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You are here: Home / International Physician Assistant / Africa / Little Big Men: The Rise of Kenya’s Clinical Officer

Little Big Men: The Rise of Kenya’s Clinical Officer

BY Stephen Pasquini PA-C Leave a Comment

Meet Kenya's Pioneering Clinical Officers (CO)

This is part ten of a ten-part series by documentary filmmaker Adam Halbur on the PA model 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).

View all posts in this series
  • As Good As You Can: The PA Model Around the World Part One
  • American Cheese: The Origin of the U.S. Physician Assistant
  • PAs in the Netherlands: The Dutch Physician Assistant
  • Why We Really Need PAs in The UK: The British Physician Associate
  • Meet The PA Pioneers of Israel: The Israeli Physician Assistant
  • Trials and Tribulations of the Liberian Physician Assistant
  • South Africa’s Clinical Associate (Clin-A): The PA Model Around The World
  • The Indian Physician Assistant (PA): Past, Present, and Future
  • The Australian Physician Assistant: The PA Model Around The World
  • Laos: The Birthplace of the U.S. Physician Assistant?
  • Little Big Men: The Rise of Kenya’s Clinical Officer

Kenya Clinical Officers (CO) Quick Facts:

  • Name: Clinical Officers (COs)
  • Can US PAs practice in Kenya: Yes - must achieve designation as clinical officer
  • Kenya CO Salary: KES 60K/ month ($542 US/mo and $6,504 US/yr)
  • Number of CO training programs: ~12
  • Number of registered COs: ~24,106
  • Prescription rights in Kenya: Yes
  • Kenya Professional CO Association: Clinical Officer’s Council (COC)
  • Kenya CO certification exam: COC pre-internship examination
  • Kenya CO Certification Maintenance: No further examination outside of the pre-internship COC exam is required to practice.

The birth of Kenyan non-physician clinicians (Clinical Officers (COs) began in 1928 when Kenya, then occupied by the British, decided to train a select group of residents to practice medicine and provide care to the local population.

Without official Kenyan doctors present inside its own borders, the goal was to fill the gaps in the provision of healthcare to the constituents of the country.

In 1989, the Clinical Officer’s Council (COC) was created as a regulating body for the CO. There are 66 training institutions for Clinical Officers including Government, faith-based, private, and 12 universities. There are 23,000 Clinical Officers registered by the Clinical Officer’s Council (COC) today.

Where PAs and Physician Associates Can Work Internationally

Let The PA Stay!

Let's begin our journey into the development of the PA profession in Kenya with a story.

When I (the author and documentarian) first started out as a writer after university, Dr. Jack Brown, from Sparta, Wisconsin hired me to edit his autobiography, now at The Monroe County Local History Room and Museum.

In the final chapters he recalls the politics behind hiring his first physician assistant in the early 1980s before his clinic was bought out by the conglomerate Gundersen Lutheran:

Dr. Paul Albrecht and I contacted the National Health Organization and succeeded in convincing the government agency that Sparta was indeed in an area with a doctor shortage.

It quickly replied that it would try to steer a few practitioners our way, but having worked for Uncle Sam, I knew something about government red tape and decided to hire a physician assistant or PA.

The PA was a new position in the medical field, a position that didn’t require the rigorous education of a full-fledged doctor but allowed that person to perform the duties of a general practitioner under the supervision of a doctor. In short, I hired PA Dan Robillard, who was a welcome relief while we waited for more doctors to show up.

The only problem was the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration at St. Mary’s Hospital. I had always marveled how the nuns labored day and night to make things run smoothly, and I was very fond of them, especially since they had always gone out of their way to please me. So, it came as a surprise when I found out they were unhappy that I had hired a PA and they wanted a meeting to discuss the problem.

Mother Superior, who came from their headquarters in La Crosse, laid down the law in her opening statement:

“We would prefer you wouldn’t keep a PA under your hire. No one in La Crosse at St. Francis or any of the clinics has one.” She paused to let that sink in and then added, “We want you to fire Dan Robillard.”

I was dumbfounded. I blinked a couple of times before I jumped to my feet and startled myself by yelling, “Dan Robillard stays!”

The nuns jolted upright in their chairs astonished at the doctor who was always pleasant and telling jokes. “Without Robillard,” I continued, “Dr. Albrecht and I would drop dead running around in that new spacious clinic we’ve built. And Dr. Albrecht as you know has had a coronary and bypass surgery.

