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@d3t3rm1n3d: It's encouraging to hear life has taken a turn for the better and that PA school is now a definite option for your future. Although we realize there can be a lot of exposure to the profession through life experiences, it would be best to count actual shadowing experiences and hands on experience for HCE. I do understand from a patient's perspective how the roles can be viewed, but I think this experience will be viewed more from that standpoint than actual shadowing or hands on. I would encourage you to continue shadowing and sometimes you may be able to be trained on the job to perform medical assisting duties. I hope this is helpful and wish you all the best!

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@whimzical: 1. A lot of schools will focus on the last 30-60 hours of someone's coursework. However, it does not mean we would discount your overall performance, but we would obviously like to see improvement. As mentioned in my initial thread we also will consider other factors like our specific program prerequisite GPA, GRE scores, HCE, personal statement and letters of recommendation. All of these factors come into a decision on whether or not a program deems you competitive.

 

2. GRE questions are difficult to answer because some programs put a lot of emphasis and some do not. It would be best to contact the programs that interest you to see how much weight it carries. Our program, for example, weighs the GRE and prerequisite GPA the heaviest as they have proven to be the best predictors of success in the program and on the PANCE. I would encourage you to retake the GRE, if you haven't already, as most programs do not discount applicants if they've taken it more than once. In your situation with a lower overall GPA it would be beneficial for your application if you had a competitive GRE score.

 

3. If you apply via CASPA we can read your personal statement as a part of your application. About 95% of the time we read the entire application for everyone. It gives the applicant a fair chance of us getting to know you outside of your academics.

 

Hope this helps!

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@whimzical: 1. A lot of schools will focus on the last 30-60 hours of someone's coursework. However, it does not mean we would discount your overall performance, but we would obviously like to see improvement. As mentioned in my initial thread we also will consider other factors like our specific program prerequisite GPA, GRE scores, HCE, personal statement and letters of recommendation. All of these factors come into a decision on whether or not a program deems you competitive.

 

2. GRE questions are difficult to answer because some programs put a lot of emphasis and some do not. It would be best to contact the programs that interest you to see how much weight it carries. Our program, for example, weighs the GRE and prerequisite GPA the heaviest as they have proven to be the best predictors of success in the program and on the PANCE. I would encourage you to retake the GRE, if you haven't already, as most programs do not discount applicants if they've taken it more than once. In your situation with a lower overall GPA it would be beneficial for your application if you had a competitive GRE score.

 

3. If you apply via CASPA we can read your personal statement as a part of your application. About 95% of the time we read the entire application for everyone. It gives the applicant a fair chance of us getting to know you outside of your academics.

 

Hope this helps!

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@bp120/80: The group session can vary depending on what program you're applying to. Many programs, including ours, gives the group (of typically 4 applicants-maybe more depending on the program) an ethical scenario that you work to discuss, work through or present (this discussion/presentation, etc depends on the specific scenario). Group sessions are used to evaluate how you work in a team setting and to weed out those people with personalities that could be destructive to the overall class and ultimately the profession.

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@bp120/80: The group session can vary depending on what program you're applying to. Many programs, including ours, gives the group (of typically 4 applicants-maybe more depending on the program) an ethical scenario that you work to discuss, work through or present (this discussion/presentation, etc depends on the specific scenario). Group sessions are used to evaluate how you work in a team setting and to weed out those people with personalities that could be destructive to the overall class and ultimately the profession.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi paadmissions,

 

Thanks for fielding some questions.

 

I am curious if members of PA admission committees ever think anything along the lines of "this person belongs in medical school". If yes, at what point in the process does this usually surface (I would guess the interview)? What is it that produces this thought?

 

Thanks!

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@sharktank Our committee has had those thoughts before during an interview. My thoughts about why a committee would come to that conclusion is probably because the applicant may not communicate clearly that he/she can accept the role of a PA; meaning PAs work under the supervision of a physician and the applicant has demonstrated they would not be comfortable being the "end-all-say-all." It's important for PAs to recognize their boundaries and note where they may need to consult with their supervising physician and not be bothered or too arrogant to ask the physician. I think shadowing PAs and MDs are the best way to decipher which profession is best for you. I hope this helps..respond if it's unclear! Thanks and best wishes!

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Hi paadmissions,

 

Thanks for fielding some questions.

 

I am curious if members of PA admission committees ever think anything along the lines of "this person belongs in medical school". If yes, at what point in the process does this usually surface (I would guess the interview)? What is it that produces this thought?Thanks!

