Reapplying/advice

[LindsayGartman]

Hello.  For the 2017-2018 application cycle I applied to 14 programs,  11 of which are in CA and the rest out of state as I am CA born and raised and hope to stay here.  Of those schools I received 3 interviews and 1 waitlist. I was recently informed of these final decisions and truthfully I thought that I would be accepted to at least one program so I have not done much to improve my application for this next cycle.

Previously: 

HCE 2000 hrs as a medical scribe for a Stanford affiliated OBGYN clinic and medical assistant for a neurology clinic in the Bay Area. GPA 3.49 from University of California Berkeley (I did receive a C in my Bio Laboratory class).  PA shadowing 44 hours, GRE 152 Verbal (56%) 153 Quantitative (51%) , 4.5 Analytical writing (82%). LOR from a PA, MD, and professor.  I have done a lot volunteer work ie. 2 medical missions to Panama and the Philippines. EC activities - member of 2 medical clubs on UC Berkeley's campus.  My research experience is limited- I studied GI parasites from collecting stool specimen in Panama.  Of note I also have my EMT certification.  

Reapplication:

I have added 1600 HCE as a medical scribe in OBGYN for a total of 3600 HCE now. I plan to re certify as an EMT and start working as one in order to get more direct patient contact hours. I plan to get more volunteer hours hopefully at Planned Parenthood and possibly go on another medical mission.  My new general chemistry II grade has boosted my overall and science GPA.  

1. Do I need to get new LOR?  I felt my three from a PA, MD and professor we're very strong so I can have them just re submit?

2. Do you have any recommendations on which schools to apply to that focus more holistically rather than on GPA? I want to increase my chances and apply to more out of state schools but want to make sure I'm choosing the right programs.

3. Do I need to write a completely new personal statement?  I think my first personal statement told a great story intertwining two obstetrics experiences I had in Panama and here in my current practice. 

4. Any other recommendations to improve my application for next cycle?  

 

[Sensa23]

My first thought is that you're getting interview invitations, so adcoms are definitely seeing you as a great candidate. My best recommendation is to try and polish your interview skills. I know this sounds mundane, but there are a ton of resources available that can really up your game. Many universities provide mock interviews at student career centers (Medical MMI & Traditional), and some even send you the video recordings to critique non-verbal communication to boot. Of course, there are also lots of pay-to-play PA interview practice options online, including several books written exclusively on the subject. Also, when did you submit your applications? Earlier the better for maximizing your interview chances, and I would personally shoot for May-Early June for the upcoming cycle.

To address your other points:

1. This can obviously be tricky. If you felt like they were strong, then you can have them resubmit. In your shoes I would try writing a cover letter further detailing your fit and aspirations for PA occupation outside of your PS (assuming that was already provided to your LOR writers), along with a summary of how the cycle ended and what you're doing to stay competitive. If written artfully, it can benefit you in this way: (1) a more precise written framework of personal skills/traits/experiences that you believe adcoms would love to see incorporated in LORs, (2) shows how committed you are to the profession and (3) taken together, can politely encourage your writer's to review and strengthen the LORs they have previously written. In my opinion, I think this is a great way to potentially make your LORs 'pop'--both personally and professionally--without explicitly asking them to re-write if you don't want to go down that road.

2. I would love to help with this, but as a stranger on the internet I am clueless as to your personal and professional goals, etc. Don't stress too much about holistic vs. GPA, you are in a good place. I was a second-year applicant myself with similar GPA, GRE, volunteer, research, EMT-B cert, etc. and did just fine. Love yourself and what you bring to the table, and it will eventually shine through.

3. Some people choose to rewrite their PS, but others just make small changes. I've seen success in both avenues for second-year re-applicants, so I would say if you plan on re-applying to many of the same schools at least make some minor changes. Find a way to integrate that it's your second cycle and what you've done to improve on your application; it doesn't need to be anything longer than a few sentences. In my case, I made similar changes and came to my writing center appointment with a list of questions that my PS should answer (e.g. Why PA? Is he prepared to enter medicine? Do I want to meet him? How has he improved?) and had the reviewer rate how well they were achieved. Although, I believe I was lucky that my school had a strong reputation for creative writing and received some extraordinary help.

Note: I do believe it is a good idea to diversify your PCE. I'm from the Midwest and although I had gotten my EMT-B cert, the market was incredibly saturated and nearly impossible to land a job in my college town without a years worth of experience prior, or volunteering at the Fire Station. I'm not sure if the area of Cali you're from is any different, but definitely have a backup plan. There are other PCE jobs that pay better in the interim, regardless if EMT is the better PCE. I personally did CNA in an acute care university teaching hospital and couldn't have been more pleased with that decision.

[UGoLong]

You are getting interviews but not acceptances. Focus on interview performance.


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[PA2O18]

Maybe get a LOR from the employer your HCE is at? Focus on your interview because with your currents stats and the more you add on, you should get more interviews. 

[ajames]

I don't think you need to take another medical mission trip to stand out. Focus more on your local services such as the planned parenthood volunteer work and make sure you are meeting all the requirements for the programs you applied to. Also, try applying earlier because I think a lot of schools in Cali are rolling admission. 

My LORs provided a copy for me which was really nice and then I was able to catch anything odd. 

For the PS, I would definitely look it over and have others look it over. Maybe you think its great, but it could be missing some essential details. You can PM me it if you would like. 

I can recommend applying to AZ schools if you want to branch out too such as AT Still and MWU-Glendale. But you have a lot of options in Cali and I really hope you are able to gain acceptance to your home school this cycle. 

Always prepare for any interviews you receive because those interviews are essential to get to know you as a person and make sure you're a good fit for their program. They are already interested in your paper application but want to know how you interact with others, think on your toes, and fit with them.