Did you know that the NCCPA has updated the PANCE Content Blueprint for 2019? With the update came some changes both to my SMARTYPANCE Board Review Website and your board review checklist which I will be discussing here in detail. NCCPA PANCE Content Blueprint 2019 vs. 2018 The Big Changes The biggest change comes in […]
Episode 59: Emergency Medicine EOR – The Audio PANCE and PANRE Board Review Podcast
The Audio PANCE/PANRE PA Board Review Podcast Welcome to episode 59Â of the FREE Audio PANCE and PANRE Physician Assistant Board Review Podcast. Join me as IÂ cover ten Emergency Medicine End of Rotation Exam (EOR) review questions from the SMARTYPANCE course content following the NCCPAâ„¢ and PAEA content blueprint (download the FREE cheat sheet). This week […]
The Pre-PA Advisor Series: Patient Contact Hours and Healthcare Experience
The Pre-PA Advisor Series Welcome to the PA Advisors Series – a special series of posts where PA school applicants like yourself ask the tough questions and admissions directors from top-ranking PA schools provide the answers. Today We Will Discuss: Patient Contact Hours and Healthcare Experience Requirements for PA School Here are some of the questions […]
The Power of Picmonics Plus Get 20% OFF!
Let’s start with a simple question… You’re studying for your PANCE exam, and you need to memorize 1000’s of clinical pearls from 467 topics covering 13 content blueprint organ systems, the culmination of two years of hard work and endless pimping from sadistic, but well-intentioned, attending physicians. How, exactly do you go about memorizing all this […]
The Perfect PA Program Picker: PA School Search, Sort, Match, and Apply
PA School Admissions and Requirements Table Search and sort through all accredited and developing PA school programs by healthcare experience, resident and non-resident PA school tuition, PA program duration, GRE requirements, overall GPA, prerequisite GPA, and science GPA requirements. Search by PA program accreditation status, CASPA participation, PA school class size, five-year PANCE pass rates, […]
Episode 57: The Audio PANCE and PANRE Board Review Podcast
The Audio PANCE/PANRE PA Board Review Podcast Welcome to episode 57 of the FREE Audio PANCE and PANRE Physician Assistant Board Review Podcast. Join me as I cover ten PANCE and PANRE Board review questions from the SMARTYPANCE course content following the NCCPAâ„¢ content blueprint (download the FREE cheat sheet). This week we will be covering ten endocrinology […]
Made by PA: The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs
The 2018 Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs The Applicant’s Manual of Physician Assistant Programs written by Mark Volpe, MPH, MMSc, PA-C and Brittany Hogan PA-S, provides prospective PA program applicants with detailed information regarding all accredited PA programs in the United States. The book also provides helpful tips for applicants to improve their chances at success during […]
Physician Assistant Stats, Data, and Demographics
Physician assistant demographics have changed a lot over the years. From just four practicing physician assistants in the year 1967 to roughly ~126,000 practicing PAs in 2020. That’s a big difference in just over 50 years! Below is the latest demographic and statistical data on physician assistants from the most recent AAPA Salary report. I […]
2018 Physician Assistant School Tuition and Fees: Cost Comparison Table
Tuition, Costs, and Fees of Resident and Nonresident Tuition For All 256 US PA Programs How Much Does it Cost to Go to PA School in 2018? Average cost of resident tuition + fees to graduate from an accredited physician assistant program in 2018 is:Â $79,941 This is an increase of 11% from 2017 Average cost […]
PA School Prerequisites: Admissions Directors Answer Your Burning Questions
As you probably know by now, if you want to get into PA school, you must complete the necessary prerequisite coursework. I have discussed this in detail in a previous post Prerequisite Coursework: How to Design the Perfect Pre-PA School Curriculum. Today, we are going a step further by giving you answers to some of the […]
Torn Between PA or MD? Here’s How You Decide!
Are you struggling to decide between PA or MD, NP or PA, pre-nursing or biochem, a new job vs. your comfy job, CNA vs. MA, or scribe vs. EMT? One day you favor option A and the next day you flounder back to option B or worse, you start looking at option C. Wouldn’t it […]
Episode 55: The Audio PANCE and PANRE Board Review Podcast
The Audio PANCE/PANRE PA Board Review Podcast Welcome to episode 55 of the FREE Audio PANCE and PANRE Physician Assistant Board Review Podcast. Join me as I cover ten PANCE and PANRE Board review questions from the SMARTYPANCE course content following the NCCPAâ„¢ content blueprint (download the FREE cheat sheet). This week we will be covering ten general board […]
Going Midlevel Midlife: Michelle’s Story of Becoming a Physician Assistant in her 40’s
After 16 years of teaching high school wellness, Michelle Roush felt ready for a greater challenge to leverage her interest in health. After much planning and preparation, she is now studying to become a physician assistant, and loving the journey. Tell us a little about your background… I am a married, 41-year-old mother of two […]
