Pre-PA

How To Prepare for PA School in Undergrad

I'm excited to share a guest post with you from a soon-to-be PA student, Aashna!  Make sure to check out her site for more great advice and to follow her journey through PA school.  

1. Pre-reqs

You don't have to be a biology or chemistry major to apply to PA school. I know a lot of applicants that majored in exercise science, HHP, and even in history before applying to Med/PA school. If you are a non-science major, make sure you take all the pre-reqs required for the programs you're looking at. This takes a bit of planning and something your advisor would be able to help you out with.

2. GPA & GRE

Every year PA schools are becoming more and more competitive and the minimum GPA and GRE scores required keep rising. It's important to keep in mind that the minimum required GPA & GRE scores and the average GPA & GRE scores of the accepted students are two different things. You want your GPA & GRE scores to be either in the same vicinity or higher than the average scores of accepted students. That doesn't mean that you won't get in if you have a GPA that's lower than the accepted average, but it definitely makes you a stronger applicant.

3. Shadowing

Most programs REQUIRE you to have a certain amount of minimum PA shadowing experience prior to applying to PA school. I would suggest shadowing at least two PAs in different specialties so you can a look at what all is out there and if becoming a PA is something you're still interested in. It's a good idea to start shadowing a few years in advance during your summer breaks to accumulate your shadowing hours.

4. Volunteering

Again, depending on the program, volunteering in a hospital or a clinic can count as part of your healthcare experience. It's a good idea to call and ask the program you're looking at what exactly they require. Not all of your volunteering needs to be in a clinical setting. While non-clinical volunteering won't count towards your healthcare experience, it's a nice way for you to show what else you're interested in and are passionate about. 

5. Hands-on healthcare experience

Depending on what program you're applying to, they'll either have a set number of recommended or required hands-on (paid or unpaid) healthcare experience. While one program may accept shadowing and volunteering as part of your healthcare experience, others might not. At some programs, if you have 200-300+ hours of healthcare experience, you are considered a competitive applicant. But there are also programs out there that require a minimum of 1000-1500+ hours of hands-on healthcare experience. Don't let this intimidate you. These programs are usually for people who are considering becoming a PA as their second career. There are plenty of programs that you can apply to that don't require as much experience.

6. Research

At one of my interviews, I was asked if I had any research experience. Although it is not required for you to have done research in order to apply to PA school, it can bump up your chances of getting an interview invitation. And it's even better if you've been published in a scientific journal. If you think you don't have the time to do research during the school year, try to find out if you can conduct research at your university during the summer. Another option is to look up summer internships that might available for undergrads in your area.

7. Letters of recommendation

A lot of people don't think about developing a strong professional relationship with their advisors, professors, or healthcare providers they shadow/work with until it's time to apply to PA school. Try to keep in mind that the people you work with or learn from can write a stronger and more personal LOR than someone who doesn't really know your strengths or your abilities.

 

These are just some of the things I suggest you consider while you're preparing to apply to PA school. It's important to keep in mind that every student is going to have a different background and experience, and that is okay. The admissions committee doesn't expect all of us to be the same. It's also okay to have a gap year or two in between, as I did, and still be considered a strong applicant. As long as you're passionate about becoming a PA and are willing to work hard, you can achieve anything you set your mind to! 


 Hi! I’m Aashna, a Physician Assistant student, documenting my journey of becoming a PA. When I was thinking of applying to PA school, there were not a lot of resources available to me where I could read personal experiences of other PA students or practicing PAs. I decided to start blogging as a way to provide support, encouragement, and advice for anyone that is looking into the PA profession. On my blog, I share advice and tips for pre-PAs and will soon start posting about my experiences as a PA-S. Sometimes, you’ll also get to read my random musings about life and how I try to stay organized. To read more articles, head on over to my blog at apthepa.blogspot.com


The Few Disadvantages of Being a PA

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I got a question today about the setbacks or disadvantages of being a PA.  I've addressed a few of the disadvantages I've found in the education processes in this post, which compares PA school and medical school, but I'll go over some of the negative aspects of actually practicing in this post.  And here's another post about advantages/disadvantages to think about when looking for a job.  

This may not be the most popular post ever because most PAs like to think they have the greatest job every with no down sides.  And since PAs have been rated as the #1 job in America for years now, it's hard to disagree.  But now that I'm a year and a half into working, there are some things that I wish I had thought about starting PA school.  Would any of these have been dealbreakers for me?  Probably not, but maybe I can help you be a little more informed.  

  • Plan your vacations years in advance.  - If you work in a clinic with scheduled patients, you're going to have to be really good at planning.  And you're going to have to convince your family to plan ahead as well.  The schedulers don't appreciate it when you ask them to move 60 patients so you can go on a vacation.  My family tends to do trips last minute and not know the holiday plans very early, so I haven't been able to participate much this year.  The longest vacation I took was actually to go to a conference.  It's not the end of the world if you have to reschedule patients, but it's courteous to both patients and office staff to try not to if possible.  
     
  • Office hierarchy - When working in a private practice, you will be the bottom of the totem pole at times.  This doesn't mean that you aren't respected and valued, but unless you own the practice, you don't get to call the shots.  It's important that you don't let yourself be abused, but you also have to accept that you may end up taking shifts you wouldn't prefer, working while the boss takes off, or taking on some extra responsibilities.  If you do not think you could be okay with not having the final say or having to answer to a supervising physician, then you may not want to go the PA route.  As a PA, you will never have an MD behind your name.  (I actually love that patients call me by my first name and I would feel weird being called doctor, so although I don't feel it's a bad thing, you might.)
     
  • The Haters.  - There are going to be some people (patients, physicians, family) who just don't get what you are doing as a PA, and who won't trust you no matter how many times you explain how you were trained.  On the flipside, you'll probably have people asking you to treat them the first day you start PA school and think you have all of the answers (AKA - my grandma who calls me the cosmetologist.  I work in dermatology.  Same thing, right?)  It can be extremely difficult to have to work with physicians who do not think you are capable of quality patient care. You can choose your supervising physician, but sometimes you can't control who they choose to work with.  You can try to educate others and help them to learn about the scope of PAs, but some people may not ever be convinced.  My husband is a great example.  He is in medical school, and most medical students that I've encountered have no idea what PAs do.  I constantly get, "How do you know that?," "You guys learn about this too?," "PAs can actually do that?"  I like to use these opportunities to teach them about our profession, and I hope that as physicians they will have a better appreciation of their PA colleagues.
     
  • Make the big bucks, but not the biggest.  - PAs do great as far as compensation in my opinion, especially when you consider the amount of schooling, but you will never make the same salary as your supervising physician.  Ultimately, a physician is going to hire a PA to bring in profit and allow for schedule flexibility, so yes, they will profit off of your work.  It can be a little discouraging when you feel like you are working hard and being profitable for the practice, but if you negotiate well and come up with a fair contract, you can do very well financially as a PA.  

 

  • Lifetime learner (because you have to) - Continuing education requirements for PAs are intense.  100 hours every 2 years, and an exam every 10 years on EVERYTHING.  So if you decide to specialize, it's gonna be tough.  Physicians don't have requirements that are even close to as crazy as these, but at least you have no choice but to stay up to date.  

Overall, I love my job and I wouldn't trade it for anything, but if you're on the fence maybe this will help you to choose a side!  


Programs that do NOT Require the GRE

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For the majority of programs, the GRE is required, but there are the occasional few that don't have a standardized test requirement.  A few schools are even accepting the MCAT now as well!  But anyways, this is not an all-inclusive list at this point, but thanks to Christina K., here are some of the schools that don't make you take the GRE!

