

• No. The way my program worked was throughout undergrad you had to maintain a 3.0 GPA (Both Science and Overall), or you were at risk of being kick out of the Pre-PA Major. When you apply to the graduate program, if you have above a 3.0 GPA, as well as all your PCE Hours, you were guaranteed at least an interview. Although they try to split the class 50/50, the PA Program is under no obligation to give half their seats to Marywood students, they only take the most qualified Marywood students. Also, just because you get accepted during your junior year, it is a tentative acceptance. If your grades drop at any point during junior year, the program can withdraw your acceptance. Overall, just like any program, nothing is guaranteed. You must work very hard, keep up extremely good grades, and make sure all your hours, volunteer, etc. are up to par. Simply having the minimum GPA and hours makes it unlikely for you to be accepted. You should still try and achieve competitive stats. 

Do you think there are any disadvantages to doing a BS/PA program?

• Definitely. I think being in a combined program decreased the amount of freedom and ability to explore other options that most typical college students have. Much of your three years in undergrad are spent studying, working and volunteering. Having the quote ‘full college experience’ is hard, although if you time manage, and plan according it is very possible. Being in an accelerated program is extremely stressful, and not for those who do not handle pressure well. It is also not meant for people who wish you explore other options aside form PA. Your classes are pretty much set in stone, and taking classes for ‘fun’ was hard. Another disadvantage I found is that during didactic year, sometimes I would feel years behind the CASPA students, just simply because they had taken gap years, took random courses, or had more clinical experience than I had because they had more time on their hands. In the end, however, it did not really matter. I spent all three of my undergraduate summers taking extra classes to lighten my load during the academic year, and working to make sure my PCE was competed. Although I do not regret my decision to complete a BS/MS program, I do sometimes wish I had had more flexibility with my schedule during my undergraduate years. 

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Flashback to My Personal Statement

I decided to dig back into my e-mail vault the other day to try to find my personal statement from when I applied in 2011!  There are definitely some things that I would change if I were to submit it again, but it surprisingly wasn't too bad.  And it landed me some interviews, and I was accepted, so it did it's job.  I wanted to post this so you could see what got me to where I am now.  I'm not sure if this was my final edition that I submitted, but it was the most complete one I could find.  

Unfortunately, editing services weren't available when I was applying, but the service would have benefitted me a ton.  The only person who edited my essay was my mom, and she's great at grammar, but she's not a PA or that well-informed with what PA admissions are looking for. You can use code FUTUREPA for a discount on The PA Platform services!

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If hard work, determination, and focus assure one of success, a career as a physician assistant is within my reach.  Strong work ethics, as well as persistence, have directed my actions.  Whether it was a small thing like learning to ride my bike or making a career choice, I know what I want to accomplish and will passionately strive to obtain this goal.  My aspiration is to be a physician assistant that is compassionate, detail oriented, and conscious of each patient’s needs.   

My younger sister, Hanna, began having monthly fevers exceeding 102 degrees shortly after birth.  Many of the medical professionals who were consulted concluded that her condition was mysterious, but not life threatening.  One doctor stands out to me because of the interest he took in my sister's condition. Two years after he first saw Hanna and after many hours of extensive research, Dr. Miller diagnosed her illness as PHAPA, a rare disease with many unknowns and no clear treatment.  

This exposure to healthcare encouraged me to pursue a career as a professional who holds a genuine interest in a patient’s well being.  My father first introduced me to the physician assistant profession during my junior year of high school.   During the next two years I devoted time toward researching options available in the medical field and asking myself what I really wanted to do for the rest of my life. I sought advice from health professionals, family, and teachers. My greatest strengths are determination, an interest in the intricacies of the human body, and compassion for helping people.  As a physician assistant, I will be able to utilize those characteristics in a field that is both challenging and rewarding.  After having made this decision, I was challenged to step out of my comfort area of literature and social sciences to begin a degree in Biology.    

For the past four years at the University of Georgia, I have immersed myself in rigorous classes, observation, CNA training, and volunteering to help better prepare myself for a career as a physician assistant.  During Spring semester 2011, I drove to Atlanta every weekend for three months in order to complete the Certified Nursing Assistant program while I still maintained a full time schedule at school. 

With my Certified Nursing Assistant license, I have gained further insight into patient care and interaction.  Patients value someone who cares and takes the time to explain procedures and complicated medical jargon.  Being a CNA before going into a profession as a PA has provided me with valuable insight into the team aspect of medical care.  At the hospital, I have worked with many different nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and doctors to ensure quality care for the patients.  Each member has his or her own role, but recovery occurs quickest for the patient when everyone works together to provide the highest quality of care.  

To further enhance my understanding of PA responsibilities, I have shadowed in various fields, allowing me to observe both patient/PA and Physician/PA interactions and procedures, including surgeries.    The ranges of independent levels among the PAs and the professionalism exhibited during stressful situations have been impressive.  There was one incident when a diagnosis of a small cyst was actually an aneurism.  A dangerous situation was quickly averted because of the quick actions and judgment of the PA.    

I have also participated in international volunteer trips with Wesley Foundation, a campus ministry, to Amsterdam and Jamaica.  I now see a need for medical care in other countries, and I hope to utilize my knowledge and skills as an international medical provider.  For example, the project I worked on in Jamaica was to construct a three-room home to replace the leaking, dirt floored shack occupied by a mother and her five children.  She showed her gratefulness with food and tears, while the children showed their excitement with hugs for everyone.  This was a small step toward providing this family with a healthier environment.  Eventually, I hope to contribute actual healthcare to families such as these.   

Flexibility, demand, and growth are all attractive aspects of the PA profession, but my interests go beyond these.  As a PA, I will utilize my skills, intelligence, and compassion while I am helping others.  Although self-sufficiency is important, I enjoy working as part of a team, which increases accountability. An accountability system in healthcare is essential to preventing mistakes, thus providing better care to patients. The possibility of working in different areas and specialties as needs change makes this career appealing.  I am ready to learn and to prepare for my career as a physician assistant.   

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P.S. If you are struggling with your personal statement, check out our PA school personal statement editing services that can help you write a personal statement with purpose.

Nurse Mates Review - Scrubs and Align Shoes

By now, you know that I am a scrub junkie and I love trying out all of the different brands on my mission to finding the best scrubs ever. I also want you to be able to make the best decisions possible when choosing your medical wear and equipment. Nurse Mates sent me some scrubs and shoes to try out, so keep reading to hear my thoughts. Some of the Amazon links are affiliate links so I'll get a percentage of the purchase if you use them! 

For the scrubs, I am wearing a Maci Top in Small and Brooke Pant in Small Petite, both in Navy. I've found that some scrubs tend to run small or the Petite versions will be too long, so I went with the Small size, but I think these actually run true to size. Whenever I order more, I'll go with the XS, but these still fit fine, and I've been wearing them to work frequently.  My most favorite thing on these scrubs are the pockets on the Maci Top. There are so many of them! Not only are there front pockets, which is where I usually keep my pens and phone, but there are also side pockets. It's awesome. 

For the pants, I really like the zippered pockets, which is nice for holding my credit cards when I run out to get lunch. The petite length with a 29 inch inseam is really great on these. I'm 5'1'' so I either need a shorter version or I have to get my pants hemmed, and ain't nobody got time for that. There is a tall version as well. The color is deep on these scrubs, and they've held up well in the wash with no noticeable shrinkage or fading. The price point on these scrubs is around $25 for each piece, which isn't unreasonable for a high quality set of scrubs with good fit. 

