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You are here: Home / Pre-Physician Assistant / Physician Assistant Programs and Research / How Clay Aiken and Reality TV Helped Me Ace My PA School Interview

How Clay Aiken and Reality TV Helped Me Ace My PA School Interview

August 5, 2012 By Stephen Pasquini PA-C 3 Comments

clay big

I am embarrassed to admit: I am a big fan of reality TV.

I don't watch much TV but when it comes time for a new season of Survivor, So You Think You Can Dance, or dare I say The Bachelor (I can't believe I just admitted that) I can't stop myself.

I justify this to my loving family by claiming I like social psychology. This just adds fuel to the fire of dissident, especially when my wife catches me pressing record on American Ninja Warrior.

Regardless, my many years of reality TV have taught me a lot about life.

I will go as far as to say that all those episodes of MTV's Road Rules and The Real World may have been the reason I was accepted into PA School

How could this possibly be you might ask? Because they taught me this:

It is not always the most talented and most experienced person that wins the show, but nine times out of ten it is the one that is the most like him or herself.

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. - Oscar Wilde

The Status Quo

I was rereading the section "Part 2 The Interview" of getting into the PA school of your choice by Andrew Rodican. Here was his summary of interviewing tips and rules:

  1. Arrive at the interview on time.
  2. Dress appropriately.
    • Men: suit and tie
    • Women: business suit
    • Shined shoes
  3. Bring a compact mirror to check for "crumbs."
  4. Smile genuinely.
  5. Always offer your (firm) handshake first.
  6. Look everyone in the eyes.
  7. Speak clearly and loud enough to be heard.
  8. Use proper English.
  9. Say "please" and "thank you."
  10. Don't sit until asked to do so
  11. Bring a copy of your entire application; review it when you have time.
  12. Have a short number of good questions to ask.
  13. Bring a picture of yourself.
  14. When interviewing, try not to make nervous hand movements.
  15. Don't become defensive.
  16. Don't ever raise your voice.
  17. Don't say too much.
  18. Speak to everyone with genuine interest.
  19. Be consistent
  20. Answer the question briefly.
  21. Don't ramble.

The Missing Rule: Be Yourself!

In order to be oneself, one has to take risks, to accept that one is not perfect and to be courageous enough to say what one really thinks.

Nowadays, it’s a tremendous act of bravery to be original instead of a half-baked replication of someone else.

Role models are just that, and they are not necessarily someone to imitate to the letter, an image to clone or a mind to reproduce.

Most people are other people; their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation. –Oscar Wilde.

Lacking spontaneity, originality or individuality is the worst flaw one can have, for a mediocre copy of someone else is taking one’s place.

It is also one of the worst flaws one can have when approaching an interview.

You can read the above list of interviewing tips over and over again till your eyes bleed. You can polish your shoes, brush those crumbs off your shoulders, and try not to ramble but when we do these things we are often evoking an image of somebody else.

Finding Your Voice: How applying for PA School is Like American Idol

Whatever feelings the name "Clay Akin" evokes, one thing is for certain if you have heard him sing he has an unmistakable sound. This sound is grounded in an “originality” that carried him to the finals of American Idol.

The problem with books like “how to get into the PA school of your choice” is that they tend toward the status quo. And that may be fine if you want to get into a PA school, but probably not the PA school of your choice.

To do this you must strive for originality. You must separate yourself from the pack.

And it is simple. The best way to separate yourself from the pack is to be yourself.

The day of my PA School interview I had gotten about 3 hours of sleep the night before. I walked into a room of 30 or so very well qualified and motivated PA School applicants.

Making small talk I learned how Brittney from Duke was on her 5’th PA school interview taking a break from her summer internship at Harvard Med, Duane had 15 years of direct patient experience and had just returned from China where he was teaching English, Mark, a paramedic, who on his way to the interview pulled off the side of the road to resuscitate a small child.

Wow, I thought, I suck!

As they called my name to begin the interview process I was starting to doubt my qualifications.