Now, if you people can rustle up a couple of doctors for our clinic, I might be persuaded to reconsider the PA question.” It was the first time and, I hoped, the last time that I would have to butt heads with the nuns. Fortunately, some calm ones from among them came to the rescue and eased tensions, and they agreed that Paul and I were under increased amounts of stress and let the PA stay.

Dr. Jack Brown

Little Big Men: The Rise of Kenya’s Clinical Officer (CO)

Like the experience of Dr. Jack Brown (if not more dramatic) similar politics accompanied the rise of Kenya’s clinical officers (COs)

Kenya's clinical officers were at one time under nurses and were limited in their practice by medical officers, or doctors, even though COs, then called medical assistants, were running the national hospitals and health centers immediately after independence in 1963.

In some ways, the case of the CO is a microcosm for the whole of Kenya politics and its Big Man mentality, in which men traditionally have held power.

Indeed, many of the first COs have become locally influential figures, and one was even noted to have gone on to become a Member of Parliament.

I Trained as a Hospital Assistant

Clinical Officer Jacob Kisang, the first chief of the Clinical Officers Council, recalls the evolution of the profession from the hospital assistant cadre, initiated sometime around 1928 when the British were training natives to dress wounds:

From 1954 to 1958, I trained as a hospital assistant.[i] When I qualified, I worked in Kenyatta National Hospital [at the time King George VI Hospital] for at least two years. Then I came to Tambach, which is my home district, and started working as a medical assistant.

Now first of all, our training was called hospital assistant. This was so because during the colonial days there were very few doctors, and they had to train hospital assistants to assist the doctors. Most of the medical people were doctors from overseas, so they started a medical training center in Nairobi called MTC.

It’s during the year 1960 when they changed the name from hospital assistant to medical assistant. Now as medical assistants, when independence came, most European doctors left the country, and therefore, they had to do an emergency training for medical assistants to become clinical officers.

Clinical Officer Jacob Kisang, the first chief of the Clinical Officers Council

According to Kisang, he managed his district alone for about 12 years, until 1976 when the first native Kenyan doctors had finished training at Makerere University in Uganda.

Isaac Nunda, another hospital assistant who was an early member and leader of the Hospital Assistant and Medical Assistant Association, trained as an anesthetist and assisted the famed Michael Wood of Flying Doctors, as well as set up operation theaters in Karisa and Thika.

The Wild, Wild West

The Kenya medical community in the time after independence was a bit like the Wild West, with medical officers, medical assistants, nurses, and pharmaceutical technicians all vying with each other, while two factions within the medical-assistant cadre jockeyed for position.

The Hospital Assistant and Medical Assistant Association represented hospital assistants and nurses who had trained for one year starting in 1969 at Kenya Medical Training Center, Machakos, Nairobi, to become certified medical assistants.

This group was opposed to Joseph Ole Kiu, leader of those who were training in the three-year clinical program, first at Machakos and then Nakuru, to become registered medical assistants.

“When we were in Machakos,” Ole Kiu recalled:

This group, the certified group, did not want us to be trained. They said, “How do you bring people called registered medical assistants to train and you never took us to that level?” So they fought us. So we went to court.[ii] And there was this chief justice, he was a mzungu [white man]. He said, “It is only in London 1937 that a group on the lower level was opposing a group which was going to train.” It was only in London that such a case came up. So he threw that out.

Joseph Ole Kiu

And We Said No

When Ole Kiu graduated at Nakuru, he and his fellow registered medical assistants, now renamed registered clinical officers by the Kamunge Commission, were not happy with the certified group and tried to form their own association.

However, the Registrar of Societies refused their request, and the registered COs joined the certified CO’s Hospital Assistant and Medical Assistant Association to become the Clinical Officers Association, with Nunda as national chairperson and Ole Kiu as his secretary.

A contemporary colleague suggested, off the record, Ole Kiu received the secretary post for agreeing to join the certified COs and for making other concessions, although according to Ole Kiu, the registered COs were merely required to pay the 2-shilling membership fee.

Now that the COs were united, they began their fight to free themselves of the nurses, who were ranked above them according to education, and from doctors, who restricted what drugs they could prescribe and what procedures they could do.

“I was working in the hospital [in Kisii] but very active in the Association,” said Nunda.

To work for the right of a clinical officer. Because during those days clinical officers were under nursing. Nurses were administering them. And we said, “No.”[iii] And clinical officers, wherever they worked if they had a clinic of themselves, were being supervised by a doctor. And they paid doctors for supervising their clinics. And so that’s one I didn’t like.