My underscrub long sleeve tee is the Willow Top in Smoke in XS. Underscrub is great for a few reasons. It keeps you warm in a cold office, and it gives you some protection from any stray bodily fluids that you may come in contact with. It also looks nice! This cotton based top is very lightweight and easy to wear under any scrubs. I love the color of this top and I've been wearing it as quick as I can get it washed. The little embroidered heart on the sleeve is a cute touch too. This top is around $18. 

Now let's talk about the shoes. These are the new Align Velocity shoes in Grey, and these are my absolute favorite! Nursemates got it right with these. I've experimented with many different shoes since I've been working in medicine, even when I started as a CNA, and I've developed some requirements: lots of support, comfortable all day long, and look cute and professional. These shoes check all of the boxes. I had been switching between Danskos and regular tennis shoes, but the Danskos were kind of hard and made my feet hurt if I wore them too much, and the tennis shoes didn't have the best support. 

I was skeptical that these shoes would offer enough support based on the appearance, but I was proved wrong, and since I've gotten these, they are all I've worn to work and often outside of work when I'm just running errands. I would 100% recommend these shoes if you're looking for something that will be comfortable and stylish. They are easy to clean and resistant to stains and water. There are many other colors and styles of the "Align" line of shoes from Nurse Mates, and I have my eye on the slip-on style now that I know how great the support is. These are around $90, but so far they've held up well and totally worth it. The elastic lace in the shoe can be replaced with traditional shoe laces as well. 

I hope that helps to give you some more information if you're looking for scrubs or shoes, and I would love to hear your opinions in the comments below!

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Guest Post from Jamie - Letters of Recommendation: How Do You Ask? and How Do You Get a Good One?

I'm really excited to share another post from Jamie with you, which was first published on Reddit.  This will shed some light on how to get a good letter of recommendation, which is so important for your PA school applications. You may remember her previous posts - The Unexpected Costs of Interviewing and Attending PA School and What's in My Medical Bag?

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Hi all! I thought I'd do a post today, since I start my hardest semester next week and I might disappear for a little while. I've been seeing a lot of comments and posts about letters of recommendations. Please start here with the Wiki FAQ for LOR.

Now that you've read that (or skimmed pass the link to keep reading), we can talk about some more specific details.

“One thing I did when asking for letters of recommendation was to mention a specific reason I was asking the person.”

— Jamie

One thing I did when asking for letters of recommendation was to mention a specific reason I was asking the person. For example, I worked in the tutoring center as a chemistry tutor and was a crucial part of the development for our walk-in services. I was the first tutor hired, trained other tutors, opened the center most mornings, etc. So I asked my boss, a professor at our university, to write me a letter. But when I asked, I mentioned specifically, "You have been one of the biggest witnesses for my interpersonal skills, as well as my application of sciences. I was hoping you could speak about your experiences of those things with me. A strong letter of recommendation will be very important to my acceptance into PA school."

Notice how I didn't just ask for the letter, but mentioned something that I wanted her to talk about. It wasn't demanding, just gave her an understanding of why I wanted HER to be the one to write it. I'll paste her letter below, she sent it to me just recently so I could make this post!

Another example was my nurse supervisor. She is an RN and supervises each shift. She sees how things go on the floor and facilitates the flow of the shift. I had asked her to write my letter because she sees how I work in a team with the other CNAs and the nurses. She has asked me to train people, and I am the one she would go-to for greeting a new admission because she loved how bubbly I was. I asked her to specifically mention how personable and friendly I am, as well as my teamwork.

It is important that when you do this, you are not demanding. You do not want the person to think that they HAVE to talk about what you mentioned. But this will help them to write a more specific letter. Anyone can receive a generic letter of recommendation. "Jamie has good communication skills" is completely different than "Jamie also stands out as an excellent communicator. She is personable and approachable, and students feel comfortable asking her questions. Additionally, she is adept at communicating with both her peers and chemistry faculty members."

And with that, here's my letter of recommendation from my boss at the tutoring center.

May 11, 2015

To Whom It May Concern,

It is my pleasure to submit this letter of recommendation for Ms. JamieNicole3x. I direct the Chemistry Success Center (CSC) at [University], a center that provides free walk-in chemistry tutoring services. Jamie works as a tutor in the CSC, and I have been her supervisor since August 2014. Scientific knowledge is a prerequisite for employment as a tutor, and Jamie demonstrates an excellent understanding of general chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry. However, the traits that make Jamie stand out as a truly exceptional tutor extend far beyond her strong scientific background. In the ten months I have known Jamie, I have been greatly impressed by her professionalism, communication skills, and initiative.

Jamie consistently demonstrates an incredible level of professionalism. Jamie is, without a doubt, the most dependable and responsible student I have had the privilege of supervising. She is punctual and responds to all communications quickly and professionally. This past semester, Jamie opened the CSC two days per week. I typically stop by the CSC every morning to make sure things are set up and running smoothly. However, I quickly realized that I did not need to check in on the CSC on days when Jamie opened the center – I could rely on her to get things done correctly.

Jamie also stands out as an excellent communicator. She is personable and approachable, and students feel comfortable asking her questions. Additionally, she is adept at communicating with both her peers and chemistry faculty members. She manages to connect with people through humor, excellent listening skills, and a positive demeanor, all while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries. Students appreciate Jamie’s strong communication skills, and she consistently receives praise on student evaluations for her ability to explain things clearly.

Finally, I would be amiss not to mention Jamie’s initiative. Jamie excels at recognizing where help is needed, and never hesitates to deliver needed assistance. Whether it’s stepping in to help when another tutor needs support in dealing with a difficult student or taking the time to organize CSC resources, Jamie always pitches in to help without being asked. She truly leads by positive example.

I am confident that JamieNicole3x possesses the personal characteristics and academic preparation needed to succeed in a physician assistant graduate program. I recommend her for admission to your program without reservation.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need additional information.

Best wishes,

[Name Removed]

Affiliate Professor of Chemistry

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Commonly Asked Letter Of Recommendation Questions

Q: Do you need a LOR from a professor?
A: This is program dependent on whether it is required, but a professor letter can be helpful at emphasizing your academic strengths. 

Q: Does it have to be from a PA-C, or can it be an MD, DO, RN, or NP? 
A: If a school requires a PA letter, then yes, it needs to be from a PA. If not, anyone clinical who knows you well and will write a strong, supportive letter can be considered. 

Q: Who should I be asking for LORs from? 
A: You can enter up to 5 in CASPA, although many schools only require a few. I recommend: a PA, work supervisor, volunteer supervisor, professor, and MD to cover all of your bases and fulfill most school requirements. 

Q: Can they all be from the same place and can they all be from PAs?
A: They could be because it’s ultimately up to you, but try to think about including a variety to showcase your different strengths outside of one setting/relationship.

Q: I went for 1 physician, 1 teacher, and 3PAs. Is that better than 5 PAs in your opinion? 
A: Yes. Variety is good because they should emphasize your strengths in those areas!

Q: Three is the minimum for most schools but should I do more or does it matter? 
A: You can submit up to 5 in CASPA. If you have 5 people who will write you strong letters, use them all. If a school has specific letter writer requirements, they will preferentially look for those letters. 

Q: Is ok to ask a professor for a LOR when you’ve been out of school for a while? 
A: Yes, especially if you had a strong relationship. If you didn’t, they may need a refresher on who you are. Sending a resume, cover letter, and your personal statement can be helpful. 