Emory University - Georgia
Stony Brook University - NY
Drexel University - Philadelphia
Thomas Jefferson University - Philadelphia
PCOM - Pennsylvania
Hofstra University - NY
New York Institute of Technology - NY
Rutgers - NJ
MCPHS University (Boston)
Mercy College - NY
Loma Linda University - California
Arizona School of Health Sciences
University of South Dakota
Western University of Health Sciences - Oregon
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Howard University - Washington DC

Interview with Jorge Muniz, PA-C, Creator of Medcomic

I'm really excited to share an interview with the extremely talented PA, Jorge Muniz.  While working as a PA, he has found the time to create a really cool and fun study tool!  Many of us are visual learners, and if you have trouble remembering the essential pearls, then you need this book!  There are a few days left in his Kickstarter campaign, so you still have a chance to be one of the first to jump on board.  

What is your name?

Jorge Muniz

How long have you been a PA?

In 2013, I graduated from the Nova Southeastern University's PA program located in Orlando, Florida. Two weeks after graduating, a large group of us took the PANCE. I’m proud to say we all passed. Immediately afterwards, I began practicing as a PA in the hospital as I had secured a position in orthopedic surgery during my clinical rotations.

What inspired you to create Medcomic?

I've loved cartoons since I was a little kid. As a PA student, I realized that being in the medical field gave me the opportunity to channel my creative energy while helping my classmates study for exams.

My artwork has been influenced by the cartoons I watched as a child, which relied heavily on physical humor and facial expressions. I believe the animation seen on television today has changed a lot from cartoons like Looney Tunes that were produced in the 1940s and 1950s. I remember watching many of those reruns. Another inspiration and influence on my art has been the work of Mike Krahulik. He’s the graphic artist behind the popular video game webcomic Penny Arcade.

What do you hope to accomplish with Medcomic?

Medcomic’s mission is to make studying medicine fun and entertaining. Part of my vision for Medcomic is to expand the concept so that it becomes more comprehensive. There are plans to introduce new features and apps in the future. The first book is weeks shy of being released and there are countless ideas and possibilities to add more volumes to the Medcomic library.

What is your favorite comic that you've created?

How long does it take you to create a single comic?

One comic takes approximately 12 hours to produce. Part of that time is dedicated to reviewing the topic and gathering information that’s relevant for students to know for exam purposes. Sketching the concept and producing a comic takes time and patience. There have been instances where I’ll throw away an idea midway of completion if I feel it isn’t going to result in something that meets my standards. I always try to think, “ If I were a student, would I find this illustration useful?”  There’s a value of quality over quantity.

How do you find time to do something like create a comic book while practicing as a PA? 

I’ve produced most of my artwork on my days off by waking up early and working on an illustration all day. It’s a bit of a sacrifice, but it’s gratifying that I continue to help many students with the cartoons I’ve been able to produce thus far.

How can we find out more information about Medcomic and help to spread the word?

For more information, visit Medcomic.com.  At the time of this writing, a Kickstarter campaign has been launched to help publish the first Medcomic book. This book will propel Medcomic into academic circles and make an impact on how traditional medicine is taught. It will also help establish a foundation for additional projects that I’m excited to share more details about in the future.

I truly appreciate everyone’s support to make the Medcomic book a reality. You can contribute by pledging or by sharing the campaign with friends and colleagues on Facebook and Twitter. Please visit Medcomic's Kickstarter page to support this project! Thanks.

Update! Medcomic's kickstarter was successful, and you can now purchase it on Amazon. (Affiliate link)


3 Questions You Need To Know For Your PA School Interview

JORGE MUNIZ, PA-C, President at Medcomic.com
 

Congratulations! The moment you receive news that youve landed an interview for PA school is an exciting time.  The next step is to prepare and practice the types of questions youll most likely encounter during the interview process.

If youre currently a Pre-PA student, you may have done some research and found a list of popular questions to review prior to your interview. However, have you really given thought to how your answers will differentiate you from the other candidates?

Before we talk about specific questions, I think its important to make a note on the delivery of your responses. Keep your answers succinct, dont go off on tangents, and remember to smile!

With over a thousand qualifying candidates applying each cycle, getting into PA school is becoming more and more competitive each year. Here are three questions I believe you should put at the top of your list as you prepare for your PA school interview.

1.     How do you think youll be able to handle the workload?

A common analogy used for the amount of new information we consume in PA school is that its like drinking water from a firehose. How will you convince your interviewers that you can handle this daunting task? I like to turn this question upside down by eliminating the burden from the proposed workload.

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Remember that medicine is your passion. Passion is work that you enjoy doing so it doesnt feel like work. This makes accomplishing the task easier because you dont mind putting in the time and effort to complete it. For instance, learning to play guitar isnt easy. It takes weeks to build the callouses to eliminate finger pain. For most, it takes months or even years to become proficient with the instrument. These people push through each day because the process of practicing their passion doesnt feel like a burden.

Similarly, you can tell your interviewers that the workload in PA school is something you welcome as part of the process to practice your passion. Youre already an avid reader and you love learning. Be confident, tell them to give you a second firehouse.

2. Why are you interested in our PA program?

Just as you should be mindful of differentiating yourself from other candidates, dont forget to identify the the characteristics that makes one PA program unique from another. This will support any reasons you give for being a good fit for their program. Some PA programs may have a focus on recruiting local students that want to practice medicine in rural areas, while others may place more value on a students ambitions to have their research published in journals. Always take a look at their curriculum and mission statement to get a better idea if one particular PA program over another is a better fit for you. Be ready to give your concise answer.

3. What is your favorite hobby?

I like this question because its more informal and gives you the opportunity to showcase your interpersonal skills. Your hobbies and extracurricular activities can give the interviewer a good idea of the type of person you are. Its also a good time to provide an answer that demonstrates balance in your life, something that is essential during PA school.

Conclusion

The PA school interview is a big deal. In my opinion, its the most important part of the application process. Not everyone with a 4.0 GPA that gets interviewed makes it into PA school. Remember to be confident in your answers. When possible, choose responses that are unique to you. Youll be interviewing with the top qualifying candidates, why should they choose you?

One final recommendation. Before getting into PA school, I read a book called How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Despite the odd title, its a great read that made me more aware of how important interpersonal skills are in business and in life. Pick it up and give it a try.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/32217894@N03/6122032240

About the Author: Jorge Muniz is a board-certified Physician Assistant from Orlando, Florida. He graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a Master's in Medical Science in 2013. Jorge is also a self-taught cartoonist and the founder of Medcomic, an educational series of illustrations that makes studying medicine entertaining and fun. To view his work visit http://www.medcomic.com


Accepted!

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I think it's encouraging to see the stats of other pre-PA hopefuls and see who actually gets in!  Bhmbl from the Pre-Physician Assistant page on Reddit has graciously taken on the role of being the first one!  

Overall GPA: 3.52 (3.82 for the last 45 credits)

Science GPA: 3.56

GRE: 149V/146Q/4W

Total HCE hours: 200 hrs volunteer work at a hospital

Total PCE hours: 1,448 hrs volunteer work as an MA at a primary care clinic and two medical mission trips to Latin America

Shadowing hours: 50 hrs Cardiologist; 50 hrs Electrophysiologist; 72 hrs ND; and 40 hrs PAs from different specialties

Other volunteer hours: 346 hrs community service

Extra: Native Spanish speaker, two summers of cadaver dissection, and 5 letters of recommendation

Age: 28

Gender: F

How many programs did you apply to? >30 but I withdrew them all as soon as I received my acceptance at my top choice school.

How many programs did you interview with? At 4 out of the 9 interview invitations I received. Was waitlisted at the first one, rejected at the second one, accepted at the last two, and did not attend the last ones.

Any red flags on your application? courses >5 years old, W on biochem lab (re-took it and got A+), D in college algebra (took pre-calculus later on and got an A and got a letter of recommendation from the professor).

Anything you found surprising about interviews? I was quite surprised that I was asked to write an essay about a particular heart disease since I had shadowed the Cardiologists two years ago.

Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? I used http://www.coursesaver.com/videos/college/ to get through the General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry courses. I highly recommend those videos! Then I used http://paprogramsearch.com/search/ to find schools based on prerequisites. There are a few schools listed there that were not up to date so it is recommended to quickly double check them with the schools' websites. To prepare for interviews, I read the book "How to Ace the Physician Assistant Interview" along with many websites with interview questions.

Any other advice for other pre-PA students? I recommend everyone to visit www.reddit.com/r/prephysicianassistant as well as www.physicianassistantforum.com. In the reddit website you can ask any questions you may have regarding applications and you will find "Ask Me Anything" posts from accepted students as well as my own posts with advice and helpful links that I used.

I definitely recommend the reddit site, and there are a lot of active users who are quick to respond to questions.  

If you've been recently accepted to PA school and would like to be featured in "Accepted!" send an e-mail to savanna@thepaplatform.com


Getting into PA School with a Low GPA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Comment below with any advice or questions about GPA! 

Physician Assistant Blogs

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While there isn't a ton of information out there in the blog world, and many of them do not stay recent, if you look hard you can find some good posts.  Here is a list of the blogs I've been able to find, so let me know if you run a site or know of any others!

I'm A PA - A site from the AAPA, and their blog does update a few times a month, and you could write for them if you have an interesting perspective.

Jay the PA -  A firsthand look at what it takes to become a PA from the Pre-PA stage to being accepted and starting school!  

With Ashley Kay - Ashley is a current PA student sharing her journey through school.  She has beautiful photography on her site as well! 

White Coat Clutter - Stephanie is a PA who is transitioning to dermatology and shares a ton of tips for Pre-PA students and current PA students. 

Life as a PA - Andrea is an amazing Pediatric ICU PA who is very open about sharing her lifestyle and giving back to the PA profession.  Make sure to follow her on Snapchat too! 

PA Student Essentials - A site run by PA students and the SAAPA

Meghan in Medicine - Meghan is a soon-to-be PA student who is doing an amazing job showing the details of how she's accomplishing her goals.  

The PA Life - Jourdyn is a current PA student at UW-Madison blogging about her time while in PA school.  

Reddit Pre-PA - Not exactly a blog, but more like a forum to ask questions to an active community and look up information that others have asked about in the past. 

PA Boards - This is a great resource with so many options - podcasts, blog posts, PANCE review, YouTube videos, and even an app!  

Musings - The JAAPA blog.  This is a great resource to stay up to date with issues facing PAs.

ADVANCE for NPs & PAs - They have a few different blogs, including one for students and one for new grads.   

Lauren Does Life - A new blog with an awesome looking site.  Lauren has just started her clinical year of PA school and it looks like there are some great posts coming in the future!  

Lindsey's PA Blog - Lindsey is currently a PA student at Albany College and has been writing periodically about her experiences there.  

Hay the PA - Hayley is a PA student at University of Kentucky and she has a beautiful site where she shares tips for both PA school and living a healthy lifestyle. 

PAs RISE - A resource for pre-PAs, PA students, and physician assistants where they have access to interesting reads, mentorship, and FOAMed (free open access medical education).  This site encourages the PA community to contribute their thoughts, expertise, and opinions while shining a spotlight on the advances PAs and students are making within the community.  

The Organized Undergrad - Follow Emily's progress through undergrad as she works towards a profession in the medical field, and tries to make decisions between pursuing PA or MD.  

Medicine & Manicures - A great combination of PA school and fashion.  Kristina just graduated from Campbell University's PA program, and she will be a derm PA as well!  (Best choice ever.)

PA Fanatic - Brittany is transitioning from a Pre-PA to PA-S, and sharing all of her tips and advice along the way. 

Physician Assistant Blog - A blog with unique posts that are a little different from the typical things other sites write about.  The authors also wrote the PANCE/PANRE Study Guide, which is a resource to use during school and when studying for boards.  

AP the PA - A new blog from Aashna, a student who is about to start PA school.  Great information so far!  

Pre-physician assistant blog - A bunch of interviews with various students and PAs.  Especially helpful if you're interested in schools in Texas.  

New PA-C Here - Not updated recently, but she posted a good bit during school about her experiences 

Trust Me, I'm a PA Student - A well-researched blog from a current student at UTSW

The White Coat Investor - The best blog for financial advice if you're working in medicine. Not specific to PAs, but definitely helps everything to be slightly less confusing and provides great resources.  

Physician Assistant, Finally There - Not updated recently, but a lot of information from school and resources as well.

Women in Surgery - This is not specific to PAs, but seeing as there are plenty of women PAs and PAs doing surgery, it's a great reference.

Food, Fitness, & Family - Although the title may not seem to fit, this is a blog of a current PA student and how she survives.  And shes's a mom!

PA-C Hustle - A PA and mother, and how she balances both jobs. 

PA Journey - Follow along with a PA student on the journey to becoming a PA.  

xohollyd - Holly is currently in her didactic year of PA school and provides updates on her blog so you can see what it's like to go through PA school. 

Stethoscope and Sparkle - Follow Erin through her time in PA school, and look for all of the advice she has for Pre-PA students 

Apple A Day PA - Demi is currently in her clinical year at Florida International University in Miami, and she blogs about her experiences and offers advice for clinicals. 

White Coat Dreaming - Alex is in her 3rd year of PA school and on the tail end of clinicals.  She has some great advice from fellow students and throws a personal touch into her posts too. 

Lynzy and Co - Definitely more of a lifestyle blog, but Lynzy is a mom, but also a part-time PA.  She does a great job showing how she balances life. 

The PA Pursuit - Chelsea is a PA student who has beautiful pics on her site and her Instagram as she offers advice to hopeful PA students. 

White Coat Whitney - Whitney is a second year PA student sharing advice about PA school and for Pre-PA students. 

PA-Cents - A new kid on the block that is discussing all things having to do with the financial side of PA school and being a PA. If you have any questions about money stuff specifically for PAs, make sure to check it out!


Top 100 Interview Questions for PA School

Interview Questions for PA School:

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Here are my top 100 interview questions that I have come up with from personal experience and research.  During Mock Interviews, we run through some of these questions and any others that may be specific to your application, and then discuss your answers to determine any flaws or weaknesses.  It's also important to identify any bad habits you may have.  Comment below with your answers to these questions and we can evaluate your answers!

For more questions and interview advice, check out the Physician Assistant School Interview Guide and the Physician Assistant School Interview Course.

 

PA School Interview Worksheet Download

Tips and tricks to ace your PA school interview!

Traditional Questions

  1. Tell me a little bit about yourself.

  2. Why do you want to be a PA? (as opposed to a doctor or NP?)

  3. What is the difference in the nursing model and medical model for teaching?

  4. What does a PA do?

  5. What makes you a good candidate for our program?

  6. What qualities or skills do you have that you think would make you a valuable student and classmate?

  7. What would you bring to the class?

  8. How have you prepared to be an effective PA?

  9. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing PAs?

  10. Why do you think you would be successful in PA school?

  11. How do you study best?

  12. How do you deal with stress?

  13. How are your time management skills?

  14. What was your most challenging course of undergrad and why?

  15. Why do you want to go to this specific school?

  16. What is appealing about “location” of school?

  17. What are you looking for in a PA program?

  18. Have you applied elsewhere?

  19. What is your biggest weakness?

  20. What is your biggest strength?

  21. Do you work better by yourself or with others?

  22. Is there a specific specialty or ideal job that you see yourself in as a PA?

  23. What qualities make a successful PA?

  24. How do you feel Obamacare will influence PAs?

  25. How do you see the role of PAs changing in the future?

  26. What are some difficulties that you feel like PAs are facing?

  27. Do you feel like you would be limited by any of the regulations on PAs either nationally or in the state you plan to work in?