I'll Never Sign and Act

On the CO agenda were academic advancement, legal recognition, and scheme of service, and Nunda used the crank telephones still in use then and went from district to district in person, inducting clinical officers into the fight.

Ole Kiu said they worked for ten years with certain doctors to put together an Act only to have it rejected by Parliament, which called it “inopportune,” due to opposition from other doctors. Their Act was shelved.

The clinical officers’ main opponent was Director of Medical Services Dr. W.K. Koinange, “who didn’t want us!” exclaimed Nunda.

Because Dr. Koinange swore, within us, “I’ll never sign an Act of Clinical Officers when I’m director of Medical Services.”[iv] He swore it…. We were in a meeting. He said, “I’ll not sign your Act” because he wanted us to be amalgamated with all cadres, with clinical officers, nurses, and everything. But simply clinical officers he didn’t like.

Koinange chased Nunda from his office, forcing him and Ole Kiu to utilize high government officials to petition to see the Head of State at that time, Daniel arap Moi.

Winning the Fight

Ole Kiu, representing clinical officers, recalled going with Paul Tuukuo, representing pharmaceutical technologists, also seeking legal recognition, to meet with President Moi at the State House:

So Koinange heard that the clinical officers were going to see the President, so he informed the Minister [of Health, G. K.M'Mbijiwe]. By the time these guys came, we were already in State House…. So we stood, we had our own money, a little money. At that time the President was being given some—not chai [a bribe]—appreciation.[v] So we had our 30,000 [shillings]. Pharmaceutical technologists had 30,000…. So we went to see the President. So the President talked. Now, Koinange was coming closer to M'Mbijiwe, “Don’t allow them! Don’t allow them to talk! I say don’t allow them!”… So what happened, Tuukuo was the one to speak on our behalf. So these other guys talked. The President talked. And then when they finished, we pushed Tuukuo…. Then he said, “Your Excellency, Sir,” but he almost fell down, “these people hate us, these ones, they hate us, and they don’t want us. They have refused us, we pharmaceutical technologists, we clinical officers. We are the people working there, and these guys have refused us to be registered.”… Then [Moi] said, “The clinical officers, I know them. They are the ones treating even the white guys during the colonial times…. And at that time, these people were not even educated, but these ones now are more educated than those ones. So M’Mbijiwe, can you bring the Act to Parliament so these people are registered.”

According to the exchange rate at the writing of this blog, 30,000 shillings is about 300 U.S. dollars. After M’Mbijiwe, Mwai Kibaki became Minister of Health and, with more pressure from the COs, assured the passing of the Clinical Officers Registration and Licensing Act, Cap. 260, in 1988.

The Act freed clinical officers from supervision, no longer requiring them to get a medical officer to countersign on prescriptions.

At the time, Professor Lawrence Karanja was a clinical officer teaching at KMTC-Nairobi, while also obtaining a higher national diploma in orthopedic surgery.

We in KMTC had to suspend all of our lectures for two days. Everybody had to go and look for their Member of Parliament and convince him, let him go and support the Act….[vi] That’s the first time and the last time I ever went to Parliament.

When the Act was passed, according to Karanja, all the COs were happy and immediately obtained licenses to open private clinics.

Even COs in training were allowed to have part-time licenses, and after two or three years, COs were driving nice cars and building their own houses. Many have gone on to further education, and some have even started private medical training schools and other businesses, including the writer and director of this film, Reuben Waswa.

In 2017, the 1988 Act was replaced by the Clinical Officers Act No. 20, legalizing basic surgeries, such as cesarean sections, which some COs had already been trained to perform, and expanding the schedule of drugs COs can prescribe.

Crossing Over

Kenyan medicine is still a bit on the wild side according to retired clinical officer Reuben Kbaba, who said everyone is crossing over—medical officers sometimes claim to be specialists, clinical officers sometimes claim to be doctors and pharmaceutical technologists sometimes offer services regulated to COs.[vii]

This competition initially brought health care to more people, distributed wealth through rural areas, and unified the disparate tribes as one nation.

The CO cohort, which outnumbers medical officers, has also given themselves gainful and rewarding employment. However, as I said in the last blog, we can’t all be physician assistants, and health should be approached from infrastructure, education, and socio-economic justice, as well as other standpoints, not merely as a Band-Aid to stem societal ills.

For Kenya, their Big Man society is slowly passing, women are entering the ranks of COs in greater numbers, and universal health care is a goal of the current administration.