Q: How do you get a LOR? I’m graduating undergrad and have not gotten close to a single science professor.
A: It can be tough. I was in the same situation and had to ask a random biochem professor. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t my strongest letter. If you’re still in school, make it a goal to get to know some teachers. Go to office hours, ask questions, send emails, be engaged. Even if you don’t necessarily need all the help, do it for the letter. If not in school, ask a random teacher only if required, but know it will likely be a form letter. 

Q: How long should you know someone before asking for a LOR?
A: This will vary! You may get really close with someone quickly and feel comfortable asking sooner, or it can take a while to build that relationship. There isn’t a rule for this one, but I always recommend asking if they feel they can give their “highest recommendation,” and hopefully they’ll be honest if not. 

Q: Is ok to ask a PA I’ve only shadowed a few times? How do I bring it up in that case?
A: You never know until you ask! PAs understand this is tough and the importance of getting a letter from a PA, and hopefully will be honest with you if they don’t feel comfortable. 

Q: What do we do if we don’t have a strong connection to a PA to ask for a LOR?
A: Make it a priority to get one. If a school requires a PA letter, you may have to remove those from your list if you can’t get it by the time you apply. Shadow, or even ask to go to coffee/lunch just to ask questions if you can’t actually get into clinic. 

Q: What is a good deadline to provide LOR writers with?
A: Explain the process to them and give them a deadline of about a week before you want to submit so you have time to review your application one last time. Make sure you give your letter writers plenty of time and make sure you send them the request AFTER the upcoming cycle opens. Give them a heads up that the email will be coming and a reminder after you send it.

Q: How to go about asking the same people to write your LOR over again after school rejection? 
A: That’s tough. Make sure they are the best person to write you a letter first of all. If you truly believe they are, it’s great if they will update, but at LEAST, please change the date to the new year. It’s also okay if you have new people that you think will write better letters. 

Q: Can I use one from my time in the US Army from a now-deceased 2-star general? 
A: Unfortunately no. The letters have to be submitted by the letter writers themselves. If you have a copy, you could potentially send it separately to the schools yourself, but they may or may not consider it. 

Q: I have a pre-health committee letter from my undergrad, should I use that too? 
A: Committee letters typically aren’t preferred or requested for PA schools. That’s more of a med school thing. Personal letters from one person are usually better, but you could ask the individual PA schools if they have a preference also. 

Q: If I am applying next year, can I get my LORs this year or does it have to be done next year? 
A: Unfortunately, regardless of the situation, you can not use an already written letter unless the person is able to upload the letter themself once the new application cycle is open. If you have someone who you have built a relationship with this year that you would like to write you a letter when the cycle does open in April, explain to them the process now and maybe they will write the letter now and save it on their drive. Keep kindling the relationship at least until you are applying so it is easier to reach back out to them later. Currently, CASPA does not utilize any of the letter-saving services like Interfolio.

Q: What would you do if your LOR writer asks you to write your own draft of a letter? 
A: That’s tough. I encourage not writing the letter exactly, but providing some main points that you would like them to emphasize. Ex - a professor - academic strength, time management, study skills. A PA - potential for success in PA school, compassion with patients, good judgment. Providing a resume, letter of intent or personal statement can help them as well. 

Q: How can we ask a recommender to highly recommend us in a polite way?
A: Check out this Instagram Post.

Q: How does a writer submit their LOR? Do they submit it themselves or do we submit it for them on CASPA?
A: Letter writers will need to submit the letter themselves on CASPA. When you send them the request through CASPA, they will be given instructions on how to submit. The letter CAN NOT come from the applicant. 

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Hi all. Thanks for reading! I'm Jamie Murawski, a physician assistant student at the University of Detroit Mercy. I have a Bachelor of Science from Grand Valley State University. I'm a Michigan girl through and through. 

I'm growing my online presence in the PA community through Reddit, where I moderate /r/prephysicianassistant along with some other pretty cool PA students. I also have an Instagram where I pseudo-blog about my journey (@jamienicole_pa.s). Please feel free to follow me or message me with any questions, I'm happy to help!

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Hey there! Check me out over here!

As I've shared in the past, I'm a H.I.P Ambassador for Medelita, which is a medical apparel company that was actually started by a PA!  Part of being a member of that community includes contributing to the Medelita blog. 

If you've been following me for a while, you know that I went on a medical mission trip to Kenya previously this year. The post I wrote for Medelita is titled "What I've Learned From International Medical Missions."  So if that's an area you're interested in, make sure you check it out!  They have a great blog, and you'll find some other posts from some of the PA students who have done guest posts here as well. 

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Maevn Scrubs Review

You guys are probably getting tired of hearing about my favorite stuff, but I feel that part of my responsibility to is to make sure that you're well-dressed and look nice as you pursue your dreams.  So today, I would like to introduce you to Maevn Scrubs Eon Collection. 

I love that my daily uniform consists of scrubs, but sometimes I want to mix it up and try different ones. It's important to me that I'm comfortable, well-covered, and able to move easily. I also like my scrubs to fit well. One day I didn't have any clean scrubs, so I borrowed a pair of my husband's generic unisex ones, and I just felt a little frumpy all day. I went all out and did a video review of these scrubs, so if you want to see that, you can check it out at this link, or at the end of this post. (Fair warning - I'm so awkward.)

These 2 sets of Maevn scrubs were provided to me for free in exchange for my honest opinions. So let's go! Some of the links I've included to these scrubs on Amazon are affiliate links, which means I'll get a little bit of credit to buy more awesome scrubs if you use them. No pressure.  The Eon scrubs are interesting because they are made with special "COOLMAX" fabric that is supposed to keep you cool and dry, and also resist wrinkles and shrinkage. For reference, I'm around 5'1'' and 115 lbs. 

This first pair I got in navy since that's the color of my daily uniform. And since I've been seeing these fancy Eon waistband scrubs all over Instagram, I was pumped to try them out. After wearing these a few times to work and washing them a few times as well, I can honestly say they hold up to wear and tear. They have been christened with exploding cyst already, so we're good to go.

The top I'm wearing is the Sporty Mesh Panel Top in XS, and the color of these is "True Navy." This top has some mesh panels (that aren't see through) and lots of pockets. I do feel like it's a little bit long for me, but that hasn't stopped me from wearing them. I don't usually tuck my tops in, but I wanted to show off the cool waistband on these pants.  The pant style I'm wearing are the Waistband 7-Pocket Cargo Pant. I was told that these can run a little small and instructed to consider ordering up a size, so I'm wearing a small petite.  The length is perfect, and the size fits well too. These are very comfy with the waistband, and still have a drawstring, but also lots of pockets.

I do have to say that I love this color. It's almost a gray or slate blue version of navy, as opposed to being in the blue family. Even other people in my office commented on how nice the color looked and noticed that I had some new fancy scrubs. 

Now for the wine scrubs.  This color is my absolute favorite. I love it. If I got to choose a color to wear everyday, it would be wine (or maybe gray). The style of this top is the V-Neck Pocket Top in XS. The pants style is the Full Elastic Zipper Pocket Cargo Pant in XS Petite. These are a much more traditional style of scrubs, and the fit is true to size. Still tons of pockets too. Whenever I'm due for scrubs again, I'm planning on ordering this style in the navy color.  

Overall, I would definitely recommend these scrubs, and I do plan on getting more in the future. I may get my husband some of the men's versions to try out too! 

Comment below with your favorite scrubs! 

