PA School Spotlight: Ohio Dominican University PA Program

PA Program: Ohio Dominican University (Columbus, OH) 

How long is your program and what quarter/semester are you in?: 27 months- my first rotation of clinical year is almost in the books. 

Class size: 50 seats 

Why did you apply to your program?: The program defines themselves as having a 'holistic approach' to instruction and clinical experience, which I was immediately drawn to. I also think that coming from an undergraduate program with 20k+ students, a small, walkable campus sounded heavenly. 

Why did you end up choosing to attend your program?: It all just resonated with me. The authenticity of our program director and genuine feel of the program as a whole ultimately influenced my decision to attend. 

Is there anything unique about your program?: Our program was the first university in Central Ohio to offer the M.S. PAS degree. I also feel that because we are a smaller, liberal arts college, our approach is more distinct in the sense we are drawing from all disciplines to graduate competent, well-rounded providers. 

What is your favorite study resource?: UpToDate and WikiEM are always there to help you brush up on specifics. I love PANCE Prep Pearls for a more condensed review of topics- my only regret is that I didn't buy it until the end of didactic year. If you're a chart/table person, you NEED it. (Affiliate link)

What is the most difficult or surprising part of PA school?: The most difficult part is probably realizing that every time you think "the most difficult part" is over, a new one seems to begin...the most surprising part is how much knowledge you'll truly have by the end of it all. 

What advice would you give to other PA students?: Keep the things that matter most in your life first. Don't take yourself too seriously or stress too hard over grade points. You're laying a solid foundation that will last you a lifetime- just try to enjoy the ride and remember why you chose this career in the first place. 

Where can we find you?: @theholistic_pa - feel free to DM me with questions about our program or just PA student life in general! 

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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.

PA School Spotlight: Marquette University Physician Assistant Program

PA Program: Marquette University

How long is your program and what quarter/semester are you in?: At Marquette University, our program is 2.5 years or eight semesters long I just started my first year this past August, and just started my second semester this January.

Class size: At Marquette University, our class size is currently 55 students. Half of our class are “internal” Marquette students, meaning that they attended Marquette for undergrad, or currently attend Marquette. The other half of the class are “external” students meaning that they received a bachelor’s degree from a different university. Currently, Marquette is a “3-3” program meaning that undergrad students can apply early from Marquette to start their first year of PA school their junior or senior year, doing three years of undergrad and three years of PA school. However, lots is changing at Marquette. The previous interview cycle accepted 80 students, with what was rumored to be the last year of the 3-3 program. Currently Marquette is looking to expand the PA program size with our new building on campus as well as move towards only accepting those with previous bachelor’s degrees. For my cycle, over 1,400 people externally applied for the 27 seats.

Why did you apply to your program?: Marquette was a school that I didn’t have on my application list originally. I was encouraged to apply to the school from a PA that I shadowed, as it was her alma mater. She had also attended Creighton for undergrad, and I saw many similarities between herself and me. Investigating the school a bit more, I was further inclined to apply after seeing Marquette’s statistics.

Why did you end up choosing to attend your program?: I chose to attend Marquette because of its high PANCE pass rates, the urban Midwest location and larger class size. Marquette is one of only 30 schools in the US that has had 100% PANCE pass rates first try since the start of the program over 20 years ago. Although the program is slightly longer than the average, I know that I will feel prepared to work as a PA, as some of this third year offers more time for clinical electives.

Is there anything unique about your program?: Marquette is currently a 3-3 program as I explained above, but this is going to be discontinued due to the demand for PA school seats. We are also getting a brand new 18.5-million-dollar PA building that will be completed at the end of the summer!

What is your favorite study resource?: Hands down my favorite study resource is my iPad and Apple pen. (Affiliate links). Although my iPad doesn’t really qualify to be a “study resource”, it has quickly become my life line in PA school. I purchased my iPad junior year of undergrad and have never looked back. It is great for taking notes, making flashcards and is my portable white board. My brain learns best when I can write and draw material and then re-write and re-draw until I feel confident. Apps, such as Notability, make this very easy! Additionally, I enjoy having any textbooks needed on my Kindle or Amazon app.

