MYTH BUSTED: You Cannot go to PA School Straight from Undergrad - Guest Post by Jada

If this were a true statement, I wouldn't be sitting here writing this blog. With a little hard work (Okay- maybe a lot of hard work) and some planning ahead, it is possible to go straight from undergrad to PA school. 

While Gap years are great for some people, they aren't for everyone. In my case, I have known I wanted to be a PA since I was 14 years old and I have been ready to get into practice. Knowing this I got my CNA in high school and started planning my college course accordingly. I worked all of my summers and breaks and spent my free time volunteering and shadowing just about anyone who would let me. Because I knew early on in my career, by the time I graduated from college I had been working towards this goal for 8 years. I was ready.  

I did spend some time contemplating taking an official gap year, but I ultimately decided to try my luck at applying my junior year of college- again, this took careful planning to ensure that I had completed all of my pre reqs by the time I applied. I applied with the mindset that if I didn't get in, then I simply wasn't ready, and I would use the gap year and apply again next cycle. But the truth is, I WAS ready. Why did I decide to go to PA school without a gap year? Well, a few reasons: 

•  I was ready- When I applied to PA school my junior year of college I had more than enough hours, tons of shadowing, volunteering and community involvement. I had the grades and the relationships to ask for strong LORs. When I thought about taking a gap year, I felt like I would grow more as a person by starting PA school rather than working another year as a CNA. Don't get me wrong, I learned A LOT as a CNA, but I felt like I was coasting, and like I needed to challenge myself in order to continue to grow and eventually become the best provider that I can be. 

• Staying in School Mode - Another appeal of going straight out of undergrad is the continuation of school mode, if you are going straight from undergrad you have most likely been in school since you were 5, school is just part of your normal routine and life, so the transition into even more school is a little easier than if you had taken time off and been out of the classroom  for a few years. 

• Starting my Career- With knowing I have wanted to be a PA for so long I am so ready and eager to start my career. I am so amazed and in love with the PA profession that I just want to work in it for as long as I can. The longer I am in the field, the more I can learn and hopefully give back to students as so many of my professors and mentors have done for me. 

These are a few of the reasons I chose to apply straight. The way I did things isn't better than the way someone else did it, it was just best for me. Despite the people that told me otherwise.  

 To the student that is going straight and has heard something along the lines of “You are too young, not mature enough, or not ‘READY’- Whoever told you that- is wrong. You were accepted for a reason. You were chosen out of thousands and thousands of applicants for a reason. You are ready for this. You are enough, and you are going to be amazing! 

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Looking for guidance? We are here to help. Sign up for a Pre-PA Counseling Session.

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 Side note: I think oftentimes when we talk to people about their thoughts on Gap years, they tend to support the idea that what they did was “Best”. We are all different, and no one's experience is identical to our own. I challenge you to think about YOUR needs and YOUR Personal pro and cons to taking a gap year when making a decision. This is your education, not someone else's.  This blog is not meant to sway your opinion, rather to give you an experience and my reasoning so you can make a decision for yourself. Chances are, if you are reading about this you are already ahead of the game. YOU can do this!! Keep going, and don't give up. And if an admissions decision pushes you into a Gap year that you did not initially plan for, take that as a gift of time to learn more and be even more prepared when you do get accepted to absolutely CRUSH it in PA School! 

PA school is filled with students of ALL ages. There is no “right” age to go to PA school. Gap years are great because it gives you time to truly immerse yourself in the field and soak up just about everything that you can, it's also great to go straight into school because you are already in school mode, your knowledge is fresh and you are used to having a school routine, this can be helpful in the PA School transition. You have to do what is best for you, and when you do you will come out as an incredible provider and I am truly honored to call you all my future colleagues. 

 Best of luck to you. I will be cheering for you. 

If you have any questions or just want to stay in touch you can follow me on Instagram @JadaMarie.PA

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Accepted: Haley - Touro University California

Undergraduate education: California Polytechnic State University

Overall GPA: 3.5 with an extreme upward trend

Science GPA: 3.4

GRE: 301

Total PCE hours: 1,000 at time of application

Total HCE hours: 400

Shadowing hours: About 75

LORs: Primary care PA and MD, urgent care PA, Pain management MD, college microbiology teacher/ pre-health club advisor

How many times did you apply?:  1

Age: 23

Gender: Female

Why PA? I come from an underserved area in central California and have seen how lack of healthcare can affect a population. It’s my hope that I can connect rural populations with the healthcare they so desperately need.

How many programs did you apply to? 5

How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? So far just one still waiting on two

Where will you be attending? Touro University California

Anything you found surprising about interviews? It was a very welcoming experience! The director of Touro’s program is extremely down-to-earth and 100% lives the mission of the school. The students were very involved in the interview day with giving us tours around campus. I think it’s important when you go into an interview to realize all the work you’ve done to get there and believe in yourself, that’s half the battle.

Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? I completed a mock interview with Sam Berk of The PA Platform which was EXTREMELY enlightening. I also bought the how to ace a PA interview book as well as the PA platforms prep book. I think cross referencing those two books along with multiple mock interviews helped me walk into my interview with confidence.

Any other advice for other pre-PA students? GET INVOLVED! Nothing shows a program that you really want to do this like volunteer work. I once was talking to a PA in the urgent care that I worked at about what I should do to stand out. He basically told me don’t try to get close to the “ideal candidate” with your stats, be the ideal candidate. Basically, go start that club, go volunteer, and work your butt off to stand out.

Where can we find you? @haley_witt

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Top 5 Tips for Applying to PA School - Guest Post by Melissa Lilian Elist

So you decided to apply to PA school? Congratulations on this big decision. The pathway to PA is highly competitive (and getting worse), but do not be discouraged! As someone who has been there, done that, here are some of my top tips for getting into your dream PA Program.

By the time you begin the application process you have most likely finished all of your classes (or almost finishing up) and have done most of your clinical hours and volunteer work. You should take a moment before even beginning your application and realize how far you have come. Most people (including myself) are so tough on ourselves that we rarely give ourselves credit for how far and how much we have accomplished and achieved at this point. Before beginning this process, reflect and realize that so many people have wanted to take this path and were not able to achieve it for whatever reason that may be. Give yourself a pat on the back that you have made it to at least this finish line.

Tip #1: Do not stress out, try to enjoy the process.

Beginning the application process can be very overwhelming because once you register via CASPA, everything hits you all at once and it's completely normal to feel anxiety about it. Do not worry or stress out, you should try to enjoy this process too. Every chapter in life has its own beauty and rewards, do not forget that you are in the process and will make it to where you want to be, just be patient and trust the timing of your life.

Every aspect of beginning PA school and applying has its own growth factor and time so take it all in. It's a marathon, not a sprint - you are not going to finish the application process in a day or a week, so take your time and try to be efficient and as effective as you can throughout this cycle. Do not forget that this is not a competition; so do not compare yourself to other people’s path and timing around you.

Tip #2: Make a to-do list and plot out your goals for your application.

Do not rush through it, try your best and start to slowly plan/map what you want to get done everyday or every week. Doing this will make it easier for you to stay on track with your schedule and not get overwhelmed or fall behind.

I started off by making a weekly to-do list so whatever I was working on would be productive. I would put my energy and mind to whatever section of the CASPA application I chose for that week. Some people are different, some people like to do a little bit of every section of the application everyday and that is completely fine if that is what works better for you. I just found it to be more efficient and less mentally draining to work on a whole section and then move on to the next once I felt ready.

Tip #3: Prioritize which parts of the application process should be done first.

One of the first things you should take care of as you start the PA School application process is to get your transcripts from your college or colleges that you have attended. It takes some time for schools to process transcripts and for CASPA to receive it.

