Ask a PA Admissions Director

[waitingblessing]

Hi PA director are you still available for questions?

[Eahtaz]

I was wondering how important HCE descriptions are for positions such as paramedic or EMT. Beyond saying that it was for a 9-1-1 service or transport, is it important to put in things like performed intubations, 12-lead EKG analysis, etc?

 

Thank you very much!

[paadmissions]

@catchyname Thank you for your questions. I think your plan to take a few years to gain HCE is a great plan. I would encourage you now to calculate your prerequisite GPA for those programs you're planning to apply to. If you're not within the average range of what these programs are looking for you may need to spend some time going back to retake courses to help boost your GPA. Don't focus on minimum requirements, try to exceed them. If you have the time and money I would encourage you to also seek upper level courses in biology like: genetics, cell physiology, medical microbiology, etc to show your potential in upper level courses that may be outside prerequisites. I hope this helps!

[paadmissions]

@zoopeda Thank you for your questions. From my experience I'm unsure of any program that would accept those hours, but it would be on a program by program basis. Be sure to research acceptable hours for your programs. If you don't see it listed as acceptable or unacceptable just call or email the program. I hope this helps!

[paadmissions]

@jl9285 Thank you for your questions and sorry for the delay. I couldn't access the website yesterday for some reason!! I do think there may be some value in the PA writing a letter on your behalf. 25 + hours to me, is quality time for shadowing. I would ask the PA who you shadowed for 25 hours if s/he feels like they can write you a good letter. There's no harm in asking this question. If they don't feel that you've spent enough time with them, it would be best to consider your other option. I don't think a chiropractor is the best option, but it is within a medical setting and they are your employer. There is value to that. I hope this helps!

[paadmissions]

@waitingblessing I'm open for questions! Sorry for the delay, I couldn't access the website yesterday for some reason! Fire away....

[paadmissions]

@eahtaz Thank you for your questions. I think it's obvious to committee members what an EMT and/or paramedic do. However, I would encourage you list out the things you've performed. There's no harm in providing too much obvious information. One of the easiest ways I've seen people write this out (and I actually prefer to see it this way) is to bullet the skills they perform in that position. It's succinct and to the point. No need to add fluff to it. Hope this helps!

[Miss]

How does schools look at. Multiple W's on your transcript from years ago?

[Comoes]

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer questions here. I'm struggling with my essay right now and would like to know what might make mine stand out in the crowd. There is no major life event that defines me at this point, just the desire to be a PA. I have a solid GPA (but not extraordinary ), a 320 on my GRE, over 300 hours volunteering (hospice and community work), and experience shadowing physicians and PAs. I will also have a year of HCE (working in an orthopedic practice) under my belt this fall. Additionally, I'm an All-American athlete who captained three teams in high school and college.

 

Originally I began writing about an injury that led me to the practice where I'm currently working, but isn't this a common theme in essays? My other option was to focus on leadership positions I've held and the lessons I've learned as a result. But these were with athletic teams rather than in a clinical setting. Other than that, I've just always wanted to work in health care and have worked toward that goal. In this case, would an essay that is more story oriented (e.g. the injury) or more values oriented (leadership roles) get my foot in the door?

[sarahb]

I have been a volunteer physical therapy aide for the past 3 years doing aquatic physical therapy with kids with special needs. Because of this experience, a few physical therapy offices want me to apply to become a physical therapy aide full-time for the next few years before PA school. My current dilemma is whether or not PA schools with get the wrong impression from me; will they think I am too PT oriented? Should I look for a different job, such as a medical assistant or EMT? I don't want PA schools to think that I have too much PT experience and that that is the route I should be taking. I'm also struggling with a personal statement because of this; I feel like every story I want to tell has to do with physical therapy and the kids with disabilities that I work with. Any suggestions on how I can make it clear that PA is the route I want to take? Thank you!

[themickk]

Hi paadmissions!

