Ask a PA Admissions Director

[ThomasR]

@paaddmissions. I graduated two semesters ago with my Bachelors. Despite taken an enormous amount of upper-division science courses, I continue to enroll in upper-division & miscellaneous courses as a post-bacc student. Will it impact me negatively if I am only taking 8-10 credits per semester as a post-bacc? In this time I am also shadowing and obtaining health care certifications through a vocational school. Thank you for doing this!

[April_Louise]

I'm having a difficult time addressing the question why should we accept you..

 

I'm preparing for an interview right now that I have in a few weeks and there is a large chance this question will be asked. It's difficult b/c there are so many qualified individuals that are working hard and are dedicated to the PA profession. 

 

I want to start out by saying "My commitment, drive, and motivation of becoming a PA.  As a re-applicant I took a great deal of time reflecting on whether this was the right path, my rejection letter served to heighten my resolve.  I found the opportunity to shadow 3 PA's to gain additional understanding of the roles of the profession. I enrolled in grad level pathophysiology/pharmacology so I would have background knowledge before taking these classes in the PA program. I have strived and will continue to strive in preparing myself for a career as a practicing PA.

 

Furthermore, ill bring enlightenment and optimism to the class. I will encourage and facilitate collaborative learning through forming study groups etc. "

 

But, I'm unsure if this is the right approach to this question. I do want to convey my commitment to PA profession and that I do have perseverance and motivation b/c all these qualities will help me during the rigorous academic program   

[QueenEmile]

If you would not mind, could you give me any feedback on your opinion about my chances of getting an interview based off of my statistics and narrative ? Please, thank you so much!

 

23 y/o

B.S.- Exercise Science: 3.6 GPA overall, 3.9 Science

GRE- 306 total

6000+ HCE experience, working as a Medical Assistant in a Family practice office... blood draw, injections, vaccines.. etc (completed while getting my Bachelors degree as a full time student).. working with several MD's, PA's and Np's.

1500+ Volunteer hours

LoR from: Professor, MD, and PA-C

 

Narrarive:

 

I was lucky if I only had to take control of the wheel once, to avoid her swerving off the road. It was as if her mind began to disconnect from her body, but my mom would just glance at me and smile as if each episode were only an accident. At the time, I was just a child being raised in single parent household, tagging along with my mother to an assortment of blue-collar jobs and sitting through many of her college classes. I began to unceasingly catch her bracing herself on walls and waking many mornings to the sound of her coffee mug slipping through her fingers and crashing to the floor. I blinded myself from each incident, but what I was making invisible, would soon become a profound chapter in my future career. 

 

One unforgettable day of my freshmen year, I stepped into my mother's bedroom to the sight of her walking towards me with a cane in her hand. "They think I have Multiple Sclerosis", she said. I can vividly recall that night and the way I endlessly researched about MS. I began to question the world. We were finally at a time without homeless shelters and trips to the food stamp office. The MS scare continued for years but my mother stopped at nothing. Today, at 53 years old, she is completing her doctorate degree and running 26-mile marathons. The ample afflictions that consumed our family over the years and the courage my mother had to beat the suffrage resonates in my compassion for life. The valiant vanquish over her illness and destitution has spiked my admiration for medicine and willed me to succor to others.  

 

I was inspired to excel in my studies, and after weighing out the divergent positions in healthcare, I began the track to PA school. However, my enthusiasm dulled as I was handed the envelope of despair enclosing my first tuition bill. But, I loved that bill. That bill cost a few homeless nights and a growling stomach, but it gave me a gift of determination. I supported myself by working full-time throughout the completion of my degree. After becoming a CNA during my first year of college, I was hired at a physician's office and relentlessly dived into medicine. I worked my way up from a receptionist to a medical assistant where I was taken on as a mentee by the father/son team of primary care physicians at the practice- Dr. Rahim Gul and Dr. Afaq Gul. 

 

The team also employed another MD, two PA-C's, and a NP-C, all of whom I was able to work alongside. As I expressed my interest to them in becoming a PA, they began to notice my talent and encouraged me to do my best as a student and employee. The providers questioned and lectured me about each medical scenario that stepped into the office. I became part of a team, which I love and thrive off of. Our office is comprised of a diverse group consisting of five different languages and cultures. Due to the diversity of our staff, we have patients come in from all over the world, new to the U.S. and turning to us for help. About 80% of the patients at the clinic are insured through Medicaid and have few health care resources available. 