The next thing I would start working on is thinking of which PAs, doctors, mentors, professors, etc. to get letters of recommendations from. Having a letter of rec from where you have done your clinical hours probably looks best on your application too. I would also recommend getting letters or recs from places that you volunteered or did medical missions with (if you did any).

My advice? Take care of these 2 easy steps first before continuing the rest of the application. Begin inputting any of your shadow, volunteer, clinical experience and etc after these 2 steps.

Tip #4: Tips for your personal statement.

While working on my statement I found myself asking myself: what could make me stand out the most? I did not want to sound boring, generic, or similar to many other statements. I realized that maybe incorporating some of my personality (while staying professional and academic) was not a bad idea. Any experience that you have had, anything that you have learned, grown from or gained medical insight from your experiences is also great to incorporate into your statement. Do not be afraid to be yourself in your personal statement, after all these schools are looking for people that stand out from the crowd.

Tip #5: Do not get intimidated.

Many people will try to scare you or will try to take your motivation away from you throughout this whole process. They will tell you things like “PA school is so hard”, “the application process is so hard”, or that “maybe you should think of another career path, it is getting competitive to get into”. Let this all be outside noise to you.

You are not them and they are not you. Do not lose sight of your future and goals ,and stay motivated in the path that you chose. If you have decided that this is the career you feel that you will thrive the most in, don’t forget why you began in the first place. While you are working hard and pushing throughout this journey, don’t forget that this will all be worth it in the end because nobody did this for you, you did it all yourself.

Once you begin to plot and start the application process you will see your stress begin to fade away and all of your hard work begin to flourish and work itself out. Stay persistent, consistent and motivated when beginning and completing the application. Do not forget to believe in yourself, because at the end of the day you are your own number 1 fan! Nobody else is going to be a better support system for you then yourself throughout this all. Good luck!

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Melissa Lilian Elist is currently a physician assistant student at University of California, Davis, cohort of 2021. She holds a B.A. in Sociology and an emphasis in Disability Studies from University of California, Los Angeles. She is a preventative care advocate and is very proactive in mindfulness, consciousness, and self-love. You can find Melissa on Instagram @melissaelist or reach her via email at melissaelist@gmail.com

Listen to Melissa’s Episode of The Pre-PA Club Podcast here.

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Accepted: Carly - Midwestern University

Undergraduate education: Boise State University: Respiratory Care

Overall GPA: 3.90

Science GPA: 3.86

GRE: 314, 4.5 writing

Total PCE hours: 2000+ as a Respiratory Therapist.

Total HCE hours: 700+ hours of student clinical rotations.

Shadowing hours: 66

Other Volunteer hours: 200+ hours volunteering through Tri Delta!

LORs: My RT manager, a shift supervisor, Trauma PA, and a professor from my Respiratory Care program.

How many times did you apply?:  Once

Age: 22

Gender: Female

Why PA? So that I can be a better advocate for the patients that trust me with their health, and provide the best patient care possible.

How many programs did you apply to? 12

How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? 9 interview invites, I interviewed at 4. I had two acceptances, and two waitlists (still waiting to hear).

Where will you be attending? Midwestern University in Glendale, AZ

Anything you found surprising about interviews? How conversational many of the interviews were- they really wanted to talk and get a genuine understanding of how you interact with others. I was shocked at how much fun I actually had during the process!

Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? The PA platform interview guide and online interview course! I also used PAEA to research schools before deciding where to apply.

Any other advice for other pre-PA students? Don't over rehearse your answers and be confident in what your passions are. Everyone has their own timeline so don't worry if you're on a different path than others! Have fun with the process and know that it will be worth it in the end!

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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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Accepted: Vanessa - Boston University

Undergraduate education: Boston College, B.S. in Biology

Overall GPA: 3.60

Science GPA: Around 3.4

GRE: 315

Total PCE hours: About 1,500

Total HCE hours: About 200

Shadowing hours: 0

LORs: 5

How many times did you apply?:  1

Age: 23

Gender: Female

How many programs did you apply to? 2

How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? Invited to 2 interviews, attended 1, accepted 1

Where will you be attending? Boston University

Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? PA podcasts (The Pre PA Club! As well as the PA Startup Podcast) PA School Interview Guide (book by Savanna Perry), personal statement help

Any other advice for other pre-PA students? This sounds cliché, but be you! While in undergrad, do what you love! Join clubs that you’re genuinely interested in and build upon your passions.This will only make you a more interesting candidate in interviews, and make you uniquely stand out from the crowd. Don’t just do things that you think will look good for PA schools if you don’t enjoy them.

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Accepted: Rachel - Keck School of Medicine of USC

Undergraduate education: California State University, Fullerton

Overall GPA: 3.77

Science GPA: 3.87

GRE: 305

Total PCE hours: 500

Total HCE hours: 1,800

Shadowing hours: 54

Other Volunteer hours: 800

LORs: 4

How many times did you apply?:  1

Age: 24

Gender: Female

Why PA? I love how the PA profession emphasizes quality patient care, and the desire to help the underserved population. I was able to volunteer in underserved areas during my time as an undergraduate, which opened my eyes and inspired me to provide access to healthcare in disadvantage areas. Another reason why I chose to pursue the PA profession was because of the flexibility of the profession. There are many areas of medicine which interest me, and I find it exciting that I would be able to switch specialties as a PA without going through the many years of training if I were to have pursued a career as a doctor. Every PA I spoke with told me their career was extremely rewarding, and I knew that was the kind of life I wanted to have.

How many programs did you apply to? 12

How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? I received 8 interviews, went on 6 interviews, and declined 2 of them. I was accepted into 2 programs, waitlisted for 2, and am currently waiting to hear back from 2 programs.

Where will you be attending? Keck School of Medicine of USC

Anything you found surprising about interviews? I did not really expect to struggle with my confidence as much as I did during the interview process. While interviewing, I met so many amazing candidates and found myself doubting my abilities. I honestly don't think I did as well as I could have during a few of these interviews because I lacked confidence. But I also went through personal growth because of interviewing, and I learned how to believe in myself in the end. Before going into an interview, I think it is important to reflect on all of the accomplishments/struggles gone through to receive an interview. Every story is different and I cannot stress enough how you should NEVER compare yourself to anyone else.

Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? For the interview process, I bought the Physician Assistant School Interview Guide book and I also bought the online course

Any other advice for other pre-PA students? Completing prerequisites and applying for PA schools has been one of the most tedious processes! My advice to pre-PA students is continuously remind yourself of your reasons for wanting to become a PA. Once you recognize those reasons, keep your head down and continue to work hard in all of your classes! But also make sure to take care of yourself and find balance with school/work/volunteering. Also, NEVER compare yourself to anyone else going through this process. Every person is unique and will have their own story to tell. If you have the heart and dedication to become a PA, it will happen.

Where can we find you? Instagram: Rach_would, surfingandscrubs

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Accepted: Cayley - Mercer University

Undergraduate education: University of Georgia- Health Promotion and Behavior Major

Overall GPA: 3.8

Science GPA: 3.71

GRE: 314

Total PCE hours: 650, though I am still working part time gaining hours every week.

Shadowing hours: 50

Other Volunteer hours: Gained a lot of volunteer hours serving as the Pre-PA President at UGA. I also volunteered as a tutor for around 100 hours and participated in UGA’s Shop With A Bulldawg.