  28. Are there any laws that you feel like limit the PA profession unfairly?

  29. Are there any laws that you feel should be passed to further the progression of the PA profession?

  30. How would having a family/children affect your performance in PA school?  (This is a valid question if you mentioned anything about this in your personal statement, or if you bring it up.)

  31. How do you think being a younger/older applicant may affect your performance in the program?

  32. Tell me about your support system?

  33. What are your plans if you are not accepted to a PA program this year.  

  34. What are your thoughts on the newer online PA programs?

  35. What are your thoughts on the new bridge programs from PA to MD?

  36. What are your thoughts on the name “physician assistant,” and the push for a name change to "physician associate." 

  37. Tell me about your support system

  38. Reassure me that you are not going to fail out

  39. What do you know about the history of the PA profession.

  40. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

  41. Can you explain your….lower grade/low GRE/lack of shadowing or HCE?

  42. If you could do anything differently in undergrad, what would it be?

  43. Who is the most important member on a healthcare team?

  44. What are your goals in medicine?

  45. Tell me about the last physician you worked for.  

  46. What are some possible negative parts of being a PA?

  47. When did you decide to pursue PA school?

  48. Was there anything unique you observed while shadowing?

  49. Define professionalism.  

Behavioral Questions

  1. What is the most selfless thing you have done?

  2. Describe a time when you have had to overcome adversity.

  3. If a student fails a test, is it the student’s fault or the teacher’s fault?

  4. Describe a situation you have had with a difficult patient.

  5. Describe a situation with a patient that had a significant impact on you.  

  6. How do you deal with high stress situations.  Give an example

  7. Describe a time that you have struggled academically, and how you dealt with it.

  8. Your supervising MD asks you to go administer a medication to a patient.  You do not agree with his decision and feel it could harm the patient.  What do you do?

  9. You see a co-worker taking medication from the dispense cart and putting it in their bag.  What do you do?  

  10. You are at a baseball game and the woman in front of you has a very suspicious mole that you suspect could be melanoma.  What do you do?

  11. You are in a surgery and the anesthesiologist starts making inappropriate comments about the patient once they are asleep.  What do you do in this situation?

  12. A patient you are seeing insists on seeing an MD.  How do you handle this?

  13. Describe a situation you have had with a patient who made an impact on you.  

  14. You have a patient who is not proficient in English, and you do not know their language.  What can you do to assist with their difficulties?

  15. Describe a time you had to make an ethical decision.  

  16. You’re in an OR and have suspicions that the surgeon may be intoxicated.  What do you do?

  17. You are about to leave for the day and realize that you gave a patient medicine they are allergic to.  What do you do?

  18. You are seeing a Jehovah’s Witness patient that does not accept blood transfusions due to religious reasons, but it would be life saving.  What do you do?

  19. Your patient is diagnosed with HIV, but doesn’t want to tell their partner.  What do you do?

  20. A classmate offers you an old exam they have before the test.  What do you do?

  21. Tell me about a time you’ve had to use teamwork to solve a problem.  

  22. Do you think it’s more important to get patients seen or spend time with patients?

  23. You prescribed a 13 year old birth control, and the pt’s mother calls and is angry.  What do you say?

  24. Sometimes you may disagree from others in instances that you think they may be making a mistake.  Talk about a time when you had to disagree with someone else to get a positive outcome.  

  25. Give an example of a situation in which you did more than was expected of you.  

Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)

  1. If you were a tree, what kind would you be and why?

  2. If you were a color, what color would you be and why?

  3. If you were dressing up to go on a halloween party for kids, what would you dress up as and why?

  4. Who, living or dead, would you invite to dinner and what would you serve them?

  5. What kind of car would you be?

  6. What would you do if you hit your neighbor’s dog?

  7. Give directions to someone for how to put on gloves

  8. Help this student complete the following task…

  9. Interpret the graph shown in the room.

  10. You discover that one of your classmates has become romantically involved and moved into a house with her community-based clinical preceptor in your health professions training program. What should be done, if anything? Enter the room and discuss your position with the interviewer. (Jones, et al., 2011)

  11. A friend in your class tells you his mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.  He is overwhelmed by his studies and may drop out of the program to spend time with his mother.  How do you counsel your friend?

  12. Joe is a pizza delivery worker. The pizza shop he works for has a 30 minutes or less delivery guarantee or else the customer does not have to pay. On Joe’s most recent delivery, he spots a woman bleeding on the street. There is no one else around and the woman seems to be unable to move by herself. However, Joe knows that if he returns empty handed again, he will be fired from this job which he most desperately needs. What do you think Joe should do? Justify your solution in terms of practical and ethical considerations.

  13. “Liberation Therapy” (LT), a vascular operation developed to potentially cure multiple sclerosis (MS) in certain patients, has recently come under very serious criticism - delaying its widespread use. Among other experimental flaws, critics cite a small sample size in the original evidence used to support LT. As a healthcare policy maker, your job is to weigh the pros and cons in approving novel drugs and therapies. Please discuss the issues you would consider during an approval process for LT.

  14. Because of federal and provincial subsidy policies and return-of-service agreements, international medical graduates (IMGs) now make up an increasingly large proportion of rural doctors. As a consequence, the shortage of doctors in rural areas has prompted many family medicine residencies to increase their quotas for IMGs in their programs. Effectively, this development is leading to a relative reduction in spots available for Canadian medical graduates. Please discuss the pros and cons of such a development.

  15. Discuss one of your pastimes outside of school and how the skills you acquired from this activity will help you in your career.

  16. You are a family physician seeing Jane, a 67 year old woman with a recent history of multiple fragility fractures. You diagnose her with osteoporosis and prescribe some bisphosphonate drugs and other pharmacological treatments. Jane tells you that she has heard some good things over the internet about alternative medicine treatments such as Chinese medicine, and she is adamant on trying these as well. You are concerned about the use of these alternative medicine treatments and the possible negative effects they could have on Jane’s health. How would you handle the situation and what would you recommend Jane do? Discuss any ethical considerations that are present.

  17. You are on the committee for selecting a new Dean of Science. What characteristics and/or qualities would you look for when selecting an effective dean?

  18. In June 2011, the infamous Vancouver riots took place after their hockey team lost in the Stanley Cup Finals. Stores were ransacked and cars were burned. Hundreds of people were injured and sent to overcrowded hospitals. As the police chief in Vancouver, what measures or policies would you put in place to make sure this does not happen again?

  19. Clostridium Difficile (C. difficile) is a type of bacteria that increases its activity with most antibiotic use, and is therefore very difficult to treat. Research shows that the most effective way to prevent the spread of infection is frequent hand washing. However, many people have flat-out refused to wash their hands in hospitals. The government is contemplating passing a policy to make it mandatory for people entering hospitals to wash their hands or else risk not being seen by doctors and being escorted out of the building against their will. Do you think the government should go ahead with this plan? Consider and discuss the legal, ethical or practical problems that exist for each action option and conclude with a persuasive argument supporting your decision.

  20. Discuss an experience that allowed you to learn something important about yourself. How will this lesson help you succeed in your career?

Random Questions

  1. If you could have any other job, besides being a PA, what would you do.

  2. If you were to win the lottery for 100 million dollars.  What would you do? Would you still want to be a PA?

  3. What is the last book you read.

  4. What is your life saying?

  5. What are your hobbies outside of school?

  6. Is there anything else I need to know about you?

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Now that you have an idea of the questions your interview is going to ask, put yourself on the spot with a mock interview! These interviews are conducted by practicing PAs who have been right where you are now.

A One-on-One Mock Interview includes:

  • 60 minutes total with a practicing PA

  • Personalized interview experience based on your application

  • Tips and techniques for your specific interview

  • 20-30 minutes of questions

  • Feedback following Q&A session

  • Written report with questions, answers, and feedback

  • Instructions to record session on Windows or Mac

What is CASPA?