 

Several nights I can recall driving to class from work, with tears welling in my eyes, thinking about how many of our patients migrated to the U. S. with the desire for the American dream but struggling to receive quality healthcare because of language barriers, income, and prejudice. The intrinsic reward I receive from helping these patients was often the perfect push I needed to get through many overwhelming days of work and school. After a full shift and two swollen feet, I often had to propel through long nights of studying for big exams, assignments, or both. It could become overwhelming and may have kept me shy of a 4.0, but I knew it was the best way to achieve my goal of becoming a PA, put food in my stomach, and a roof over my head. Regardless of the late nights at work to finish my actual job duties, my gratitude for the knowledge I was acquiring each day always seemed to mask my yawns and dark circles.

  

The hands-on experience I have gained made it possible for me to grasp the feel of being a PA while working alongside a physician. I was able to encounter the patient-to-provider relationship and learn many aspects of practicing medicine; from the first step into the patient's room, to the last sentence written in the progress note. This exposure has given me endless inspiration and driven me to work toward becoming a PA where I can practice and work with my own team. Being a PA can fulfill my aspiration to treat patients in all medical specialties and consult with providers of all aspects. I am adept at letting my passion for medicine shine while remaining fearless to treat patients without the letters "MD" on my white coat. Despite my toleration of growing up poor with a sick parent, I managed to surmount the privation to complete college, and in return, I was motivated and molded into an educated and dedicated team player, impassioned to treat the underserved as a future PA. 

[ecec890]

@paadmissions,

 

Sorry for the late reply! My prerequisite GPA is about the same as my science GPA. I will be retaking a few classes in order to improve my GPA. Thank you for taking the time to provide me with some advice! 

 

 

@ecec890 Thank you for your question. I would say you're probably average with the applicant pool when it comes to your GPA and have the possibility of being consider further. I would break it down even further to see what your prerequisite GPA is to see if there are any classes you may need to retake to exceed program recommendations even further. In regards to your Micro class, double check with the programs if your clinical micro class will fulfill the requirement. If they don't accept it, I'm almost 100% positive that you may need to retake it because you've scored a C-. I hope this helps!

[paadmissions]

@thomasR Thank you for your question. I think we would prefer to see a full time enrollment status (i.e. 12 hours), but it's not the end of the world since you are obtaining clinical hours at the same time. Post Bacc programs are rigorous and if you're taking difficult classes in that 8-10 semester hours I think you'll be ok. Hope this helps!

@paaddmissions. I graduated two semesters ago with my Bachelors. Despite taken an enormous amount of upper-division science courses, I continue to enroll in upper-division & miscellaneous courses as a post-bacc student. Will it impact me negatively if I am only taking 8-10 credits per semester as a post-bacc? In this time I am also shadowing and obtaining health care certifications through a vocational school. Thank you for doing this!

[paadmissions]

@pete&louise Thank you for your questions. I think you're on the right track with that response. I would probably add that your rejection also forced you to reeevaluate yourself and academic preparation, in addition to heightening your resolve. The post-bacc program has given you a good background but also forced yourself into a rigorous curriculum that also preps you for the PA curriculum, which is equally as important as being knowledgeable. Rather than saying " I will bring XXXX to the class", I would approach it as "I feel I have personality traits that may relax and encourage my classmates..." That may be a little more well-received. Hope this helps!

I'm having a difficult time addressing the question why should we accept you..

 

I'm preparing for an interview right now that I have in a few weeks and there is a large chance this question will be asked. It's difficult b/c there are so many qualified individuals that are working hard and are dedicated to the PA profession. 

 

I want to start out by saying "My commitment, drive, and motivation of becoming a PA.  As a re-applicant I took a great deal of time reflecting on whether this was the right path, my rejection letter served to heighten my resolve.  I found the opportunity to shadow 3 PA's to gain additional understanding of the roles of the profession. I enrolled in grad level pathophysiology/pharmacology so I would have background knowledge before taking these classes in the PA program. I have strived and will continue to strive in preparing myself for a career as a practicing PA.