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Guest Post from Shelby: How Research Helped Me Get Into PA School

Shelby is our gracious guest poster for today.  I'm really excited because she is able to offer a perspective on research experience that I can't give you, and I appreciate her honesty in the struggles she has had on her journey to becoming a PA. 

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Since I was a child all I ever wanted was to become a healthcare provider. I did not realize the journey towards this goal of mine would be a bumpy path, but I am glad to have the experiences that came along with this untraditional path. They have shaped me to be prepared for Physician Assistant (PA) school. 

Standing out to get into PA school can be rather challenging. There are many applicants with great GPAs, tons of patient care experiences, and stellar GRE scores, but how do you shine in a sky full of north stars? 

Coming from a difficult period of my life in undergrad I sought out ways to improve my application because my GPA was not going to cut it to gain admittance. After graduating, I took courses post-bacc but I knew I wanted more. I had always thought research, teaching, and graduate level thinking would challenge me in a positive way. The following is just one way to standout that I found helpful and I hope this may also help others since each applicant’s journey is unique and they are unique themselves.

I chose to apply to a Masters of Science in Biomedical Sciences. The degree includes 3 quarters of didactic work followed by 4 quarters of research. When you complete the degree, you have a thesis manuscript, oral defense done, and many other opportunities if you choose not to proceed into medicine, but instead research. 

I had the option of taking a minimum of 12 credits per quarter, but I elected to take extra classes because I wanted to prove to myself and everyone else that I was ready for this challenge. I realize that at this level of education it was a slippery slope taking extra intense science classes, although in the end, it paid off for me.

One of my favorite courses I took, and excelled in, was pharmacology - a two quarter long class. It allowed me to apply my clinical knowledge and my enjoyment of physiology and pathophysiology. I tutor and work as a teaching assistant for the same course this year where I help run review sessions, create test questions, and am able to teach the students some of the material. Another class I thoroughly enjoyed, and was an extreme benefit, was taking physiology for two quarters. At my current school, the class is paired with the PA students so the same material they learn for their future, I got to learn alongside them. It was great exposure to what to expect in my future and I could excel at this course with the great teaching.

The classes I decided to take challenged me and I received a GPA I never thought I could obtain. But it has been the research experience which has shaped and challenged me more than I ever would have expected. My very first presentation was with my first principle investigator (PI). I had not done much public speaking before this, especially with something I was extremely passionate about. We had to do a 10-minute presentation on our proposed research project to the faculty, staff, and other students in my cohort.

I walked up to the podium, loaded my PowerPoint then proceeded to start the presentation, although I had massive anxiety attached right at the beginning. I started crying, breathing heavy, then just walked out of the presentation. My peers and some of the faculty thought I might not come back to finish the presentation. I had to calm down, and then decided to try again. I stuttered and barely made it through. It was traumatic and some peers were not very nice about it, both during and after my presentation.

The next time I did a presentation was with my current PI, yes I switched PI’s and projects. WOW! What a difference it was. I practiced word for word what I was going to say for a week. My PI spent hour upon hours with me to perfect it. Ultimately, it was a good presentation when said and done. I felt better about giving presentations, although this was mostly background about the project at that point, and then my next presentation was with data which made me more nervous. I walked into the room, and something did not feel right. I started out again with the shaky voice and teary eyes, but then I talked myself down. Earlier that week I found out I was accepted to PA school, and I realized I can do this and took a deep breath then nailed it. I was congratulated by multiple faculty with how impressed they were that I could come from being so nervous to jumping back in and doing so well. 

I changed research mentors in between my first and second year, which was rather challenging. I took on a whole new research project. I took extra classes, including anatomy with the occupational therapy students, and did very well.  Additionally, I gained positive encouragement as I gained confidence in my ability to give public presentations. I have achieved so many things since I started. I think one of the more important things is I grew to learn even more about myself. During my time, I have learned several laboratory techniques. There were days where I would cry, and days I would pat myself on the back. It is, and has been, a learning experience. For me, it's been important to have a research mentor who believed in me and who was there for me no matter what time of day. I am so grateful for what he's done for me this past year and I will be working on finishing my thesis in the fall before starting PA school in January at MCPHS.

You will make mistakes. Research is not easy, especially with a thesis project. It is a lot of hard work and dedication to go into the laboratory when you do not want to. But it has taught me how to be patient, pay attention to details, be a critical thinker, and enjoy being challenged. These will help me in more than just research, these are valuable things as a PA student and a PA-C. In healthcare, it’s extremely important to pay attention to details and to be able to think critically about your patient so you can provide the best care. There will be times you will be frustrated, but you should look at it analytically or take a step away for a while.   

Other aspects that have helped shaped who I am are having CrossFit. It has made me more mentally and physically fit. I highly suggest finding a good outlet like this. Any exercise can help you to manage your stress levels but find something that you truly enjoy. I always make sure to take care of myself as a priority before anything else because if you're not taking care of yourself, you're not going to be successful in all aspects of your life. 

Other aspects of my application that I feel helped me stand out was naturally creating a theme. My theme is oncology. I volunteered for three years at a pediatric oncology camp, I worked as a patient care technician in an oncology unit for almost two years, (I also worked other positions, but this one was my favorite), and my research is on non-small cell lung cancer. This shows how I have a strong interested in pursuing oncology as a profession. 

My biggest piece of advice is to never give up. There is not one path that will work for everyone or a normal path. You must make it work for you. I had many setbacks from my health, personal life, family, and finances, but this did not stop me from living the dream of attending PA school. Life is a continuous learning process, but make it an enjoyable one. 

It's a lot of hard work and if you ever need advice about how to study better and change your methods, feel free to reach out because I learned a lot along the way and it's helped me be more successful. It's a lot of trial and error frankly. 

I encourage you to step outside your comfort zone because that's what drove me to be better. It is important to have a strong support system, and if you don't, you need to believe in yourself. I cannot stress that enough because you are the one that's going to get you through each day. You need to show yourself that you are worthy, you are important, and you're a rockstar. 

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Shelby will be graduating from Midwestern University with her Masters in Biomedical Sciences this fall and will be attending Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences for PA school in January. Her biggest passions revolve around CrossFit, coffee, being a dog mom, and giving back. Feel free to follow her journey through PA school and beyond. Instagram: @student_shelby 

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Guest Post from Jamie - The Unexpected Expenses of Interviewing and Attending PA School

This post was originally posted by Jamie on Reddit, but has been published here with her permission.  I'm really excited to introduce you guys to Jamie.  If you haven't ever heard of Reddit, you're missing out!  The prephysicianassistant sub-Reddit is awesome and a great place to get questions answered.  And FYI, some of the links in this post are affiliate links with Amazon, which means Jamie gets a couple of cents if you buy something, you don't pay more, and we can keep giving you awesome information for free! 

The Hidden Costs for Physician Assistant School

I wanted to write a post about expenses because a lot of this stuff caught me by surprise. Please keep in mind while reading this that these are expenses specific to my experience and my university. I imagine many of them will be pretty universal, but some may differ by school.

