Ask a PA Admissions Director

[cmw8820]

@paadmissions

 

This thread has been extremely helpful as I prepare my applications for PA school.

 

I have a question regarding weighing the importance of different aspects of the application.

 

I know how important shadowing is to be exposed to the medical field and help fully understand each healthcare professional's role. I have seen numerous posts about the importance of volunteer work as well. I have been blessed in that I have heard back from two PAs in two different settings for shadowing, but I have also been offered a volunteer position at a major cancer institute that I was equally excited about as it will get me out of my comfort zone and expose me to other settings. My predicament is location and time. My job (which obviously takes priority above all), the two PAs, and the cancer institute are all VERY spread out, which means A LOT of driving. I don't mind since I already drive 50 miles one way to work, but once you factor in that the other locations are almost two hours from my job, I'm realizing it may not be practical to fit in everything. That being said, as I make this very difficult decision, which opportunities would you say would help prepare me for PA school more so then the other? Or rather which experience is more valued? I know I may potentially be able to find more PAs to shadow, but it has been extremely difficult thus far, so I'm nervous to lose the opportunity. As far as the volunteer work, I am not sure I will be so lucky to find somewhere else to volunteer. 

[paadmissions]

@bjmcell Congrats on your almost graduation! There is light at the end of the tunnel. I would recommend that you contact the NCCPA to make sure you're answering their questions correctly. They are very good about getting back with people regarding their questions. I would assume that you would put "no" to the question regarding prior PA school convictions...but I'm also unsure of your answer for #2...Direct that one to the NCCPA. Hope this helps some. 

My question is for paadmissions. I am a second year PA student who will graduate in the next few months. I am starting to apply for jobs and also the PANCE. In 2009 I was arrested for a DUI and went through all of the classes and paid all of the fines to avoid having a conviction on my record. That was/is the only time I have had a run in with the law. Since then I had numerous background checks for Jobs and also PA school. None of them have come back with questions or stating that I would not be allowed to work there/go to school there.

While registering to take the PANCE there were 3 background questions I had to fill out. The questions are:

1. During the period between November 17, 2002 and today's date, have you been denied a license, or has any state board or other governmental agency taken any disciplinary action (as described above) against your license to practice as a Physician Assistant or as any other health-care provider?

2. During the period between November 17, 2002 and today's date, have you been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty, nolo contendere, or no contest to, a crime in any jurisdiction (including under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and/or any international jurisdiction) other than a minor traffic offense? Include all misdemeanors and felonies, even if the court withheld adjudication so that you would not have a record of conviction. Any convictions for driving under the influence or while impaired should be reported here. 

3. During the period between November 17, 2002 and today's date, have you been adjudicated as mentally incompetent by a court or other government entity?

 

My question lies with the 2nd question. I do not have a conviction for driving under the influence. Most importantly, before these questions, this was written:

"Have you been the subject of any of the following actions that you have not already reported to NCCPA? ( Do not include any actions that were resolved before your entry into your PA educational program or previously reported to NCCPA.)"

 

Does this mean I do not have to respond with yes? Since it was resolved a few years prior to being accepted to PA school? I am trying to figure this out before submitting my application because I want to be truthful but at the same time I would also like to avoid a investigation into my record if there does not need to be. 

[paadmissions]

@cmw8820 Thank you for your question. I would recommend prioritizing the shadowing experiences first. It sounds like you will be able to spend quality time with the 2 PAs, which is valuable to your understanding, but also allows you the personal attention/relationship to ask questions, etc. Some times medical providers volunteer in their local community, and if you don't know if they do ask. You may be able to tag along, and that volunteer experience may be just as valuable as the cancer center.  If you responsibilities at the cancer center include heavy interaction with PAs and other members of the medical team, you may see if you can volunteer there every two weeks..maybe on the days that you're not scheduled to shadow. I don't know how feasible that would be especially if they are looking for a volunteer who can be available more than on a biweekly basis, for example. I hope this helps!

@paadmissions

 

This thread has been extremely helpful as I prepare my applications for PA school.

 

I have a question regarding weighing the importance of different aspects of the application.