 

I had committee members blatantly say.. "Looking at your application, it looks as though you may be applying to Med School as well". I kinda laughed inside my head. There was nothing about my application that would give evidence to wanting to apply to med school. With that said.. the program is only 3 years old, and the minimum gpa/hce/gre is quite a bit below the usual standards... not that that's a bad thing.. they are new, they are trying to attract more candidates. With my GPA bordering a 4.0 and HCE that was probably well above average in comparison to the candidates (seemed very young.. even at my ripe age of 25), the feeling I got from them is that they thought my past education was geared towards going to med school.

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Quick question: how do most schools feel about retaking undergrad classes? I had a really rough sophomore year and had to retake calculus 1&2, cellular bio, and organic chemistry. My GPA has improved exponentially, and I'm currently a practicing CNA, but I'm extremely concerned that the number of classes I've had to retake are going to reflect poorly when I apply to PA schools in a couple years. Will the fact that I've retaken multiple classes be something that holds me back?

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@discogenic We have interviewed several chiropractors before and we currently have one in our didactic year. I would recommend that you make sure your GPA is strong not only in your undergrad work, but also your doctoral program. Some applicants assume just because they have completed a doctoral program they are an automatic "shoe in" for the program, but you must demonstrate success at that level as the PA curriculum is just as rigorous and demanding. Also, although you probably have some interactions with PAs, making sure that you've shadowed PAs to demonstrate to the committee that you've branched out beyond your current profession to gain a better understanding may be helpful. Personality evaluations tend to be the main focus when it comes to interviewing applicants from other professions. You bring a great deal of experience to the table, but it's important to allow yourself to be "retrained" on a different level and approach medicine from a PA stand point. I hope this helps and best wishes!

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@pafitz21: We have several applicants who retake courses to improve their GPA. Keep in mind it is very difficult to increase an overall GPA, but many schools do look at your last 30-60 hours to see how you've improved. We see some applicants who had a horrible undergraduate career when they were in their teens and early 20s. Many of them have taken time to mature and work in the healthcare field as a CNA or EMT/Paramedic, for example, and have gone back to retake prerequisite coursework and work on their medical core and science GPA. At least from our standpoint, the maturation and refocus of an applicant is something we like to see.

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@discogenic We have interviewed several chiropractors before and we currently have one in our didactic year. I would recommend that you make sure your GPA is strong not only in your undergrad work, but also your doctoral program. Some applicants assume just because they have completed a doctoral program they are an automatic "shoe in" for the program, but you must demonstrate success at that level as the PA curriculum is just as rigorous and demanding. Also, although you probably have some interactions with PAs, making sure that you've shadowed PAs to demonstrate to the committee that you've branched out beyond your current profession to gain a better understanding may be helpful. Personality evaluations tend to be the main focus when it comes to interviewing applicants from other professions. You bring a great deal of experience to the table, but it's important to allow yourself to be "retrained" on a different level and approach medicine from a PA stand point. I hope this helps and best wishes!

 

Excellent advice!! Thanks. The programs I'm applying to all appear to be ultra-competitive from an admissions standpoint; no "shoe ins", for sure. And as far as willingness to retrain, that is my whole motivation, so I'm ready to go!

 

Thanks again.

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First, I want to say thank you for answering all of the posts. They have been very helpful, and I really appreciate the feedback!

 

Now onto a few questions I have... my undergrad was in biomedical sciences, and I now work as an NA at a local hospital. I applied last cycle, with only about 200 hours HCE and quite late in the cycle (probably my biggest mistake I know). I was waitlisted at a few schools, but no interviews. My GPA overall is shy of a 3.5 and science is just shy of 3.4. I had my personal statement reviewed by someone who sits on a PA admissions board and she suggested a few minor changes. So as for those aspects I feel like I am on par with what schools are looking for, if I'm correct?

 

As for references I was confident in the two I had from undergrad, but my third (one from a PA) I was not too sure of. Since then, I have been working as an NA for a year now though and was excited to be getting some great experience and improve my HCE. While being there for the past year and hoping to have my supervisor as my third reference I was a little concerned about asking her. I am not impressed with her at all in general, in addition she does not spend time on the unit typically, other than a few minutes at the beginning of each day. So I feel she really is unaware of my performance, attitude, etc. Therefore I was hesitant, but none the less thought she was really my best option. A fellow NA, also applying to PA school happened to beat me to the punch and asked her for a reference. She was told that it is "against hospital policy" for her to provide references. My co-worker and I were both stunned at this, as one of the main reasons we took the position was to gain HCE for school, and hopefully a reference. With that being said, I called HR and they were dumbfounded as well. They told me there is no such policy at the hospital. Now I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place....big time! I can ask her, and have her say yes.... maybe she just wanted to get out of writing one for my co-worker? Maybe she really thinks she can't write a reference and I can tell her what HR said... but if she's using it as an excuse, well then I'm not counting on it being well written. And to begin with, I don't feel as though she will write something that will correctly represent the employee and person that I really am, so should I even ask her at all? I am incredibly frustrated with the sitaution. I spoke with the nurse that trains all of the NAs, she has been very resourceful during my time there. She said she would be happy to write me a reference but it would be more of a personal one since she really doesn't work with me, only trained me for the first month.