A few that are universal about interviewing:

• Purchasing your interview outfit. You need to dress professional – that means a full suit for men, and either a business dress (sheath dress, or something similar) with a blazer (think Claire Underwood from House of Cards), pencil skirt with a matching blazer, or pantsuit for women. If your interview is over the course of two days, inquire to your program about the attire. Your actual interview day will always be professional, but you may be able to get away with business casual, or even casual on the meet and greet day. Regardless, you can’t wear the same professional outfit both days, so you need at least two nice shirts.
• Cleaning up before the interview. For example, I got my hair cut because my hair was kind of crazy looking. Looking clean and put together will give a good first impression. I’d love to live in a society where we aren’t judged by our appearance, but we don’t, and you have to look nice. You just need to look somewhat put together, but even a $12 haircut will add a bit to your interview costs!
• Potential hotels or transportations: maybe you need to fly to the schools you applied for, maybe you need to stay in a hotel.
• Days off work: if the interview falls on a day you usually work, you will have to miss a day of pay. While that doesn’t literally cost you any money, it does take away a day from your paycheck. Consider switching shifts with someone if that makes a big difference in your budget for the week or month.

A few that are universal (probably) regarding school itself, once you’re accepted:

Vaccinations: Hep B is the only one you can decline at UDM. Others are required: rubella, measles, mumps, varicella. For UDM, you must have titers done to prove that you are immune to each. It’s probably smart for them to do that because I had vaccination records of Hep B and rubella/MMR, but my titers came back negative. I had to re-do those.

Physical: Typical physical + Tdap and TB test (If your TB test is positive, you then have to follow up with a chest x-ray or you can ask your primary care provider for a blood-based TB test instead)

Dress code: Some programs require a specific scrub color or require only professional attire - if you have to buy either of those, that will cost you a decent amount, especially for nice dress clothes. Definitely check out Marshall's or TJMaxx if you're on a budget. My favorite dress clothes come from Express, but I wait until there are sales and I have a coupon. Thankfully I'm able to wear any color scrubs, and I have a ton from being a CNA!

Equipment: (Do not buy these based on this post, but wait until you get a list of requirements from your program! Yours may differ or they may require specific brands or something. Just gives you an idea of what to expect.)

• You will absolutely need a stethoscope. A nice Littmann Cardiology III runs about $150, a little more if you engrave it or something, a little less if Amazon has some sort of sale or you pick an ugly color that no one buys.  You can absolutely buy a cheaper one or a more expensive brands, but this is the most recommended by the MDs and PAs that I have spoken to, both in real life and online. I love mine, it’s my favorite color and it was engraved with “Jamie Nicole”.
• Diagnostic kit: Otoscope/ophthalmoscope set. Welch Allyn comes highly recommended and is VERY expensive. Somewhere between $300-$1000 depending on the handle material and used/new condition. You could definitely buy a cheaper one from Amazon or something, but you won’t be able to see as well and may need to borrow a friend’s for exams (I’m on the fence about buying one).
• Lab coat, probably. Sometimes 2. Usually embroidered with program name, your name, and PA-S or sometimes just student.
• Pen light (okay, you can buy this one if it makes you happy, it costs like $2 – some other cheaper things are latex-free gloves if you have an allergy, tongue depressors, gauze pads, alcohol wipes)
• Sphygmomanometer (blood pressure cuff) – these aren’t too expensive and a lot of you probably already have one for some reason or another.

Some that might be unique to UDM, but may happen to you:

• Fingerprinting (Michigan legislature changed RIGHT after I paid to be fingerprinted, and the State will no longer release finger print information with criminal records, so UDM dropped this requirement and half of us had already paid for it and had it done, so that sucked. Way to go to the procrastinators! Your program may not make you do this, or they may pay for it, or you may not have to do it at all).
• Drug testing (You will absolutely have a drug test, but your program may pay to have it done instead of making you pay for it).
• Criminal Background Check (same as drug testing, it varies by program who pays for it).

MISC

• MOVING: If you get into a program away from home and need to move, you may need a wide variety of things! You might live with your mom now and need furniture for your first solo place. You might have a place already but need to rent a moving truck. You might have to buy all your friends pizza or beer or both for helping you assemble Ikea furniture.

Feel free to comment with anything I may have missed or things required for other programs!

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Hi all. Thanks for reading! I'm Jamie Murawski, a physician assistant student at the University of Detroit Mercy. I have a Bachelor of Science from Grand Valley State University. I'm a Michigan girl through and through. 

I'm growing my online presence in the PA community through Reddit, where I moderate /r/prephysicianassistant along with some other pretty cool PA students. I also have an Instagram where I pseudo-blog about my journey (@jamienicole_pa.s). Please feel free to follow me or message me with any questions, I'm happy to help!

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Guest Post from The PA Life - Accreditation, Location, and PANCE Rate…Oh My: How to Pick a PA Program That is Right for You!

Jourdyn from The PA Life graciously offered to share her advice with you all about how to choose what PA programs to apply to and attend.  This is such important information because you don't want to waste your money or time on programs that may not actually be a good fit for you. I love Jourdyn's enthusiasm and she has some amazingly informative posts on her site, so make sure you check it out.  And if you don't already follow her on Instagram, you can find Jourdyn at @thepa_life

I also did a post for Jourdyn's site on 5 Tips for Finding a Physician Assistant Job, so make sure you don't miss it! 

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To start this post off I would like to say “congrats”! You may ask why I’m congratulating you? Well, it is because you have decided to embark down an amazing journey to becoming a Physician Assistant! Are you excited about your choice? You should be!! Not only is it a growing career field, but it is also a career that comes with a great deal of satisfaction…and to that, you deserve some recognition for your amazing choice!  Now that you have picked this field, you may question what the next step is in order to achieve your goal of becoming a PA. You will dive into the world of CASPA, interviews, and upon a simple Google search find a vast array of information on how to successfully matriculate into a PA program. After working your way up to a large amount of healthcare hours, spending many hours perfecting your personal essay, and reading what feels like a small library of books and articles on how to crush your interviews…you might find yourself wondering: how do I actually pick a school to go to? How do I know if this is going to be a good fit for me? What if I pick the wrong one?

This, my friends, is where I come in. I was in your shoes once, and I had the same exact questions. I stressed about what school would be the most conducive to a gratifying PA experience, as I knew my choice in program would pave the way for my career as a Physician Assistant. So, stress no more! I am here to give you my top 5 tips on how to pick a PA program that is right for you!

1. Always check to see if they are accredited. PA schools go through a process where they need to be nationally reviewed to ensure their curriculum and faculty follow certain standards. This is super important because if your school happens to not get accredited, you won’t be able to attend that program until they do. A really good site to look at is http://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation/accredited-programs/, which has an extensive list of programs that are accredited, and when the next time they will be reviewed! This is a simple factor to check, but is really an important one to do!   
    
2. Another important factor on choosing what school will be right for you is to look at PANCE pass rates. You will be working incredibly hard through your curriculum, no matter what program you go into, so it only makes sense to check on a potential school to make sure their curriculum will prepare you well for the PANCE. The closer they are to 100% the better!
    
3. Location, location, location! Some PA programs are located on undergraduate campuses, some on their own campus, some in the heart of enormous cities, and others are located in small rural areas in the mountains. By the time people apply to PA school, you generally have a feel for which setting you feel most comfortable in. In PA school, really anything that is going to make the school year easier and more enjoyable for you is going to benefit you in the long run. If you get annoyed by traffic, you may find after a long day of listening to lectures and studying, even a 15 minute delay makes for an even more stressful day. So before you spend money on a program, make sure the location is factored into your choice. Although, it seems minor or that you could “fight through” an un-ideal location for a year or so…it really will make your life easier in the long run. 
    
4. Research the school to see what their emphasis is. Some programs love volunteering, others have a stronger focus on research, and still others have a passion for public health and infuse it into their curriculum. In addition, some programs offer global educational trips, others have non-profit clinics you can work at, and the list goes on and on of many other curriculum-enriching experiences you can partake in. It is little characteristics like this that will help you connect to a program and make for a more worthwhile experience!
    