LORs: Anatomy professor/ Pre-PA Association advisor, Dermatology PA, Surgeon at the Maxillofacial surgery office I work as a surgical assistant at, Executive Director of Good Samaritan Health Clinic (the office I volunteered as a medical assistant at for two years)

How many times did you apply?:  1

Age: 21

Gender: Female

Why PA? I love the ability to switch specialties throughout my future career, the teamwork aspect that is so prevalent in the profession, and the flexibility I will be able to have later in my personal life outside of work.

How many programs did you apply to? 1

How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? 1- accepted

Where will you be attending? YES, Mercer in Atlanta, GA

Anything you found surprising about interviews? Mercer’s interview was very laid back and very low stress. They switched this year from MMI to group interview style which I did not prepare for.

Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? The PA School Interview Guide was amazing!

Any other advice for other pre-PA students? Start getting those patient care hours early! I think having all of the experience as a medical assistant and surgical assistant really set my application apart from other applicants. Also, having been involved with my schools pre- PA association for so long and served on exec twice showed my dedication to the profession, so I encourage everyone to look into joining their own schools chapter!

Where can we find you? Instagram- @cayleyjohnson

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Accepted: Maiya - Western University of Health Sciences

Undergraduate education: Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences

Overall GPA: 3.8

Science GPA: 3.6

GRE: 301

Total PCE hours: 7,380

Total HCE hours: 284

Shadowing hours: 40

Other Volunteer hours: 45

LORs: Four: one from my EMT partner, a PA, a Physical Therapist, and my Physiology professor

How many times did you apply?:  Twice

Age: 25

Gender: Female

Why PA? Being a PA will allow me to give back to others in a way that fulfills me most. It's a role that's challenging yet rewarding, team-centered but also autonomous. I can utilize my clinical and interpersonal skills while thinking critically. I also have an interest in healthcare lobbying and feel the future of the profession could benefit from my activism.

How many programs did you apply to? 14

How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? I received 6 interview offers and accepted 5. I ultimately received 1 waitlist and 2 acceptances

Where will you be attending? Western University of Health Sciences

Anything you found surprising about interviews? Each interview was so different. Programs used MMI, essays, math tests, one-on-ones, group interviews, etc. It was so important to be ready for anything! Regardless, each program made me feel as relaxed and comfortable as they could, which was helpful.

Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? The Physician Assistant School Interview Guide and The Ultimate Guide to Getting into PA School are my most recommended books. Having mock-interviews with my cousin (a psychologist) helped me be more personable and genuine during my interview. A mock interview with a PA from the PA Platform was also beneficial.

Any other advice for other pre-PA students? Don't give up! You fail at 100% of the things you don't follow-through on. Keep going, stay committed, and remember your purpose. Take your downfalls as a stepping stone for success.

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Virtual Interview Tips for PA School

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many programs to move their interviews for PA school to be done virtually, you can still prepare to ACE your interview and leave a memorable impression. Here are a few considerations of how your experience may be a little bit different this year. These are all tips that we incorporate into our mock interviews, which are a great way to simulate a virtual interview experience. 

My biggest tip is to treat a Zoom interview like the real thing. (Be sure to head over to Youtube to check out my video where I discuss more Zoom Interview Tips for a Virtual PA School Interview) Even though you’re in the comfort of your own home, you should present yourself with the same professionalism that you would bring to an in person interview. Being able to stay home is one benefit, along with saving costs on travel for interviews, but it also means that you don’t get to see the program and facilities in person to truly judge whether a program will be the best fit for you. We are seeing more interview invites and acceptances go out earlier than in previous cycles, which is likely due to the ease of scheduling interviews sooner with less logistics to plan. Don’t worry, there are still plenty of programs who haven’t started interviewing as well!

To see an example of a virtual interview with the directors of Yale Online and Frostburg State University, sign up for the PA School Interview Course. 

Test Your Technology

Make sure you have a strong internet connection, a working camera and microphone. I would try to video call a friend (using the same platform, i.e. Zoom, if possible) to make sure that they can see and hear you clearly before the big day, and so you can become familiar with where the controls are. Technology can be intimidating, and technological difficulties can happen! The interviewers know this and will be understanding of something that is outside of your control. 

Ideally, using a laptop versus a smart phone will be a better choice if available. Make sure your device is fully charged or plugged in if possible. Don’t feel like you need to go out and buy any new equipment though. The question of headphones or AirPods versus no headphones keeps coming up as well. Choose the option that will give you the best sound quality for your interview.

Be Digitally Professional

With so many social activities going virtual in these past few months, I am sure you are familiar with the fun backgrounds Zoom offers. Make sure all of these are turned OFF before your interview! Instead, your  background should be clean and clear of any distractions that will take away from your interview. Ideally, the best background is a blank wall or something neutral. If a book or photo is seen in your background, be prepared for your interviewer to bring it up. 

On another note, make sure that your name is actually YOUR name and not a screen name to avoid any confusion for your interviewers. Check the settings beforehand when testing out your set-up. I’ve received questions about taking notes during the interview or having some “notes” posted on a wall in front of you during the interview. Anything you would not do or be able to do during a REAL interview should also be avoided in a virtual interview. It’s fine to take notes during an information session portion, but not the actual Q&A. 

Dress for Success

Time and time again, we have talked about the importance of professional dress for your PA school interview. I always say a suit is the way to go. Your hair needs to be well groomed, your suit free of wrinkles and you should dress the same way you would dress as if the interview were in person. Even though your interviewers will only see the upper half of your body, I would still wear professional bottoms (not PJs!) just in case you have to stand up for some reason.

Good lighting also makes a big difference in how professional your set-up looks. Natural lighting from a window is best, but if there’s not a good spot for that in your home, choose a brightly lit room or bring in some lamps to shed some additional light on the situation. 

Be Free of Distractions

Everyone is aware how difficult it can be to rid yourself of distraction, especially when at home, but there are some things you can do to avoid noise. Turn off the TV, turn off your phone, skip the Apple watch, close the door, shut off any notifications on your computer, keep pets out and make arrangements for your children. Let everyone in your household know the times of your interview and that you’ll be unavailable for a set period. Even put a sign on the door if needed as a reminder. 

Monitor Your Body Language

Since you can’t greet your interviewers with a hand shake, it is extra important that you convey confidence through your body language. Be sure to make eye contact with your interviewers by looking at your camera and not at yourself on the screen. Keep your shoulders back, sit up tall and be sure to smile and pay attention! No slouching or lounging during the interview. 

The interviewers know these are truly unprecedented times for everyone, and they are also trying to get adjusted to this new format. If you are worried about how COVID-19 will affect the 2020 cycle, be sure to read this blog post, check out my IG story highlights and most importantly, check your program’s website for updates. 

Will Virtual Interviews Stick Around? 

No one really knows the answer to this, but programs like Yale Online have been doing virtual interviews for years now, so it’s possible that they will continue to be an option moving forward. Watch our interview with the Yale Online director and admissions director for their inside information on how to make a great impression at a virtual interview. 

What questions do you have about virtual interviews? Leave them in the comments below! 

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How to Run a Successful Pre-PA Club- Guest Post by Jada

First, congrats on taking the first steps to help other students. As you walk through your path to becoming a PA you will find that the support in this community is incredible and now YOU are a part of that support. 

 So, you want to run a successful Pre-PA club, where does one even start!? 

 Start at your university or even your high school for that matter and seek out the resources that they have for students. At, we had access to a student resource that would help us to start whatever club our hearts desired. If you don't have this, I suggest reaching out to a professor or a career counselor for some guidance. If you are in high school, I would do the same thing with a teacher. Use clubs that are already established, perhaps a pre- health club or a health/science related club to reach out to students who may be interested in a pre-pa club. If you can get access to an established club’s email lists or even go to a meeting you can share information about the new pre-pa club and what you plan to do.  

