FixIt Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I had one interview and I thought some parts went very well, and others I wasn't sure about. The program I applied to was very professional and everything was very standardized. I really think their interview process was very fair, and they did not give any feedback (not even nonverbal) that made me think that I either nailed the interview or totally biffed it. But I was comfortable in my clothes and just tried to remind myself that as long as I tried to be a calm, honest, active listener, things would go fine and the rest was out of my hands. The BEST thing I did was STOPPED comparing myself to other applicants. It really did put my mind at ease to think of it as MY interview and not a competition. You're not all interviewing for ONE spot, so there's no use in being over competitive during the interview process. Your credentials got you there, so just do your research on their program, faculty and staff, and be prepared for the interview format. One of the best things you can do is have someone interview you about anything before your actual PA school interview. Getting comfortable in a straightforward Q&A session is important. There was a casual reception the night before my interview, so I wore a sleeveless dark purple dress (very high neck and it went down to my knees so it was still conservative and not too hot) with dark gray sweater tights and some conservative black heels (think 3" or less of a heel with a closed toe). One girl wore platform stilleto heels with long dress pants but looked very uncomfortable walking in them. I also wore a pair of simple pearl earings but no other jewelry. I'd say either do small earings or a simple necklace and only 2 rings at most. During my interview I wore a gray suit from Express (watch for the sales!) with a dark purple top under it and the same shoes and earings I wore to the reception. I ended up getting accepted :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happytiffany Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Hi. Thank you so much for all the suggestions! I have been glued to this site since a friend told me about it. I've been invited to interview at Stanford and would like to know if anyone has interviewed there and can offer suggestions. Usually interviews are not too big a deal for me, but I am so nervous about this one. My letter said that the interview would be 90 minutes but did not mention a tour or reception or anything. Should I ask them about it? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmr4869 Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Best post I've read. Thanks and good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnpa14 Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I was just accepted into 3 our of 4 of the schools I interviewed at and here's a couple things I think are essential: 1. Set yourself apart! There are possibly hundreds of interviewees, so you need to stand out. Give the interviewers a reason to remember you. For instance, when I was asked about my healthcare experiences, I casually mentioned that I worked at a spay/neuter clinic and neutered my own cat. We had a pretty good laugh about it - especially after I told them that my cat's name was Monkey. At a different interview, I was asked to mention a fun fact about myself. Don't say something lame like "I can recite the alphabet backwards". I told the admissions committee that I was blind in one eye and we had a huge discussion about my eye and my amblyopia. They loved it. 2. Use a little humor/humility. If you like to joke, don't hold back. BE YOURSELF! The admissions committee wants to pick someone who is going to get along with the other students they pick. From my experience, they like someone with an easy going and fun personality - but someone that is still professional. That doesn't mean you should put on a comedy show ... just make the conversation light at different points (if there is an opportunity. Don't fake it.) 3. Weeks or days before the interview, practice. Whenever I drove, I asked myself a question out loud and answered it. It REALLY helped. Trust me. 4. Months before the interview, make it a point to talk to random people. Even if it is your grocer or your grandma's friend's nephew - just strike up a conversation. It will help you talk more smoothly to the admissions committee, who we know have varying personalities. Good luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LESH Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Months before the interview, make it a point to talk to random people. Even if it is your grocer or your grandma's friend's nephew - just strike up a conversation. It will help you talk more smoothly to the admissions committee, who we know have varying personalities.Good luck! Really spot on post! I really liked the personality comment. So true, so true lol. Congrats verworn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantics Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Hi all! I just received two interview invites and I'm so excited! Though I can't say I don't have a fair share of nerves, I'm confident in my ability to stay calm and be personable. However, the one thing that daunts on me is the simple question "Why do you want to be a PA?" I never heard of or even knew what a PA was until half way through college (where I was pre-med). Literally two weeks after researching the profession, I decided that was the better route for me and started taking classes to fulfill the pre-reqs. I don't know if I should include that in my answer since it might seem like I'm indecisive or something or just focus on my love for science, helping people and the emphasis on patient care. Thanks for any insight! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantics Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Hi all! I just received two interview invites and I'm so excited! Though I can't say I don't have a fair share of nerves, I'm confident in my ability to stay calm and be personable. However, the one thing that daunts on me is the simple question "Why do you want to be a PA?" I never heard of or even knew what a PA was until half way through college (where I was pre-med). Literally two weeks after researching the profession, I decided that was the better route for me and started taking classes to fulfill the pre-reqs. I don't know if I should include that in my answer since it might seem like I'm indecisive or something or just focus on my love for science, helping people and the emphasis on patient care. Thanks for any insight! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockahsanus Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 i have an interview coming up soon for york college of ny can anyone on here help me with the questions. i really want to get in to the program thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockahsanus Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 i have an interview coming up soon for york college of ny can anyone on here help me with the questions. i really want to get in to the program thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IdahoPA Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Hi all! I just received two interview invites and I'm so excited! Though I can't say I don't have a fair share of nerves, I'm confident in my ability to stay calm and be personable. However, the one thing that daunts on me is the simple question "Why do you want to be a PA?" I never heard of or even knew what a PA was until half way through college (where I was pre-med). Literally two weeks after researching the profession, I decided that was the better route for me and started taking classes to fulfill the pre-reqs. I don't know if I should include that in my answer since it might seem like I'm indecisive or something or just focus on my love for science, helping people and the emphasis on patient care. Thanks for any insight! :) You had to address this very question in your PS. Perhaps you should go back and read it to remind yourself what you thought then. No one else can tell you why you chose to go the PA route. Congrats on your invites and I hope the interviews go well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IdahoPA Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Hi all! I just received two interview invites and I'm so excited! Though I can't say I don't have a fair share of nerves, I'm confident in my ability to stay calm and be personable. However, the one thing that daunts on me is the simple question "Why do you want to be a PA?" I never heard of or even knew what a PA was until half way through college (where I was pre-med). Literally two weeks after researching the profession, I decided that was the better route for me and started taking classes to fulfill the pre-reqs. I don't know if I should include that in my answer since it might seem like I'm indecisive or something or just focus on my love for science, helping people and the emphasis on patient care. Thanks for any insight! :) You had to address this very question in your PS. Perhaps you should go back and read it to remind yourself what you thought then. No one else can tell you why you chose to go the PA route. Congrats on your invites and I hope the interviews go well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mktalon Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Hi all! I just received two interview invites and I'm so excited! Though I can't say I don't have a fair share of nerves, I'm confident in my ability to stay calm and be personable. However, the one thing that daunts on me is the simple question "Why do you want to be a PA?" I never heard of or even knew what a PA was until half way through college (where I was pre-med). Literally two weeks after researching the profession, I decided that was the better route for me and started taking classes to fulfill the pre-reqs. I don't know if I should include that in my answer since it might seem like I'm indecisive or something or just focus on my love for science, helping people and the emphasis on patient care. Thanks for any insight! :) Do you have any paid health care experience? Sometimes our reasons are fairly abstract and difficult to nail down. However, with actual HCE, you can draw off of real experiences that gave you joy or fulfillment to help bring those abstract reasons into more concrete ideas. "Helping people" is abstract, assisting in running a code to save someone's life is concrete. The later is a representation of the former and communicates with much more potency why one might want to be a PA. But if you really have no idea why you want to be a PA than I would suggest you take some time off to think about it and gain some more experience so you don't end up spending a lot of time and money pursuing a course that isn't a good fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mktalon Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Hi all! I just received two interview invites and I'm so excited! Though I can't say I don't have a fair share of nerves, I'm confident in my ability to stay calm and be personable. However, the one thing that daunts on me is the simple question "Why do you want to be a PA?" I never heard of or even knew what a PA was until half way through college (where I was pre-med). Literally two weeks after researching the profession, I decided that was the better route for me and started taking classes to fulfill the pre-reqs. I don't know if I should include that in my answer since it might seem like I'm indecisive or something or just focus on my love for science, helping people and the emphasis on patient care. Thanks for any insight! :) Do you have any paid health care experience? Sometimes our reasons are fairly abstract and difficult to nail down. However, with actual HCE, you can draw off of real experiences that gave you joy or fulfillment to help bring those abstract reasons into more concrete ideas. "Helping people" is abstract, assisting in running a code to save someone's life is concrete. The later is a representation of the former and communicates with much more potency why one might want to be a PA. But if you really have no idea why you want to be a PA than I would suggest you take some time off to think about it and gain some more experience so you don't end up spending a lot of time and money pursuing a course that isn't a good fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpawmedic PA-C Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Mantics...I agree with mktalon! You need to sit down and have a serious conversation with yourself as to why you want to do PA instead of the MD route! Ask yourself why you thought this route would be better. Is it the time you put into the education? Maybe sit down with a friend or family member who knows what your plan has been and try to explain to them the reasons why you are choosing the PA