What is the most difficult or surprising part of PA school?: The most difficult part of PA school was moving to a new city, living alone and making friends. People often think that PA school is entirely about academics and trying not to fail, but a huge part of PA school is about your personal health and happiness. You need good friends and a network of PA students regardless of if you are attending school at home or in a new city. I thought that Facetiming and calling friends from college and home would be enough but found myself lonely those first few weeks. Having now found a great group of friends, attending class and other school events is more fun.

What advice would you give to other PA students?: Don’t talk about how stressed you are amongst your peers. Just don’t do it. There are people that will only ever spill negative energy about how much they have to do and how little time they have to do it in. If you don’t let yourself talk about your workload or stress, you won’t feel as anxious about your week. Additionally, nobody enjoys the PA student that always makes you feel that you’re behind. Understand how you deal with stress and prepare for busy weeks in advance as best you can.

Where can we find you?  I started a blog with my good friend Mikayla from Creighton called the PA Prescription. You can find us on Instagram @thepaprescription as well as a link to our blog: thepaprescription.squarespace.com. We are a unique blog in that we discuss the path to PA in a dual perspective (gap year vs. no gap year).

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If you are a current PA student and would like to share more about your program, email us at savanna@thepaplatform.com

PA School Spotlight: University of St. Francis

PA Program: University of St. Francis in Albuquerque, NM

How long is your program and what quarter/semester are you in?: The program is 27 months. I am currently in my 4th rotation (General Surgery), and I have 4 six-week rotations left!

Class size: 40 students

Why did you apply to your program?: I am originally from a small town in rural New Mexico, so I mostly applied to schools close to home.

Why did you end up choosing to attend your program?: USF was my first interview and my first acceptance. I was offered a few other interviews, but I turned them down. I took my first acceptance because I was eager to get started and I loved the location!

Is there anything unique about your program?: The campus is located in a commercial office complex, and it only has a PA program! There’s a main campus in Illinois with other degrees, but in New Mexico, USF is only for PAs. I like that all the school’s efforts and resources go towards PA education.

What is your favorite study resource?: I mostly studied from my professors’ slides and Quizlets made by my classmates and me. I just bought PANCE Prep Pearls and I plan to use it for PANCE studying! (Affiliate link)

What is the most difficult or surprising part of PA school?: Didactic year as a whole is so difficult. It’s true when they say it’s like drinking water from a fire hydrant. So much information and so many exams in so little time!

What advice would you give to other PA students?: Study early and often! I usually did a quick review of the slides after every lecture, and then went over them at least 2 more times before it was time to buckle down before a test. Repetition is key! Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for help if you are struggling.

Where can we find you? Instagram: @_erinleanne 

Attached is a picture of me with my pup, Melo, who I have had with me throughout school. My other advice to students is don't be afraid to have a pet during PA school! She's been a wonderful source of stress relief and keeps me active. She also has an Instagram: @corgmelo 

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If you are a current PA student and would like to share more about your program, email us at savanna@thepaplatform.com

PA School Spotlight: University of Oklahoma

PA Program: University of Oklahoma—Health Sciences Center (OKC) Class of 2020

How long is your program and what quarter/semester are you in?: 

The program is 28 months total. We started in early June 2018 with Anatomy and we are in our second term (Fall). We will start rotations in October 2019 and graduate October 2020!

Class size: 51 

Why did you apply to your program?: 

I applied to my program for several reasons. It has been around since 1970, so the longevity of the program alone is outstanding. Until 2010 it was the only PA program in the state when OU-Tulsa formed its program and there are 2 other OK programs that have started in the last couple years. The first-time pass rate for the PANCE at my program has always been very high and everyone I spoke to about my program had only great things to say about it. I also just love the campus and all of the opportunities for rotations. The added super bonus was that I had already been living in OKC for a few years so I wouldn’t have to move. I just knew that this is where I wanted to go. 

Why did you end up choosing to attend your program?: 

I applied to 3 programs, but was accepted into 2. There were other factors, but honestly, I just knew the other option was not the right choice for me. So, I took a risk and officially declined the “sure thing” before finding out if I even had an interview at my first choice. Thankfully it all worked out! I don’t necessarily recommend this move to everyone because there’s always that risk of it not working out. I was just fortunate enough that it did and I’m extremely grateful that for that. 