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The word "CASPA" gets thrown around a lot when the topic of applying to PA school comes up, so today we'll look at what it is exactly, and what that application entails.

CASPA stands for the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants.  So basically, it is an online application service that schools use to have students complete their applications.  The majority of programs use CASPA, but here is a list of who is currently participating.  It also shows all of the deadlines for particular programs.  In addition to the CASPA application, some programs will require a supplemental application as well, so it's important to check with the programs you're applying to.  The supplemental application is sometimes required with the CASPA application, or it can be done after submitting CASPA.  Occasionally, you will not have to do a supplemental until you are given an interview. The application opens during April, and stays open until the following March, but each program has a different deadline for submission that you need to pay attention to.

CASPA is solely a place to input information, so it does not provide the various requirements for each program, like prerequisites or healthcare experience requirements.  These are things you'll have to look at yourself for each program because you don't want to waste your money applying somewhere that you don't have the qualifications.   Most programs use "rolling admissions," which means that as soon as your application is complete it will be reviewed by the program, which means the sooner you get your application in the better!  It can take a few weeks for "processing," so don't wait until the last minute and communicate with your references the importance of getting their part in as soon as possible.

Information you will need for CASPA:

  • References - Programs have different requirements as far as the number of references and who they need to be from. The choices typically include a supervisor from a healthcare setting, a PA you have shadowed, or a professor. Sometimes they don't really care, but make sure to check each separate program to see if they are particular about this. The references are done electronically, so you will need the e-mail address of your reference. It's a good idea to let them know to expect the e-mail so they can check their junk mail and it won't get lost in their inbox. You are able to have 3-5 references.

  • Transcripts - You will need to have a transcript sent from anywhere that you have done undergraduate coursework. It's also helpful to have a copy of these for yourself to fill in that information on CASPA. If you are still working on prerequisites, you will have to send another copy when you have completed them to the actual program.

  • Personal Statement- 5,000 character limit (about 650 words). This is your chance to tell the programs about yourself, so they can find out if they want to know more about you or put a face to those words. It needs to tell a story and paint a good picture of who you are and why you want to be a PA. If you need help with writing your personal statement or editing, please let me know!

  • Experience - And the categories are Patient Care Experience, Health Care Experience, Shadowing, Employment, Research, Volunteer. This is why it's a good idea to keep very detailed records of where and when you did any of these, along with how many hours and any supervisors you may have had, as well as a description of what you actually did.

Although it was not working for the current 2015-2016 cycle, for the next cycle, if you were to have to reapply, CASPA will save all of your information so it will be a lot easier.  But we'll just stay positive about not having to reapply!

The fee for CASPA is $175 for the first program you apply to, and then $50 for each additional program during that cycle.  That can add up quickly, so make sure you have the qualifications for a program before you apply.  (**My only caveat for that is if there is a program you are extremely interested in, but don't quite have the requirements yet, it may be worth it to apply and then when you reapply the next year, you'll be a much more competitive candidate and a reapplicant.  Just my personal opinion though.)  There are some fee waivers available that are based on income, but they typically run out quickly.  This gives you a $175 credit for the first application.  If you are given a waiver, your application must be completed within 14 days of receiving it.

There's an extremely thorough site that goes through basically everything you need to know to set up a CASPA account and then all of the information you will need to fill out your application, so I would definitely recommend checking this site out at some point.  The earlier the better, because then you'll know a little better what to expect.

A blog post with some tips on completing CASPA.  

There's even a Twitter account and Facebook page you can follow if you want updates on CASPA.  I would love to hear about your experiences with CASPA and any tips you have for making it a smooth process!


PA School vs Medical School

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So if you know you want to do something in the medical field, you've probably looked at many different options.  There's medical school, dental school, physician assistant, occupational therapy, physical therapy, nursing or nurse practitioner, anesthesiologist assistant, pathology assistant, and probably tons more of options.  So when it comes down to it, you have to decide what you want your role in medicine to be.  I'm mainly going to compare PA school and medical school because that's what I'm the most familiar with.  And if you decide to become a PA, you will quickly become tired of hearing "So when are you going to medical school?" or "When will you be a real doctor?"

I have an interesting perspective because I graduated from PA school a year ago, and my husband is currently a 4th year medical student.  So I've personally been involved in both sides and seen the differences and the advantages and disadvantages to both.  I've seen the preparation, application process, didactic and clinical years, as well as the steps that follow.  Both programs are incredibly competitive, but it comes down to deciding where you fit in the best and what you would be happy doing as a career. I did a post for Doximity about why I specifically chose PA over MD.

Preparation (prerequisites, experience, etc.):  For the most part, the prerequisite classes are the same for both PA school medical school.  In some cases, PA programs will have more requirements based on the fact that the program is accelerated and so there isn't time to review a lot of the information that is reviewed in medical school.  PA programs expect you to come in well-prepared by your undergraduate coursework.   Volunteer work is necessary for both PA school and medical school, but when it comes to direct patient care experience, PA programs typically require this while medical school does not.

Application process:   So for medical school, you have to take the MCAT.  For PA school, you will most likely need to take the GRE, but some programs do not have a required test or will accept the MCAT.  Most medical schools have an early application process, whereas PA programs tend to have different application time cycles due to starting at different times throughout the year.  Most medical schools start in the fall.

Education:  Medical school is much more extensive than PA school.  A lot of the same material is covered, but there are certain subjects that are not addressed in PA school. In PA school, you jump right into clinical subjects usually after reviewing anatomy, physiology, and statistics.  In general, medical school is much more competitive than PA school.

  • Medical school: This consists of 4 years, including 2 didactic years and then 2 clinical years. Typically didactic years are classes from 8-12 daily with some small groups for learning physical exam throughout. Most medical schools record the lectures and do not require attendance at lecture. The first summer there are no classes, which allows for different experiences, including research or working in the hospital. The 2nd summer there is a required test called Step 1, which is a major determinant of where you can do residency and what specialty you are able to pursue. The 3rd year is full of clinicals with tests at the end of each one. Step 2 is another test that must be taken either between 3rd and 4th year or sometime during 4th year. The 4th year is a little more relaxed as far as required rotations, but this is when students are applying for residencies and attending interviews. In March of the 4th year, there is a Match Day, where students find out where they will be doing residency. Following graduation, you are required to complete a residency in the area you choose/can get into for a certain number of years. Residencies are paid and you are at that point an MD, but still a student. This is where you really learn the tools of the trade and how to operate independently.

  • PA school: Most PA programs are 24-36 months long. They are non-stop with no semesters or quarters off. The first part is didactic, and classes are typically 8-5 most days, with small groups mixed in throughout the week. This portion is very intense with at least one test a week. As far as I know, the majority of PA programs have required attendance to all lectures. There are often policies in place that do not allow students to work while in PA school due to the rigorous nature of the program. The second year/half consists of clinical rotations in different fields very similar to medical school and likely with medical students. There are no required tests during PA school, just boards at the end. There is no required residency following PA school, so there is no requirement to pick a specific specialty. There are some residencies available if that is something you are interested in.

The Actual Job: Although PAs do have many of the responsibilities and roles that physicians have, there are also a good amount of differences, and this is where it comes down to choosing which one would fit you better.  With both, you have the option of choosing what setting you want to work in, whether hospital or clinic.  Both are able to prescribe medications, although some states do limit privileges for certain classes, including narcotics.   One major difference is that physicians must pick a certain specialty and train for that before starting, and there is not much room to move around between specialties without going back to school.  As a physician, you are able to own a practice no matter what state you are in.  There are some states that PAs are able to run their own clinics, but they are more limited.  If you are someone who needs the final say and wants to have more extensive knowledge about one subject and know what you want to do, then medical school may be better for you.  There are certainly times that I regret not having the residency experience and wish that I had that extensive knowledge, but I am getting that on the job instead.  If you are more of a team player and like the idea of having someone available to answer questions, then you would do fine as a PA.   Personally, the thought of 7+ more years of school and having to choose one thing to do stressed me out and made me want to avoid medicine, so the benefits of PA school really appealed to me.  The level of independence a PA has really depends on the supervising physician and specialty, but there are definitely PAs who function mostly on their own and do surgery as well.