road. If you honestly cannot explain to yourself why you want to be a PA, you may very well struggle making it through the selection process. Granted, I've only had one interview but if I wasn't able to tell the ad-coms why I wanted to become a PA, I don't think I would have been accepted. I don't think many of us would have been accepted. Just my opinion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpawmedic PA-C Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Mantics...I agree with mktalon! You need to sit down and have a serious conversation with yourself as to why you want to do PA instead of the MD route! Ask yourself why you thought this route would be better. Is it the time you put into the education? Maybe sit down with a friend or family member who knows what your plan has been and try to explain to them the reasons why you are choosing the PA road. If you honestly cannot explain to yourself why you want to be a PA, you may very well struggle making it through the selection process. Granted, I've only had one interview but if I wasn't able to tell the ad-coms why I wanted to become a PA, I don't think I would have been accepted. I don't think many of us would have been accepted. Just my opinion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgurly87 Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I have a very outgoing personality and have no problem speaking up and saying what's on my mind, but for some reason in a group setting of people I don't know aprtiicularly well, I get very intimidated by the people around me. I become very shy and quiet, which may cause problems in the group interviews. Does anyone have any good advice on how to approach the interview without getting so intimidated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgurly87 Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I have a very outgoing personality and have no problem speaking up and saying what's on my mind, but for some reason in a group setting of people I don't know aprtiicularly well, I get very intimidated by the people around me. I become very shy and quiet, which may cause problems in the group interviews. Does anyone have any good advice on how to approach the interview without getting so intimidated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpsman2PA Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I have a very outgoing personality and have no problem speaking up and saying what's on my mind, but for some reason in a group setting of people I don't know aprtiicularly well, I get very intimidated by the people around me. I become very shy and quiet, which may cause problems in the group interviews. Does anyone have any good advice on how to approach the interview without getting so intimidated? Stay engaged in the conversations through body language and eye contact. When its other peoples turn to speak, let them do so and acknowledge them accordingly. Much can be said, without being spoken. Introduce yourself to people and get acquainted with them before you jump into the interviews. This may help take some of the edge off, and you'll realize that you're not the only one who's intimidated. And simply, just relax and be yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpsman2PA Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I have a very outgoing personality and have no problem speaking up and saying what's on my mind, but for some reason in a group setting of people I don't know aprtiicularly well, I get very intimidated by the people around me. I become very shy and quiet, which may cause problems in the group interviews. Does anyone have any good advice on how to approach the interview without getting so intimidated? Stay engaged in the conversations through body language and eye contact. When its other peoples turn to speak, let them do so and acknowledge them accordingly. Much can be said, without being spoken. Introduce yourself to people and get acquainted with them before you jump into the interviews. This may help take some of the edge off, and you'll realize that you're not the only one who's intimidated. And simply, just relax and be yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pafguy77 Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 With any interview, remember to be confident, relaxed and show your personality. A firm handshake with a smile always proves to work to your advantage. Several years ago I managed a health and fitness company and had to conduct a number of interviews for various employment positions. I looked for sincerity, confidence, personality, enthusiasm and especially good communication. They can all benefit your job interview. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jene Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Would you consider wearing black (shiny) leather Dansko clogs to an interview unprofessional? I have other dress shoes but keep hearing talk of wearing something comfortable... Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kagildersleeve Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I don't think clogs are approrpriate...if you don't have any other dress shoes that are comfortable, go out and grab some!!! There are definitely good options out there, just aim for a lower heel and try those dr scholls inserts if you are still having problems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syeeta Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I would suggest wearing dress shoes, not clogs. I wore a pair a kitten heels (low heeled shoes) to address the comfortability issue. Flats would also be acceptable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GujjuPA Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Hi guys, I have my very first interview on Sept 13th and I've been going over questions that I'll most likely get asked. When asked "why do you want to be a PA?" is it ok to say that I really would like to be in a position where I can transition between field. I currently work in mental health counseling and as a surgical neurophysiology tech and so I have expereince working in two different specialties (not on a PA level). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sakas13 Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Can anyone share some insight into what the group interview looks like? I really don't know what to expect for that. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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