Is there anything unique about your program?: 

Yes! While some schools are doing away with cadaver Anatomy, it is the first thing you do at my program. It is a 7-hour credit course taught over 6 weeks so it was an incredibly busy start. We did 2 hours of lecture almost every day and 2 hours of lab Monday-Thursday with a practical every Friday on that week’s material. After the practical quiz and even after exams we would still have lecture to get started on the new stuff. 

Along with Anatomy, we also had another 2-hour credit course, “Foundations of Medical Sciences”. This class is a review of the basic sciences to help get everyone caught up, knowing the same information. We studied biochemistry/metabolism, genetics, and microbiology for 2 weeks each over the Summer in conjunction with Anatomy and it was great. It’s been 5 years since I took some of these courses in undergrad so it has been very beneficial for me. The 2019 class had a different layout to the Summer courses, so the program is always changing to improve the program. 

Also, when it comes to rotations OUHSC has just about any elective available on campus. There are so many learning opportunities and I am really excited to see what I get to do next year when I start my rotations.  

What is your favorite study resource?: 

I mostly use just the slides provided. If there is a concept I don’t quite understand or if I need a different explanation I will often use AK Lectures, CrashCourse, or Osmosis.org on YouTube. I often rent the course books, but how much I actually use them is variable. For Anatomy, I recommend getting an atlas (affiliate link) and/or textbook to keep at home because you will probably end up using it well after anatomy has ended. 

What is the most difficult or surprising part of PA school?: 

The weird thing about PA school is that you truly don’t know what it will be like for you until you’re there. Some people come in, have their study strategy down, and are able to do extremely well early on. But honestly, I struggled with my first semester because I never really needed to study in my undergrad or graduate programs. It’s been crazy to go from studying maybe 3 hours per week to 30 hours per week outside of class time. I’m still fine-tuning and working to be more efficient with my time; but it’s getting there. If you are not sure how to keep up or if you find yourself overwhelmed with the volume of material, I truly encourage you to meet with your advisor, professor, tutor, counselor, or whoever you feel can help you. Take every opportunity to learn. And that includes learning how to learn, learning how to study, learning how to listen and take effective notes. 

What advice would you give to other PA students?: 

PA school is hard. It’s supposed to be. But even in the craziness make time for FUN! Even though you will be on campus more than at home, even though you will spend more time in class/studying than with your family/friends, make time for yourself. If you like to work out, read something besides a text book, play music, go out; whatever it is that you like doing, make sure you continue doing it. 

Also, you will study your butt off, work harder than you ever have before, and still get at least 1 really crappy grade. You may even fail a test in the most spectacular way possible. It’s OK! Meet with your professor to see what you could be doing better. Chances are they’ve been where you are and they made it. I love hearing about my professors’ experiences in PA school because knowing that it was hard for them, too makes everything better. They’ve been through it; some did it without the Internet, others had small children, others were newly married, or completely single. No matter the circumstance they understand how hard it is, and they sincerely want you to succeed. 

Find a good group to study with. I usually study with 2 other girls (my program besties) just a couple times per week. Studying alone the majority of the time is best for me, but group study helps you know what you don’t know and you can work together. If you just want to study in silence with a couple people for the sake of studying alone together, that works too. 

It’s truly amazing how much you can learn in such a short amount of time. Do your best, don’t get discouraged, and remember why you chose to go for it. It’s not easy but it will be worth it.

Where can we find you?

You can find me on Instagram! Feel free to follow, ask questions, or just say hey!

@SamiRD2PA (PA School-focused blog)

@RD2PA (Personal blog)

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If you are a current PA student and would like to share more about your program, email us at savanna@thepaplatform.com

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PA School Spotlight: University of Nebraska Medical Center

PA Program: University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska

How long is your program and what quarter/semester are you in?: My program is 28 months. I am a third year PA student, and will graduate this coming December!

Class size: 60 (50 on my campus, 10 at a satellite campus)

Why did you apply to your program?: I had a friend go to the med center and she had highly recommended it. It was also a program that was close enough to my family and now-husband, which I really liked as well. UNMC is also a top ten ranked PA program in the nation which I thought was pretty impressive.

Why did you end up choosing to attend your program?: I ended up choosing my program for a lot of the same reasons I applied. However, I felt like UNMC was the right fit for me after my interview on campus. I really liked Omaha and the location to my family, I had heard positive feedback from people about the program, and it was a top ranked program in the nation. All these things were things that got me to apply, but after I was on campus I knew it was more than just that. Things just sort of clicked and felt right when I was on campus; the facilities, the faculty and staff that I got to interact with. It was easy after that.