What exactly should you plan to do with a Pre-PA club? 

As the former president of the NC State Pre-PA club I can only speak to my experience and what worked for us but the beauty of starting the club is you can make it whatever you want. Hopefully what we did can give you some ideas and you can change/ add to them as you see fit. 

At NC State we met with our club once a month on the same day at the same time. Typically guests would speak for 30-45 minutes and the remainder of the meeting would be a Q&A.  

Examples of speakers and presenters to have at pre-pa club meetings:  

• Local PA schools- If your university or high school is close to a PA School, you can reach out to them and ask if they would be willing to come speak to your club. On the schools website search for an admissions counselor/ coordinator and email whoever is listed. More often than not, they are more than happy to come out. If the school is not local, you can set up a virtual meeting where they can facetime/ zoom into the club. They typically talk about their school, admissions and tips and tricks that they have found helpful to students. Some schools will even bring their own students to answer any questions that they club may have.  If you are interested in what one of these invite emails looked like you can find me on Instagram @JadaMarie.PA or email me JadaMariePA@Gmail.com  and I will send you the resources that I have. 

• Practicing PAs- Similar to inviting schools to come speak, you can also invite practitioners to come and speak about their experience and their journey to becoming a PA. Some speakers would offer advice and things they wish they knew and then answer questions from students. Again, if the provider is not local, they can video conference into a meeting. 

• Local places that students can get clinical hours- some home health/ nursing homes are always looking for extra help and they like to recruit pre-pa students. They would come to the club and talk about the positions that they have available and flexibility that they would offer students 

 Workshops are another great meeting idea! 

• Personal statement Workshops 

• GRE Studying Workshops

• Interview Workshops

• CASPA Workshops

 PA School visits: 

If you had a great turn out or a lot of interest in one particular school, you can try to organize a school visit to the PA School. As a club we visited Campbells PA program and had the opportunity to see the facilities and meet the faculty and staff. This was a great way for students to get a feel for the school and if they are interested in applying.   

Organization and Officers: 

We had a very simple structure in our club, but it worked for us! Find what works best for you and your school. 

• President: Responsible for organizing meetings and speakers and for sending email reminders to the club. 

• VP: Responsible for reserving rooms and helping with the logistics of setting up meetings 

• Secretary/ Treasurer: Responsible for handling the club dues and recording meeting minutes to send out later for students to reference or for students who missed the meeting

A Note about Dues: At NC State, the pre-pa club is under a bigger pre-health club umbrella. As a member you pay dues to the pre-health club and then funds are allocated to each subgroup. We used our money to get snacks for meetings and for club t-shirts. 

More Info/ Questions: 

I could write forever about this topic, but I tried to keep things condensed and easy to follow. If you have any lingering questions or if you want me to send you outlines of anything I mentioned in this blog you can find me on Instagram @JadaMarie.PA or email me JadaMariePA@Gmail.com. 

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Accepted: Michelle - University of Charleston

Undergraduate education: The University of Texas at Austin

Overall GPA: 3.33

Science GPA: 3.12

GRE: 300

Total PCE hours: 3,800

Shadowing hours: 400

Other Volunteer hours: 1,500

LORs: Surgical PA, Dermatology PA, Physician, Work Supervisor, Professor

How many times did you apply?: Twice

Age: 25

Gender: Female

How many programs did you apply to? 16

How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? 1 interview, 1 waitlist, 1 acceptance

Where will you be attending? University of Charleston

Anything you found surprising about interviews? I was surprised at how comfortable I felt throughout the entire interview. I felt so welcomed by the program, students, and faculty that I did not feel nervous at all. I think this really helped me throughout my interview!

Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? I used Savanna Perry's Interview Guide, along with the Pre-PA Club for interview tips and to answer CASPA questions.

Any other advice for other pre-PA students? Do not give up! There were so many times throughout my second cycle applying that I felt like giving up. The process is brutal and tiring, but it only takes one program to see what makes you a unique applicant, and to ultimately accept you. Things will work out for you in the end. So keep working hard on those patient care hours, prerequisite courses, or GRE study hours. You've got this!

Where can we find you? Feel free to follow me on my instagram or message me questions: michelle_levine4

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Accepted: Jeanine - James Madison University

Undergraduate education: B.S. Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience and a Minor in Medical Anthropology from the University of Michigan.

Overall GPA: 3.4

Science GPA: 3.2

GRE: 315

Total PCE hours: ~1500 (at time of submission): EMT-B as an ER Technician

Total HCE hours: 300

Shadowing hours: ~50 hours (Oncology PA, Ortho PA, Vascular Surgery PA, Trauma PA, Sports Medicine MD)

Other Volunteer hours: ~400 (Philanthropy through sorority in undergrad, volunteering at homeless shelter in Ann Arbor, one month abroad in Ecuador working in Diabetes clinic and teaching nutrition to women/children)

LORs: 1 NP and 1 Nurse Manager from ER I work at and my Microbiology professor from post-bacc class

How many times did you apply?:  1

Age: 27

Gender: Female

Why PA? This is a second career path for me. It took some introspection and research to really decide what healthcare profession would fulfill my different desires. I chose PA because I wanted to be a healthcare provider that had a lot of patient interaction but also the chance to use hands on skills and make autonomous clinical decisions. The other main reason is to be able to have the lateral flexibility between specialties. I know myself, and being able to constantly grow and learn between specialties is something that NP or MD wouldn’t be able to exactly provide. Finally, I really wanted to be able to have a work life balance. Coming from a 5 day a week 9-5 job, I appreciate structure for my fitness and cooking routine!

How many programs did you apply to? 9

How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? 1 interview and 1 acceptance

Where will you be attending? James Madison University! It has an international rotation and a real cadaver lab which were two really important things for me to have in a program.

Anything you found surprising about interviews? How relaxed and comfortable I felt! I was definitely nervous about this being my first and only MMI style interview, but they definitely did not try and intimidate us. There were current students there to ask questions about the program before the interview which definitely allowed for some tension to be released. Also, during the actual interview, I definitely felt as if the interviewers wanted us to succeed! For the role play sections, they didn’t ask any questions to try and stump you but just to direct you to an answer that was truthful and honest.

Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? I used Magoosh for GRE review and was able to raise my score by 6 points. They did a really good job of breaking stuff down and making you see similarities between questions. For the interview, I mainly used ”Physician Assistant Interview Guide: Tips, Tricks, and Techniques to Impress your Interviewers”. I wanted a book that specifically reviewed MMI but also how to generally think and prepare for an interview. I felt confident with my preparation from there and obviously, something worked! :)

Any other advice for other pre-PA students? Do not give up! I made the decision I wanted the go the PA route 2 years after my undergrad. I had 4 outstanding prerequisites, a 2.9 undergrad science GPA, and ZERO patient care hours, but I knew this is what I wanted to do. Slowly but surely, I took night classes after my 9-5 job, got my EMT license, then I was finally able to get a job in a level 1 trauma center. It felt like it was never going to happen. I was completely prepared to have to reapply next year, as I realized that my low patient care hours might not outweigh my lower science GPA. I was retaking Gen Chem 1 (because it expired) when I found out I got in! If this is something you truly want, then do not look back. Keep taking classes to boost your science GPA, keep volunteering, keep shadowing, and keep breathing until it happens!

Where can we find you? @jaberboo if you have any questions!