 

Furthermore, ill bring enlightenment and optimism to the class. I will encourage and facilitate collaborative learning through forming study groups etc. "

 

But, I'm unsure if this is the right approach to this question. I do want to convey my commitment to PA profession and that I do have perseverance and motivation b/c all these qualities will help me during the rigorous academic program   

[paadmissions]

@queenemile Thank you for your question. I would take the gist of your last 4 paragraphs of your personal statement and make it the foundation or bulk of the statement. I would incorporate the mentioning of your mother's illness throughout the these paragraphs and keep it brief as you have in the second paragraph. I advise applicants to avoid being too descriptive or "flowery"  in their "story telling" as, at least from our standpoint, we want to see applicants get to the point. Using their adult experiences in life and in healthcare to explain how they've reached the decision to be a PA and what you've done (academically and clinically) to prepare yourself for the program. You have a solid academic profile with quality experience so you should be able to draw a lot, as you have towards the end, from your experience. Hope this helps! 

 

If you would not mind, could you give me any feedback on your opinion about my chances of getting an interview based off of my statistics and narrative ? Please, thank you so much!

 

23 y/o

B.S.- Exercise Science: 3.6 GPA overall, 3.9 Science

GRE- 306 total

6000+ HCE experience, working as a Medical Assistant in a Family practice office... blood draw, injections, vaccines.. etc (completed while getting my Bachelors degree as a full time student).. working with several MD's, PA's and Np's.

1500+ Volunteer hours

LoR from: Professor, MD, and PA-C

 

Narrarive:

 

I was lucky if I only had to take control of the wheel once, to avoid her swerving off the road. It was as if her mind began to disconnect from her body, but my mom would just glance at me and smile as if each episode were only an accident. At the time, I was just a child being raised in single parent household, tagging along with my mother to an assortment of blue-collar jobs and sitting through many of her college classes. I began to unceasingly catch her bracing herself on walls and waking many mornings to the sound of her coffee mug slipping through her fingers and crashing to the floor. I blinded myself from each incident, but what I was making invisible, would soon become a profound chapter in my future career. 

 

One unforgettable day of my freshmen year, I stepped into my mother's bedroom to the sight of her walking towards me with a cane in her hand. "They think I have Multiple Sclerosis", she said. I can vividly recall that night and the way I endlessly researched about MS. I began to question the world. We were finally at a time without homeless shelters and trips to the food stamp office. The MS scare continued for years but my mother stopped at nothing. Today, at 53 years old, she is completing her doctorate degree and running 26-mile marathons. The ample afflictions that consumed our family over the years and the courage my mother had to beat the suffrage resonates in my compassion for life. The valiant vanquish over her illness and destitution has spiked my admiration for medicine and willed me to succor to others.  

 

I was inspired to excel in my studies, and after weighing out the divergent positions in healthcare, I began the track to PA school. However, my enthusiasm dulled as I was handed the envelope of despair enclosing my first tuition bill. But, I loved that bill. That bill cost a few homeless nights and a growling stomach, but it gave me a gift of determination. I supported myself by working full-time throughout the completion of my degree. After becoming a CNA during my first year of college, I was hired at a physician's office and relentlessly dived into medicine. I worked my way up from a receptionist to a medical assistant where I was taken on as a mentee by the father/son team of primary care physicians at the practice- Dr. Rahim Gul and Dr. Afaq Gul. 

 

The team also employed another MD, two PA-C's, and a NP-C, all of whom I was able to work alongside. As I expressed my interest to them in becoming a PA, they began to notice my talent and encouraged me to do my best as a student and employee. The providers questioned and lectured me about each medical scenario that stepped into the office. I became part of a team, which I love and thrive off of. Our office is comprised of a diverse group consisting of five different languages and cultures. Due to the diversity of our staff, we have patients come in from all over the world, new to the U.S. and turning to us for help. About 80% of the patients at the clinic are insured through Medicaid and have few health care resources available. 

 

Several nights I can recall driving to class from work, with tears welling in my eyes, thinking about how many of our patients migrated to the U. S. with the desire for the American dream but struggling to receive quality healthcare because of language barriers, income, and prejudice. The intrinsic reward I receive from helping these patients was often the perfect push I needed to get through many overwhelming days of work and school. After a full shift and two swollen feet, I often had to propel through long nights of studying for big exams, assignments, or both. It could become overwhelming and may have kept me shy of a 4.0, but I knew it was the best way to achieve my goal of becoming a PA, put food in my stomach, and a roof over my head. Regardless of the late nights at work to finish my actual job duties, my gratitude for the knowledge I was acquiring each day always seemed to mask my yawns and dark circles.