And so, ends this blog series, which was to share with you some of the impressions and stories I have collected. Cheers.

About the Author

Adam Halbur is a writer and teacher living in Tokyo, Japan. A short version of his film As Good as You Can, As Professionally as You Can premiered at the 11th annual conference of the International Academy of Physician Associate Educators. Watch the “American Cheese” segment of the longer version here. Watch a short of the 50th AAPA Conference with interviews from Ruth Ballweg and David Kuhns here. Halbur is entirely self-funded, so if you appreciate his work, please consider making a small contribution to his feature documentary on the Kenyan clinical officer.

Videos from this post:

[i] https://youtu.be/8vYEqaYPJ1M

[ii] https://youtu.be/qtAgwzqNh_o

[iii] https://youtu.be/dCjqN_XPv-A

[iv] https://youtu.be/_sAZTJLKz6Q

[v] https://youtu.be/284HMXSACYs

[vi] https://youtu.be/vUWoeUcYrtU

[vii] https://youtu.be/-JkzcX7prDQ

[viii] https://mosthustleanddesire.github.io/as_good_as_you_can/

[x] https://youtu.be/yXVwwqXvVNw

Additional Reading:

Where PAs and Physician Associates Can Work Internationally
View all posts in this series
  • As Good As You Can: The PA Model Around the World Part One
  • American Cheese: The Origin of the U.S. Physician Assistant
  • PAs in the Netherlands: The Dutch Physician Assistant
  • Why We Really Need PAs in The UK: The British Physician Associate
  • Meet The PA Pioneers of Israel: The Israeli Physician Assistant
  • Trials and Tribulations of the Liberian Physician Assistant
  • South Africa’s Clinical Associate (Clin-A): The PA Model Around The World
  • The Indian Physician Assistant (PA): Past, Present, and Future
  • The Australian Physician Assistant: The PA Model Around The World
  • Laos: The Birthplace of the U.S. Physician Assistant?
  • Little Big Men: The Rise of Kenya’s Clinical Officer

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Steven, Pre-PA

Sarah was amazing! She completely transformed my essay and helped include other important key points that I was previously missing in my essay. The editing process was simple and it was easy to collaborate on google docs. I would 100% recommend The PA Life editing service to my friends and people who just need that extra help to make their essay stand out to admission committees. I look forward to this application cycle with my new essay!

Myriam, Pre-PA

This is my second time using this editing service and I am highly satisfied with the results! Sarah Schultz worked with me on both my personal statement and a supplemental essay, both times providing excellent advice and editing on my papers. It was a pleasure working with her, and I look forward to hearing back from programs soon to see if I receive an invitation for an interview.

Sarah, Pre-PA

Mr. Pasquini was very patient, accommodating and direct in his editing/advice. He was honest, in a way that I needed due to the importance of the letter. I even picked up a few tips to enhance my writing from our meetings. Great experience and will definitely recommend him to others!

Alana P. Pre-PA

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 LOVED the suggestions Carly made for my essay. Not only was she thorough with her edits, but she also provided a lot of quality feedback that really made my essay shine. Carly took my unedited, messy essay and helped me better convey what I was trying to say. I have nothing but positive things to say about this experience and feel this service was worth every penny.

Rachel, Pre-PA

Susan did a fantastic job editing my essay! She guided me and gave me suggestions for strengthening certain sections and equally took out weak parts. After I followed her recommendations, I really felt like I had an essay where every sentence mattered and reflected who I was. Thank you so much Susan for your help. I feel that I have a stronger essay because of your honest feedback and your help!

Amanda Pre-PA

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 absolutely loved working with Sarah! I could not be any happier with how my personal statement turned out. She was incredibly encouraging, sensitive to my needs, and insightful. There is not enough praise that I could give her for the amazing work she did for me.

Vanessa, Pre-PA

Oh my gosh thank you SOO much!!! I have been so busy with school so I haven’t been able to edit my personal statement, but I want to thank you soo much for making my statement look a heck of a lot better!!! I will be editing it over my spring break since that is the only free time I have, and I most likely will do a re-edit if I can (its $35 ish right?). Anyways thank you so much again!! Sorry for the late reply but I will get back to you again during my spring break if I need a second edit, thank you so much again for all your help!! I can already see how much of a difference you’ve made! Totally worth my money!