 

How much weight do admission officers put on GRE scores? For example, will it offset a lower GPA?

Thanks!

[PatriLR]

Hi paadmissions,

 

I'm currently working on my BS in Dietetics and Nutrition and Minor in Biology (graduating Spring 2014) and also have 2000+ hours of HCE. I worked with a primary care physician for almost 7 years, until I decided to go to college full time. My grades so far for pre-reqs are:

 

Bio 1+lab B,C

Bio 2+lab B,A

Gen. Chm 1 D,B (I retook it)

Gen. Chm 2 C

Microbio+lab B,A

Stats B

A&P1+lab A,A

A&P2+lab A,A

Physiology (upper division) B-

 

I'm planning on taking Genetics, Nutrition and Biochem, and Medical Terminology before I graduate next Spring. I'm worried about my chemistry grades because they have not been the strongest. Do you think I should retake chm 2 (got a C) or should I spend my time taking more upper level classes such as General Microbiology? My science GPA is around a 3.4 once all of my other courses from Dietetics and Nutrition are averaged in and overall GPA is 3.5. I've been taking ~17 credits per semester for the past two years. I know my GPA is not the highest when compared with other applicant's but I'm also a wife, mom of a 3 yo, and have worked through all of my college education. In your perspective, would I be considered a competitive applicant? Any recommendations?

[amontie21]

I am looking to apply to PA schools this cycle and I was hoping for some insight. I graduated 1 year ago with a BS in Bio. I have a 2.9 GPA, I had a 3.2 until my senior year. During my senior year my father passed away suddenly and it was a while before I was back on my feet and able to put 100% back in my school work again. That semester my grades suffered and it brought my overall gpa down. On the other hand, I have been a medical assistant for 6 years and I have over 10,000 hours of pt care experience. My gre was average (40 percentile). I also have three strong recommendations from physicians that I work closely with. I was wondering if I would still have a chance in being accepted with a low GPA given my circumstances. Any advise would be helpful! Thanks

[paadmissions]

@Michelles Thank you for your questions and sorry for the delay! From our standpoint, I would look at how long ago these Ws were received..i.e. was it over 10 years ago and have you completely changed as a student in the most recent years to prove you're a more dedicated student? I think if the answer to that question is yes, then I think applicants in that situation may have a better chance of being considered further if your GPAs and other selection factors are exceeding the minimum requirements. If you received the Ws recently (within the last 4 years) I think there may be significant work you need to do to overcome the Ws and prove your potential to be be successful in PA school. I would recommend emailing unofficial transcripts to the programs that interest you to see if they can give you feedback on whether or not you would be a competitive applicant. Hope this helps!

[paadmissions]

@comoes Thank you for your questions. I encourage applicants to hit on the following topics in their personal statement:

- An insightful and analytical interpretation of the role of the PA within the medical team

- The importance of PAs in primary care and in the overall health care system

- How your leadership positions in athletics would help you with adapting to PA school and being in a medical setting (understanding when to be a leader and also knowing how to recognize your boundaries, take a step back and take direction...how "coachable" are you?).

- Through your past health care experience what attracted you to the profession

 

Yes, it is common for us to have athletes who have suffered injuries to write a lot about how being a patient sparked a desire to be a provider....you are correct in that it's not something that will help your personal statement standout in my opinion. I think the qualities you have as a leader and demonstrating that you understand the profession (writing something deeper than the definition of a PA) is something we would prefer to see. I hope this helps and best wishes!

[paadmissions]

@sarahb Thank you for your questions. A lot of programs accept PTA hours for HCE so it's not a bad thing to pursue the offer. I would, however, encourage you to seek shadowing opportunities outside of working as a PTA. If you enjoy your work as a PTA I would encourage you to continue working in that position, but demonstrate that you've been seeking ways to expose yourself to PAs. Before you accept the opportunity make sure the programs that interest you accept PTA hours. I hope this helps!

