Huge thanks to Kat for kicking off our new blog series. These PA School Spotlights will give you some insight into what PA school looks like at different programs.
PA Program: Pace University-Lenox Hill Hospital Physician Assistant Program
How long is your program and what quarter/semester are you in?: 26 months from July to end of August
- 4 semesters of didactic (1st summer, fall, spring, 2nd summer)
- 3 semesters of clinical (fall, spring, 3rd summer)
I'm just starting my 5th semester: my first rotation is Behavioral Medicine
Class size: ~75
Why did you apply to your program?:
- Wanted to branch out of my comfort zone (small town, little exposure to diversity, etc.) and knew I would get that in NYC
- Association with a great hospital (Lenox Hill Hospital) and great rotation sites (besides Lenox Hill: NYU, Columbia, NYP, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Mount Sinai, etc.)
- Fit with my stats well and no rolling admissions: when I applied this program had a low requirement for PCE, which was conducive with where I was with my clinical experience at the time of my application; the lack of rolling admissions meant I could keep gaining experience but didn't make me sink in the applicant pool since they review all applications starting September 1st
Why did you end up choosing to attend your program?:
- Felt the "vibes" at my interview: many students are on the younger side, which I could relate to, and the atmosphere at the interview was very relaxed
- We get some clinical experience in the didactic year at Lenox Hill Hospital (LHH)
- Great sim labs and standardized patients are very good at acting since it's NYC!
- Though NYC was foreign to me, the area where my school is is very safe!
Is there anything unique about your program?:
- The opportunity to go to LHH during didactic a couple times
- 100% PANCE pass rate for the past 8 years!
- Great access to amazing medical institutions
What is your favorite study resource?:
For didactic:
- Pance Prep Pearls (affiliate link)
- Lange Q&A (affiliate link)
- Rosh Review
- Sketchy Medical
What is the most difficult or surprising part of PA school?:
- VERY different workload compared to undergrad, but more enjoyable, since every class is very important and is conducive to caring for your future patients - you're motivated to pay attention when everything is in the perspective of another human being
- 2-3 exams a week were overwhelming at first (enter "Sucktober" in the Fall), but I was surprised how well I acclimated to the same crazy schedule as soon as Spring semester started
What advice would you give to other PA students?:
- Take it ONE EXAM AT A TIME!
- Make time for what you make a priority - for me this was health and fitness, so I meal prepped on the weekends and made 45 mins-1 hr a day x 5-6x/wk to exercise
- Believe that YOU can do this! Remember: PA school is only temporary, so work hard and enjoy it the most you can :)
Where can we find you?:
The best place to find me is: @stethoscope.kat on Instagram!
If you're a current PA student and would like to share about your program in a PA School Spotlight post, send an email to savanna@thePAplatform.com or use this link to contact us at The PA Platform now.