Melat Ashagre, Pre-PA

Carly was excellent! She was very quick to provide edits and did a thorough job. She really helped me with the flow of my essay. I will be sure to let you know if I receive any interview invitations. Well worth the money! I feel confident in my essay.

Casey, Pre-PA

Working with Sarah felt like working with an old friend. Her thoughtful insight made the revision process easy. She had great advice for improvements to make while remaining within that difficult 5,000 character limit. Thanks, Sarah, you helped a ton!

Ryan, Pre-PA

I had a great experience with The PA Life essay revision service. They were very professional and made revisions in a timely manner. My editor was very understanding about my schedule and when it would take me longer to reply to emails. I would recommend this service to any new grad PAs!

Sandy, Pre-PA

I hope this email finds you well. I would like to thank you for your help with my PA school personal statement. I’m glad to share that I did get into my top choice – Drexel!

Ashley, Pre-PA

Sue’s comments were very helpful. Her quick turnaround time is very impressive. She responded to my concerns and questions promptly. She clearly knows what to present to the PA school admissions team. I am very happy with her work.

Kitti, Pre-PA

Thank you so much for your help with my personal statement. The process was everything I could have wanted and more. You were wonderful to work with and I appreciate very much how you were able to connect to my personal experiences and combine that with the traits that you know make a statement successful. I have applied to my first two PA schools and I owe a big part of that to you! Once again, Thank you very much!

Louis T. 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

I just wanted to send you a quick email, letting you know that I finally got accepted into PA school! I will be attending Sacred Heart University in Connecticut and will be starting this fall. I could not have made it this far without your help! This was my third time applying and during my first two cycles, I didn’t think that I needed outside help. But this time around, I decided that I needed to change my tactic and I am so freaking happy that I did. Your guidance and advice on my personal statement absolutely made a difference. I had 6 interviews and got accepted into 4! You have helped changed my life and I am forever grateful. I have several friends who will be applying this cycle so I will be referring them to you!

Christian, 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

I truly appreciate the ideas and comments Deanna provided for my personal statement. Without her expertise in having an understanding of what PA programs are looking for in a personal statement, I would have gone in a completely different and possibly wrong direction. I highly recommend this service!

Victoria, Pre-PA

Susan did a fantastic job of editing my essay! She guided me and gave me suggestions for strengthening certain sections and equally took out weak parts. After I followed her recommendations, I really felt like I had an essay where every sentence mattered and reflected who I was. Thank you so much Susan for your help. I feel that I have a stronger essay because of your honest feedback and your help!

Patrick, 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

I loved this service!!

Madeleine Zeichner, Pre-PA

This service was invaluable – I felt decent about my essay, but it’s remarkably better. I appreciate the level of detail and courtesy even with my discounted rate. You guys are too great!

Taylor Hamstra, Pre-PA

Sarah was absolutely wonderful. She not only helped take my personal statement to the best level, but she also made it easy to understand why certain changes were better. In the end, she went through and used a highlighting method to show how we connected things to PA and skills that were good. This made it easier to visualize everything. I’d recommend Sarah to anyone applying to PA school that needs that extra push on their personal statements.

Taylor, Pre-PA

I just wanted to update you that I got waitlisted for Drexel but accept to Dominican University of California. I still have other interviews coming up. Thank you for your help!

Karmen Wu, Pre-PA

Carly did a great job helping my personal statement flow from paragraph to paragraph. She truly helped me show throughout the essay why I wanted to become a PA. What I really appreciated was she explained why each change was made; comments and reasons which not only helped with this one time essay but for all my future essays as well. Definitely was worth it!

Kathleen, Pre-PA

I really appreciated Duke and his way of cutting out the unnecessary fluff in my essay. He was extremely helpful and helped steer me in the right direction to better my writing and make me a more competitive applicant. I am currently still applying to programs and will notify you guys once I get an invitation!

Ani S. 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 finally have amazing news. So first of all, in total, I was offered 13 interviews. I was just offered a seat at Nova Orlando! I am finally going to be a PA and a big part of that was from all of your help with my personal statement. So thank you very much for helping me succeed during this round.

Jennifer, PA-S

I just wanted to reach out to you and let you know that I got accepted into PA School and wanted to thank you so much for all of your help throughout this journey. I truly could not have done it without your help! Thank you again so much.

Emily Sharpe, Pre-PA

I am writing this because I wanted to share with you that I have been accepted to the University of Iowa PA program.  I would like to once again thank you for your insight and guidance while writing my personal statement, it came at just the right time.