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Accepted: Brianna - University of Dubuque

Undergraduate education: Cornell College - BA in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with minors in Philosophy and Psychology

Overall GPA: 3.5

Science GPA: 3.2

GRE: 314 (160 - Verbal, 154 - Quantitative, 5.5 - Analytical Writing)

Total PCE hours: 2,095 as a home health aide and as an attendant on a volunteer ambulance service

Total HCE hours: 3,198 as a medical scribe and as a student health center receptionist

Shadowing hours: 86 hours (50 with physicians, the rest with PAs)

Other Volunteer hours: 1,650 (American Cancer Society, volunteer trips, Crisis Text Line, etc.)

LORs: 5 (1 former manager from a healthcare job, 1 committee letter from Cornell College, 1 Chemistry Professor, 1 director of the ambulance service where I volunteered, and 1 PA I worked with as a scribe).

How many times did you apply?:  1

Age: 25

Gender: Female

Why PA? I love the horizontal flexibility of profession because it would allow me to change specialties if my interests change or to help cover a gap in the healthcare of my local community. I also felt the profession helped to facilitate collaboration with other health professionals, which is what I want in my career.

How many programs did you apply to? 13

How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? 6 interview offers (went to one and was accepted; declined the rest of my interviews) 1 interview waiting list 1 waitlist (that program doesn't conduct interviews) 3 rejections

Where will you be attending? University of Dubuque

Anything you found surprising about interviews? How welcoming and relaxed the faculty and staff tried to make it. I had heard several other applicants or current PAs/PA students say that about their interviews, and I didn't really believe it. While the interviews still made me nervous, I honestly had fun getting to know everyone because everyone was so incredibly nice.

Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? For my application, I used the Dimensions Center from Cornell College as well as The PA Platform's pre-pa assessment to review my strengths and weaknesses. I continued to use the Dimensions Center and their Health Professions Committee for my personal statement and other written materials.

For interviews, I had a mock interview with The PA Platform (shout out to Jourdyn who did my assessment and my interview) and with someone from my college. I also read Savanna's book.

Any other advice for other pre-PA students? To remember that you are more than your stats. While you need good numbers, you have a personal story and journey that is unique to you. Showcasing that and showing your passion for this career is just as important as your GPA and GRE. Put hard work and revision in your written materials in order to do that!

And lastly, don't forget to celebrate any milestone/accomplishment during this process! It can be hard to keep up stamina while you are working towards applying or on your application. Celebrate getting that new job or certification, celebrate finishing your degree or prerequisites, celebrate hitting submit on that last assignment or your application. Any completed step is progress!!

Where can we find you? On Instagram @briannarolf

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Successful First-Time Applicant - George @george.shian

George is a current PA-S attending SUNY Downstate’s Physician Assistant Program and will be set to graduate in 2021. He had an incredibly successful first-time application cycle and sat down with us to detail his experience in applying to PA school, give advice, and much more! 

How many schools did you apply to? How many schools did you hear back from and receive interviews from? How many acceptances did you receive?

This is the most common question! I thought I was going to get nothing. I applied to 10 schools. I got 9 interviews, but I did not attend 2 of them because there was no point. I got 7 acceptances. Pretty crazy! This whole year was crazy for me; the whole experience this whole year was crazy for me. If you asked me last year if I would have 7 acceptances, I would be like, “yeah, okay… where?!” It’s a huge blessing to be able to make a decision, to be able to choose between schools. It's such a great advantage. I know a lot of people pray to even get into one school. I'm really, really happy and just very blessed. 

Why did you choose to attend SUNY Downstate over other programs?

There are many factors such as distance and my personal goals as a PA. I want to work as a PA in Brooklyn, in the city, with a particular patient population. I just felt like SUNY Downstate would do a better job at preparing me since their hospitals are primarily in Brooklyn and in New York City. I felt like the best way of preparing myself for my actual career is just literally working with the same patient population that I'll be working with the rest of my life.

The campus is just 20 minutes away if I drive, and it saves me a lot of money. Overall, when I went to the interview, the location, the vibe, it just felt like home. Honestly, I was like, “wow, I feel home.”

Something else I really liked is that SUNY Downstate starts off slow-ish, and then they pick up the pace. The first semester is summer semester, and I only had three classes then it picked up. You don’t just jump in, like some of the new programs here in New York start in the Fall with 9 classes. In addition, I'm actually saving $50,000 in terms of loans! My tuition for SUNY Downstate is about $40K for the entire program.

Everyone wants to know how you got in! Give us a rundown of your stats please.

For undergrad, I went to City University of New York, Brooklyn College. I was a psych major and a chemistry minor. My overall GPA was 3.51. My science GPA was 3.47. I didn’t transfer schools. I took all my prerequisites there, and I think that shows consistency. I took every single science class that Brooklyn College offered. When I was a sophomore, I had a D in Orgo Chem 1 Lab and a C+ in Orgo Chem 2 Lab. I knew that on interviews, I would get asked about those, but I wanted to get it together and show them I am ready for the intense coursework of PA school. I took every single science course that I could as a prerequisite, I took all of those and I got really good grades in them. My last six semesters I was a 4.0 student. So I think that looks really good because you have that upward trend. In addition, I did not retake those classes that I got a C and a D in.

When I was about to start my junior year in college is when I realized that I wanted to be PA. That was the first summer that I started volunteering. That's when I met a PA for the first time and I did my research. I realized that that is what I want to do. Having that sense of direction and being goal driven; that certainly gives you the push to get it together and do what you have to do to get to your goal. That’s exactly what happened to me. 

In terms of hours, I had 630 hours of volunteering in general as HCE (health care experience). With PCE (patient care experience), I had about 4,500 plus hours. I spent three years working nonstop at different jobs. I submitted my resume to about 50 clinics. Then I became a medical assistant at a vascular interventional radiology clinic. Finally, I became a medical assistant at a pain management office. 

I also did research at Maimonides Medical Center. I didn’t like research at all; it wasn’t for me. I went around asking, “What else should I do?” I networked and found this research position. I did research for only 38 hours because it wasn’t for me. I had a total of 8 letters of recommendation, and I know that CASPA only allows 5. However, the other 3, you can take them to interviews with you because that’s allowed. Most of the schools took them. At the end of the interviews, I told the schools that “I have other letters of recommendation – these 3 over here. These are also like people that I worked with.” Most schools shouldn’t have problems with that. I think that’s it!

I just want to clarify that you got a C and a D on your transcript, and you still got so that many acceptances. That’s one of the main questions I get is, “I have a C in this class. Can I still get into PA school?” 

Yes! These grades definitely came up in the interviews, and I was prepared to answer the questions. I was very honest because honesty is always appreciated. I told them that I was lazy. I didn't do what I was supposed to do. I was late to class, I didn't do my assignments. 

They like honesty. You know, I didn't sugarcoat it. I just told them the way it was. I wasn't prepared for like the intensity of the class at that time because I didn't have the right study habits to tackle the science classes. And I was not the right kind of student. Then as I went on, as I became more driven, I definitely develops strong study habits and was able to prioritize academics over everything.

Would you say those grades were the most concerning part of your application? Are there other things that you are worried about?

Yeah, those grades were the most concerning part. They were the biggest red flags of my application. 

Did you take a gap year? 

Yes I did!

One of the questions we had is that people feel like they aren’t ready to apply. My rule of thumb is that you can prepare your application forever, but if you meet the minimum requirements for a program, go ahead and apply. How did you deal with just feeling like you weren't good enough, or knowing that you were ready and competitive enough to apply?

That's a great question. I was actually asked with myself. I thought I was going to apply back in 2017 but I didn't. I still didn't take some prerequisites. I had four classes that were still outstanding. I literally just didn't feel like I didn't feel confident. If I had applied back then, I don’t think I would have gotten in. 

