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 […]
Apply for the PAEA Student Health Policy Fellowship and “Be the Change!”
Apply for the PAEA Student Health Policy Fellowship program! Up to 20 PA students are selected to participate in this special program designed to develop leadership and advocacy skills for the physician assistant profession.
Podcast Episode 87: Ten Internal Medicine EOR Questions
Welcome to episode 87 of the Audio PANCE and PANRE PA Board Review Podcast. Join me as I cover ten internal medicine rotation EOR content blueprint questions from the SmartyPANCE, PANCE, PANRE, and EOR board and rotation review website. Special from today’s episode: Check out the updated Smarty PANCE Internal Medicine Rotation (EOR) Review Course […]
Should You Write Physician Associate or Physician Assistant on Your PA School Essay?
On May 24’th, 2021, the AAPA made an “earth-shattering” announcement when they proclaimed that “the AAPA House of Delegates (HOD) passed a resolution affirming “physician associate” as the official title for the PA profession.” For many, like myself, who took the AAPA name change survey in 2019, we breathed an instant sigh of relief. This certainly […]
The Ultimate PA School Applicant Cheat Sheet With 7 Quick Tips for Getting into PA School
Here is my ultimate PA school applicant cheat sheet with 7 quick tips for getting into PA school. Do these seven things for the best chance of getting into PA school and becoming a physician assistant! 1. Shadowing: Get one hundred hours of shadowing experience across various specialties. 2. GRE: Aim for a score of 300 + (150 + […]
The Big List of PA School Applicant CASPA Statistics (cGPA, sGPA, GRE, HCE/HCE, etc.)
On your path to PA school, it’s essential to know where you stand compared to others. The only way to do this is to do a bit of research and compare your path to others on a similar journey. Which is why we have compiled this big list of CASPA application statistics from 117 PA […]
How the Heck Did I Get into PA School?
Believe me when I say I was not the perfect PA school candidate. I had a less-than-desirable GPA. I avoided the GRE like the plague that it is. I got an “F” in high school calculus. But despite all of this, I still got into PA school… a top 10 PA school! All the haters […]
The Ultimate PA School Application Timeline
Here is the ultimate Physician Assistant Program Admissions Timeline for applying to PA school. When you should apply (start early) along with a monthly PA School application to-do list for guaranteed CASPA application success
3 Things Everyone Should Do Before Starting PA School
If you have three, four, or even five months until you start PA school, here are three things you can do right now to make sure you are prepared for when you walk in the door.
How to Be a Better PA Part 1: Nurses, Lab Techs, and X-Ray Technicians
This is part one of a special three-part podcast series by Joe Gilboy PA-C on becoming a better PA. Part one is all about building amazing relationships with our nurses and ancillary staff. You may be thinking to yourself, “Hey Stephen, I thought this podcast was about the PANCE and PANRE.” “How does talking about […]
PA Programs with a 100% 5-Year PANCE Pass Rate
When deciding which PA school to attend, PANCE pass rates often enter the discussion. Although I agree that five-year PANCE pass rates reflect well on a PA program, I don’t believe they should be the most important part of your PA school decision matrices. Many factors can affect a PA programs PANCE pass rates, and […]
Don’t Make This Critical PA School Interview Mistake!
Practice, practice, practice, for your PA school interview! But whatever you do, don’t sound rehearsed. We all know how important practicing is before interview day, but make sure you remember that memorizing answers is the kiss of death! In many ways, practicing is about confidence. When you’ve seen and heard the questions before, you’ve considered […]
Laos: The Birthplace of the U.S. Physician Assistant?
This is part nine of a ten-part series by documentary filmmaker Adam Halbur on the PA model around the world. Today, we go back to where some say the PA profession first started. The country of Laos. Reincarnation: Returning to the Birthplace of the U.S. Physician Assistant When I heard that American physician assistants were volunteering in […]
Podcast Episode 85: Ten Mixed Multiple Choice Questions
Welcome to episode 85 of the Audio PANCE and PANRE PA Board Review Podcast. Join me as I cover ten PANCE and PANRE Board review questions from the SMARTYPANCE course content following the NCCPA™ content blueprint (download the FREE cheat sheet). Special from today’s episode: Download your copy of the Free Trello Smarty PANCE NCCPA™ Blueprint […]
Who’s Your Average PA? Here’s Everything You Need to Know
Meet Melissa Mean. She is a 38-year-old female physician assistant working in New York State, earning $123,080 per year. She holds a master’s degree in physician assistant studies with a bachelor’s of science in biochemistry from Penn State University. She works 40.3 hours per week in an office-based family medicine practice. She is not bilingual […]
Cardiac Pharmacology Part One: The Audio PANCE and PANRE Episode 84
Welcome to episode 84 of the Audio PANCE and PANRE PA Board Review Podcast Today we welcome back PA board review expert Joe Gilboy PA-C as he covers the exceptionally important topic of cardiac pharmacology. Below you will find a downloadable audio version of this podcast as well as links to resources mentioned in today’s episode. […]
Why Choose PA Over NP? Here’s the Perfect Answer
A common PA school interview question that stumps many well-intentioned PA school interviewees is, “Why did you choose PA over NP?” This is a classic question that you must be prepared to answer. Do you have an answer? How to answer the PA vs. NP interview question without being offensive Here is a clip from […]
How Much Money Do Physician Assistants (PAs) Make?
According to the latest NCCPA data, the average projected salary of certified PAs in 2024 is $120,204 per year or $57.74/hour, $10,017/month, and $2,313/week. The median projected annual salary of a PA is $115,000 per year. This is 218% of the US median salary. According to the NCCPA data, the average total income for Certified PAs has been increasing by 8.7%.
31 (NEW) CASPA PA School Personal Statement Examples
Several years ago, I published a blog post titled 31 Physician Assistant Personal Statement Examples, which has been viewed over half a million times. The chance to read other people’s PA school essays proved so enticing that we even wrote a book about it. It’s called 101 CASPA PA school personal statement examples and is […]
What are Three Things You Wish You Could Say to Your Pre-PA Self?
Life is full of regrets because life is full of choice. I have collected a few regrets over the years, and if I were a betting man, I would guess you have some as well? Regrets come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes it’s insignificant like choosing the wrong entree at a restaurant. Sometimes it’s […]
How to Answer Tricky PANCE and PANRE Test Questions Part 2: Podcast Episode 83
Welcome to episode 83 of the Audio PANCE and PANRE PA Board Review Podcast Join me as we welcome Joe Gilboy PA-C back again to cover best practices that make answering even the toughest PANCE and PANRE Board review questions (and EOR exam questions) a breeze! Below you will find interactive audio with clips covering the […]
What’s Your #1 Personal Statement Struggle?
Are you struggling to write your PA School personal statement? Are you afraid your essay doesn’t stand out, it’s over the character count, or worse yet, it doesn’t even answer the simple question: “Why do I want to be a PA? Well, you are not alone! This year, as part of our PA school collaborative […]
The Australian Physician Assistant: The PA Model Around the World
This is part eight of a ten-part series by documentary filmmaker Adam Halbur on the PA model around the world. Today we take a captivating look into the life of Australia’s pioneering physician assistants. Holy Hell!: The Aussie PA’s determination If I learned anything about physician assistants from Australia, it is that the profession can […]
Made by PA: Rapid and Reliable ECG Interpretation With The EKG DDX App
Hello, fellow and future PAs! My name is Craig Hricz, and I am a PA with over 20 years of emergency medicine experience who transitioned into formal PA education about six years ago. I am fortunate to be able to continue to work clinically. This combination of clinical and classroom experience led me to what […]