[paadmissions]

@themickk Thank you for your question. Some programs put a lot of weight on GRE scores and some do not. Our program weighs the prerequisite GPA and GRE scores the heaviest out of all the academic selection factors. I emphasize to applicants that GRE scores may not always be your "saving grace" if you have not proven success in the classroom. In my opinion you need to balance out your application and show that you're not just a good test taker. I hope this helps!

[paadmissions]

@patilr Thank you for your questions. From our standpoint, we tend to focus a lot on how applicants perform in the chemistries. Chemistry tends to be some of our more difficult requirements and is a good predictor of how students handle our curriculum. I would encourage you to retake it if you have time. You may also want to consider taking Org I (and possibly Org II) if you have the time in addition to the upper level Biology courses you've mentioned. To me, going above and beyond requirements (if the program does not require Organic Chemistry) is beneficial. Hope this helps!

[paadmissions]

@amontie21 Thank you for your questions. First, research the averages for the programs you're applying to to make sure your GPA and GRE would be within the range the program accepts on a yearly basis. You may even consider contacting the programs to see if they'll do an "unofficial evaluation" of your chances to be competitive with the applicant pool. I think your patient care hours are a huge plus to your application and most programs would be sympathetic to your situation during your senior year. Keep in mind, although programs would be understanding of a decline in academic performance because of your father's passing, you still must demonstrate success in the classroom. If you're not competitive for this cycle take a look at the prerequisites that are required and consider retaking some of them if you were not as successful at the first attempt due to your father's passing. Should you go back to retake courses and wait to apply in the next cycle, I would encourage you to mention his passing briefly in your personal statement so it offers insight into why your grades declined during that time. Without mentioning that, it allows programs to assume a lot of things. I hope this helps!

[tiafox]

Thank you paadmissions for all your help, you have already answered many questions for me. I would like to ask your advice on helping to clarify the difference between a Physical Therapy Aide/Tech and a Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA). I am running into some difficulties where PA program admissions do not know the difference and therefore not counting my hours as direct patient care. As a PTA I went through 2 years (6 semesters), received a degree then sit for a National Physical Therapy Board Exam to become licensed. For the last five years I have independently treated patients with various orthopedic and neurological conditions in various settings. PTAs are providers. A Tech/Aide can be anyone who is on-the-job trained and used as an extra set of hands in various physical therapy settings, they are not providers. Although I am very proud of being a PTA I do not want to offend anyone by telling them there is a difference (a huge difference). My long-term goal has always to become a PA. Thank you for any advice that you can offer.

[paadmissions]

@tiafox Thank you for your questions. I'm actually very surprised some of the programs aren't recognizing that a PTA is different than a tech/aide. I think it is appropriate when you're contacting programs to see if your hours count to provide not only a job description of your duties, but to start off by saying you are licensed, where you received your license and who may accredit those type of programs. In my opinion, that provides a professional approach up front and avoids having to correct people. If that still doesn't work tread lightly on how you respond. I personally would not be offended if you approached it the right way by asking if you could further clarify your position versus the aid/tech position. However, I can't speak on behalf of other programs. I hope this helps!

[jwpfeiff]

Hello and thank you for your advice,

 

I've gone through all 54 pages of Q&A here and found it to be such a great help. My question is regarding my competitiveness as an applicant in the future, assuming I decide to embark on a post-bac quest for PA glory :)

 

I come from a family of doctors and was encouraged to do something "different", so I put all of myself into leadership positions, extracurricular organizations, athletics, and the like. The career I planned to pursue (commercial real estate arbitrarily) specifically said several times they couldn't care less about GPA, if you had the "right stuff" in terms of internships, leadership, experience, interview skills, you're golden. Well I took their advice, naively and unfortunately, and graduated with an abysmal 2.83, and still landed a job with the world's largest firm (over 1,000 applicants only 20 selected). I ended up walking out a month later because I realized just how empty and swindling that career would be. I felt stuck without any "hard" skills, so in a terrible economy I decided to leap and start a company. Fast forward two years and my company is booming, over 500k in revenue generated, and things are growing faster than I ever expected. And yet, I still feel that emptiness.