Is there anything unique about your program?: We have 15 months of clinical rotations, which is so great. What’s even greater is that you actually get to choose 6 electives!! I know so programs only get 1-3, so having 6 is so amazing! You really get to broaden your horizon and maybe choose something you wouldn’t normally get the opportunity to do so. So yeah, I think that’s pretty unique.

What is your favorite study resource?: Google Docs! I know that’s probably an unexpected answer, but my friends and I made medicine study guides on google docs during didactic, and we constantly are going back to these as a resource to study, or to make new study guides off of. Hands down the best thing we ever did. But, I also love me some PANCE Prep Pearls!

What is the most difficult or surprising part of PA school?:  The volume of information you are expected to know. It’s not always that it’s super difficult information to comprehend, it’s just that there is SO much more than undergrad. It can definitely be overwhelming, especially if you don’t stay on top of if.

What advice would you give to other PA students?: 

• School wise- I would say the most important thing to learn early on is to not compare yourself to your classmates. How they study, how much they study, when they study, etc. Do NOT compare yourself! What works for them may not work for you, what takes them 5 hours, may only take you 3 hours. Whatever works for you focus on that, and focus on doing it well.

• Outside life wise- Definitely still have a life and don’t think you need to study 24/7. Your life is not over when you start PA school. You need to make time to take breaks doing things you enjoy- whether it’s watching Netflix, working out, or cooking, do whatever you need for a mental health break. That’s just as important as cramming an extra half hour of studying in.

Where can we find you? - Instagram - @kellieg.denhartog

PA School Spotlight: High Point University

PA Program: High Point University

How long is your program and what quarter/semester are you in? My program is 27 months. I am about to start my very first clinical rotation next week! I'm starting with Family Med. 

Didactic year is 15 months (June-following August)

Clinical year is 12 months (August-following August)

 Class size: 35 students

Why did you apply to your program? I went to undergrad at High Point University and I could not imagine going to another university for PA school. I valued my undergraduate experience so highly that attending this PA school was my top choice.

We have a brand-new building that houses all of the graduate health professional programs. We have a SIM center with more than 13 high fidelity mannequins equipped for very real-life simulation experiences. Our main class is clinical decision making and is primarily problem based learning, however we have supporting lecture based classes in pathophysiology, pharmacology, clinical methods and procedures, and history and physical examination. We also have a brand-new cadaver lab for anatomy!

Why did you end up choosing to attend your program? I knew as soon as I interviewed with the faculty that this was my top choice. Also, the campus is breathtaking if you haven’t seen it!

Is there anything unique about your program? I am in the 3rd PA class at HPU. The application cycle is currently in progress for the 5th class.

We are a program with 15 months of didactic. This allows us to go from 9AM-3PM most days, which allows plenty of extra time to study each day.

We have mini clinical experiences during our 3rd semester of didactic year where we get to shadow various providers in the community.

We are located in North Carolina, which is a very PA friendly state (The first PA Program was started at Duke!).

We have at least a week-long break in between every semester which is so nice to spend time going home or going on vacation. It’s a great time to relax and mentally prepare for the next semester.  

What is your favorite study resource? (Affiliate Links)

Pance Prep Pearls

A Comprehensive Review for Certification and Recertification Examinations for Physician Assistants- AKA “The green book”

Up To Date

Medscape

Step Up to Medicine- and other books in this series

Blueprints series

What is the most difficult or surprising part of PA school? 

Difficult- PA school needs to be a top priority; your schedule literally revolves around what you are doing with your program. It’s very difficult to make plans in advance, but that’s the nature of dedicating 27 months of your life to your future career. However, most PA programs realize that life doesn’t stop and you are very capable of missing time and making time up for weddings, funerals, etc.

Surprising- For me, it was not as hard as everyone made me fear going in. As long as you go in with the mindset of this is your top priority, you will be okay. Spend the time you need studying and make sure to learn the necessary material for both didactic and clinical years, and you will make it through and become a great provider.

What advice would you give to other PA students?

Take time for yourself!! This is the most important advice I have, and it is everything I stand for in PA school. There is plenty of time for friends and family on top of studying. Your entire life does not need to be consumed with studying while in PA school, you have extra time to do the fun things that matter to you.