Life is Like Reality TV

If you spend your time comparing yourself to others you will lose the most valuable part of what you bring to the PA school Interview or essay for that matter... Yourself.

The reason American Idol has struggled since losing Simon Cowell is because he gave the only opinion on the panel that mattered. It wasn't filled with kind platitudes, it was the truth.

When you sit down for your interview, or you sit down to write your application essay, put the essay books away, put the interview books down, do put on a nice suit or dress and stop searching outside yourself for the correct answers to the interview questions.

The only correct answer is the one that is a proper reflection of your life.

The reason Clay Aiken never looked nervous is because his only measure was against himself, if you do this you can't lose, you won't fear making a mistake, you will be unique in a world of people trying to be like everyone else.

Clay was a camp counselor before he became an internationally known vocalist. He had big ears, funky hair, and a boyfriend.

Many winners of Survivor never won an immunity challenge.

One of the more popular competitors on the Amazing Race was a deaf man traveling with his 50-year-old mom.

The point is this, to win does not require that you simply "be the best",  but it requires that you be the best of yourself!

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About Stephen Pasquini PA-C

Stephen has been a family practice PA since 2004 and is the creator of The PA Life and Smarty PANCE Board Review websites. A National Health Service Corps Scholar and a graduate of The University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ (Rutgers) PA Program and the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. Stephen's goal is to provide one-of-a-kind online resources for those interested in or practicing in the PA profession, to promote better access to healthcare for all, and foster universal recognition/awareness of the PA profession. Read more about Stephen.

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Comments

  1. buffchic says

    August 5, 2012 at 3:52 pm

    Enjoyed your post! I especially liked the compact mirror suggestion. This is a good one. I interviewed at four schools, one of them while very sick, and feel that I perfected the art of being me by the fourth interview! And I even wrote a blog post on “How to interview well while sick,” that included tips like, “always have an extra kleenex, chapstick and a cough drop handy.”

    Reply
    • Stephen says

      August 5, 2012 at 10:41 pm

      It is funny, I have had some of my best performances while sick. When I was young we were competing in a weekend basketball tournament and I had my highest scoring game ever while struggling with the stomach flu. I have theorized that when you are sick you actually perform better because part of you feels too bad to worry about the little things like.. getting into PA school, when you feel like life is not worth it any more. 🙂

      I will definitely check out your post. I loved your photos from Egypt. I have always wanted to go… Must have been an amazing experience!

      Stephen

      Reply

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I thought that the service was very helpful in helping me with my personal statement. Duke was always prompt with responding to emails and made himself very available throughout the process. He was also good and helping, but also making sure that I was the one doing the writing. I think that the structure of the service helped me put in enough time to come out with a very good finished product.

David H. Pre-PA

It was an absolute pleasure working with Sarah. She was prompt to respond, professional, and kind. Sarah is an excellent writer. I was consistently impressed with her edits and suggestions for my personal statement. After working with Sarah I feel confident that my final essay will be well-received schools and help me stand out as a candidate.

Leah, Pre-PA

Awesome service. Duke did a great job editing my personal statement – his feedback was top-notch. For the 2014-2015 cycle, I applied to one school. I was selected for an interview and yesterday I received an offer of admission … which I quickly accepted. I know my Personal Statement played a huge role in my success. I highly recommend this service.

Nikki, Pre-PA

Sue Edmondson was VERY thorough in her editing of my essay, as well as the promptness of her responses to me. She not only took the time to edit the grammar of my essay but helped me remove a large portion of it to focus on the important aspects of it and draw in more details. Overall, a fantastic service!

Megan Hunstad, Pre-PA

Carly from The PA Life was amazing as I knew she would be based on her bio! She touched base with me when she received my personal statement and gave me a turnaround timeframe that she stuck to. In fact, she completed it earlier than expected. I am beyond satisfied!!!! Thank you, Carly, and The PA Life!

Pamela, Pre-PA

Carly did an absolutely amazing job editing my essays. From my personal statement to my supplementals, she was thorough and methodically made them into stronger essays. I am glad I was able to work with her. With her edits, I am more confident about the essays I am submitting. I would gladly recommend her to anyone!

