PA Application / Interview Rollercoaster

[JAmueller]

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Edited September 28, 2020 by JAmueller
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[Janie55]

I’ve not experienced this, but you certainly have an application that schools are interested in getting to know you better.  In general, I’ve heard that once you interview your chances are about equal to all of the other people interviewing for an acceptance. If this is true-then maybe have someone else who doesn’t know you well, nor someone you work with, and do a practice interview with them and get feedback. Maybe they will have a different opinion/some suggestions. Your interview skills could be stellar and it just didn’t go your way with these 3 programs- that happens. Good luck on the next one.

[Fin2PA]

On 8/7/2020 at 5:50 PM, JAmueller said:

First year applying and of the three schools that I've heard back from so far they all offered me an interview. Unfortunately, all three of them rejected me post interview.

The doctor I work with offered to interview me for practice because he's interviewed many medical school applicants before and his honest rating of my general interview skills is an 8/10.

Figured I would post this here to see if anyone could offer any insight into the whole interviewing process since something seems strange to me here. Anyone experience this before?

 

What questions did they ask you?

[StillHopefultobePA]

Stay Positive! Good luck 

[eventuallypac]

What were their class sizes? I feel like sometimes it just boils down to class size and probability... Not to say that alone decreases your chances. Have you read the interview book by Savanna Perry? It was super helpful to me, and the first school I interviewed for I was waitlisted. 

Other things to consider-- were you obviously very nervous in your interviews? 

do you have any nervous ticks or habits that are distracting? 

are your answers too rehearsed maybe? 

I would encourage you to read the book I suggested, or there are some others that are good too! Maybe theyll give you insight to some things you weren't aware of-- I definitely approached the interview far different than I would have if I hadn't read the book.

But good luck, stay positive!! plenty of time for others-- and remember, schools want students who are best fit for their program and school- and just because you may not have had what they were looking for doesn't make you any less of a candidate! ultimately, you will get accepted to the school that sees you best fit, which will only make your experience as a PA student better!! 

[SarahMDiNo]

On 8/7/2020 at 5:50 PM, JAmueller said:

First year applying and of the three schools that I've heard back from so far they all offered me an interview. Unfortunately, all three of them rejected me post interview.

The doctor I work with offered to interview me for practice because he's interviewed many medical school applicants before and his honest rating of my general interview skills is an 8/10.

Figured I would post this here to see if anyone could offer any insight into the whole interviewing process since something seems strange to me here. Anyone experience this before?

 

What schools have begun offering interviews so far? Did you apply early?

[UGoLong]

I've mentioned this before but I thought I'd summarize this again. I've been doing PA program interviews on and off for about 14 years and for two different programs. And interviewing prospective employees for the 40 years before that. The CASPA "package" interviewers have access to is fairly thorough as far as grades, transcripts, your essay, and the letters of recommendation. Most also have a CV (biosketch) and your answers to standardized questions. And, of course, they also have your supplemental application.

Lots of paper but very little humanity, with the very notable exception for the odd, really good letter of recommendation. These people actually know you and can share. I know sometimes you have to ask the only PA you know (and who, unfortunately, barely knows you) but strive to get letters from people who know you well and really want you to succeed. The best one I ever read was from a soccer coach.

When you get selected to interview, it is usually because your preparation was good enough. Your grades, PCE, etc. Your paper was on par with the other people they are talking with. You're good enough on paper so their focus for your interview is getting to know you as a person. To do that, they may have goofy interview formats/activities, ask bizarre questions like what body organ would you want to be and why, or what would you do if your collaborating physician was about to do something dangerous. (The correct answer to the latter does not involve wrestling him to the floor.) These are all designed to see if you can think on your feet (a basic skill in clinical medicine). Can you engage effectively with a stranger (another basic skill)? Are you as good in person as you were on paper? What's it like to be around you? Can you bond with a group of strangers and together form a class? Would you be a problem child in their program? 

With needs like that, you can see that an applicant has to share something of their essence during the interview process. Not give incredibly long, boring, heavily-rehearsed answers to simple questions, but engage the interviewer and come off like a 3-dimensional person. Not perfect, but someone who knows that they've made mistakes and is self-directed enough to respond to them. Not excuses for the "C" in organic chemistry but what they learned from the experience and how it led to a better grade in biochem. Or whatever.

And it's especially hard to be human when you are tied up in knots because you think that this one interview will make or break your whole life. Trust me: it won't. While I didn't believe it when my Mom said it (over and over), surprisingly things usually do work out for the best. And believing that loosens your up to have a better interview. 

Good luck to all of you.