 

I know how important shadowing is to be exposed to the medical field and help fully understand each healthcare professional's role. I have seen numerous posts about the importance of volunteer work as well. I have been blessed in that I have heard back from two PAs in two different settings for shadowing, but I have also been offered a volunteer position at a major cancer institute that I was equally excited about as it will get me out of my comfort zone and expose me to other settings. My predicament is location and time. My job (which obviously takes priority above all), the two PAs, and the cancer institute are all VERY spread out, which means A LOT of driving. I don't mind since I already drive 50 miles one way to work, but once you factor in that the other locations are almost two hours from my job, I'm realizing it may not be practical to fit in everything. That being said, as I make this very difficult decision, which opportunities would you say would help prepare me for PA school more so then the other? Or rather which experience is more valued? I know I may potentially be able to find more PAs to shadow, but it has been extremely difficult thus far, so I'm nervous to lose the opportunity. As far as the volunteer work, I am not sure I will be so lucky to find somewhere else to volunteer. 

[Kim235]

Hello,

I was wondering if for the work/volunteer experiences if it matters if we list our duties in like a resume or have a paragraph describing what we did? Also for the PA shadowing experiences how specific should our description of the experience be? 

Thank you!

[KiB]

Hello,

 

I am in the process of applying to PA school for the third year. The largest obstacle to my admission, as far as I can see, is that as an undergrad (over a decade and a different career ago), my GPA was not good. When I decided I wanted to change careers and become a PA I had to take all science pre-requisites for the first time. This ended up being 57 credit hours worth of biology and chemistry courses. My GPA for that time is 3.87, but unfortunately that combines with my "old" GPA to be around 2.9. My boss is writing a letter of recommendation for me (my others will come from a PA and an NP with whom I work with closely), who knows the story of this and asked if she should address my past academic performance in her letter. I am not sure what to think about this; part of me thinks it could be good, because she would clearly say those grades are not reflective of my intelligence, ability, or drive now. Part of me doesn't want to draw any more attention to it than there already is. I would appreciate your thoughts on this issue!

 

Other info: this year I will have 5500 hours as a CNA, stellar letters of recommendation, and a great GRE score. Further, I am half  done with my master's in health care adminsitration (again, GPA from this is not factored into CASPA, although it is 4.0).

 

Thank you,

 

Kate

[cmw8820]

@paadmissions 

 

As far as the CASPA application goes, is it ever too early to start working on it? I have heard that the application can be very overwhelming, and I was urged to give myself plenty of time. I think the earliest I will actually begin applying to schools is next year (the 2017 cycle) but one of my friends who just got accepted said I would be able to start my application now. However, when I sign in to the CASPA portal, it immediately asks me to select a school and make a payment. I don't want to go through that step if I will have to re-pay when I actually choose to submit my application for the next school year. 

[paadmissions]

@kim235 Thank you for your questions. I personally like to see responsibilities for any position to be noted like you would in a resume. It doesn't have to be bulleted, but concise and detailed and can be in paragraph form. We have some applicants who end up telling a "story"  in their description. That format is not necessary as these sections are to evaluate  your job/volunteer responsibilities. In the shadowing section, I think it's ok to describe it as shadowing the provider throughout his/her routine and maybe make observations of daily procedures you have seen each day (i.e. observed history and physical exams, suturing, xrays, EKGs, etc.). Typical things that you would observe in certain specialties. Hope this helps.

Hello,

I was wondering if for the work/volunteer experiences if it matters if we list our duties in like a resume or have a paragraph describing what we did? Also for the PA shadowing experiences how specific should our description of the experience be? 

Thank you!

[paadmissions]

@KiB Thank you for your questions. Personally, I think someone who is writing a clinical or professional LOR should be able to evaluate the entire applicant, academics to clinical ability. I don't think it would hurt the application to for that person to briefly mention the progress you've made to better prepare yourself for the academic rigors of PA school. If you are applying to the same programs again, make sure you seek feedback to see if there are other improvements that could help your application. Hope this helps! 

Hello,

 

I am in the process of applying to PA school for the third year. The largest obstacle to my admission, as far as I can see, is that as an undergrad (over a decade and a different career ago), my GPA was not good. When I decided I wanted to change careers and become a PA I had to take all science pre-requisites for the first time. This ended up being 57 credit hours worth of biology and chemistry courses. My GPA for that time is 3.87, but unfortunately that combines with my "old" GPA to be around 2.9. My boss is writing a letter of recommendation for me (my others will come from a PA and an NP with whom I work with closely), who knows the story of this and asked if she should address my past academic performance in her letter. I am not sure what to think about this; part of me thinks it could be good, because she would clearly say those grades are not reflective of my intelligence, ability, or drive now. Part of me doesn't want to draw any more attention to it than there already is. I would appreciate your thoughts on this issue!