Jacob, PRE-PA

Sue did a wonderful job. I know this is an extremely busy time of year as CASPA is accepting applications and Sue was great about responding to my initial submission and getting back to me. She provided thoughtful feedback and quality editing. Fingers crossed for an acceptance to PA school!

Jo Lynn, Pre-PA

I rarely give all “Excellent” ratings, but this was exceptional work. Beth was quick, personable, and transformed my essay beyond expectations. I banged my head against a wall for months and was still unhappy with the final product, but reading her edit, I felt like PA school was within reach. I’d absolutely recommend this service to anyone who wants a glow-up for their personal statement.

Adam Johnson, Pre-PA

I am not sure if you remembered me, but you helped me exactly a year ago with my PA essay. Well, I got accepted into Barry’s PA program! I start this Monday. You were part of my journey and I wanted to say THANK YOU!

Catalina Bulla, PA-S

This past June, you helped me formulate my personal statement for my PA school applications. After our video chat and countless hours editing my CASPA information, I submitted my application and was then given the opportunity to interview at five PA programs. To prepare for my interviews, I would read my personal statement over and over again to remind myself of why I wanted to be a PA. This helped me succeed in my interviews. I was accepted to a few schools, but have I have made my final decision to matriculate into the University of Texas Medical Branch PA program in July! I wanted to follow up after I made my final decision to thank you for helping me with an important step to achieve this amazing life goal. Several of my friends are applying this upcoming cycle, and I will definitely be passing along your information. Again, thank you so much!

Kylie, Pre-PA

Sarah from The PA Life was an incredible resource for editing my personal statement. Her edits took into account the big picture of the message of the statement and helped guide me when writing additional content my statement was lacking. Her edits and responses were both prompt and thorough, and I truly feel that she made a huge positive impact on my personal statement.

Travis, Pre-PA

Duke and I worked really well together. Seeing my first draft in comparison to my final draft was like night and day. I really appreciate all the help!

Kenzi H. Pre-PA

Thank you so much for making the personal statement process less stressful! Although I had been planning and brainstorming for months, the process of writing my journey in 5,000 characters was just daunting and overwhelming. Thank you so much for your kindness, flexibility, and your patience that helped me through this process. I appreciate how you listened and incorporated my feedback to make my personal statement a work of art that is truly representative of ME! I would highly recommend your services to any aspiring PA students who feel lost or overwhelmed by the process. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Cintia, Pre-PA

A couple of months ago you worked with me on improving my personal statement. I wanted to reach out and let you know that it worked out! I got 5 interviews and so far have been accepted to 2. I am so so thankful for all your help as I don’t think it would have worked out without your amazing editing skills. Thank you for all you do! Not just me but for all the applicants you helped get accepted this year!

Matthew B. PA-S

I used the personal statement editing service with Deanna Matzen (April/May 2021) and the mock interview service with Mary Jones (June 2021). Both were exceptional to work with and helped me to achieve my goal. I applied to three schools and received interview invites from all three (I’m a first-time applicant). I was waitlisted at one in June and later accepted in November, received early acceptance to my top choice in November (UTSW), and I chose to decline my third interview scheduled in December. Thank you for your services!

Rachelle, Pre-PA

I am so glad I chose The PA Life to edit my personal essay. They polished my personal statement that was lacking in some areas into an essay I am confident with now. Everything was straightforward and prompt. Thank you, The PA Life! 🙂

Winnie, Pre-PA

Loved this service and working with Sarah. She was super helpful and easy to talk with. Will definitely recommend this service to others.

Diana, Pre-PA

Deanna was so amazing! She was really thorough and strengthened my essay in one edit! I feel so confident submitting my essay and I have high hopes for interviews! Thank you for providing these services to those of us with stories that need help being told. I would definitely recommend this service to everyone who wants to apply to PA school!

Valeria, Pre-PA

Deanna was professional, prompt, and easy to talk to. I truly enjoyed working with her one-on-one for my personal statement. Her suggestions elevated my writing, and I appreciate all the work she put in my essay.