 

My next question, yes, I appologize that there is more... what should I look at changing overall for my re-application? I have been working on re-writing my PS, should I keep the same two references I was confident in and have them write new letters? Or get three completely new ones?

 

And lastly, I was aiming toward a deadline of the end of July (Since I really didn't start hearing from most schools from the last cycle until Spring). Is that too late again? Would I be better off just focusing on being ready first thing in April and take yet another year off?

 

Thank you for bearing with me, as I realize now I rambled quite a bit... but I greatly appreciate any constructive feedback you have for me!!

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@biomed219: Excellent questions. In regards to your letters of recommendation (LORs) I would consider finding a nurse or another medical coworker who may outrank you, and with whom you work with on a regular basis to write that final LOR. My opinion is that it is good to see a supervisor write a letter, but if you're not interacting with that person and they can't confidently comment on your work ethic and potential as a PA it's not worth wasting their time and yours. If you have a lot of interaction with a PA who you've shadowed or worked with I would have them write a letter as well. If you're not confident in what the PA will write consider just a nurse you work with. In my opinion, a lot of applicants stress too much about LORs so find that one person in the clinical setting who can recommend you in a positive way. I'm not 100% sure that all programs are like this, but from our standpoint LORs are important, but are not going to outweigh GPAs, GRE scores and HCE (unless, of course, someone writes a bad LOR [which rarely happens]).

 

As far as your reapplication status, I think just applying early is the best thing to do to improve your chances for an interview. It seems as if you're on par with GPAs (there is no mention of GRE scores so I'm assuming you're competitive from that standpoint, if GRE scores are applicable to the programs that you're applying to), PS, and HCE. To be honest, there were MANY competitive applicants who we had to turn down for an interview because of the number of people who applied. If you're able to get your application in even earlier than the end of July I would recommend you do that. If the programs you're applying to use CASPA, once you submit your app it takes 4-6 weeks for verification, which delays your application even more. As a reapplicant through CASPA, they save your old information so resubmitting through them should be a fairly easy and quick process.

I hope this is helpful and if you need further guidance let me know!

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Hi paadmissions,

First, Thanks for taking your precious time answering our questions. I'm sure we're all appreciated. I have some questions regarding PA.

 

1. I"ve been a Medical technologist for 6 years (lab). Wouldn't that considered as HCE ??? If that's not the case, I'd need to get another job as a phlebotomist or volunteer.

 

2. I'm also an Asian-American. At this day and age, I'd think it's not a factor. Unfortunately for me, I still do have an accent and english is my 2nd language. My question is: with the competitive level of the program, Do you consider these as major disadvantages???

 

3. I'm in the process of retaking every preq. (I have a B.S in biology). to show my dedication and relearn the basic foundation while working full time. Would you recommend that or just retaking the courses that"s b or below???

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@ktj5195 thanks for you questions.

1. For our program the medical tech hours would count, but I would encourage you to shadow a PA to show that you're taking extra steps to expose yourself to the profession. Be sure to check with the programs you're applying to to make sure you are meeting the requirements for those programs.

2. I don't consider you having an accent or english being your 2nd language being a problem IF you have demonstrated that you are successful in the classroom. This means that communication skills and performance are important and I would recommend your professors and employers make note of your understanding of the language and your communication skills in your letters of recommendation. Your grades should also help reflect your understanding of the language. We have several students in your situation and they have demonstrated success in the classroom, which is reflected in their application, and interview process. They are currently doing fine in the program.

3. And, yes, I agree with retaking prerequisite requirements that you may have scored a C or less. Hopefully, it can only help you to show improvement but again, double check with the programs that interest you.

 

Hope this helps :)

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My question is (I am midway as far as pre reqs and a BS goes, got lots of HCE as an EMT though) I shadowed a PA about a year ago for 3 months and would love to get a LOR but I'm about 2 years out from applying to any program. What's the protocol for this? I think I did ok but definetly not all the memorable after 3 years.

I for sure want to find another PA to shadow but I really had an amazing experience with this one.