Take things one day at a time. When you have 5 exams coming up in a week, you need to focus on each one as they come first. Focusing on all at once will stress you out, and you will burn out.

Eat healthy! A lot of time will be spent sitting down and studying, don’t get trapped into snacking and eating out every day. Spend the extra time to cook healthy things. Some people in my class have meal prepped, and others have used meal delivery services like Blue Apron or Hello Fresh.  

Find a group of friends to study with, they will help you so much and they will be some of your greatest friends in life.

Where can we find you? (websites, Instagram, etc.) 

@ConqueringPA on Instagram!

conqueringPA.com -  Blog coming VERY soon!! :) 

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If you’re a current PA student and would like to share your experience, please email savanna@thePAplatform.com

PA School Spotlight: USF Morsani School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program

Program: USF Morsani College of Medicine PA Program

How long is your program and what quarter/semester are you in?: 24 months. Im currently in my second semester

Class size: 40

Why did you apply to your program?: USF is in my blood because I'm a 3rd generation Bull! My husband and I both grew up in Tampa and went to USF as undergrads as well (Go Bulls!!) 

Why did you end up choosing to attend your program?: USF PA program was always a top choice for me because of the location near my husband's work and our family. The hype of my alma mater finally opening a PA program was a big push for me too and MCOM moving downtown in the next 1-2 years means more job opportunities in the best hospitals of my home town!

Is there anything unique about your program?: USF MCOM is moving to downtown Tampa and is a huge part of the downtown expansion project. This means we have strong ties with TGH and other teaching facilities in our city which makes both rotations and job opportunities appealing. Our PA program has many rotation sites within a 10 mile radius (most of which are on USF property) including 5 rotations (Moffitt, Morsani, VA, Shriners, and Florida Hospital) which are all in walking distance. Since this is only the second year of our program we have a chance to influence the program and our feedback is welcomed by our staff. There are a few of us who hold leadership positions and meet with faculty every few weeks to discuss things we want to change or do to improve our program. 

What is your favorite study resource?: I use so many different resources that its hard to pick just one. Some of my favorites include Osmosis, Smarty PANCE, PANCE Prep Pearls (affiliate link), and other review/recertification books. 

What is the most difficult or surprising part of PA school?: You really can't understand the amount of material and the analogy of “drinking from a fire hose” until you’re in it. You really do study 24/7 and there is no way around it, but at least you’re learning something you love! 

What advice would you give to other PA students?: Stress is your #1 enemy!! Yes, you will be stressed and exam weeks are the worse but you have to try to fight it! Find something that is a stress reliever and really try to give yourself breaks. Take mental and social breaks because its a long journey full of hard work and you deserve it! 

Where can we find you? Instagram: @thereallife_pa, Website: thereallifepa.com (WARNING: I have been very bad at keeping up with my website since starting school but am always available via instagram!!) 

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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.

PA School Spotlight: University of Manitoba Physician Assistant Program

PA Program: MPAS (Manitoba physician assistant studies) 

How long is your program and what quarter/semester are you in?: 26 months and I am just starting out first semester!

Class size: 15

Why did you apply to your program?: It's close to home, it's the only masters program available in Canada and it has a 100% pass rate on the national certification exam!

Why did you end up choosing to attend your program?: It was the only program I was interested in and the only one I applied to. In Canada, there are only 3 programs so far and I didn't want to apply to the states since the tuition costs are much higher than here.

Is there anything unique about your program?: I would say our class size makes us unique, with only 15 of us we get to know each other and become a little family. We also get more time one on one with skills and in the lab. 

What is your favorite study resource?: I like watching videos on YouTube to explain topics. The animations make things much easier to understand and visualize than reading notes.

What is the most difficult or surprising part of PA school?: Since I just finished week one, I anticipate the most difficult part to be balancing all my classes and making sure not to neglect any while studying. It's easy to immerse your self in one topic until you understand it completely, but you might not always have the time for that when you have multiple exams coming up.

What advice would you give to other PA students?: To those just starting (or even mid way through) doubting they will be able to get through didactic year just remember you were selected for a reason and the admissions committee knows what they're doing, you can do it!

Where can we find you?: My Instagram page is @carmenashley_pa 

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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.

PA School Spotlight: Pace University-Lenox Hill Hospital Physician Assistant Program

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!

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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.