Jamie, Pre-PA

I just wanted to share some amazing news with you! I have been accepted into the MEDEX PA program in Seattle!!! I can’t thank you enough for all your help!! I am beyond excited and still can’t believe it is actually happening! Thank you again from the bottom of my heart!!!!! 😀

Pavitra, PA-S

Thank you so much for editing my essay and for your kind words. Your edits have definitely made it a stronger PS and I am proud to have it as a part of my application. Thank you for alleviating my stress on arguably the most nerve-wracking part of the CASPA app. You are incredibly talented and well-spoken, and any person that has you edit their essays is incredibly lucky! I will let you know if I have any questions, but I think each one of your edits are meaningful and super clear. I appreciate you shortening it and making it flow better. Thank you again!!!

Karina Kapani, Pre-PA

Duke really pushed me to write from the heart and explore my true reasons for applying to PA school.  I was very pleased with the outcome.  I haven’t yet received an interview, but my fingers are crossed!

Emily P. Pre-PA

Just found your site today while trying to update my resume. Also, I have to recertify next year so your tests are great for a refresher course. I was in a specialty area of medicine so I now realize how much I forgot in the past 5 years. Thank you very much and I will pass on to other PAs.

Pattie Solomon PA-CNorTh Miami Florida

Duke helped me write a great personal statement. I won’t know if I’ve been accepted to the program until Christmas/New Year’s, but I feel that it was worth every penny!

Alicia C. Pre-PA

I had an overall great experience working with Duke. He was open to my suggestions and provided great feedback on my essay. So far I haven’t gotten any interviews yet, but it is still early in the process. I will keep you updated when I get interviews. Steve

Steve Koehler, PA-S

Sue was very quick to edit my essay and give feedback. Any questions were answered very promptly. I am very pleased with the service provided.

Brandon, Pre-PA

My editor was amazing! She took everything I asked and did editing that was above and beyond. She was also great at communicating and taking my comments/opinions into consideration. 10/10 would recommend!

Ravee, Pre-PA

I just wanted to share that I got into USC! Woohoo!!! They just called me to share the good news. I’m feeling pretty shocked since that interview did not go as well in my head. I can’t believe I got into school during my first round of applications. This would not have been possible without you, and I really appreciate all the support you gave me throughout this process. ?

Tiffany, PA-S

I love Deanna! She was incredibly helpful and encouraging. I liked the way she constructively gave me feedback and I liked her ability to really strengthen my own ideas instead of dismissing them like other services. She is amazing at seeing things from different angles and that way rearrange and enhance my narrative. I did get an interview from the top choice and an offer a week later. Thank you so much and I will definitely recommend ThePALife to future prePAs.

Klam, Pre-PA

I am so happy to have gone through this editing process! I did not think you would take so much time to not only give me great feedback but also to edit and revise my paper like you did. I am so happy with my new revised paper and will definitely tell my friends!

Eric, Pre-PA

I just wanted to let you know I got accepted to Yale!!!! I’m so pumped. I can’t wait to talk more in-depth with you about my experience. For now I just wanted to say thank you!!!! You really were SO helpful.

James Hennessy, PA-S

I wanted to reach out and thank you for all of your help throughout my entire application process — your words, advice, and support made a world of a difference to me, and I’m sure everyone who has had the pleasure of working with you feels the exact same way. I thought I’d let you know that after my Stanford and Duke interviews over the past couple of weeks, I received acceptance to both programs! I’m still on cloud 9 and I don’t believe I’ll be coming down anytime soon. And as of early this week, I officially committed to Stanford University’s PA program and I begin in August!!! Thank you again for everything you’ve done to help!

Celine, PRE-PA

Very prompt response and turnaround time. While I did not speak with Duke over the phone, his team’s edits were thorough, clear and very helpful. Highly recommended.

Dave H. Pre-PA

I had an excellent experience with this service. Deanna was thorough, attentive to my essay, and very easy to contact. She did a great job and I would highly recommend this service to anyone.