 

Other info: this year I will have 5500 hours as a CNA, stellar letters of recommendation, and a great GRE score. Further, I am half  done with my master's in health care adminsitration (again, GPA from this is not factored into CASPA, although it is 4.0).

 

Thank you,

 

Kate

[paadmissions]

@cmw8820 Thank you for your question.  I don't think you can start working on creating an account unless you're applying this cycle (click here to read CASPA's FAQ page). If you're applying for 2017 that application will open mid-April of 2016. What you can do in preparation for applying is obtain unofficial copies of all of your transcripts so you'll be able to enter all coursework (this will be where the bulk of your time is spent filling out the application), go ahead with writing and revising your personal statement (character limit is 5,000), compile lists of your healthcare, volunteer and leadership experience (need months/years you worked at a place and descriptions of duties), and start researching schools and their requirements for coursework, test scores, and letters of recommendation. It will take you a while to fill out the application, but having this information already in front of you will help make the process easier and probably faster. Once you submit your application and pay for it next cycle, it will take a month for verification. This means that you'll need to mail official transcripts to CASPA and possibly GRE scores (if the program wants scores to be sent to CASPA) so they can verify the coursework you've listed. Hope this helps!

 

@paadmissions 

 

As far as the CASPA application goes, is it ever too early to start working on it? I have heard that the application can be very overwhelming, and I was urged to give myself plenty of time. I think the earliest I will actually begin applying to schools is next year (the 2017 cycle) but one of my friends who just got accepted said I would be able to start my application now. However, when I sign in to the CASPA portal, it immediately asks me to select a school and make a payment. I don't want to go through that step if I will have to re-pay when I actually choose to submit my application for the next school year. 

[Dabba]

Greetings, how are my chances with a 3.15 science gpa? I failed two courses 10 years ago because I left mid semester. I addressed this in my statement. It hurts because if I dropped them like I should I'd have a 3.5+. I got As when I came back and retook them. Will adcoms see and consider this? I have 6k+ hce hours as a 911 emt for fdny with letters from an ER MD I shadowed, a LT from fdny, a professor/paramedic supervisor, and a former boss. I'm just very worried all the work I've done is still overshadowed by the mistakes I made as an 18 year old. This is my second app. First one my science gpa was just under 3.

 

Thanks for your advice

[Convertable]

Hello!

 

I have a quick question, really.  I dropped out of a rigorous, prestigious professional program (top 5 law) about 10 years ago.  I was in my third year, there, and have my reasons, which I don't want to go into on a public forum, but I'm just curious how this is perceived, and is this going to sink my chances if my stats GPA, HCE, GRE are stellar otherwise.

 

Thank you!

[Afreen246]

Hello,

 

I would like to seek your guidance on a small question. My science gpa is a  bit low and I would like to raise it. I have two options one is to repeat some of courses and the other is to pursue a masters degree. I would like to ask you if you can guide me as to which masters degree would be good? I have been looking into masters in public administration as a possibility. I would love to hear your feedback and comments. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your time and have a great day.

 

Sincerely,

 

Afreen.

[cmw8820]

@paadmissions

 

From your experience/perspective, do adcoms look down on courses being taken at a community college? I tried to complete as much pre-req course work as possible during my undergrad that wasn't already included in my program, but it wasn't until my junior year that I decided PA was the profession I wanted to continue on in. I only have 1-3 courses I need to take still depending on the school, but I just don't think I can swing it financially to pay post bach out of pocket at a university. I haven't seen anything explicitly listed on the websites of my schools of interest regarding community colleges, but that doesn't mean it's not a possibility that it will hurt me. 

[dorah112]

Hello, please I am interested in the PA program and have a Ph.D. in chemistry( GPA 3.54). Can I skip the chemistry courses and go straight for the other prerequisite courses? Looking forward to your response.

[tavenne323]

I am working on my personal statement and have it mostly finished. I am at about 3200 characters. I know that people often explain their poor grades and how they overcame them in their PS. I only had one class (biology) that I got a C- in in 2003. I have recently retaken it for an A. That is the only prerequisite I had to retake due to a poor grade. Is it necessary to explain that? 

 

Also, I did get a couple C's in other non-science classes (business administration classes). Would I need to explain those? They were for a minor to fill in some gaps during my undergrad. 

