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 […]
The PA Life Blog
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
Where is the best place to begin your next physician assistant job search? I have put each website to the test! Here is a comparison of the biggest and the best job search websites and apps for physician assistants based on their ability to GET THE JOB done! (Last updated – March 2019) 1. ZipRecruiter […]
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 NCCPA™ content blueprint (download the FREE cheat sheet) and the PAEA End of Rotation™ Exams Blueprints & Topic Lists. This week we will be […]
5 Ways to Save Money On PA School Textbooks
Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from T.J Matsumoto of PA Cents. How to Get The Most Book for Your Buck! There are a lot of expenses when starting PA school and typically not a lot of income. According to the data, the cost of PA school textbooks (including some supplies) is in the […]
PA School Mock Interviews: Prepare With a Live, Recorded Video Interview
Why do you want to be a PA? We have helped 100’s of PA school applicants just like you answer this question. We offer affordable, recorded online interviews with an unprecedented chance for self-critique. Our current PA school mock interview status: Accepting Appointments At this point in the application process, you should realize that the interview […]
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 […]
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 nine 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 […]
7 Tips for Addressing Shortcomings in Your PA School Personal Statement
What makes the perfect PA school candidate? Someone with stellar grades from a top university, loads of patient care experience, countless shadowing hours, and a long list of community service endeavors, right? Oh, and Ms. Perfect Candidate probably also speaks four languages fluently, has had her research findings published in peer-reviewed journals, and travels abroad […]
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 NCCPA™ 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 NCCPA™ content blueprint (download the FREE cheat sheet). This week we will be covering 10 general board review questions based on the NCCPA PANCE […]
PANCE Failure and Pass Rate: Physician Assistant Certification Exam
The PANCE examination has been in existence since 1973, and as of 2017 over 115,547 people have taken the exam. In 2003 the number was just over 50,000 which represents a 43% increase in just 14 years! In most years the number of those taking the PANCE has risen. In 2016 there were 8,025 test takers (first time and […]
Infographic: PA VS MD Understanding the Differences
Physician Assistant vs Medical Doctor A comparison of what it takes to get in (GPA, MCAT, GRE scores, prerequisite coursework, and 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. Share this Image On Your […]
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
I will be honest; this is not an article I ever thought I’d be writing. I submitted my first physician assistant application after finishing my undergrad in 2014, and here I am three years later preparing to submit my fourth PA application when the cycle starts at the end of the month. The PA application […]
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
When I first contemplated a career as a physician assistant I was hard-pressed to find a PA to shadow. I was dying to find a PA and pick their brain, learn about what they do, possibly shadow for a day or two. But, the question is where do you start? Every single PA I know […]