This time, it took me like 6 months to work on my personal statement. It took me a while to get my hours together. I think I made the right decision back in 2017. I improved my GPA from a 3.4 to a 3.5. I think overall it’s a feeling that you feel, if you feel confident in your application and if you meet the minimum requirements. If you just feel good about what you are putting out there, just go for it! 

What would you say made your essay stand out? Did you use anything to help you prepare? What resources did you find helpful?

Actually, every single day, I was on the PA Platform website. There’s so much information on there. I was on Ashley Kay’s page all the time! She helped me a lot. I also attended your IG lives, and I would take notes. For the personal statement, I talked about how my life has changed from living in Armenia, experiencing loss, and then coming to a whole different country and starting over. I talked about how that experience back home sort of influenced me to go into medicine, have that interest in medicine, how that experience back in home sort of influenced me to go into medicine, and how I came about choosing the PA profession.

I knew that I wanted to be in the medical profession, in the medical field. I just didn't know which career path to choose. Those are really the same exact words I use in my personal statement. Then after shadowing, working with all these difference healthcare professions, you kind of figure it out for yourself. That’s what I did. 

You have to like discuss these things briefly because you are only given 5,000 characters.

You have to really spend time on it. It took me a while because you have a very limited amount of words, and you want each character, each word, to really make sense in your personal statement. Each word really counts, so you have to choose your words wisely and use them well.

You have to connect your life story plus how that led you to the PA profession. For the conclusion, you bring it all together. You have to keep it short and sweet because the admissions committee reads thousands of letters. You have to ask your friends, people with better grammar skills than you, to read it. 

Let's talk about interviewing. One question was, how did you afford to go to your interview? Did you plan for that?

I worked throughout my college career, so I saved up some money. Also, I applied to schools only in New York State and one school in New Jersey – Rutgers University. All my interviews were around here. That's why it was easier for me to because I didn't apply to schools in California. At a lot of the schools I went to for interviews, other applicants were from Alaska, California, Texas. I remember I went to Cornell for an interview, and we had a girl there from Hawaii. Thankfully, I didn't have to pay for hotels and have to pay for flights. It was very convenient.

As far as interviews, what was the hardest part? What is your best advice for interviews? 

Interviews are exhausting because you have to maintain yourself. You have to be smart, and you have to be super nice. You want them to like you, and you have to dress nicely. It’s stressful. I was worried about my accent and worried if I would articulate myself properly.

For the Stony Brook interview, I remember they were super nice. That’s the one thing that was surprising to me. They’re all super nice and trying to get to know you. They’re not trying to intimidate you. They’re just trying to get to know you and have a conversation. It's just that simple and you talk to them like you’re talking to your friends, but a little more professionally. The interview season wasn't the toughest. For me, it was the application part that was tough for me.

The Physician Assistant School Interview Guide by Savanna Perry was basically my Bible. As long as you try your best and are being truthful, the admissions committee sees that, and they really like that. I liked interviews. You sit there and talk about yourself! 

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Do you consider yourself a traditional or non-traditional student?

Traditional. 

I think so too. So how long did it take you to fill out your application? And when did you submit?

When I applied, CASPA opened April 24. I submitted mine May 12th or May 13th. I prepared beforehand. You have to prepare for this! The first day, I would really just to enter your grades and make sure it's correct and start to get your letters recommendation. Be on top of that! It’s the only part of your application that you’re not in control of; you’re waiting for other people to submit it for you. I submitted it within 2-2.5 weeks. 

What else do people have to know?

I have this rule, the 75:25 rule for your PCE and HCE. When entering your information on CASPA, I say 75% of your job is PCE and 25% of your job is HCE. That’s how I divided it, and it worked for me! For example, for my medical assistant job, I was mostly with my patients and taking care of them. There's 25% of the job where you're doing correspondence, calling prescriptions, talking to other doctors, setting up appointments and scheduling, and all of the administrative aspects of the healthcare setting. I actually was keeping track of my hours because when I got a paycheck, it says how many hours I worked. I would just like add them up, and I would keep my pay stub. I didn't overestimate, which was fine. 

In terms of shadowing and asking, you are going to have to be prepared for rejection. You have to just take it, and try your best. My advice is just don’t get discouraged!

Contact George on Instagram here: @george.shian

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Accepted: Tallie - University of Utah

Undergraduate education: Microbiology at Brigham Young University

Overall GPA: 3.79

Science GPA: 3.68

Total HCE hours: 4,300

Shadowing hours: 65ish

Other Volunteer hours: 350ish

LORs: 4: 1 from a PA I showed for 40+ hours, 1 from a professor, 1 from a supervisor, and 1 from a co-worker

How many times did you apply?:  1

Age: 23

How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? I was offered 8 interviews and I went to 4 of them. 2 acceptances, 1 waitlist, and I withdrew the final app after accepting my spot at my #1 pick.

Where will you be attending? University of Utah

Anything you found surprising about interviews? Everyone says it but honestly the interviewers really just want to know who you are as a person. They’ve seen you on paper and know you’re capable of succeeding in the program. Now they just want to see what your personality is like and if you mesh with their program philosophy. It’s okay to be nervous but don’t let the nerves over power how hard you’ve worked to be there!

Any other advice for other pre-PA students? It’s okay to slow down and enjoy the process! I zoomed through school while working full time and was super busy. I personally like that environment but it’s okay if it takes a little longer to graduate and accumulate hours to make your application stellar! The goal is to become a PA-C, it doesn’t matter how fast or long it takes!

Where can we find you? instagram - @talliealder

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Accepted: Danielle - South College - Knoxville

Undergraduate education: Ohio State University- Major: Neuroscience, Minor: Criminology

Overall GPA: 3.62

Science GPA: 3.45

GRE: 310

Total PCE hours: ~2800 as a PCA at a children’s hospital and a medical volunteer at a free medical clinic

Total HCE hours: 141 as a volunteer at a hospital

Shadowing hours: 151 shadowing PAs in urgent care, ER, and primary care

Other Volunteer hours: Sorority, service trip to Nicaragua, psychology research study volunteer

LORs: Urgent care PA I shadowed, my work manager, a volunteer coordinator

How many times did you apply?:  1

Age: 23

Gender: Female

How many programs did you apply to? 14

How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? 5 interviews, 3 waitlisted, 1 denied, 1 acceptance

Where will you be attending? South College-Knoxville

Anything you found surprising about interviews? How different each school conducted interviews. At some the interview portion was all of ten minutes, others it was up to an hour, so it really varied.

Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? Savanna Perry’s Interview Guide book, The Ultimate Guide to Getting into PA School by Andrew Rodican, The PA Platform mock interview service and all the blogs and podcasts!

Any other advice for other pre-PA students? It was especially hard to keep motivated after interviewing with nothing to show for it the first few invites, but it wasn’t until my very last interview that I finally got the acceptance! So to those who feel like they blew their chances or feel like accepting defeat don’t get discouraged! Continue to take every opportunity to make your dream a reality and you will achieve it!

Where can we find you? instagram - @daniellehams11

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How COVID-19 Will Affect PA School Admissions 2020

As if applications aren’t stressful enough, the uncertainty of COVID-19 affecting PA school admissions can make this even more challenge for pre-PA students. This entire situation is outside of everyones control and something worth addressing.

Disclaimer: These thoughts and opinions are strictly my own; they are not thoughts and opinions of any specific program. If you listen back a couple episodes to when we talk to admissions committee members and admissions directors of different programs (Meghan from @emergencymedmentor and Jed Grant, admissions director at University of the Pacific), they both touched on COVID as well. Today’s opinions are strictly my own, so I could be completely wrong. However, I've talked to enough admissions members and looked at enough websites to have a good idea of what they think. 