 

Thanks

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@kayla2013 It's exciting to hear that you had a great experience with the PA you shadowed a while ago. I would recommend reaching out to that PA now to see if they would be willing to write a letter for you when you are ready to apply to PA school. Obviously, give him/her a timeline of when they will need to write that letter. If the program you're applying to uses CASPA, you'll need to let them know they will be encouraged to upload their LOR electronically when you finish your application (they should be prompted by an email from CASPA because you have to put down their email address). I would also recommend you spend as much time as you can with the next PA you shadow,as your time with them maybe as exciting, if not better. I hope this helps and good luck!

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Hello,

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions.

 

How does your program view an applicant that has attended another Physician Assistant program but had to withdraw from that program? In other words, would your program accept a transfer student?

 

How diverse is your program?

 

What is the attrition rate of your program?

 

Lastly, what type of teaching methods are utilized at your program? Is it lecture based, self directed learning, or problem based learning?

 

Thank you again for your time:)

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@marissapa Thank you for your questions.

Withdrawing: As long as you withdrew from a previous program and was not dismissed due to academics or for disciplinary reasons you would be eligible to apply to our program through normal channels. Unfortunately, we do not accept transfer credits (a.k.a. advanced placement) into the program based on your work from another PA school. I think, but not 100% sure, most programs would require you to complete all curricular components if accepted. My #1 advice to you is make sure you are honest with all programs you're applying to to make sure they are aware of your reasons for withdrawing and make sure you note that you were previously enrolled in another PA program on your CASPA application. Being up front and honest with programs should be a priority.

 

In regards to our diversity in our program, our minority percentage has increased from 10% to 28% for our incoming class. Increasing our diversity based on ethnicity is a goal we try to improve upon each year. However, diversity can also mean different ages and different economically and educational backgrounds, which we have a good mix of that criteria in our program.

 

Attrition: We have only had 6 out of 176 students since 2007 leave the program (early on we average maybe 2 per year, but most recently 1 a year). The majority of these students have withdrawn for personal reasons and a very few of them were dismissed due to academics.

 

Teaching styles: Our program is lecture based.

 

Hope this helps!

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Ok I have another question (thanks a lot for the previous response!): narratives, I already pretty much have a general theme I want to go with, but was curious what exactly are adcoms looking for? I know it's important not to be cliche or come off as Mother Teresa but what are you guys looking for?

Thanks again

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@kayla Great question. I'm speaking for our program, but I would imagine many other programs probably think along the same lines. We want to know why you want to enter the PA profession and if you understand the role of the PA. Some statements we don't like to read in personal statements are things like:

1- "Ever since I was five I played with my dad's dr's kit...or I read my mom's anatomy book and it all fascinated me.."

2- "I just want to help people"(keep in mind 500 other applicants want to do the same thing)

3- "PAs don't work as hard as physicians..."

4-"Physicians don't spend as much time with their patients..."

 

Although many of these statements above could possibly be true in some instances, they are cliche or "Mother Teresa" sounding. Remember some admissions committees, such as ours, have physicians as a part of their faculty. You definitely don't want to offend or stereotype every physician in to a category as not being compassionate....remember, there may be PAs who could be the same way.

 

I get the question all the time about "what does it mean to understand the role of the PA?" Hopefully through your research about the profession (I recommend starting with the AAPA), you've learned there is a need in our country for primary care providers...many programs have a primary care focus. Look at how PAs will help alleviate the need for providers and the critical role mid-level providers will play in our healthcare system reform. Primary care providers are critical to helping control and educate patients about obesity, diabetes, hypertension, etc. Controlling these type of diseases on the front end and educating patients takes the strain off our healthcare system in the long run (healthier people and less financial strain).

 

If you're shadowing a PA, it's also important to ask well-thought out and relevant questions about their relationship with their supervising physician and other members of their health team. For example, a question like "what if you disagree with your supervising physician on a treatment plan...how do you approach him/her and do you work collaboratively through the issue?" Questions or topics such as theses hopefully will help you get an idea of the role of a PA and it will help you form your own opinion of the importance of the profession--hopefully allowing you to form your personal statement.

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one more question from me since you brought up the topic of disagreeing with the physician about a treatment plan. I was asked in an interview that question and had not really thought about it so I choked. Since then I have talked to several Pas and NPs about what they would do. Basically I would say that I would be treating my patient with the standard of care for whatever illness or injury they had and if the physician disagreed, then I would have that widely accepted standard of care to back me up. Another PA pointed out to me that while that was a good answer, in reality you want to keep your job so you will most likely go with what the physician says. Can you give some advice as to what the admissions committee is looking for when asking this kind of question?

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