Eugene V.PA-S

I worked closely with Duke and Sue for the revisions on my personal statement. They must have edited my original version half a dozen times before they felt it was good enough to send off and never made it seem like an inconvenience. They always responded to my e-mails within a 24-hour time frame but usually got back to me within a few hours. I am very pleased with how my personal statement turned out thanks to all of their time, ideas and direction. The service the PA Life provides is well worth the money spent!

Personal Statement Collaborative

Michelle Murphy, 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 got into my first choice program University of Southern California (USC)!!!!  Thank you so much for your help this cycle. I’m forever grateful.

Lanisha Cole, PA-S

Deanna has helped me so much with my essay. I will definitely be reaching out for additional editing help and am so thankful this service is available. My editor was impeccably prompt, communicated her role, suggestions, and time frame which was great.

Morgan, Pre-PA

Sue is so incredibly kind! I needed so much help on cleaning up my personal statement and overall flow of the writing. She provided great insights and explanation.

Laila, Pre-PA

My editor with The PA Life was a grammar goddess! She provided amazing feedback and was quick with responding back to any emails, questions, and concerns!

Saniha, Pre-PA

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

Sue was very attentive to details and her comments and edits made a perfect sense. Thank you for your help!

Margaryta, Pre-PA

I wanted to let you know that after 4 interviews and 4 waitlists, I was informed a seat opened up at my number one school Drexel in Philadelphia!! So I have officially enrolled in a PA program. This feeling is the lightest I have ever felt and it is incredible. Aside from myself and my mom who has emotionally supported me through this all, you were a huge part of making this happen. I cannot thank you enough for helping tell my story. If you ever want a review to be written somewhere, I would be glad to write one. I have nothing but respect for your talent in listening and translating someone’s intention and experiences into a rounded and full story. Thank you again.

Sarah, R PA-S

Deanna was amazing! She really went above and beyond the single-edit that I could afford. I consider myself a pretty good writer, but she helped me focus and ground my story without sacrificing the overall creativity of the original piece. All I can say is wow! If there ever was something worth the money, this service is it!

John S. 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

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

Deanna was an amazing editor and provided wonderful feedback to my personal statement. I was very hesitant and nervous prior to approaching an editing service, but I do not have any regrets. Deanna not only critiqued my personal statement, but also gave guidance and reasoning behind her critiques. I now feel confident and excited to fully present my self on paper to admissions. I highly recommend her and the services provided for any future applicant. I hope to receive an interview and acceptance this year for next fall. Thank you!

Alexis, Pre-PA

I loved this service! Not only did my editor transform my essay, she helped me feel more confident in my application moving forward. She was extremely personable and efficient. I love my essay and now I’m even more excited about applying for school because of the help I received from The PA Life! Highly recommend!!

Aubrey, Pre-PA

I really needed help with my personal statement. I wrote many copies and finally sent my favorite to the PA life to get some assistance editing. I thought I would have a hard time with the constructive criticism because I spent so much time already on my writing, but the editors were great in suggesting edits and why as well as complimenting appropriately. I’m very proud of my end product and am excited to send it to PA schools. I haven’t finalized my application yet but will definitely let the PA life know if and when I get an interview (or hopefully 2)! 🙂

Bailey B. 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 used the personal statement editing service through The PA Life, and I worked with Sarah. She was AMAZING and made such a difference in both the quality of my personal statement and in my confidence as an applicant. That said, I’m so grateful to say I’ve been accepted into two out of the three programs I applied to and have an interview with the third on Friday of this week. I couldn’t be more excited!

Nikki, PA-S

Having my essay edited proved extremely helpful. I was having trouble connecting my thoughts, and the edit helped so much. I haven’t found out about acceptance yet. I’m just now about to submit my application!

Amber, Pre-PA

I’m emailing you to let you know that I received an acceptance call yesterday! It’s my first cycle applying so I’m still in shock. This may sound weird to say, but you have been a part of my journey since the beginning when I was trying to figure out how to write my personal statement, to practicing for the interview that led to my acceptance. I genuinely believe that I would not have been accepted into the program if it weren’t for you.

Anthony, PA-S

I wanted to send you a quick life update and another BIG thank you! I received my acceptance at the University of Utah’s PA Program on Monday and couldn’t be happier. Thank you for all your help with my essay and interview prep. Both of these services that you provided were so helpful in my success. I will highly recommend you to any future PA student.