Grant, Pre-PA

Hi, I am beyond words to express how I feel, I got accepted, contingent on background check which I think is a formality. I want to say boldly that I am going to be a PA, thanks to you. You will be always blessed for the wonderful service you provide.  You were very kind and worked beyond what I thought could be offered. Thanks again!

Pavithra, Pre-PA

Sarah Morris Schultz was my PA statement editor and she was absolutely fabulous! She helped to shave my original 4-page long, winding PA statement down to a 2 page impactful, poignant, moving statement that lead me to get accepted to a Doctor of Medical Science program in Physician Assistant Studies. She has such a gift for writing and knowing how to say things in just the right way and use the right words! One of the DMS PA program committee members started off my video conference online interview by stating that my PA statement was the best he ever read, not “one of the best” but THE BEST statement. My heart leapt. My PA statement years ago had caused me NOT to get accepted to the school that I had hoped. I did get accepted to a good PA school, got my degree, and started practicing in this field that I love. However, this time I decided to humble myself and get help writing a good statement. Praise God, it paid off. I am so grateful for the PA Life service and fee for the one-on-one service is worth every penny! I recommend everyone get Sarah Morris Schultz. She’s the bomb.com! I love you, Sarah 🙂

Sonja D. PA-S

I am so happy with the service Sarah provided! My personal statement turned out exactly how I was hoping it would!

Jennifer, Pre-PA

The service provided was excellent. I really appreciate Duke taking the time and reviewing my essay multiple times and at that same time, making sure I am comfortable with the wording. Thank you for all your help!

Foram Patel, Pre-PA

I wanted to tell you that I interviewed with MEDEX on Friday, got the call yesterday that I’m accepted! I also interviewed with Pacific University on and I felt that went VERY well too. I should hear from them any day now. I will keep you in the loop. I appreciate all your help and support!

Norah, PA-S

Sarah was fantastic to work with. She is excellent at her crafted skill and can help any thought or sentence come to life, fast!

Jessica D. PRE-PA

I wanted to reach out and thank you for your help with my personal statement. I received compliments about my essay at every interview I had. I also wanted to let you know that I will be attending Duke’s PA Program – my top choice. Your help was amazing! Thank you so much again!

Kelli Tseng, PA-S

This was my third time applying to PA school and I wanted it to be my last so I figured getting help with the essay would make a difference in my application. Paying for the one on one service was the best idea I’ve had to date. Sarah was great in that she literally combined three different essays I had written into one phenomenal essay! I literally have no idea how she did it. Sarah helped me focus all of my thoughts and experience down into one concise, yet personal essay. I truly think this will help me get into PA school!

Anna M. PRE-PA

Thank you so much for your assistance with perfecting my personal statement. This service is truly helpful. They were able to easily edit and help to convey exactly what was in my heart onto paper. I was accepted to my first choice PA program this week!!

Vincent, PA-S

Holy cow! I wanted to let you know I have been accepted to PA school.  I will be attending the Franklin Pierce Physician Assistant Program, Class of 2019 in West Lebanon, NH. I cannot thank you enough for being part of my journey.

If you are reading this you might have been like me skeptical and trying to find a way to write a stellar essay for your PA application.  I want to share with you my exceptional experience using this service.  First, do yourself a favor and BUY the eBook, “How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement.”  I read it twice. Once before I started my essay draft and then again during.  I cannot stress how helpful the book was in clearly stating what the Admissions Directors are looking for in an application essay.  Next, the book reviews how to formulate a proper essay with clear instructions, easy reminders of the writing process, and excellent examples of good and bad writing choices.  After several drafts of my essay, I made an appointment to work with Duke Pasquini, one of the authors of the guide, through the internet and via phone to help with editing and my length issue.  Duke’s professional experience and kind and straight forward demeanor allowed me to create a winning essay that was an authentic representation of me.  Not only did I receive an interview from my top choice of PA school I was accepted a week later into their Physician Assistant Program, Class of 2019.  Thank you, “PA Life” for being a part of my journey.