Please be graceful with programs right now

I know that you have a lot of questions and to be perfectly honest, they probably do too. Everyone is trying to figure this situation out. Programs need to juggle their clinical year students who may have been kicked off of rotations and need to graduate. A lot of the programs that started in the summer are trying to figure out how to move their didactic portions online. Plus, they're trying to figure out what to do with the whole application process and what changes they're going to need to make.

The people who are running the PA program jobs just got a lot harder trying to juggle everything that is going on. If a school takes a little time to respond to you or don't give you a very distinct answer, just know that they are trying their best! They will figure it out, one way or another.

I'm am giving my personal opinions on how I think this will affect the application cycle for this year. A lot of questions I've been getting are: 

Do you think that schools are going to change their requirements or bend their prerequisite requirements to allow students to apply if they don't meet the requirements? Especially for applicants who have been unable to secure additional shadowing, volunteering, and working hours. 

Personally, I don't see those requirements changing very much. All this COVID stuff started happening around mid-late March, and that's really only a month before CASPA opens. I think the way PA schools view it is that someone who is ready to apply to PA school should have all of those boxes checked ahead of time and already have everything done.

When it comes to the applications coming in, the schools are still going to have plenty of qualified applicants to choose from; there's not going to be a shortage of applicants. Around 30,000 people apply to PA school every year, and there are not nearly that many spots available. It may actually make their lives a little bit easier because maybe they'll get less applications this year. I still think there will be enough qualified applicants to fill their classes with what they're looking for. So I don't think we are going to see any need to change those requirements. 

When it comes to coursework and prerequisites, some schools have been giving the option for students to choose Pass/Fail instead of receiving a letter grade, especially the classes that have moved to online. From what I’ve seen, when it comes to Pass/Fail classes, the majority of programs still do not accept a Pass/Fail class as a prerequisite requirement. They still want to see a grade for those prerequisite classes.

If you are taking a “filler” type class such as English or Dance to fulfill your university’s requirement, the program you plan on applying to will not care as much if those type of classes are P/F as they are not incorporated into your GPA when CASPA calculates it. I've seen a few programs that have said that they will take it on a case by case basis, especially if you weren’t given a choice to switch to Pass/Fail. However, if you choose to make a prerequisite Pass/Fail, I think you need to plan on retaking that class for a grade for a future date.

In regards to online classes, from what I’ve seen, most programs are accepting classes and labs that have moved to an online format. That is not something you could have predicted or signed up for, and you don’t really have a choice. Since the semester is over, if the majority of your class and lab was in-person, the PA schools are being a bit more flexible with their requirements in regards to this.

I have also seen that some schools are putting a limit to this online classes/labs policy i.e. just spring semester or spring/summer semester. You have to triple check with the PA program websites, especially as these changes are occurring in real time with a lot of discussion around them. If you have been on the Pre-PA Club Facebook group, there is a lot of discussion about this on there as well. Members have been great and updating our posts as soon as they hear things from different programs, which has been very helpful.

Let’s talk about testing. 

I know some students have been unable to take the GRE or PA-CAT because your tests got cancelled. I'm hoping these testing centers will be opening up soon, but they have started an at-home test taking option. Some schools are actually waiving their GRE requirement for this cycle, and some schools are still requiring it. You technically should still be able to take it. Yes, it is more difficult, and scheduling is a huge issue, but that is something many programs are still requiring. Make sure you are double-checking the websites and whether the school is requiring the GRE/PA-CAT or not. 

What about applicants who are unable to obtain hours now due to cancellation of shadowing, volunteering, or working opportunities/positions? 

When it comes to working, depending on what your job is and your qualifications, you can certainly be looking for new jobs. I know a lot of people, even a lot of PAs, have been furloughed or fired. It is actually very difficult to find PA jobs right now because patient census numbers are low across the board. If you are looking for a position, see if there is anywhere you can help and as soon as things get back to normal-ish, there will be a need for people in every single position. Some people who lost their jobs during this time may even figure out that they don’t need that position and do not want to go back to work. Be on the lookout and start researching positions now. 

With volunteering, as soon as you can go back, do it. I have had some people tell me that they have been making masks and if they can put that down as volunteer hours. You could, but I personally would not. I will get into that a bit later. Unless it is a formal volunteer event/organization with a supervisor that you can list, I typically would not place that in the volunteer section in CASPA. 

It has been more difficult to get those shadowing hours as well. Even med students and PA students have been unable to complete their rotations because of lack of PPE and safety of students. Shadowing opportunities will come back. Unless the programs you are applying to have changed their requirements, I would probably only apply to those schools for which you meet the minimum requirements.

If a program only has a recommended requirement or no requirement at all, go ahead and go for it. There likely will be some leniency there, and you would want to go to a program who is looking at everything that is going on right now and taking it into consideration. You just need to go with what you got and make the best of it. 

You can also use this “downtime” to really work on things. You can use this time to really work on your personal statement, your experience details, organizing your information, ordering your transcripts, and just getting everything together for your application cycle if you’re applying this year. That will decrease your stress when it’s time to go back to work or volunteering too! 

What about letters of recommendation? How are you suppose to ask for a LOR during this weird time?

Just ask! You don’t know what that PA is going to say. A lot of jobs have a lot of downtime right now, so maybe they will be able to write you that letter, unless they are in one of those really busy areas or specialties. You never know until you ask. If they do say that they are unable to write you a letter at this time, the sooner you ask, the more time that gives you to find a back-up/another option. 

How you ask mostly depends on your relationship with that person. Just think about how well you know that person and which method they would be the most receptive to. In general, you should always have some backup letter writers in mind just in case something falls through. I’ve even heard of an applicant who asked someone for a LOR and that person unfortunately passed away. You always want back-ups in mind! You want to ask those people who know you best but also fulfill the requirements for the programs you are applying to. If you have a question about any of the schools requirements, reach out to them!

Now let’s talk about CASPA’s COVID essay. 

This is new this year. My personal opinion is that they created this essay so that everyone’s personal statement wouldn’t just be talking about COVID. So this is an optional COVID essay, which is 2500 characters without spaces. This is what it says on CASPA:

Please describe how COVID-19 has impacted your pathway to becoming a physician assistant. The questions listed in the application can help you get started, but you do not need to limit your responses to only these considerations.

1. ACADEMIC:

   1. Did your school move to an online only curriculum? 

   2. Were you able to interact with your professors?

   3. Did you have to learn an academic program stateside or abroad? 

   4. Did your school require you to move to the Pass/Fail grading system?

   5. Did your original GRE exam get cancelled or delayed? 

   6. Were there other academic barriers? 

2. PROFESSIONAL:

   1. Did you have to go out and seek new job opportunities?

   2. Did you lose a job? 

   3. Were there other financial or professional barriers that you faced personally? 

3. PERSONAL:

   1. Did you have to move out of the house or dorm?

   2. Did you have to cancel travel plans?

   3. Did you modify your planned experiences related to healthcare or volunteer opportunities?

   4. Did you seek out volunteer opportunities that arose from the crisis?

A question I get a lot on Instagram is, “Will I be thought of poorly if I don’t write this essay?” I am a firm proponent of using every space, given on your application.

I think it's worth using that space to at least address something! At the very minimum, this has shown us a lot about healthcare and either hopefully reassured your passion for wanting to be in medicine (because this is real medicine happening right now!) or maybe it’s the opposite. Maybe it has made you a little bit scared to be in medicine, and that is something you are going to have to look at and kind of evaluate yourself. I would at least put a paragraph in there about how this has affected you because I do think it has affected all of us in some way or another. 