If you need more direction, listen to this podcast episode featuring an interview with Dr. Ryan Gray from MedicalSchoolHQ where we discuss PA vs MD. 

I hope this sheds some light on the differences between PA school and medical school and helps to push you in one direction if you are on the fence.  Let me know if you have any specific questions about either type of program!


Prerequisites for PA School

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


What is a PA?

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I assume that everyone who visits this site knows what a PA is, but that may not necessarily be true.  The public is still somewhat uneducated about PAs and their capabilities, and as anyone interested in the profession it is our job to educate people.  I often get asked, "So when are you going to be a real doctor?" or "Are you going back to medical school?" so there is a true misconception of the education and role of PAs.

PA stands for physician assistant.  Although some people don't like the term "mid-level," I think it is a pretty good description for the role of PAs.  PAs have more education and are taught differently than nurses, but do not go through the rigorous training of residency that physicians have.  Nurses are educated in a holistic way so they can provide the best care possible to the patient, but they are not able to diagnose or treat patients.  They basically receive orders for a specific patient, and ensure that the patient is cared for according to the doctor's plan.  Physicians go through 4 years of medical school, then choose a specific specialty, and then complete a residency that can range from 3-12 years, and sometimes more.

The majority of PA programs require an undergraduate degree, and then offer a Masters.  PA programs are typically 2-3 years of very intense school, and then you are able to choose whether to do a residency or get a job.  The idea of PA residencies is fairly new, so the majority of new grads go straight into a position.  To become a certified PA, there is a national test that students must pass, and then they must be certified by the state they work for.  This must be maintained with recertification exams and keeping up with continuing education and state standards.

PAs have a supervising physician (SP) who oversees them to some degree and a lot of that depends on the state they are in.  For example, in Georgia the supervising physician must review 80% of notes written by PAs, but in South Carolina the supervising physician just has to review the notes occasionally with no specific requirement.  This website has a great graphic that shows the scope of practice for each state specifically.  The level of independence of PAs will vary based on the trust of the SP, specialty, experience, and state.  Personally, I have my own clinic schedule and I see all of my patients by myself.  If something difficult comes up, my SP is always available to discuss the case or pop in if necessary.  If I have any down time, I try to help her out as well.

PAs are similar to physicians in many ways.  They are able to see patients independently, take a history, make a diagnosis, decide on treatment, and prescribe medications.  There are also PAs who perform procedures and surgeries after adequate training.  In some states, there are restrictions on what medications PAs can prescribe, specifically pain medications.

Sources:

https://aapa.org/what-is-a-pa/


Book Review: Still Alice

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I finished Still Alice by Lisa Genova yesterday, and it surprisingly didn't turn out to be quite as sad as I had expected!

The premise of this book is a psychology professor at Harvard is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's and it goes through her journey from pre-diagnosis, diagnosis, and progression of the disease, as well as her family's reactions.  As an intelligent woman, Alice has a very difficult time with coming to terms with her disease.  This book paints a very accurate picture of how Alzheimer's may affect both a patient and the patient's family.

Alice starts by normally living her life and will just occasionally have some lapses in memory, but it's not until she gets lost on a route she runs daily that she realizes something is wrong.  Alzheimer's starts with the small things and slowly progresses to be a debilitating disease.  This book gave me much more empathy and understanding as to why Alzheimer's patients experience some of the symptoms they do.  Distrust was a big one, and I love the way this book showed how that can happen.  The brain is so powerful that it's almost scary.

When first finding out about the possible diagnosis, Alice's husband says, "I think you jumped the going to see a neurologist.  He looks at your set of symptoms and sees Alzheimer's, but that's what he's trained to see, it doesn't mean he's right."  This stood out to me because I think this is how a lot of patients feel when they go to the doctor, so it's our job to instill trust in our patients so they feel that we are treating them as individuals, and not just a disease.

As a PA student,  Still Alice gives a great view of patient-doctor relations and multiple Mini Mental Status Exams (MMSE).  These are simple tests that can be done to judge a patient's cognitive function, and the decline is seen very clearly in this book.  It also discussed treatments that are being used currently for Alzheimer's. Alice describes it this way - "Alzheimer's disease was an entirely different kind of beast.  There were no weapons that could slay it.  Taking Aricept and Namenda felt like aiming a couple of leaky squirt guns in the face of a blazing fire."

This book gave me hope that the research being done presently will result in a cure and better medications for Alzheimer's, and hopefully sooner rather than later.  This article shows that they have found changes of Alzheimer's occur much sooner than symptoms show up, so treatment could be starting much sooner as well.  In Alice's case, if treatment had begun earlier, it could have potentially slowed down the disease process.

I definitely recommend this book for anyone in the medical field or interested in medicine, or anyone who wants a better understanding of what exactly Alzheimer's entails.  A movie was recently made from this book as well!


International Healthcare Experience

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Who doesn't love to travel??  International healthcare trips can give you the opportunity to both travel and get the HCE that you need for PA school.  I think if you have the opportunity (aka - time and financial means) to get some experience abroad you should go for it!  These trips give you a cultural outlook on healthcare and the chance to see conditions that you might not encounter frequently in the United States.  Many times the medications and treatment options are more limited when you are in the field, which means you learn more about specific treatments and what they are useful for.  These trips can be a way to get a lot of hours as well.  If you're doing clinic for 10 hours a day for 5 days, that's going to get you 50 hours in 1 week!  It also gives you awesome subject matter for your interviews.  And amazing views like below (La Romana, Dominican Republic).

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There are some cautions you should take before deciding to go on an international healthcare trip.  You do want to choose an area where you will be safe, and you want to travel with a group that is well-established.  These trips can be quite expensive, and you don't want to waste your time or money.  While on a trip, you also want to be cautious to only practice to a level you feel comfortable.  Sometimes countries have standards that are slightly different, and although you are learning, I would recommend not doing anything that you shouldn't be doing as a student or have no training to do, basically anything you wouldn't do in the States.  I've heard of people actually getting turned away from medical programs because they mentioned doing procedures during interviews that they probably should not have been doing (circumcisions, tooth extractions, etc.) and that was considered unethical.

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Sometimes your bus might get stuck in a ditch on the way to clinic ^^^, and then all you can see for miles are fields (see below).
 

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Financially, international trips can be expensive between the trip cost, flights, and spending money.  You could always work to raise this money, ask for funds as Christmas or birthday presents from family and friends, or even try a Kickstarter or FundMe.  Many people questions why you would spend thousands of dollars when there are plenty of people to help here in America.  Well, after one trip you'll be hooked.  It's so worth it to see how appreciative the patients are and how much it means to them that you would travel so far to help them.  It also opens your eyes to the needs of others in a whole new way when you are seeing people who don't have all of the material items and distractions that we have daily.  My biggest take home point was that no matter where you live or what you have, we all have the same healthcare issues.  It's very unifying.

The biggest thing to know and prepare for before you go on a trip is to BE FLEXIBLE!  After being on a few different mission trips, I have learned that it is rare for everything to go perfectly, and it's a lot easier if you accept that before you go.  As part of my internal medicine rotation, I was able to go for a week to the Dominican Republic on a trip with a few of the medical students at MCG (including my husband).  We had sent money ahead of time so they would have supplies and medications for us to use during clinic, but when we got there, we had nothing!  How were we supposed to hold clinics with no medications?  By the grace of God, another team at our base had miraculously ended up with over twice as many supplies as they needed and they were so kind to share with us.  Everything worked out!  But it was a little dicey for a little while there.

