The ultimate guide to the PA profession – Navigate every aspect from certifying bodies like NCCPA and PAEA to data on applicants, programs, rotations, certification, salary, and the growth of PAs. Learn critical stats on PA schools, the PA job market, and new developments shaping the role of physician associates globally.
About Stephen Pasquini PA-C
Who Gets Into PA School in 2023? Here’s What You Need to Know
Leslie Mean is a 25-year-old single white female who presents to the PA school admissions committee on her second attempt to get into PA school. She has a 3.6 overall GPA and a 3.5 science GPA. She is holding a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, had an SAT score of 1,200, and a GRE score […]
Crafting the Perfect Letter of Recommendation for Your PA School Applicants
The Importance of Prioritizing Character Over Credentials As a preceptor and mentor for PA school applicants, I am frequently asked to write CASPA letters of recommendation. For years, when writing letters of recommendation, I had a specific process that I followed. First and foremost, I only agree to write letters for individuals whom I know […]
What is a PA? How to Nail This Not-So-Easy Interview Question
“Can you tell me what a PA is?” This is a simple question with a complex answer – It is one of the most common questions posed during a PA school interview. We will teach you how to navigate this question by deep-diving into the essence of a PA and offering guidance on how to answer this question in a personally meaningful and authentic way during an interview.
Will AI Phase Out Physician Assistants? Not on My Watch!
Will PAs Survive the Upcoming AI Revolution? As a seasoned PA, I’ve seen many changes sweep across the medical field. Advancements in technology, shifts in healthcare policy, and evolving patient expectations have continuously reshaped our profession. But there’s a new buzzword on the block: Artificial Intelligence (AI). Like an overzealous cloud, the question that hovers […]
The Ultimate June Checklist for PA School Applicant Success
In June, PA school applicants can focus on finalizing their applications, preparing for interviews, and networking with PAs. This checklist outlines the most important tasks to complete in June for a successful PA school application.
Why Our Program? How to Answer This Common Supplemental Essay and Interview Question
Why our program? As you begin your PA school application process, one of the most common supplemental essay and interview questions you may encounter is, “Why our program?” This is an opportunity for you to explain why you are specifically interested in attending that particular college or university and why it is a good fit […]
50 PA School Supplemental Essay Prompts You Need to Know
If you are applying to PA school, you know that writing a strong personal statement is not enough. You also need to craft compelling supplemental essays that showcase your fit for each program and highlight your unique strengths and experiences. Supplemental essays are extra questions asked by individual PA programs to find out more about […]
ChatGPT Answers the Top 46 PA School Applicant Interview Questions
Just be yourself! This is the one piece of interview advice we have all heard a gazillion times. Maybe you heeded this advice but failed to get into PA school. Or, maybe, like many, advice to “just be oneself” while examining one’s greatest weaknesses doesn’t’ bode well for confidence? Be myself? But who’s that exactly? […]
How to Add Virtual Shadowing to Your CASPA Application
In this blog post, I provide tips and resources for finding and completing virtual shadowing experiences and how to effectively include them in your CASPA application for PA school.
What a REAL PA School Interview Looks Like (in 2022)
This is an email I received from one of our mock interview clients in March 2022. He describes in detail the elements of his PA school interview and how he successfully approached each portion. I am sharing it with you here so you can see firsthand what a PA school interview in 2022/2023 may entail. […]
The Ultimate PA School Applicant Logbook – Track HCE, PCE, Volunteer Hours, Schools, Costs (and more!)
As applicants to PA school, we have a lot on our plate. Between prerequisite coursework, health care experience requirements, shadowing, volunteering, and more – it’s a lot to keep track of! This is where The Ultimate PA School Applicant Logbook comes in. This logbook was designed by PA school applicants (who know the process intimately!) […]
Personal Statement Panel Review (Replay)
We successfully launched our first large group live event on April 28, 2022, to celebrate the opening of CASPA! Just as AdComs are not uniform in how they react to personal statements, neither is our team! In this personal statement panel review, we analyze essays from clients who have been accepted into PA school to illustrate […]
PA School Reapplicant Personal Statement Checklist
Are you reapplying to PA school and wondering if you should update or rewrite your PA school essay? There are a few reasons to update your personal statement as a reapplicant. For one, AdComs at the schools where you’ve previously applied can compare your essay with the prior year’s personal statements. Secondly, after a year […]
PA School Reapplicants: How to Rewrite Your PA School Essay for Guaranteed Success
Are you reapplying to PA school after not gaining acceptance last round? What will you do with your old personal statement? Toss it completely? Change a few details and cross your fingers? The answer is somewhere in the middle. What should you do with your original PA school personal statement as a PA school reapplicant? […]
Physician Assistants: What We Are and What We Are Not
Physician assistants are not assistants to doctors or just nurse practitioners with a different title. In this article I outline what PAs are and what we are not. How we differ from other medical professions and our similarities. Learn all about the PA profession and see if maybe it’s right for you.