5. Be passionate about your choice! Don’t apply to programs that aren’t going to be the right fit for you. Yes, it is amazing to get into a PA school, but when you are spending thousands of dollars on your education and 2-3 years of your life, you want to make sure that it is THE PA program for you. When you are at an interview, yes you are being interviewed, but also realize that the program is interviewing for a spot in your life too. Ask questions to the interviewing panel to ensure they are the right fit for you. Do you want an anatomy lab where you can dissect the whole cadaver? Ask that question! Do you want a program that has workout facilities because running is what you do to de-stress? Then ask that too! Are you curious what measures they have in place to ensure student success such a tutors, remediation examinations, or 24/7 access to a library or study area? Totally worth asking about! Allow yourself to be selective and don’t settle for anything less than a program that sparks an excitement in you as you embark on your journey to becoming a PA student. 

Yes, picking a PA program can be a hard, as getting into a PA school is a daunting enough task. But when you ask the right questions and do your research, you are one step closer to making a better choice on the PA program that is right for you. 

Out of all the tips I can give you, the most important one is to trust your gut and your heart. When you find the right program, you will know it. 

Schedule a mock interview with Jourdyn now!

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For a little more info on Jourdyn - I am currently a PA student at UW-Madison and will begin my clinical year in 1 short month! My favorite thing about being a PA student is the ability to learn and grow from all the valuable resources around me. I have so many knowledgeable, genuine, and compassionate people that have already guided me in my career as a PA student, and I will hopefully be able to surround myself with similar individuals once practicing. In addition, being a PA means that I can make a positive impact on a patient's life every single day. Not many careers can say that, and that leaves me awestruck and humbled every day.

Some things I have done up to this point include becoming a head student leader for a medical mission trip to Belize, being nominated as a student speaker for my undergraduate commencement ceremony, and am a member of one of the only rural based PA cohorts in the US. In my free time I enjoy traveling, spending time with my family, friends, and wonderful boyfriend, running, taking pictures, and drinking coffee in local coffee shops! 

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May 2017 Webinar: Healthcare + Patient Care Experience for Physician Assistant School

Hey guys!  I wanted to remind you that the May webinar will go live today at 8 PM EST.  In this month's talk, I'm covering everything associated with the healthcare and patient care experience needed for PA school.  We'll talk about why it's important to get experience, what types of opportunities are available and where to find them, how to track this information for CASPA, and I'll be answering all of your questions too!  You can check back at this link at 8 PM to tune in to the session on The PA Platform, or you can watch on Youtube here where you can also submit questions to the chat.  Looking forward to seeing you there! 

Listen to the next Webinar LIVE!

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Med Couture Scrub Review - Activate Collection

Scrubs are a big part of my life.  I spend at least 50% of my life wearing scrubs since I work as a dermatology PA.  It's really important to me that my scrubs are super comfy, long-lasting, and I like for them to look nice too. 

Scrubs can be hit or miss.  While I've found some great pairs at Wal-Mart, I've also ordered some pretty terrible ones from Amazon or scrub stores.  

I was really pumped to get the chance to try out a type of scrubs that I've never worn before by Med Couture.  This company prides itself on being both fashionable and high-quality.  They have a few different collections of scrubs, including Activate, MC2, and Med Couture.  They offer scrubs for men and women, and also have maternity scrubs, petite and tall, underscrub, jackets, lab coats, and even scrub dresses.  (I don't know that I'll ever need the dresses one, but good to know!)

The scrubs I was sent to try are part of the new Activate line, which advertises 4-way stretch for an active lifestyle.  (These scrubs were provided to me free of charge, but all opinions are my own!  I only want to share things with you guys that I support, and I want you to have all the info before deciding if you want to buy!) The top I'm wearing is the Med Couture Activate In-Motion V-Neck Top and the pants are Med Couture Activate Transformer Cargo Pants.  For reference, I'm 5'1'' and I weigh 115 and I am wearing an XS in the top and XS Petite in the pants. 

Let's start with the things I love!  First of all, these scrubs feel awesome right out of the package.  I would describe the fabric as silky with a good bit of stretch.  I'm constantly bending down to took at the bottom of patient's feet or to make sure there aren't any funny moles hiding, so I need my scrubs to move and stretch with me. These scrubs are also very light and super comfy, which is awesome for our hot Georgia summers.  The style and fit is spot on - really flattering without being too tight or boxy.  There is an abundance of pockets, and even some with zippers and snaps.  I've been loving using the front pocket as a dedicated spot for pens, and the zipper pockets are nice when I'm running out for lunch and don't want to take my usually massive purse with me.  

The color is also definitely a true navy.  I typically wear navy scrubs at work, and I don't want them to be too light or more of a black navy, and these are perfect.  They have some cool lime green accents too on the drawstring and some of the pockets, which I appreciate! The other thing to note is the cost of these scrubs is awesome.  They range from around $20-30 per piece, which isn't bad at all for scrubs that are durable and have a good fit.  

My only complaints, which aren't really a big deal, is that the petite pants are almost too short.  Like maybe they needed a 1/2 inch more.  The inseam on the petite pants for this particular type is 28.5 inches.  That being said, I would rather have scrubs almost too short instead of a foot too long that I would have to get hemmed.  I alternate between wearing Danskos or my Nikes, and for this pair of scrubs, I'll stick to my tennis shoes because they're a tad too short with Danskos.  

I think I would also size up on the top personally.  I have what could be called an hourglass shape (AKA - I do have hips.) so the top was slightly tighter around the hip area, but not enough that it would prevent me from wearing these scrubs or even enough that I would want to exchange them.  

If you're interested in purchasing any Med Couture scrubs, you can check out their online scrub shop or order them on Amazon to use that awesome Prime free 2-day shipping.  Also make sure to follow @medcouture on Instagram so you don't miss out on any promotions! Comment with your favorite scrubs so I'll know what kind to try next! 

**This post does contain some affiliate links, which means if you click on the link and make a purchase, I get a few cents to keep my site running!  

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Guest Post from Lorae the PA - The Do's and Don'ts of Writing Your Personal Statement

I'm so excited to share a post with you from Lorae Schafer, a PA student who is killing it on Instagram (@Lorae.the.pa) and Youtube.  If you want to be encouraged and get some great tips, make sure you're following her on social media. 

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Writing Your Personal Statement

Your personal statement is the ultimate balancing act. In 5,000 characters or less, you are asked to showcase who you are, highlight your strengths, elaborate on your experiences, and showcase why you would make a great PA. Most importantly, it is an opportunity to emphasize what makes you unique and explain why programs should want to turn you into a PA. The prompt seems so simple – yet navigating your response can be a challenging and overwhelming task.

As an applicant, I felt I had to create a strong, memorable personal statement to compensate for an otherwise lackluster application. My GPA was average. My patient care/healthcare experience barely met the minimum, and I wasn’t 100% confident in my letters of recommendation. Heck, my prerequisites weren’t even complete by the time I submitted my application. Overall, I felt like a total work in progress! My saving grace was my ability to write about what I felt made me worthy of PA school. 

The personal statement is a powerful tool for communicating your individuality to admissions committees. That’s probably why there is so much pressure to make it perfect. But here’s the thing – you don’t have to be the greatest writer in the world to create a killer essay. All you need to know are the do’s and don’ts to create a solid framework for your personal statement. You can always build up from there!