I would not personally use this as a place to make excuses. I would focus on it being a very positive essay, more about how you made the most of this time and what you got out of it. If there is something that happened as far as limiting your job, hours, academics, or anything, I would just state that very clearly with how it affected you. For example, “I had to leave my job as a CNA because there was no need for me anymore, but I've learned XYZ about this whole process. It's made me more grateful.” Really take the time to self-reflect on that and figure out what this has meant to you personally.

How will interviews be affected? 

Some schools have already moved to an online interview format, especially the ones that were still interviewing in March and April. I can see that happening more and more.

As an applicant, that's going to cut down on costs for you with traveling, and maybe schools will see that that's a viable option. Unfortunately, you won't get to actually see the program. I think schools will have to adjust their interview cycles, maybe push them out a little bit more, maybe think about where they're interviewing people from and try to stick to people who can drive versus fly. It is hard to say exactly how this will affect interviews. 

I do think you should be prepared to get asked about this, similar to those questions that are on the COVID essay, like how it has affected you. I could see some ethical questions coming up about ventilator uses, as that's been a hot topic. It’s something that you need to be aware of, somewhat well versed in, and definitely need to think about a little bit. 

Overall thoughts:

My biggest piece of advice is, just make sure you're double and triple checking websites for each program. Just stay on top of it as much as you can. Ask questions! I'm also happy to try to find you answers or point you in the right direction. Feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, or ideas. Thank you for reading! 

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A Guide to the GRE - Guest Post by Sandra Oh

**This GRE guide is completely for information only! Sandra made this to share her own experience.** 

Background: My prep may look a little different from yours. I prepared extensively for the SAT/ACT before going to university, so I still remembered a lot of concepts that overlapped on the GRE. 

Study materials: 

1. Magoosh* (highly recommend) 

a. They have their own study plans for your anticipated test date! This is helpful whether you’re in a time crunch or have 6 months. Staying on track while self-studying is not easy!

b. I appreciate how it keeps a running tally of your estimated score for verbal and math.

c. Their question bank is extensive, and if you have your practice questions on “practice” mode instead of “quiz” mode, you get lessons on how to do the problems.

d. Each practice question has a “how-to” video and text-only guide that tells you how to do the problem, both verbal and math. It explains why certain answer choices are right and wrong. For the math section, it also teaches you new concepts and shortcuts that might help you solve the problems more quickly and save you some time!

e. They have practice tests that give you a relatively close estimate of your score. My practice exam score was off, so my actual score was higher (I’m not complaining!). I’ve seen that generally people do better on the actual ETS exam. This could be because I wasn’t in “exam mode” during my practice exams, so try to take the exam as you would a real exam!

f. Their website layout is similar to the actual exam, so it forces you to get used to taking an online exam and using the calculator provided!

2. Manhattan Prep 4th Edition Detailed Guidebooks 

a. I would recommend this if you are looking for something truly foundational. The books are thorough, helpful, and easy to read and go over.

b. There are 8 books total that break down the whole exam. If you have the time and are committed to learning the ins and outs of the exam, then you will learn so many helpful concepts! 

My 5-Week Study Plan (Disclaimer: Do what works for you! Everyone studies a bit differently.): 

● Weeks 1-3: Do as many practice problems as possible. I prioritized math, so I always did more math problems than verbal a day. This might seem like a lot, but math is practice and repetition. Always know why you got something wrong. You can flag questions for review and practice on Magoosh. I personally finished almost all of the ones available from Magoosh (700+problems, each subject). Do as many as you can! 

○ Time studied per day varies. Self studying at home is hard, because you have to stay focused! I aimed for about 3 hours of intentional, focused learning a day. Don’t be discouraged if some days you can’t- if you feel overwhelmed or burnt out, reduce the time studied per day or take a day off! Time put in reflects on your score, but it’s also important to take care of your mental health. 

● 10 days prior leading up to the day before my exam: I took 5 practice exams, 1 day on/off. I reviewed the practice test from the day prior, looking over words and concepts that I got wrong and making sure I understood why so I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. I didn’t do many practice problems within this period.

○ Avoid burnout! Use this time to get into “exam mode”- it’s important that you’re able to get focused and stay focused for the entirety of the exam. The breaks are meant to be a breather, but do your best to stay strong throughout the exam! 

● D-1: Relax. Review words and formulas that you might forget like simple/compound interest. Cramming 1 day before the exam will not help and will probably make you more anxious! If you’re taking it at home, do an equipment check with your computer and make sure that it meets ProctorU guidelines to save yourself some stress before your exam. Get a good night’s rest! 

● D-Day: Wake up early and wake up your brain! Go on a walk or do some sudoku. Eat a good breakfast and don’t stress! 

Tips:

• The first thing you should do is take a diagnostic test. You want to have a ballpark of where you’re starting! 

• Work with your weaker section first. Remember that your diagnostic score is just your starting point! Don’t get discouraged if it’s not what you thought it was, set a “dream” score and work to achieve it! 

• If you’re in a time crunch (~1 month or less), prioritize math. Memorizing vocab words and trying to “figure out” reading comprehension takes more time, especially if you’re really trying to boost your score. 

• This may vary, but I think that math is easier to improve compared to verbal. Like any standardized test, the math section on the GRE is composed of repeating concepts displayed in different forms. If you’re able to practice enough problems and recognize the patterns within math, as well as figure out the conceptual shortcuts, your score should improve greatly. 

• Make a dictionary (or flash cards). I made a small dictionary out of an old notebook and looked up every word I didn’t know from my practice problems and practice exams. I made mnemonics and tried to review the words when I could. I did see some on the exam, so don’t skip learning words that you don’t know! 

• Use “cheat sheets” for formulas! Try not to use them in practice exams for the most realistic score. Magoosh has one for math that compiled all the necessary formulas you need on the exam. 

• Learn how to use the tiny calculator! I know I was stressed when I figured out I had to use the limited on-screen computer. It can recall values though, so that can be helpful with large numbers/long decimals! 

• Review the essay topics before your exam! All the essay topics are available on the ETS website. You can glance over it and get a feel for what to expect on exam day. 

Stats: 

*I always did better on quant than on verbal on my practice exams, but I found exam quant to be more difficult. 

Hope you found this helpful! Good luck! 

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Accepted: Andrea - Lake Erie College

Undergraduate education: Health Sciences Pre-PA with minor in Biology

Overall GPA: 3.97

Science GPA: 3.98

GRE: 297

Total PCE hours: 600 as caregiver at an assisted living home

Total HCE hours: 1,500 as pharmacy technician

Shadowing hours: 110

Other Volunteer hours: 100

LORs: 5 total - 1 from PA who I shadowed, one from mentor who is NP, one from head pharmacist (my boss), psychology professor, and the program associate from my medical brigade trip to Honduras

How many times did you apply?:  1

Age: 21

Gender: Female

Why PA? I wanted to become a PA since high school. I like the fact that I didn’t have to be in school for a long time because I want to be able to start a family. I like the flexibility of being able to go into any specialty and having almost the same responsibilities as a doctor.

How many programs did you apply to? 9

How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? I received 7 total interviews but only attended 3. I got accepted to all 3 that I interviewed with.

Where will you be attending? Lake Erie College

Anything you found surprising about interviews? You can really tell what a school is like based off of their interviews. You can tell if a school actually wants to get to know you or not.

Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? The Pre-PA Club on Facebook, the Physician’s Assistant School Manual, The PA Platform Instagram, and How To Ace The PA Interview Book

Any other advice for other pre-PA students? Make sure you write a good personal statement and be yourself during the interviews. Once you get to the interview portion, they already know your stats and experiences, now they want to know you as a person outside of school.

Where can we find you? instagram - andreeagrecu_

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