[micaylalberss]

Hello! I am currently a junior in college planning on applying to PA school. I have good grades and did well on the practice GRE so I do not think those will hold me back. The only thing I am worried about is my HCE. Should I take a year off after I graduate in order to get those hours? 

[sig194]

Hello there - thanks for taking the time to read this.  I have searched this forum and could not find a topic that portrays a situation like mine and I hoped that you could give a little insight.

 

I'm 35 and applying to PA programs for the first time this cycle.  My main concern is my undergrad science gpa which was 2.72 in the late 90s/early 2000s.  Since then I've earned an MBA (3.18 gpa), I've taken (and will be taking Orgo 1) all PA school pre-reqs with mostly As (and a 79 C in Chem) and a 3.56 post-bacc science gpa (other stats below).

 

Are my odds good this cycle assuming great LORs, HCEs, and shadowing experience and with the numbers below?

 

Almost 17 years ago, I saw my future very differently and I hope that will not keep me from being a PA. I hope my last 30 hours prove that I'm a focused and driven adult.  I'm planning to apply to about 27 programs as I really want to make it this cycle.

 

Thanks for your feedback!
 

Cum Undergrad GPA - 3.37
Post Bacc GPA - 3.72
MBA GPA - 3.18
Overall GPA - 3.34

 

Bacc Science - 2.72
Post Bacc Science - 3.56 (most of my last 30 hrs are here - As in Anatomy, Phys, Abnormal Psych, Micro.)
Cum Undergrad/Overall Science - 3.00

Bacc Non Sci - 3.47

Post Bacc Non Sci - 4.00

 

GRE: 155 Verbal & 150 Quant - 4.0 Written

HCE: 2100+ paid CNA hrs
PA Shadow: 52 hrs

[minhvan]

Hi, I'm a foreign medical graduate and now residing in the US. I'd love to continue to work in healthcare field. 

I wonder if my medical doctor degree (from outside of the US) can be counted as a 4-year bachelor degree in the US?

Thank you!

[paadmissions]

@dabba Thank you for your questions and sorry for the delay..I've been out on vacation. I would think the retakes in the classes would be noticed and since the classes were 10 years ago that it would have some type of impact on how the committee perceives the performance. If you've addressed it in your personal statement I think that is a good thing because it leaves little room for assumption. Regardless of the retakes, performance in the prerequisites, the GRE, and clinical experiences will probably all be considered, so make sure those are on par, if not exceeding, requirements for the program. Hope this helps!

Greetings, how are my chances with a 3.15 science gpa? I failed two courses 10 years ago because I left mid semester. I addressed this in my statement. It hurts because if I dropped them like I should I'd have a 3.5+. I got As when I came back and retook them. Will adcoms see and consider this? I have 6k+ hce hours as a 911 emt for fdny with letters from an ER MD I shadowed, a LT from fdny, a professor/paramedic supervisor, and a former boss. I'm just very worried all the work I've done is still overshadowed by the mistakes I made as an 18 year old. This is my second app. First one my science gpa was just under 3.

Thanks for your advice

[paadmissions]

@convertible My apologies for the delay as I was out on vacation. You should address why you withdrew from the law program in your personal statement. I'm always curious as to why students withdraw from professional programs IF they don't offer an explanation. If an applicant does not address the reasons for withdrawal it's very easy to assume the applicant withdrew due to academic struggles. As I mentioned in my previous response, a brief explanation as to why leave little room for assumption. I hope this helps!

Hello!

 

I have a quick question, really.  I dropped out of a rigorous, prestigious professional program (top 5 law) about 10 years ago.  I was in my third year, there, and have my reasons, which I don't want to go into on a public forum, but I'm just curious how this is perceived, and is this going to sink my chances if my stats GPA, HCE, GRE are stellar otherwise.

 

Thank you!

[paadmissions]

@afreen246 Thank you for your questions and my apologies for the delayed response as I was out on vacation. I would encourage you to evaluate which science courses need to be retaken before considering a masters degree and if they are relevant to the prerequisites required for the programs you're applying to. You may want to contact the programs that you're interested in to see if they would recommend retakes in courses rather than an advanced degree as that may save you time and money. However, should you pursue a masters degree I would encourage you to stick with a degree that is heavy in the sciences rather than administration (i.e. Biology, Physiology, Anatomy, etc.). Typically, these degree paths are better preparatory paths for the PA curriculum and tend to contain courses that may count towards prerequisites. Hope this helps.