DO…

Consider using a theme. Admissions committees read hundreds to thousands of personal statements every year. A theme allows you to tie your personal statement together by giving you something to bring all your thoughts back to. Even better, it gives your reader something to remember your essay by. Incorporating a positive theme can help increase your memorability as an applicant.

Draw in the reader. If your first paragraph is off to a slow start, you are setting the tone for an uninteresting essay and a blasé reader. Perhaps the most common way of creating a hook is with an interesting (and relevant) story. Whatever you decide – make the reader want to keep reading.

Be honest and transparent. Writing your personal statement isn’t about what you think the admissions committees want to hear; it’s about staying true to who you are. So, before you answer the prompt, make a simple list of the reasons why YOU want to be a PA – not things you found on the internet or heard from your mentor. Then draw on your own meaningful experiences to back up those reasons. By being honest, your personality should naturally start to shine through.

Edit, edit, edit. Continually revise your essay. Nothing ever comes out perfectly the first time around. Then ask your friends, family, colleagues, and/or mentors to look over your personal statement as well. This is useful in ensuring you have no grammar, punctuation, or spelling mistakes. It is also a great way to validate that your essay is genuine. The more eyes, the better!

DON’T…

Define what a PA is. The admissions committees are reading your personal statement to learn something about you, so don’t waste precious time and space explaining something they already know. Instead, ask yourself how you know you could fulfill those same duties – and why you want to.

Restate your resume. Again, this will not contribute to your application. This is what CASPA is for! Use your essay to explain the “how” and “why” behind your resume. Why did working as a CNA confirm that the PA profession was right for you? How does your experience as an EMT substantiate your capabilities as a future PA?

Detail your life story. Yes, the admissions committees want to know you – but primarily the parts of you that are relevant to PA school. Instead of walking the admissions committees through your path to applying step-by-step, focus on specific experiences. Keep personal details and family struggles to a minimum unless they contribute strongly to why you would make a fantastic PA. Even then, focus the majority of your writing around your non-familial life.

Dwell on mistakes. It is tempting to fill up space justifying a failing grade. You are better off briefly touching on issues like these in no more than a couple sentences. Don’t let yourself be distracted from the task at hand. Stay focused on responding to the prompt, painting a picture of your strengths, and maintaining a positive emphasis. Academic hiccups or other potential red flags in your application can be left to a more thorough discussion at your interview.

Remember – you CAN do this! Just think back on how far you’ve come to be able to apply to PA school. This is just one more challenge along the way.

PA Personal Statement Worksheet Download

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Lorae graduated from the University of San Diego in 2015 with a degree in Behavioral Neuroscience. She worked as a medical scribe in women's health for two years and is currently a first year PA student at Wake Forest School of Medicine in North Carolina.

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Top 5 CASPA Tips - Guest Post from Brittany at PA Fanatic

I'm so excited to bring you a guest post today from Brittany at PA Fanatic.  I first got into contact with Brittany on Instagram, and she did an amazing job with sharing some tips.  If you want more advice from Brittany, and to follow along as she starts PA school shortly, check out her website or follow on Instagram @PAfanatic.  I did a post on Brittany's site with 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting PA School, so make sure you read that one too! 

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Every pre-pa needs to know these CASPA hacks. 

If you’re applying to CASPA right now, you already know how time consuming this process can be, but I promise it’s worth it! All the effort you’ve put into your application will be worth it once you get your first interview invite! I had my fair share of struggles with CASPA so I came up with 5 tips to help when applying to CASPA!

1. Since I know you’re all busy little bees and have been volunteering, working, trying to have a social life, all while tying to get good grades, life can get hectic pretty quick and it’s easy to get disorganized. That’s why one of the most important things you can do for yourself when applying is to create an excel spreadsheet to help you organize all your activities! I found myself frequently changing my experience description up until I submitted my application. I found it way easier to work in excel than to keep changing things in CASPA until I submitted. I recommend finalizing everything in excel before plugging and chugging it all into CASPA.

• I made a tab for each category in CASPA

• I made a table with columns for each piece of information needed to add an experience in CASPA

Healthcare and Shadowing Experience Log Download

It's essential that you keep great records of your healthcare and shadowing hours. Use this Excel form to have all of your information organized and ready to go for CASPA!

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2. Keep track of all of your school deadlines! This is harder than it seems since so many schoolshave varying deadlines ranging from August all the way to December or even January! I found it helpful to write down each school’s deadline in my planner as well as having a post it note with each school’s deadline kept on my desk. It’s really important to pay attention to the deadline because some schools require you to be “completed” by the deadline, meaning your application (and supplemental if required) has been submitted and considered complete, while other schools require you to be “verified” by the deadline, meaning that you application not only has to be considered complete, but also reviewed by CASPA. The verification process can take anywhere from a day to a few weeks depending on when you submit so keep this in mind when deciding on when to submit your application!

3. Don’t underestimate the power of your supplementals! It’s easy to get burnt out completing your CASPA application and personal statement, but it’s still important to put a lot of effort into your supplementals. With the thousands of applications that each school receives, it’s hard to stand out on paper. Supplementals allow you to personalize your application a little more and if done right, could be the difference in you getting an interview spot over someone else. When I filled out my supplementals, I tried to treat each one like my personal statement. I periodically tweaked it and had 3+ people read them all over to ensure I had no grammatical mistakes. The PA Platform offers supplement review!

4. Always remember to update your application! As someone who applied my junior year of college (I was personally aiming to not take a gap year), it was important for me to continually send colleges my updated transcripts so that they could see what upper level science courses I was taking (schools love this btw). It’s also important to do this if you’ve accrued volunteering hours, or have continued to rack up PCE hours at your job! It shows that not only are you gaining more experience, but you also care to specifically update the program. If it were to come down to deciding between two similar applicants for who should get an interview spot, I think admissions would go with the applicant still gaining patient experience. I took the opportunity to reiterate why I was excited about a certain program when emailing them updates on my application. 

5. Set a deadline for yourself on when you want to submit your application! For me, I set the deadline as my birthday because I didn’t want to have to worry about CASPA on my birthday or the days following. Personally, I think this was extremely helpful because it was a solid date that I had to hold myself accountable for to finish my application by. If you’re anything like me, you’re a little type A and either 1) want to finish your app as fast as possible and rush through it or 2) will keep tweaking it forever. Setting a deadline helps you decide how many hours a week to devote to CASPA without getting overwhelmed and gives you a cutoff for when you just need to stop critiquing your app and have to just trust yourself! 

Lastly, but most importantly, have faith in yourself. If you’re not confident in yourself, how can you expect someone else to be? If you’ve gotten to this point, you’ve worked extremely hard so hats off to you! During this arduous process it’s important to remain positive, you’ve got this!

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Brittany recently graduated from Drexel University and will be attending Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine for PA school this June! She originally thought she wanted to be a PT, but after more exposure in healthcare, she knew PA was for her and is excited to see where this journey takes her!  For more of Brittany's posts, check out PA Fanatic. 

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My Thoughts on CASPA's Changes to Healthcare and Patient Care Definitions

First of all, take a deep breath.  It will all be alright.  

This past week right before CASPA reopened for the 2017 cycle, there was a lot of buzz around some recent changes to the recommendations on how to classify experience on applications, and whether it should be categorized as healthcare experience (HCE) or patient care experience (PCE).  In the past, HCE was defined as working in a medical setting, but without directly interacting with patients in a way that involved their care (receptionist, billing, transport, etc.).  PCE was defined as any job in which there is direct patient interaction and care, such as nursing, EMT, paramedic, CNA, MA, etc.  These were more of roles where you were performing skills and had more responsibility.  Scribe has always fallen somewhere in between.  