20 Answers to The Question: Why Do You Want to be a Physician Assistant?
Why Do You Want to be a Physician Assistant? You will be asked many different times: “Why?” “Why do you want to become a physician assistant?” “Why don’t you just go to medical school or NP school?” “You will make more money as a physician; you will have more prestige and recognition as a physician.” […]
The 10 Best Websites for Physician Assistant Job Search in 2026
If you’re a physician assistant/associate looking for a new job in 2026, you’re in luck — and I mean really in luck. The PA job market is absolutely booming. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 20% employment growth for PAs from 2024 to 2034 (much faster than the average for all occupations). U.S. News ranked PAs among the best […]
Episode 53: General Surgery End of Rotation Exam – The Audio PANCE and PANRE Podcast
Welcome to episode 53 of the FREE Audio PANCE and PANRE Physician Assistant Board Review Podcast. Join me as I cover ten PANCE and PANRE Board review questions from the Academy course content following the NCCPAâ„¢ content blueprint (download the FREE cheat sheet) and the PAEA End of Rotationâ„¢ Exams Blueprints & Topic Lists. This week we will be […]
PA School Mock Interviews: Prepare with a LIVE, Recorded Video Interview
Why do you want to be a PA? We have helped hundreds of PA school applicants just like you answer this question (see just some of our many testimonials). We offer affordable, recorded mock interviews in a safe and supportive setting. Our current PA school mock interview status (): Accepting Appointments Schedule an interview At this […]
300 PA School Interview Questions You Should Be Ready to Answer
So, you have an upcoming PA school interview. Congratulations you’re almost there. Now, of course, there is another hurdle to cross, and that is sounding as amazing as you appear to be on your CASPA application. This isn’t hard because YOU ARE as amazing as you appear to be on your CASPA application, so the […]
Welcome to Your Virtual PA School Clinical Rotation
What if you could take a virtual tour through the NCCPA Content Blueprint? Not just mindless memorization of key terms and test-worthy pearls but matching those facts with faces. What if you could go bedside and visit patients with real conditions, even rare conditions from the comfort of your home? What if each of these […]
Applying to PA School with a Low GPA: Admissions Directors Answer Your Questions
How to Get Into PA School With a Low GPA PA school administrators from ten top-ranking PA programs answer your questions on how to get into PA school with a low GPA. A low GPA is probably the hardest area to improve. This makes sense – it was years in the making, and can’t be […]
Episode 51: The Audio PANCE and PANRE Board Review Podcast – Comprehensive Audio Quiz
Welcome to episode 51 of the FREE Audio PANCE and PANRE Physician Assistant Board Review Podcast. Join me as I cover ten PANCE and PANRE Board review questions from the Academy course content following the NCCPAâ„¢ content blueprint (download the FREE cheat sheet). This week we will be covering ten general board review questions based on the NCCPA PANCE […]
Book Review: Atul Gawande The Checklist Manifesto
The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right in a World of Increasing Complexity e live in an era of gratuitous inventions and negative improvements. Consider the DaVinci Robo surgeon, for example, a drool-inducing twenty-second-century $1.7 million remote-controlled machine designed to help surgeons do laparoscopic surgery with more maneuverability inside patients’ bodies and fewer complications. […]
Physician Assistant State Licensing: Everything you Need to Know
As a freshly minted new graduate PA there are four steps you have to complete to move successfully from program to practice: Become nationally certified (by the NCCPA via the PANCE) Obtain a state license in the state you wish to practice Obtain an NPI number Obtain a federal DEA number As a practicing PA, you must […]
Episode 49: The Audio PANCE and PANRE Board Review Podcast – Comprehensive Audio Quiz
Welcome to episode 49 of the FREE Audio PANCE and PANRE Physician Assistant Board Review Podcast. Join me as I cover ten PANCE and PANRE board review questions from the Academy course content following the NCCPAâ„¢ content blueprint (download the FREE cheat sheet). This week we will be covering 10 general board review questions based on the NCCPA PANCE […]
PANCE & PANRE Exam Pass and Failure Rates: An Update for 2023
The Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) has been in existence since 1973, and as of 2023, over 168,318 people have taken the exam. In recent years, we have seen some fluctuations in the pass rates, with notable changes following the release of new exam blueprints in 2019. Historical Perspective on PANCE Pass Rates Since […]
Infographic: PA VS MD Understanding the Differences
PA VS MD Comparison: GPA, MCAT, GRE scores, prerequisite coursework, clinical experience, years of training and time in school, job duties, cost of education, average salary, job satisfaction, divorce and burnout rates all compiled into this (very shareable) image
Use VisualCV to Create a Stunning Physician Assistant Resume
I have a confession to make. For many years I have had a copy of my physician assistant resume posted here on the website, available for download as a guide to help you structure and organize your own physician assistant CV. It has helped 100’s (if not 1000’s) of practicing and new graduate PAs like […]
5 Things I’ve Learned Going Into My Fourth Physician Assistant Application Cycle
Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up – Thomas Edison I will be honest; this is not an article I ever thought I’d be writing. I submitted my first PA school application immediately after finishing my undergrad, and here I am, three […]
101 PA School Admissions Essays: The Book!
You’re slaving away at your personal statement but can’t help wondering if anyone will read past the first line. A troubling thought, isn’t it? A Great Personal Statement Does Matter It’s what makes you different from the millions of other applicants hoping for attention from the Admissions Committee. After all, everyone is cranking out healthcare […]
Finding a Physician Assistant Mentor: The Foolproof PA Shadowing Guide
Let’s face it, finding a PA to shadow is no easy task. When I first contemplated a career as a physician assistant, I was hard-pressed to find a PA to shadow. I was dying to connect with a PA and pick their brain, hear about everything they did, and shadow for a day or two. […]