Lily, Pre-PA

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

Sarah was absolutely incredible to work with! My initial draft conveyed all the ideas that I wanted it to, but I wasn’t sure that it flowed well or was memorable. Sarah did a great job with helping me make my introduction stand out and also helped me immensely with the overall structure of my essay. My personal statement had initially been a source of stress but I am so happy with my final draft and extremely grateful to Sarah for her thoughtful insights!

Tina, Pre-PA

Sarah was beyond excellent. Her timelines and efficiency provided me with enough time to revise and meet with her again before our final draft. Her comments and edits were extremely effective. I hope to be receiving an interview and will be using this service (requesting Sarah) for a mock interview if that happens!

Kaitlyn, 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

So far, I’ve received 3 interview invites from Chapman, Drexel, and Tufts!!! I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to Sarah for polishing my PS, supplemental essays and giving me lots of awesome tips for my upcoming interviews!!!

Audrey, Pre-PA

I was so glad that I chose to have Duke look over my essay, he turned it from long, rambling, and scattered to a much more concise, well written essay. I really feel as though it represents me well! Duke always responded quickly and I felt as though I got a lot of value for the money. Thank you!

Jennifer B. Pre-PA

I wanted to let you know how this application season was going for me so far.

I’ve had two interviews, still have at least three more scheduled, and I received my first acceptance last week.

Thank you again for your help!

Nancy Peterson, Pre-PA

About a year ago you helped edit my personal statement to get into PA school! I just wanted to let you know that I got interviews and was accepted to all the schools I applied to! I have decided to attend UAB in the fall! Thank you again for all your help!

Lauren Smith, PA-S

This experience was great. They took my essay and gave great constructive comments that made it an even better essay. Very fast and efficient process.

Gabby, Pre-PA

I have been accepted to my first-choice program!! UC Denver, I don’t have to move! I have also received three other interviews so far. Thank you so much for your help with my personal statement. You eloquently helped me state my desires and strengths for the career. I am beyond thrilled and thankful.

Nika (Future 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

Wanted to let you know how this application season was going for me so far.

I’ve had two interviews, still have at least three more scheduled, and I received my first acceptance last week.

Thank you again for your help!

M.S, Pre-PA

Duke made some important modifications to my essay and offered several helpful suggestions. I appreciated his insight and a keen eye.

Ilina K. Pre-PA

Sarah is an amazing writer. She helped clarify my thoughts and encouraged me on this journey. When/ if I get an interview, it will be because of her amazing writing skills.

Araceli, Pre-PA

I am mind-blown by my editor Carly’s work. My original essay is like an ill-fitting suit. She hemmed and adjusted it in all the right places and now it looks perfect. I don’t think I’m a bad writer, but I don’t write often and I have spent the past 10 years of my life focused on health sciences. I may have never been able to do this on my own. Thank you thank you, I consider this essay service a bargain.

Rebecca, Pre-PA

We worked on my essays back in summer and oh, how much work it was! But it all paid off because I just got accepted into the school of my first choice! Thank you so much for your time and dedication to my success. I will also be glad to recommend your services to other pre-PA students at my school!

Jennifer, H Pre-PA

Sarah did such a great job editing my personal statement! She was receptive to my concerns and had awesome ideas to make my essay stand out. I am very happy with how it turned out and I am excited to submit it. Thank you!!

Hannah, Pre-PA

Duke helped me with my essay and he was great! He really helped me fine tune my essay so it’s ready for submission and answered all of the question I had about small details in my essay. He was also great about responding to emails in a timely manner. I definitely recommend this personal statement review service to anyone who’s applying to PA school…even if it’s just as a final read-through before submitting it on their application.

Tyler J. Pre-PA

Very helpful. I needed help figuring out what to cut and Sue was great at showing me what could go without sacrificing what I was trying to convey.

Dave, Pre-PA

Sue did an amazing job editing my personal statement. She included all the aspects that I wanted in the statement and made it flow so much better. Thank You! Thank You!

Kendra Perkey, Pre-PA

I just wanted to email you and let you know that 3 weeks post-interview with Gannon, I was accepted into the class of 2023! I am so excited and thrilled and I know that your help, helped me. So, thank you!

Cailin, PA-S

Great feedback and turn around time. Utilizing this feature gave me even more confidence that I was trying my best to be the top candidate.

Kristopher, Pre-PA

After receiving two edits from Carly I feel extremely confident in my personal statement. She not only fixed grammatical error and syntax, but helped me better organize my thoughts into a competitive essay. To other Pre-PAs looking to submit their essays: I know it’s a bit of an investment but the peace of mind, comfortability, and confidentiality is so worth it! Thank you The PA Life!