  

The hands-on experience I have gained made it possible for me to grasp the feel of being a PA while working alongside a physician. I was able to encounter the patient-to-provider relationship and learn many aspects of practicing medicine; from the first step into the patient's room, to the last sentence written in the progress note. This exposure has given me endless inspiration and driven me to work toward becoming a PA where I can practice and work with my own team. Being a PA can fulfill my aspiration to treat patients in all medical specialties and consult with providers of all aspects. I am adept at letting my passion for medicine shine while remaining fearless to treat patients without the letters "MD" on my white coat. Despite my toleration of growing up poor with a sick parent, I managed to surmount the privation to complete college, and in return, I was motivated and molded into an educated and dedicated team player, impassioned to treat the underserved as a future PA. 

 

[ThomasR]

@paadmissions Thank you for the reply. I was a little unclear on what I meant by post-bacc. I am not enrolled in a post-bacc program, rather I am taking upper-division science courses as a non-degree seeking student. These are to help increase my GPA and to show an ability to handle more rigorous science courses. My concern is that ad coms may see any enrollment less than full-time as a negative, even though I graduated and during my undergraduate career I was always full time. Thank you again!

 

@paaddmissions. I graduated two semesters ago with my Bachelors. Despite taken an enormous amount of upper-division science courses, I continue to enroll in upper-division & miscellaneous courses as a post-bacc student. Will it impact me negatively if I am only taking 8-10 credits per semester as a post-bacc? In this time I am also shadowing and obtaining health care certifications through a vocational school. Thank you for doing this!

 

 

@thomasR Thank you for your question. I think we would prefer to see a full time enrollment status (i.e. 12 hours), but it's not the end of the world since you are obtaining clinical hours at the same time. Post Bacc programs are rigorous and if you're taking difficult classes in that 8-10 semester hours I think you'll be ok. Hope this helps!

 

[Max PA17]

paadmissions,

 

First off, thank you for providing this incredibly useful forum. I know countless people treasure your advice, myself being one!

 

I am in need of some guidance-

 

 

This is the first cycle I have applied to. Some days I feel much more competitive than others. I just got my first response back yesterday and have been placed on the "waitlist for interview". I am trying to make the best of every situation that I can. That being said, in your experience, how many people do schools traditionally wait list for interviews? Has it ever occurred for your school that someone gets wait-listed, and then is called for an interview? Seems as though the odds going from waitlist to interview to being accepted are not exactly promising. Would it be appropriate to follow up with the program and ask where I am in that line up? They mention that I could be notified on extremely short notice to interview so knowing where I am within that category would be useful information. I try to be patient and only contact schools as necessary, so I thought I would ask to find out whether or not this would be an appropriate thing to do. My hopes are not high in these circumstances but it's not over 'til it's over!

 

Thanks in advance! :)

 

 

(also I apologize if this question has been asked already, I did search beforehand and couldn't find anything!)

[April_Louise]

@pete&louise Thank you for your questions. I think you're on the right track with that response. I would probably add that your rejection also forced you to reeevaluate yourself and academic preparation, in addition to heightening your resolve. The post-bacc program has given you a good background but also forced yourself into a rigorous curriculum that also preps you for the PA curriculum, which is equally as important as being knowledgeable. Rather than saying " I will bring XXXX to the class", I would approach it as "I feel I have personality traits that may relax and encourage my classmates..." That may be a little more well-received. Hope this helps!

Thank you so much for the advice! 

 

OHSU is my top pick so I want to make sure to make the best impression possible. I purchased the book how to ace your PA school interview, I set up a mock interview with the career center where I did my undergraduate degree, I'm taking a class on effective interviewing, and will be doing a mock panel with my friends parents and colleagues that are nurse managers.  I'm trying to utilize ever facet available in hopes to do well in the interview.  

 

Most importantly, I have worked hard for this opportunity.  I had some hurdles along the way, but hopefully the committee will see my dedication and passion even if there are minor fumbles during the interview process. 