Hello,

 

I would like to seek your guidance on a small question. My science gpa is a  bit low and I would like to raise it. I have two options one is to repeat some of courses and the other is to pursue a masters degree. I would like to ask you if you can guide me as to which masters degree would be good? I have been looking into masters in public administration as a possibility. I would love to hear your feedback and comments. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your time and have a great day.

 

Sincerely,

 

Afreen.

[paadmissions]

@cmw8820 Thank you for your questions. Our program prefers to see most prerequisites, specifically the upper level Bio and Chemistry requirements (A&P I and II, Micro, Org I and II, Biochemistry), taken at a 4 year institution. We feel that a university preparation is better because 1- you're taking courses at the highest level possible and 2- the course content in most cases tends to be rigorous. However, this belief is not always true for all programs. If it's not listed on the website I would encourage you to contact the programs you're planning to apply to and ask their thoughts. Hope this helps!

@paadmissions

 

From your experience/perspective, do adcoms look down on courses being taken at a community college? I tried to complete as much pre-req course work as possible during my undergrad that wasn't already included in my program, but it wasn't until my junior year that I decided PA was the profession I wanted to continue on in. I only have 1-3 courses I need to take still depending on the school, but I just don't think I can swing it financially to pay post bach out of pocket at a university. I haven't seen anything explicitly listed on the websites of my schools of interest regarding community colleges, but that doesn't mean it's not a possibility that it will hurt me. 

[paadmissions]

@dorah112 Thank you for your question. I hope I'm understanding your question correctly...if you have a PhD in chemistry I would assume that you've taken most chemistry requirements that are required for a lot of programs (i.e. General Chemistry I and II, Organic Chemistry I and/or II, Biochemistry). If this is the case and you've met the requirements for grades (C or better) and other requirements that may be in place for coursework (i.e. taken a regionally accredited US institution), I'm assuming you will be ok to pursue completion of other requirements. It would be best to contact the programs you're interested in to ensure your coursework is acceptable for their requirements. If I have not answered your question please let me know. Hope this helps!

Hello, please I am interested in the PA program and have a Ph.D. in chemistry( GPA 3.54). Can I skip the chemistry courses and go straight for the other prerequisite courses? Looking forward to your response.

[paadmissions]

@tavenne323 Thank you for your questions. If you have retaken that one science course and have done well in all the other science and prerequisite courses I don't think it warrants an explanation in your PS. Typically, I advise students to make reference to academic hiccups in their personal statement if they have a horrific few semesters that show a sharp decline in performance or a slow start to college. Hope this helps! 

 

I am working on my personal statement and have it mostly finished. I am at about 3200 characters. I know that people often explain their poor grades and how they overcame them in their PS. I only had one class (biology) that I got a C- in in 2003. I have recently retaken it for an A. That is the only prerequisite I had to retake due to a poor grade. Is it necessary to explain that? 

 

Also, I did get a couple C's in other non-science classes (business administration classes). Would I need to explain those? They were for a minor to fill in some gaps during my undergrad. 

 

[paadmissions]

@micaylalberss Thank you for your questions. I'm now leaning a lot more towards encouraging applicants to take a gap year or two or three off after graduation. The more health care experience you have will not only enhance your application, but allow you to have a better understanding of a few things:

1- Real life---although I'm not a PA, I think a lot of us at the age of 20 or 21 need a few years of real life slapping you in the face. The real world is very different from the comforts of college life and a few years of working in a professional environment teaches a lot about how to communicate at a different level and teaches you a lot about the expectations of a professional.  Maturity is a big thing we evaluate so having 1 to a few years off never hurts. 

2- Know what you're getting into- A lot of younger applicants see the "flashiness" of and cool things PAs do but never really understand it until they get "in the trenches" and experience it first hand. This includes experiencing the team approach to medicine and the role of the PA.

3- Experience it from the bottom- Like most professions, it's best to work your way up from the bottom. This means taking positions that usually do the grunt work and it helps you appreciate these people and understand where they're coming from when you get into a position as a PA.  

4- Comfort with patients- Students who don't have good hands-on experience prior to PA school take a little longer to find a comfort level working with patients. PA school is a short amount of time and having the ability to relate and communicate with patients prior to entering any program is beneficial. 

Hope this helps!

Hello! I am currently a junior in college planning on applying to PA school. I have good grades and did well on the practice GRE so I do not think those will hold me back. The only thing I am worried about is my HCE. Should I take a year off after I graduate in order to get those hours?