Michele Williams, PA-S

Thank you for taking the time to edit my paper! The feedback was constructive and very helpful. I liked how you highlighted all the strong points in my essay. It made me feel reassured that my essay was heading in the right direction. I also liked how you told me exactly what I needed to add to make it stronger.

Juliana, Pre-PA

This service was very helpful. My essay was edited and returned to me within a few days of me submitting it. The feedback was thorough and detailed. I am already planning on sending my essay for a second edit!

Sabrina, Pre-PA

Sarah was a joy to work with! She was extremely helpful and patient with any questions I had for her! 10/10 recommend using this service!

Lori, Pre-PA

This review is long overdue, but my gratitude for how much The PA Life has helped me will never fade. Ms. Schultz went above and beyond to help me tailor my personal statement to my unique stories and qualities. She was open to my suggestions and often thought from my perspective instead of imposing her thoughts on my essay. I appreciate the time she took to help me create a personal statement that expressed my thoughts clearly and concisely. I am happy to report that I have been invited to interviews, and I’m on the waitlist for one of my top schools. If I don’t get in this cycle, I will be using the editing services again. Big shout out to Ms. Schultz!! Thank you for all your encouragement, patience, and support! I am honored to have the chance to work with you. 🙂

Amy, Pre-PA

Hope everything is going well! I just wanted to let you know I’m 2/2 so far with receiving interviews. I know your help with my essays has played a huge part. I just wanted to update you and tell you how grateful I am for all of your help!

John, Pre-PA

My editor did an excellent job with my essays. I struggle with writing emotionally and she took my material and really personalized it. I feel very confident sending in my essays after having her look at them. She promptly returned my essays and did a stellar job. Thank you!

Danielle, Pre-PA

Sarah Schultz was a great editor and was easy to communicate with. She answered my emails very promptly and made great suggestions while also helping me cut down and condense my essay to be in the character limit. She made me feel more confident in my work and helped me develop an essay that I am proud of. I would definitely use this service again!

Katie, Pre-PA

Very detail-oriented and took the time to explain the process, so our expectations were on the same page. Excellent editing and feedback on the content. Helpful comments on how I could maximize limited character count to make the most impact on the reader. I very much would recommend this service!

Esmeralda, Pre-PA

I was very pleased with this service. Writing has never been my strongest area. While I had the ideas that I wanted to convey I wasn’t able to articulate them as well as I’d hoped. Carly provided comments and suggestions without altering my central thesis. Any questions that I had were answered quickly and thoroughly. Any grammatical mistakes were also addressed which put my mind at ease. I would recommend The PA Life personal statement essay revision service to anyone applying.

Keith G, Pre-PA

I am amazed by what Deanna was able to do in helping me get my supplemental essays in shape. I had hit a serious roadblock and she was able, and in an incredibly quick manner, help me remove those blocks. I am very grateful!

Lily, Pre-PA

I received an admission offer from Kansas State University PA program. Your input was essential in getting this offer. Thank you so much for your help and all you do!

Sibiya Sabu PA-S

Ms. Edmondson was incredible! She provided great feedback and answered all of my follow up questions. I will keep in touch as to my interview offers.

Ashley, Pre-PA

Your services have eased the stress and anxiety that results from guessing whether or not your essay contains the content that many PA programs are looking for. Your services were prompt and genuine. It is clear that you have the applicant’s success at heart. Thank you!

Madison Pre-PA

I just want to follow up and let you know that I have been so fortunate enough to have conducted 3 interviews and received 3 acceptances, and I have decided to continue my educational journey at the OHSU PA program. I can’t thank you enough for all the help you’ve provided me, from helping me with my personal statement to mock interviews. I couldn’t have done this without your help, thank you.

Yomiyu Gafesu, PA-S

Carly did more than help revise my grammatical errors and flow. She was able to show me the strengths and weaknesses of the concepts of my essay. She was able to tell me what it was missing as well as praise me for what I did correctly. It gave me confidence in my writing, and I truly believe it will make an impact on the way PA programs view me.

Sherry, Pre-PA

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