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So the majority of these trips operate in similar ways.  You have a home base in whatever country you are going to, and from there you go to different areas to set up clinics each day. At these clinics, patients show up and wait to see a provider.  Sometimes there may be stations for vaccines or de-worming of children.  There can be hundreds of patients in a clinic during one day, but other days may be much slower.  At one of our sites, all of the men were out in the fields, so we only saw women, children, and the elderly.  There's usually a "free day" as well where you get to explore or do something fun.

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This picture is of the first time I ever tried lobster, which was amazingly fresh and delicious, and on the beach seen in the title pic.    This was on our day off in the DR and we took a boat trip all around different islands and had a surf and turf BBQ on the beach.  Lots of sunburns, but totally worth it.

Here are some of the reputable organizations I'm aware of, but there are tons out there!

Rahab's Rope - This is a group out of Athens, GA that focuses on getting women out of sex trafficking in India.  They do 1-2 medically based trips a year.  The founder of this organization spoke to a group I was in while I was in college at UGA and I was just so impressed by their mission and the work they have done so far.  It's one of my goals to go on a trip with them at some point.

Flying Doctors of America - This is an organization that takes trips all over the world!  One of the leader's daughters was in my PA class so he came to speak to us and explain a little about what they do.  The trips seem to be very well organized, and they work hard to make sure the accommodations are safe and comfortable.

Rivers of the World - This is the group that my trip to the Dominican Republic was organized through, and even though we had some bumps in the road, I would still recommend it!  The leaders know what they're doing and the sites are very well established.

And if you aren't able to go on a trip before you start school, there's the chance you can go during rotations!  If this is something you might be interested, be sure to ask the schools you are looking at.  People from my class went to Peru, and the most recent classes have been going to Uganda!  You also want to ask and make sure that these hours will be accepted as direct patient-care experience.

Where have you been on mission trips and what are your tips?


Healthcare Experience for PA School

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Healthcare experience (HCE) has become one of the biggest factors that PA schools look at, and some of the requirements are pretty high. For most programs, you're going to need "direct patient-care experience."  This usually does not include shadowing or volunteering, although some require these types of hours as well. It is not uncommon for programs to want at least 1,000 HCE hours.  About 1 year of full-time work will be about 2,000 hours just as a reference.

Before you decide to spend some money and time on any kind of training to get HCE, check with the programs you are interested in to be sure it will count.  There will occasionally be occlusions of certain jobs that you think would possibly count, or the opposite can be true as well.  The program I attended (Georgia Regents) actually accepted hospice volunteering hours as direct patient care, which was nice because it was free.

To become more competitive, I recommend doing some kind of formal training, unless you are able to find a position where they are willing to train you on the job. Occasionally, you can be trained as a medical assistant, scribe, or patient care assistant, but more often than not, you will have a better chance at getting a job if you are certified.  My high school offered an awesome program where you could become a CNA (Certified Nurse Assistant), and unfortunately I did not take advantage of this.  If you are starting out early, good for you! And take advantages of any training you can get as soon as possible.

Being that I still needed some experience, I decided to enroll in a CNA program.  These typically will be either condensed over a few weeks during the day or at night or spread out to accommodate different schedules.   I attended the program every Saturday for 3 months during my sophomore year of college, and did the clinical week during my Spring Break.  Not my favorite Spring Break, but totally worth it in the long run. It was a few hundred dollars unfortunately, but I made it back working full-time during the next summer.  I got a job as a CNA in a rehabilitation hospital and it was a great experience.

Looking back on that experience, it's made me question why PA programs would want you to have any healthcare experience, let alone thousands of hours.  My husband is a 4th year medical student and he didn't have to do anything like that at all!  I think by doing tasks that are sometimes not the most fun, it reinforces the teamwork aspect of being a physician assistant.  Once you are practicing, you will have such a greater appreciation and respect for the CNAs, medical assistants, EMTs and nurses because you have been in that position yourself and you realize how important they are.  I remember working as a CNA and the physician coming to find me to ask if I had noticed any changes in a certain patient because I spent so much more time with the patients than the actual providers.  And that's ok because they have a lot of people to take care of, but it really opened my eyes to just how much better healthcare can be if you approach it as a team effort.

Here are some of the fields that are typically accepted by most programs:

  • EMT or paramedic
  • Registered nurse (RN), BSN, LPN
  • CNA (sometimes called a patient care assistant)
  • Medical assistant
  • Respiratory therapist
  • Dietician
  • Phlebotomist
  • International healthcare based mission trips

Here is a great blog post with examples of what actual students did for healthcare experience before starting PA school.  

What are you doing to get your healthcare experience and how many hours are you applying with?


Books for Medical People

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Better / Complications

If you're looking for some recreational reading with a medical twist, here are some options that I highly recommend.  These are 2 books that I read before starting PA school, and I think anyone interested or involved in the medical field should read these books.  They are written by Dr. Atul Gawande.  Gawande is a surgeon so he can definitely relate, and on top of that, he's an incredibly skilled writer.  Easy to read, and makes you think.  Both Better and Complications address issues facing the medical field and Dr. Gawande's opinion on them.  I don't necessarily agree with all of his opinions, but they have helped me to form my own.

                 

Still Alice / Being Mortal / The House of God

And if you have some extra time on your hands, here are some other books that I'm reading or are on my list!  I'm going to do some more detailed book reviews in the future, but comment below with any books that you recommend!


Gap Year vs Starting PA School Immediately?

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Due to the highly competitive nature of PA school, many of the programs have set requirements for how much healthcare experience they want you to have (along with volunteering and shadowing).  Some of these minimums are in the thousands of hours range (1,000-2,000), which can seem extremely daunting to an undergraduate student or someone changing fields.  Just as a reference, 2,000 hours is basically working full-time for a year.  On top of the seemingly crazy minimums, the actual averages of accepted student's hours is often much higher than the minimums!  This just confirms how competitive the field is, and how much work it takes to get in.

I was at a dinner tonight with PAs in my area and the question came up about whether it was a good idea to take a "gap year" to get experience and hours before applying to PA school, specifically between undergraduate graduation and starting a PA program.  While taking a year off to work does make you a more competitive candidate, I personally think that if you have the minimum requirements, or are close to the minimum amount of hours, it is worth applying to the schools you really want to go to.  Most people wanting to become PAs are very aware that many applicants end up having to apply more than once.  I believe by applying initially, even if you don't get in, if you were to have to reapply it makes you a stronger candidate.  This gives you a chance to show that you have taken the time to improve your qualifications and that you are still interested in the program.

If you are able to start PA school somewhat soon after finishing your prerequisite classes, which in some cases can even be within a week, you will have an advantage of already being in "school mode," which can be difficult to get back into if you've been out for a while.  Coming out of school will help you adjust to the rigorous academic schedule a bit better.  Personally, I was able to graduate in December from my undergrad (Go Dawgs!), and then my PA program started in May.  That gave me a few months to relax without the stress of classes and prepare for PA school.

This is all my own opinion, but what are your thoughts on taking a year off?  I would love to hear whether you agree or disagree!


Shadowing Etiquette

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Shadowing is something that is recommended for most programs, and required by some.  If you are possibly considering PA school, I recommend shadowing at least some to see if it's really what you want to do.  It's easy to read about what a Physician Assistant is and see all of the awesome articles about how it's ranked as one of the best jobs, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's for you.  Shadowing will also help you when it comes to interviewing and answering questions that address what a PA does and how a PA is different than a physician.

So once you've found some places that will let you come spend some time with them, you definitely want to be a good guest!  That will help you to get a good letter of recommendation (LOR), get more hours at that location, or possibly get them to connect you to some colleagues that may be able to help you out.