 

Do interviews tend to turn into a conversation the flows or from your experience is it usually question and answer format 

[megpvb2]

@paadmissions

 

My CASPA was verified 5/5/14. I follow all the forums for the schools I applied to and its been hard seeing everybody else get interview invites, especially since most of the schools are rolling admissions. I'm not really sure what to think at this point... Will I even get called for an interview? Because I feel like they already reviewed my application since I submitted it so early. When do they flat out deny you, after interviews? 

 

I know it sounds like I'm being completely negative, I'm trying to stay positive but the waiting game is very tough mentally and emotionally!

 

Thank you for any insight, I really appreciate it!!

[jmurph]

Thank you in advance for your time in helping me with this issue.

 

I am a non-traditional student and have a competitive application. This is my first year applying. I have applied to 4 schools and have had interviews at 3 of them. A question that seems to reoccur at all of the interviews is something as follows:

 

"The average PA school student is 27 years old, how do you feel you would fit in?" I am paraphrasing, but it has come up at ALL of my interviews. I have been waitlisted at one school, and I have yet to hear from the other two I interviewed with, I am just concerned with this question in particular and how my age is affecting my application, or more precisely how to make it a positive feature.

 

My answer has been, " I have recently returned to school to complete my prerequisites, as some of them were not in the 10 year requirement. During that time I have been involved in extracurricular activities, as well as, interacted with many students that were younger than me. I have studied with many of them and have made several friends. I am certain that I would acclimate well to the PA school environment with younger students".

 

What are your thoughts on this particular question and my response? Am I missing something? Certainly they must know my age considering they have a copy of my transcripts from my earlier years. Am I overthinking this?

[paadmissions]

@thomasR My apologies, I misread your post and assumed you were enrolled in a post-bacc program. Regardless, if you're taking difficult courses and attempting to take as many as possible while handling your hours, you may improve your chances. Thanks.

@paadmissions Thank you for the reply. I was a little unclear on what I meant by post-bacc. I am not enrolled in a post-bacc program, rather I am taking upper-division science courses as a non-degree seeking student. These are to help increase my GPA and to show an ability to handle more rigorous science courses. My concern is that ad coms may see any enrollment less than full-time as a negative, even though I graduated and during my undergraduate career I was always full time. Thank you again!

[paadmissions]

@MStarlin Thank you for your questions and sorry for the delay. Being waitlisted for an interview is a first for me. I've actually never heard of that, but it makes sense to actually have that in place because some applicants who are scheduled to interview back out at the last minute all the time. If you were to contact the program to ask them your chances of getting an interview, their guess probably is as good as yours-they don't know. It's very difficult to predict the decisions of applicants and I don't think you'd get an answer, unfortunately. I would encourage you to remain patient and optimistic. If you've at least gotten consideration for a possible interview, hopefully that opportunity will present yourself at more than one program, if you've applied to several schools. If this cycle doesn't work out, make sure to seek advice to improve your application (if you need to) and reapply in the future. I hope this helps and best wishes. 

paadmissions,

 

First off, thank you for providing this incredibly useful forum. I know countless people treasure your advice, myself being one!

 

I am in need of some guidance-

 

 

This is the first cycle I have applied to. Some days I feel much more competitive than others. I just got my first response back yesterday and have been placed on the "waitlist for interview". I am trying to make the best of every situation that I can. That being said, in your experience, how many people do schools traditionally wait list for interviews? Has it ever occurred for your school that someone gets wait-listed, and then is called for an interview? Seems as though the odds going from waitlist to interview to being accepted are not exactly promising. Would it be appropriate to follow up with the program and ask where I am in that line up? They mention that I could be notified on extremely short notice to interview so knowing where I am within that category would be useful information. I try to be patient and only contact schools as necessary, so I thought I would ask to find out whether or not this would be an appropriate thing to do. My hopes are not high in these circumstances but it's not over 'til it's over!

 

Thanks in advance! :)

 

 

(also I apologize if this question has been asked already, I did search beforehand and couldn't find anything!)

