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How should I characterize this experience in CASPA?


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Hello, everyone! 

I hope everyone's CASPA process is going well so far! I just have a couple questions.

1) I worked/volunteered in a molecular neuroscience lab for about 3 years as a undergraduate research assistant. I'm not sure if I should characterize the status "part-time" or "per diem". This is because there were weeks I could go in everyday for 6-8 hours to help with research, and other weeks we didn't really have to go in at all or went in for just a few hours a week. I'm sure others who have done research in a lab understand this, as it depends on the experiments you are doing each week. What would be the best way to characterize this? 

2) How should I accurately depict the number of hours I have at work and other experiences? I work PRN as an EMT at a urgent care. However, there are some weeks I worked 4 times (shifts are 8 hours or 10 hours) and other weeks I only worked once or twice (so about 16-20 hours). There are also times I don't work for a week or two, but generally, I work every week. How should I accurately depict the number of hours I have in the calculations since there is no SET hours I work every week? It differs. 

3) As a freshman at my university, you had to take NATS (freshman seminar course for those in the Natural Science and Mathematics program) and UNIV 1010 (freshman seminar course required for all students). Under what subject should I characterize these 2 courses? There is no option for freshman seminar or anything of that nature. 

Thank you so much for any help! I appreciate it. 

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Hi, 

I can offer help for #2. I am in a similar situation as well. I'd recommend calculating the total number of hours you have worked at the facility and then divide that by how long you have worked. (Ie. If i worked 500 hours over 50 weeks, I would say I worked an average of 5 hrs/ week. The CASPA states what is the "average" number of hours a week that you work and several podcasts I have listened to have suggested this... apparently lots of other PA students have this question as well.. 

Also, I had required freshman courses at my university (called "First Year Experience) I am not confident either, but I saw there was an option for "Orientation" which I saw fit. 

Hope this helps, and good luck! 

Brooke 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

For #1 and #2, place it as "per diem" because part-time is usually 12-24 hours a week, and it's consistent. They will know you worked a lot when you input the total hours. For #3, I had a similar issue. I spoke with CASPA customer service and they told me to put the closest topic to it. I put it under "counseling" and they said that was fine

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