How to Squash PA School Interview Day Stress (4 Simple Steps)
A four-step plan to ease your mind and boost your confidence ahead of the big day. Imagine you’ve landed an interview at your dream PA program. But once you enter the interview room, you freeze up. Your mind goes blank, and you lose access to all those thoughtfully crafted answers you’ve prepared. Needless to say, […]
How to Choose the Best Undergraduate Major to Get into PA school
You already know that the best PA programs want applicants with an excellent GPA and a solid background in healthcare and science. But if you’re not sure what major to choose, this guide will help you decide!
The Real Cost of Applying to PA School
PA students will encounter a number of costs along the way to enrolling in physician assistant/associate (PA) school. Here’s a look at what these costs are and some ways you can save money on your PA school application.
Podcast Episode 90: Ten PANCE, PANRE, and Rotation Review Questions
Welcome to episode 90 of the Audio PANCE and PANRE Physician Assistant/Associate Board Review Podcast. Join me as I cover ten PANCE, PANRE and EOR review questions from the Smarty PANCE Instagram/Facebook page and the smartypance.com board review website. Special from today’s episode: Follow Smarty PANCE and The Daily PANCE Blueprint on Instagram Follow Smarty […]
Little Big Men: The Rise of Kenya’s Clinical Officer
This is part ten of a ten-part docuseries of PAs around the world. Today we travel to Kenya and meet the dedicated pioneers and healthcare heroes who would become Kenya’s first Clinical Officers (CO).
Podcast Episode 89: Ten PANCE, PANRE, and Rotation Review Questions
Welcome to episode 89 of the Audio PANCE and PANRE PA Board Review Podcast. Join me as I cover ten PANCE, PANRE and EOR review questions from the Smarty PANCE Instagram/Facebook page and the smartypance.com board review website.
How to Be a Better PA Part 2: Medical Staff, Administrators, and Supervisors
This is part two of a special three-part podcast series by Joe Gilboy PA-C on becoming a better PA. In part two we cover essential strategies on how to stay off the medical staff radar and get the medical staff, administrators, and supervisors on your side.
The 4 Most Common Reasons PAs Quit Their Jobs
According to a new AAPA research article (August 2021), the four most common reasons PAs quit their jobs are: Better work/life balance (16.8%) Moving to a new location (16.7%) Better management/leadership/environment (reasons related to a toxic/abusive environment) (13.6%) Better compensation/benefits (11.9%) Other reasons PAs left their jobs included Better professional/clinical opportunities (6.6%) Corporate or external […]
The Wealthy PA Part 3: Long Term Disability Insurance (and How to Buy it)
If you lost the ability to work as a physician assistant, how would you pay for anything?
Many people think they are adequately covered through their work but here is a newsflash – you’re probably not.
State Disability is temporary and Social Security Disability is notoriously difficult to get approved for and only covers a fraction of your income.
The supplemental disability insurance offered by most employers is often short-term, covering only months of living expenses.
This is why you need to purchase your own long-term disability insurance either through your employer or an independent agent.
Meet the World’s Sexiest PA School Applicants
From GPA to GRE, PCE and HCE check out the latest PA school applicants you need to meet this application cycle. Learn what makes PA school ADCOMs swoon and want to “swipe right” on these PA school applicant CASPA profiles.
The Wealthy PA Part 2: The Three Student Loan Repayment Strategies
With soaring tuition costs, student loans are now one of the largest sources of consumer debt outside of mortgages. The average PA student graduates with $100,000 – $200,000 in student loan debt. For comparison, the average student loan debt is $57,520. Not only do we PAs carry 3x-5x more in debt compared to other professions, […]
Physician Assistants: In Whom We Place Our Trust
As PAs, we are entrusted with the care of sick patients and their families. Things don’t always go as planned. Here’s my story of loss and how I was able to get back up when I let my patient (and their family) down.
The Wealthy PA Part One: Are PAs Wealthy?
Having a PA degree confers wealth status. With the average annual salary of certified PAs estimated at $120,204 and a median annual salary of $115,000, as a PA, you will be in the top quartile of earners in the United States. So, it came as a surprise that while I was a student on rotations, I […]
Does Attending Community College Hurt Your Chances of Getting into PA School?
If you’ve got your heart set on becoming a physician assistant, then you’re probably anxious to get started on the application process. The only problem is that you’ve heard rumors that attending a community college can hurt your chances of getting into PA school. Does that mean you shouldn’t even bother going to community college […]