[paadmissions]

@pete&louise Setting up a mock interview is probably the best thing you can do so well done with that. In regards to your question about the flow of an interview, that really depends on the format of the interview and the applicant. There are some applicants where you have a question and answer type of "atmosphere" because the applicant really does not have an engaging personality. And there's always those applicants who are the exact opposite. Also, the interview may not leave room for conversation due to the format so if that is the case, don't be offended just realize it's a part of the process. However, I do feel if the format does not allow for must conversation, there probably is a point during the day that will allow you to open up. Hope this helps!

Thank you so much for the advice! 

 

OHSU is my top pick so I want to make sure to make the best impression possible. I purchased the book how to ace your PA school interview, I set up a mock interview with the career center where I did my undergraduate degree, I'm taking a class on effective interviewing, and will be doing a mock panel with my friends parents and colleagues that are nurse managers.  I'm trying to utilize ever facet available in hopes to do well in the interview.  

 

Most importantly, I have worked hard for this opportunity.  I had some hurdles along the way, but hopefully the committee will see my dedication and passion even if there are minor fumbles during the interview process. 

 

Do interviews tend to turn into a conversation the flows or from your experience is it usually question and answer format 

[paadmissions]

@megpvb2 Thanks for your question. Unfortunately, every program interviews differently and at different times during the year because of their start dates. It's difficult for me to say that you've missed the chance to interview. Our program, for example, doesn't begin interviews until September and could interview all the way into the next spring--we have a late August start-date so we have the time to spread our interviews out. Some programs have multiple interviews (like us) and some have 2 or 3 interviews that host a large number of applicants. Although we provide this information to applicants when we confirm receipt of their application (it's usually overlooked), I typically don't mind if applicants send a quick email to inquire about when interviews start and how long they will continue. I hope this helps! 

@paadmissions

 

My CASPA was verified 5/5/14. I follow all the forums for the schools I applied to and its been hard seeing everybody else get interview invites, especially since most of the schools are rolling admissions. I'm not really sure what to think at this point... Will I even get called for an interview? Because I feel like they already reviewed my application since I submitted it so early. When do they flat out deny you, after interviews? 

 

I know it sounds like I'm being completely negative, I'm trying to stay positive but the waiting game is very tough mentally and emotionally!

 

Thank you for any insight, I really appreciate it!!

[paadmissions]

@jmurph Thank you for your question. I think your response is a well throughout response and at least to me demonstrates that you've interacted with all ages recently. I don't know how much age would really factor into the decision since technically it's not something that a decision should hinder on. As with everyone, your interactions with others and your responses to other interview questions should be what the committee considers. If the other programs gave you a timeline of when you should hear back and that time has passed or if they didn't share a timeline of when you should hear back, I would gently inquire if a decision had been made to make sure you haven't missed an email or ask when you should expect to hear back. Hope this helps!

Thank you in advance for your time in helping me with this issue.

 

I am a non-traditional student and have a competitive application. This is my first year applying. I have applied to 4 schools and have had interviews at 3 of them. A question that seems to reoccur at all of the interviews is something as follows:

 

"The average PA school student is 27 years old, how do you feel you would fit in?" I am paraphrasing, but it has come up at ALL of my interviews. I have been waitlisted at one school, and I have yet to hear from the other two I interviewed with, I am just concerned with this question in particular and how my age is affecting my application, or more precisely how to make it a positive feature.

 

My answer has been, " I have recently returned to school to complete my prerequisites, as some of them were not in the 10 year requirement. During that time I have been involved in extracurricular activities, as well as, interacted with many students that were younger than me. I have studied with many of them and have made several friends. I am certain that I would acclimate well to the PA school environment with younger students".

 

What are your thoughts on this particular question and my response? Am I missing something? Certainly they must know my age considering they have a copy of my transcripts from my earlier years. Am I overthinking this?

[Max PA17]

@MStarlin Thank you for your questions and sorry for the delay. Being waitlisted for an interview is a first for me. I've actually never heard of that, but it makes sense to actually have that in place because some applicants who are scheduled to interview back out at the last minute all the time. If you were to contact the program to ask them your chances of getting an interview, their guess probably is as good as yours-they don't know. It's very difficult to predict the decisions of applicants and I don't think you'd get an answer, unfortunately. I would encourage you to remain patient and optimistic. If you've at least gotten consideration for a possible interview, hopefully that opportunity will present yourself at more than one program, if you've applied to several schools. If this cycle doesn't work out, make sure to seek advice to improve your application (if you need to) and reapply in the future. I hope this helps and best wishes. 