 

It wasn't until on a recent business trip, when an elderly woman named Rosemary found her way into the seat next to me, that I realized I've muffed it all along. Rosemary was incredibly sweet, and we hit it off immediately, but she soon found herself in tears due to discomfort. I worked for the next few hours talking with her trying to help to make her more comfortable, offering her various things to help her through the flight and her fear of flying. This is the true me. It's how I was raised and who I am, and most importantly it's what gives me genuine joy. I find myself in these situations on a daily basis, but never considered the possibility of turning that trait into a career. So now I'm considering a major course correction, and ask humbly your opinion of my chances given the following hypothetical situation based on my stats and assuming I receive all As (I'm very determined) in post-bac sciences.

 

Undergrad cGPA: 2.83

33 total science credits per prerequisite courses listed:

new cGPA: 3.16

post-bac: 4.0

sGPA: 4.0

 

63 total science credits per prerequisite courses listed and additional sciences for emphasis:

new cGPA: 3.28

post-bac: 4.0

sGPA: 4.0

 

GRE: 310

PA, NP, DO Shadow Hours: 200

EMT-B Hours: 1,000

 

Volunteer Hours: well over 10,000 with student business organizations helping teens gain tools to be successful as professionals

Public Speaking: don't know if this would be relevant, but as a keynote speaker/workshop creator I've spoken in front of over 25,000 people (all paid).

Athletics: 3 year starter and two year captain of collegiate soccer team, brief stint with semi-professional team my senior year.

Leadership: Delta Sigma Pi VP Professionalism, Pledge President, Social Chair. Collegiate DECA (marketing organization) President and Founder. AZ DECA Leadership Specialist (developed training materials and trained the 8 brightest student leaders in AZ).

 

 

So given the stats above, do you think I would make it to the interview stage for a program? Also, do you think I'd have a shot in the 33 credit scenario, or should I amass 63 credit hours of post-bac before trying? I'm willing to apply to as many schools as it takes, and location is not a factor. I'm confident that if I make it to an interview, my personal skills and passion will shine through, and I'll receive a seat...getting there is the part that scares me!

 

Thank you so much for your invaluable help and guidance!

[JoeM]

Hello and thanks again for everything that you do! I've posted before and have some updated questions about my current circumstances. I have a 4.0 overall and science gpa, about 40 hrs of shadowing of an orthopedic and cardiology pa (more to come hopefully), and approx. 350 hours interning at an acute care rehab hospital performing duties of/working with rehab aides. I took blood pressures, pulse ox, monitored conditions of patients, helped patients through therapy exercises, etc. Since then I've started worked at a residential assisted living facility operating under the supervision of a RN. I take blood pressures, blood sugar readings, assist with eating, bathing, toileting, etc with residents. I'll have a over 500 hours when i submit my application. My question is do you think my HCE is acceptable; I'm going to contact my programs and ask but just wanted your opinion. Also do you feel that I am a competitive applicant for programs that don't require HCE hours? I feel that my HCE is pretty good since I spend all of my time working directly with patients. I know my gpa is very competitive and i have plenty of volunteer experiences as well as excellent reference letters, the only thing that has me worried is my HCE :(. any input is appreciated as always!!!!

[Swarley]

Hi PA Admissions,

 

I thought I remember reading that there is a comments section in CASPA. Is that still the case? I currently do not see such a section, and wonder if it is offered before submission.

[RandomD]

What is your opinion about an applicant submitting additional application materials that are not specified by the program? For example, submitting a CV directly to the program after the program has received the supplemental or full application from CASPA? I feel like a CV would help the committee get an overall picture of an applicant, but not many programs request a CV. In this situation, it is difficult to know if submitting a CV would be considered proactive, or just annoying. Thanks!