Edited August 15, 2020 by UGoLong

[UGoLong]

Wow, quite the interview experience there. I actually have no Letters from any medical professionals; only letters from people who have known me professionally for years and I know they are rooting hard for me. What if one interviews with the school, gets rejected, and applies again the next year to the same schools with 1 more year of hands on pt care experience, volunteering experiences, and some more PA shadowing? Do programs just think back to that first interview and think that they already gave that person a chance and assume their interview will go the same the second time around? I'm thinking it may be smart to get some serious interview coaching and just turn down the next 10 interviews that I may receive this year in order to not ruin all of these first impressions xD 

 

 

If you get a second bite at the apple, I would concentrate on what you learned from the first try and what you have done in the past year to make yourself a better applicant. I have seen several people do that and get accepted.   

 

 

The schools will know you applied before and likely have notes from the encounter. They won’t remember the details unless you were especially outlandish. With multiple faculty members, you will likely encounter a least some new interviewers.

 

Just trying again or repackaging your story into a better interview performance is probably a less successful strategy.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[UGoLong]

13 minutes ago, JAmueller said:

Thanks for the timely reply and your input. So you'd recommend that I turn down my remaining 10 interview offers for this cycle (so far 3 for 3 in regards to interview offers, but rejected from all) and use the next year to fine tune my PA school interviewing skills through coaching or something? I really would hate to throw away 5 years of app building down the drain simply because my first impression was forgettable due to not being aware of what I was up against...

Also, what constitutes "especially outlandish?"

The "best" can be the enemy of the "good enough."  If you have 10 interview offers at (1) programs you would consider going and (2) places you can afford to visit, then why would you turn them down? On the chance that you might be an even better prospect and an even better interviewee? No: assume you're "good enough." And I wouldn't recommend turning down a chance now to save a year of additional preparation and lost income. If you don't get in, next year is awaiting; just get some input if you get turned down and put it to good use.

By "especially outlandish" interview performances that people will remember, I include the PharmD who told the world that he already knew more than any PA and that the PA program would be a cakewalk for him. No matter how many times he might come back, he just isn't getting in.

Being drunk, having poor hygiene, being antagonistic, being a total know-it-all, etc would fall into what I consider "especially outlandish." If you came across as a little tongue-tied or shy (neither of which are especially unusual), don't sweat it.  If a program thought enough of you to invite you in for an interview, you won your "play-in" game and it's time for the next event. Have some confidence! (Especially if you really have 10 interview offers.) You will learn something from each interview and that will make you better (if necessary) for the next one.

Edited August 17, 2020 by UGoLong

[JAmueller]

4 minutes ago, UGoLong said:

The "best" can be the enemy of the "good enough."  If you have 10 interview offers at (1) programs you would consider going and (2) places you can afford to visit, then why would you turn them down? On the chance that you might be an even better prospect and an even better interviewee? No: assume you're "good enough." And I wouldn't recommend turning down a chance now to save a year of additional preparation and lost income. If you don't get in, next year is awaiting; just get some input if you get turned down and put it to good use.

By "especially outlandish" interview performances that people will remember, I include the PharmD who told the world that he already knew more than any PA and that the PA program would be a cakewalk for him. No matter how many times he might come back, he just isn't getting in.

Being drunk, having poor hygiene, being antagonistic, being a total know-it-all, etc would fall into what I consider "especially outlandish." If you came across as a little tongue-tied or shy (neither of which are especially unusual), don't sweat it.  If a program thought enough of you to invite you in for an interview, you won your "play-in" game and it's time for the next event. Have some confidence! (Especially if you really have 10 interview offers.) You will learn something from each interview and that will make you better (if necessary) for the next one.

Thanks again for a reply. Sounds good, then I'll just use it as practice. And ok I think I'm safe in regards to the "outlandish" stuff haha

[eventuallypac]

If you have 10 more interview offers, I would definitely invest in a mock interview/coach, troubleshoot any issues, and take these interviews head on. Be honest and open minded, and like the above said- remember that you are good enough to get to this point, and you are good enough to get in! Take the last three interviews as lessons to learn from and practice, and go into next ones prepared! You will do great! Best of luck to you and I do not doubt that you would make a well qualified PA student and PA, just believe in that yourself! Knock their socks off! 

[Txbluebonnet]

I completed an interview workshop by Ryanne Coulson. It helped me a lot and I was successful in gaining an acceptance. Not to say this workshop is why I got accepted, but it helped me be more effective and concise in framing my answers to questions like “why PA, tell me about you”, etc. She provides a method to help you to focus on what’s important within your experiences, or the main take aways. It was a method that helped in creating a unique and authentic response, specific to me.

It’s definitely worth looking into.