No apology necessary for the delay, I just appreciate the advice! I was somewhat disappointed that I didn't get an interview because I was hoping that I would at that school, however it is a step up from being rejected and hopefully I will be considered at other schools that I have applied to. Thank you for the response!

[fakhan]

Hi,

 

In my pursuit of fulfilling my HCE requirements I have had several positions as a volunteer medical assistant at various free clinics as well as shadowing PA's and Physicians. But recently I was given the opportunity to work for an Optometrist as an Optometrist Assistant, which would involve conducting preliminary testing on patients before they see the Optometrist as well as front desk tasks such as insurance verification and billing etc., and I was just wondering if you would consider this a generally good direct HCE position or if this would not qualify as direct HCE. 

 

Thank you

[fakhan]

Also I have offers of LOR's from an old (from a class I took over a year ago) anatomy professor of mine as well as my current volunteer director at a free clinic where I volunteer as a medical assistant and I was wondering which one you would think would be better. I also already have a LOR from an old volunteer director at a free clinic I used to volunteer at as a medical assistant over a year ago.

 

Thank you,

[dndandrea]

Quick question... I already submitted my CASPA application and schools have already sent me emails verifying that they have received it. On my application I put Kinesiology as one of my fall 2014 classes. I just decided to switch that to Endocrinology instead since that'll benefit me way more than kinesiology. However, the schools will not know I switched. Is this something I should attempt to bring to their awareness, or will it not make much of a difference anyways? Thanks, I appreciate any advice you can give me!

[mlsiebe]

Does the admissions team look at the resume of your letter of recommendation writers?  I am applying late for next year because I decided late to try PA school then I had to wait for the VA to approve me for the program.  My question is does the individual or their position matter?  My three letters of recommendation are coming from my A&P Professor who:

2002 - B.Sc, Applied Biochemistry, University of Liverpool, UK

2006 - PhD, Biological Sciences (Cell Biology), University of Liverpool, UK

Post-Doctoral Training

2006-2008 – Dept. of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
2008-2013 - Dept. of Pathology, University of Cambridge, UK

Teaching

BIOL 6270 – Cell Metabolism and Human Disease

And he is currently doing research on Parkinson's Disease.

Another is from an MD and he is one of the founding members of a local pathology lab.  He is a very close personal friend and he knows me on a personal and professional level.  Both his daughters were in my wedding, close.

The third is from an MD who works in the ER of a local hospital.  He also knows me personally, he knows my honesty and work ethic because in a past life I owned a spray foam insulation business and I did an insulation upgrade on his home.  Our sons were also on the same baseball team.

So once again does the prominence of the person who writes my letter matter, do they do research on who has endorsed us?

[arosswoods]

I have heard family friend letters are frowned upon

[paadmissions]

@fakhan Thank you for your question and sorry for the delay! Our program counts that experience, but double check with the the programs you're applying to see if they also count them. I think it's good experience and the fact that you've worked with PAs and physicians makes your application more rounded in my opinion. Hope this helps!

Hi,

 

In my pursuit of fulfilling my HCE requirements I have had several positions as a volunteer medical assistant at various free clinics as well as shadowing PA's and Physicians. But recently I was given the opportunity to work for an Optometrist as an Optometrist Assistant, which would involve conducting preliminary testing on patients before they see the Optometrist as well as front desk tasks such as insurance verification and billing etc., and I was just wondering if you would consider this a generally good direct HCE position or if this would not qualify as direct HCE. 

 

Thank you

[paadmissions]

@fakhan That will depend on how many letters are required for the programs you're applying to and out of those letters who the programs want to see writing those letters. For example, we like to see 1 academic reference and 2 clinical references. I think all 3 of the individuals you've mentioned would be ok, but it depends on the programs. If you've spent quality time with a PA I would encourage you to also have them write a letter on your behalf. Thanks!

Also I have offers of LOR's from an old (from a class I took over a year ago) anatomy professor of mine as well as my current volunteer director at a free clinic where I volunteer as a medical assistant and I was wondering which one you would think would be better. I also already have a LOR from an old volunteer director at a free clinic I used to volunteer at as a medical assistant over a year ago.

 

Thank you,