Moving on to the new definitions. Here is a screenshot from the site, but you can see more here. 

CASPA's Healthcare and Patient Care Experience Definitions

This made a lot of people angry.  CASPA basically changed it so that CNA and MA are categorized as HCE instead of PCE, according to their guidelines.  The idea is proposed that a role is only PCE if you are more responsible for a patient's care and contributing to decisions about a patient's care.  CASPA also stated that these changes were made based on feedback from PA programs.  Obviously, this has many people who have worked hard for their hours feeling like they've wasted their time.  

I get it.  I worked as a CNA, and it's no joke.  I work with MAs all day long, and there is no denying that they are very involved in patient care.  But this may not be the case for all positions deemed CNA or MA, and I think that has been part of the problem.  If you work as an MA, but you're usually in the front office answering phones or working on prior authorizations and paperwork, that is more accurately HCE.  If you're taking vitals, performing venipuncture, and counseling patients, that's more PCE.  

Let's talk about why this will all be ok.  The final decision is up to each program, and unless they decide to change requirements last minute, all of the experience you've accrued should be fine.  CASPA gives you some discretion with statements like these: 

• "Please review the definitions below, consider the duties which you performed during your experience, and use your best judgment to determine which category your experience falls into."

• "CASPA advises applicants who have prerequisite requirements to confer with their individual programs if they are unsure how these programs will consider their experience."

• "If you have any questions in regards to your experiences fulfilling an individual school’s requirements, you should inquire with that school directly."

Healthcare and Shadowing Experience Log Download

It's essential that you keep great records of your healthcare and shadowing hours. Use this Excel form to have all of your information organized and ready to go for CASPA!

Full Name

Email*

Submit

Ultimately, you can decide where you feel like the experience should.  If it were me, I would list the experience where it was recommended based on CASPA's preferences.  But I would be very thorough in describing what my experience entailed and what my responsibilities included.  Make it clear to the programs how involved you are in patient care, but as always, be honest.  

If you're unsure about how a program will categorize your experience, the first step is to check the website and see if it's listed.  If you are unable to find an answer, consider contacting your top few programs to clarify.  Just keep in mind that they are probably getting a lot of these calls right now, so be patient.  

I hope this gives you some clarity, and if you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer or find an answer. CASPA is complicated (and confusing) at times, and I do my best to keep up, but I am not the final say!  It's also convenient that I planned for the May webinar to cover HCE and PCE (before CASPA even changed anything!).  Make sure to mark May 24th at 8 PM on your calendar so you don't miss out.  Comment below with your questions! 

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Physician Assistant Virtual Fair - April 2017

Attention all Pre-PA students!  This is something really cool that you need to know about.  PAEA is the organization that is over physician assistant education, and occasionally they do virtual fairs.  This wasn’t around when I was in undergrad, or if it was then I was clueless, but it’s a great opportunity for you.  And the best part is that it is FREE! 

The dates for the upcoming fair are April 19-20, 2017.  All you have to do is visit this link to register.  On the days of the event you’ll be able to sign on and interact directly with the PA schools you are interested in.  There is a chat option, and video as well.  Start compiling your questions so you can finalize the list of where you’ll be applying.  This is perfect timing with CASPA about to open for the 2017-2018 cycle.  

If you can’t make it to this event, it looks like there will be another one in July, but I’ve heard great things about these virtual fairs.  It’s something you don’t want to miss. If you’ve attended one before, comment below to let me know how it was and if you have any tips for other Pre-PA students who are interested in attending.  

And don't forget about the CASPA/Applying to PA School Webinar on April 19th at 8 PM EST!

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April Webinar: All About CASPA- How to Apply to Physician Assistant School

This was a LIVE recording on April 19, 2017. In this video, I go over how to apply for PA school and everything you need to know about CASPA.

For most up-to-date CASPA information, please visit the CASPA website.

Please comment with any questions you make have.

Are you preparing to apply to PA School? Determine how strong of an applicant you are with a Pre-PA Assessment.

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Personal Statement 101: Editing

Writing a compelling essay for your physician assistant school application is no easy feat. It requires dedication, creativity, and a strong focus on editing. Once you have a rough draft, the real work begins as you refine your essay to perfection!

Editing for Content:

One of the first things to tackle during the editing process is content. You must evaluate whether your essay effectively conveys why PA without getting bogged down by unnecessary details and wordiness. Keep the focus on answering essential questions, leaving no room for imagination. Be concise yet informative, showcasing your experiences and aspirations with clarity and confidence.

Editing for Grammar:

A well-written essay is not only about its content but also about impeccable grammar. Spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors can distract your reader and weaken the impact of your essay. Remember that this essay may be the most important 5,000 characters you ever write, and any carelessness in grammar can be detrimental to your chances of success. To avoid this, dedicate ample time to proofreading, and if grammar isn't your forte, don't hesitate to seek help from trusted sources.

Editing for Flow:

Your essay should be a smooth and enjoyable read. Achieving a seamless flow ensures that the experiences and ideas discussed align chronologically, making it easy for the reader to follow your narrative. A confusing essay can take away from the impact of your content, causing your reader to struggle with comprehension. Aim for clarity and coherence throughout your writing.

Getting Feedback:

While self-editing is essential, getting feedback from others is equally valuable. Family members or friends can provide insights and help with grammar, but the most beneficial feedback comes from individuals who understand the profession you are pursuing. Consider having a physician assistant, someone you have shadowed or worked with, review your essay. Here on The PA Platform, we offer professional Essay Review Services that offer specialized input while preserving your authentic voice.

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Personal Statement 101: Getting Started

After you've taken some time to brainstorm what content you want to include in your personal statement, it's time to actually start writing!  There's no denying this can be difficult.  My advice is to just start writing.  You can always go back and edit your essay later, but just get some words down on paper.  

It's okay if you don't initially write your thoughts out in the order you'll use them in your essay, but take the subjects that you brainstormed and spend some time writing about them.  Try to avoid lists, but describe your experience or story.  Expand on what you've learned through that example, and how it will impact you as a PA student or as a future PA.  

Once you have some rough thoughts on paper, try to put them in order.  It's important that your essay has a good flow, and so think about the order of your story.  How did you come to the decision of becoming a PA? If your essay is choppy or out of order, it will be confusing to your reader, and you will risk losing your reader.  Usually, your most interesting or meaningful story will be your best bet for an introduction.  

Try to make sure there are no unanswered questions.  Even if you aren't able to go into as much detail as you would like to due to the 5,000 character limit, keep in mind that you may be able to explain further in supplemental essays or during an interview. To check on the character limit, use this Character Counter website. If your essay makes questions come up, that might also make your reader lose interest.  

So here's your challenge - turn off your phone, set a timer for 30 minutes, sit down and write one full page about why you want to be a PA!  Just let your words pour out, and see where it takes you.  

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March Webinar - Crafting a Personal Statement for Your Application to Physician Assistant School

Welcome!  This webinar was filmed on March 26, 2017, but the information is still relevant and helpful.  If you're watching this as a replay, feel free to comment with any questions here or on the YouTube video!

For more personal statement resources:

Physician Assistant School Personal Statement Guide

Free 2-week e-mail course and personal statement checklist

Personal Statement Workshop

Personal Statement Editing Service

PA School Personal Statement Blog Post

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