Don't be afraid to ask questions before you go in!  If you're shadowing in a hospital there may be some clearance stuff with HR that you need to do to even be allowed to be there.  It's perfectly fine to ask general questions, like when and where they want you to report and what you should wear.  (When in doubt, go with business casual.)  It may sound harsh, but a PA is unlikely to wait around for you when they have a schedule of patients to see, so do your best to be where you need to be on time.  As a PA, we know that this is for your good, so don't feel like you have to impress the PA you're shadowing.  You want to make a good impression (for possible future LOR), but we want you to learn and see if this job would be a good fit for you.

Know the basics of HIPAA.  This is basically the healthcare rules that are in place to protect patient's privacy.  It's kind of common sense, but if you've never been in a clinical setting you may not know how serious these are.  Basically all of the patient's personal information and anything you may see is private and you should not talk about it with anyone other than the person you're shadowing or other related healthcare staff.  And if you recognize a patient's name as someone you know, it's perfectly fine for you to say you don't feel comfortable seeing them in a medical setting.  And then make sure not to share the details of that encounter with anyone who may also know the person.  It can be really easy to slip up and go "Oh, I saw so-and-so's dad the other day," or something like that, but the patient may be seen for something that is not public knowledge and it's their right to maintain that privacy.

When you show up to shadow, it's a good idea to bring something to take notes, something to do if there's some downtime, and any questions you may have.  Sometimes there are some slow days (like the one I had yesterday), and it stinks that you may not get to see many patients, but that gives you a great opportunity to ask questions about PA stuff.

When you're seeing patients, feel free to ask your preceptor questions when you've left the room.  This will show that you were paying attention and that you are actually interested in being there.  If there's something you don't understand or didn't catch what the diagnosis was, just ask!  And again, don't feel like you have to impress the PA, obviously you are there to shadow because you want to become a PA, so we want you to learn.

Before you leave, make sure to get some contact info (phone number, e-mail) in case you have any questions or need a letter of recommendation in the future.  Also keep a very good log of your hours including where you shadowed, what specialty you were in, how many hours, and anything cool you saw.  This will come in handy for the CASPA application or other applications.

Last, but not least, whenever you are a PA and students call looking to shadow, don't forget that you were in their shoes at one point trying to find shadowing sites too.

Share any tips you have for shadowing below!

Listen to the accompanying podcast episode now! 

Choosing the Right PA Program

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According to the PAEA Program Directory, there are 217 PA programs (including provisional and probation).  That's a lot of different programs!  While the outcome at the end of a program is the same (you're a PA!), the experience to get there can vary greatly.  This is my list of specific factors to look for and ask questions about when you are trying to decide where to apply.

For more information on choosing a PA program, check out this guest post from one of our coaches, Jourdyn

To make your process easier, check out the Applicant’s Manual of PA Programs for a list of every program, including their mission statement, prerequisites, requirements, accepted stats, contact info, and tons of other information. Get it on Amazon now (affiliate link).

  • Location - This is pretty obvious. You have to decide how important it is for you to be where you want to be. If it's not that important, you can apply more widely. You also need to decide if setting is a factor, such as city vs rural.

  • Length of Program - These are all pretty comparable, but still something to consider. Most programs I've seen are around 25-27 months (6-7 semesters), but there are some programs that are shorter or longer. I don't think this should be the biggest factor in your decision.

  • Private vs Public/Cost - Cost is a huge factor in choosing a program. A public program is usually going to be more affordable than a private program, but this is not the rule. When estimating total cost, you need to take into account tuition, fees, books and supplies, testing, and living expenses. Those numbers can add up quickly! Most people have to take out loans, and that massive number at the end of two years can be a little daunting.

  • Cadaver lab vs models - This is where you have a say in your education. Some schools have cadaver labs, and even these can vary. The difference is that you actually dissect the cadaver versus studying from an already dissected cadaver. And then there's learning from books and models. This may not be a huge factor for your decision, but learning from a cadaver can be very valuable, and I would strongly recommend it if you are at all interested in a surgical field. There's a great advantage to getting to feel the difference in nerves and veins and seeing how the tissues look in real life before you get into an OR.

  • GRE requirements - The majority of programs require the GRE. The minimum requirements are typically just a baseline and this doesn't hold a ton of weight in the decision process, so I would recommend taking it regardless, but there are a few programs that do not have specific requirements.

  • GPA/Science GPA - GPA is a huge factor, and most programs also calculate a separate science GPA. The alternative to GPA is a requirement for minimum grades in coursework, like a "C" minimum. There are some programs that do not have minimum GPA requirements, but these programs still usually have a pretty high average GPA of the students they accept. From the experience I have with admissions, I would say if the school has a specific minimum GPA and you don't have that number then it probably isn't worth it to apply. This is used to weed out applicants quickly, and often if your GPA doesn't meet the minimum you won't make it to the department. **The only exception to this is if it is a school you really want to go to and you have plans on taking classes to raise your GPA and reapply, then go ahead and submit because it will show improvement as a reapplicant.

  • Health Care Experience (HCE) - The amount of direct patient care required varies greatly between programs. Like GPA, some schools have no specific requirement, but can have high averages of the accepted students. Other programs have requirements ranging from hundreds to thousands of hours. What counts as "direct patient care" experience can vary between the programs, so if you have any questions at all it would be worth calling your top programs to ask before investing your time and possibly money. For example, my program accepts hospice volunteering as HCE, while at other programs it's strictly volunteering

  • Shadowing requirements - Pretty much the same as HCE, some schools have no requirements while others have certain hour requirements. Some programs also require you to shadow multiple fields, so definitely worth checking on.

  • Bachelor's degree vs no degree requirement - At this point, the majority of programs do require a Bachelor's degree to be accepted. There are still a few out there that will accept you solely if you have the correct prerequisites.

  • Prerequisites - All programs will have specific classes they require for applying. The can influence what major you decide on if in undergrad and also where you apply. If you have a question about these requirements, definitely get clarification from specific programs. This will prevent you from wasting your time or money on classes you don't need. It can even be subtle things like statistics versus biostatistics. The other big one is organic chemistry. Look for if they specifically require this or just general chemistry courses.

  • Clinical flexibility - Clinical rotations make up a whole year of your program, and it's important to know where you will be. Do they send you wherever they need a student? Can you decide where you want to be for the most part? Are there international options for rotations? The most information on this will come from the program itself or former students. If you are able to do a tour or meet with the department, this would be ideal, but asking at the interview is fine as well. This is especially important for students with spouses/children/family because you don't want to get separated if you don't have to be.

  • PANCE pass rates - This information should be readily available on the program's website or by calling the program. It makes sense that you would want to go somewhere with a good pass rate because that means the students are well prepared for boards.

  • Small group opportunities - What is the teacher to student ratio? Is there any type of small group learning? When learning clinical skills and physical exam, many people do better in a smaller setting, so at least worth asking about.

  • Job opportunities - Does the program help you to find a job when you graduate? It's likely that the faculty may have some resources when it comes to job searching so it's a good thing to ask about. My program sends out e-mails when someone contacts them with a job opportunity and has a job board as well.

  • Amenities - It's important to look into what resources will be available to you while you are in school (that you are paying for of course). Is there a gym to use? Is there food on campus? Is there a good library? Some programs even provide a computer for you to use while in school!

  • Extracurriculars - If it's a large program there may be more extracurricular opportunities available to you. This could include intramurals, religious groups or meetings, clubs, or volunteer opportunities. My program had an awesome student-run health clinic that our whole class participated in and student officers as well.

  • Employment during the program - Although it is strongly discouraged in most programs, there are some places that will allow you to work if you desire for a few hours during the didactic phase. PA school is no joke, so I'm not sure how someone could actually do well working and going to school, but that may be something you want to look for.

Here is a blog post from a PA-S about how he chose what program to attend.  

What are some things you are looking for when you're deciding where to apply?  Or if you're already in a program, why did you choose the one you did?