Elizabeth, Pre-PA

Sue was great to work with. Very prompt in responding to my submission. Asked good questions and incorporated my responses into my essay nicely. I appreciate the work.

Mary Peterson, Pre-PA

Sue was awesome and ensured I received my edited version of the essay in a timely manner. The editing was above exceptional and exceeded my expectations. Thanks so much!! You guys are awesome!

HK, Pre-PA

The comments and edits made by Sue are exceptional! They’ve helped a lot in terms of helping me express my thoughts more clearly and effectively. It felt as if she was there with me, reading my thoughts and helping me with the entire process in person!

Amy, Pre-PA

Sarah is the best! She gets me and puts all her efforts for my message to come across in a clear and concise way. Obviously, her editing skills are superb! But she also has a very sweet and pleasant way of being. I highly recommend Sarah and the PA Life Personal Statement Collaborative. I have not yet received an interview, but keeping my fingers crossed!

Raquel Poliwoda Pre-PA

The feedback that I received through The PA Life editing service was more detailed than I expected! It gave me a clear idea of what direction I need to take in regard to my personal statement. I absolutely loved the edits!

Crystal, Pre-PA

I have recently been accepted to a program that was one of my top choices, and I also was waitlisted with two other schools. I wanted to thank you again for all your help Duke.  Not only am I grateful for your knowledge of writing and grammar (which were invaluable), but most importantly your kind word and motivation, which I needed so much at the time.  You’re a great person!

Alex Taylor, PA-S

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

Sarah was amazing to work with. I love that she is able to take what I am trying to say and form concise sentences that flow together so effortlessly. Every time I read a paragraph that she ‘cleans’ up for me, my immediate response is “WOAH!”. Simply put, she was a pleasure to work with and I would recommend The PA Life personal statement editing service with her to anyone!

Jamee, Pre-PA

Sue was a huge help with my essay. Her edits made my essay sound much better grammatically and she pointed out some content problems I completely missed. She prompted me to write a few more paragraphs before her edit and added the information into my essay. That made a big difference. She was very knowledgable about what PA programs were looking for. I am really happy with your service. Worth every penny, THANKS!

Megan Stephenson, Pre-PA

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for helping me with my personal statement. I have been accepted at Cornell, and will most likely be entering their program in March 2017. I have also received interview offers from Wake Forest, Duke, Pitt, Quinnipiac, Oregon Health Sciences, and Chatham so far. I am happy to share my success up to this point, because I would not be in this position without your guidance, wisdom, and talent.

I thoroughly enjoyed working with you, and I am profoundly grateful for your help. I wish you all the best in the future.

Stephanie Dwyer, PA-S

Susan did a fantastic job of editing my essay! She guided me and gave me suggestions for strengthening certain sections and equally took out weak parts. After I followed her recommendations, I really felt like I had an essay where every sentence mattered and reflected who I was. Thank you so much Susan for your help. I feel that I have a stronger essay because of your honest feedback and your help!

Amanda, Pre-PA

I really appreciated Carly’s attentiveness to my writing style and working to keep my message and content but working it in a way that reads easier. I appreciate her turnaround time, as well as priority deadlines for programs, are quickly approaching!

Jacob, Pre-PA

I felt our mock interview was an absolute necessity to prepare for the Academic and Personal interviews from Yale School of Medicine PA Program Online. I felt the calibre of questions you had asked me, in addition to the coaching and post-question feedback, really helped me understand what an ideal response looks like and gave me time to reflect and prepare my responses for the formal interview just two days later.

During my interviews I was asked plenty of questions I didn’t have a prepared response to (and I had combed through tons especially in the days following our mock interview!) I can say that I answered each question genuinely, authentically, and showed both interviewers the best version of myself. I didn’t stammer or lose my place, and I felt confident in my words and expressions. I don’t think I would have been as comfortable, calm, or confident without having accepted your guidance and feedback and learned from our time together.

Gratitude for your words, encouragement, and support is an understatement. Thank you, Sarah!

Best Regards,
Jacob

Jacob, 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

Testimonials

I 10000% recommend Sarah and The PA Life mock interview service! I did two mock interviews because it was that good and made me feel prepared. Before my mock interview I was rejected from one school I interviewed with. But after interviewing with Sarah from The PA Life, I was admitted after my second interview! I have a few more interviews lined up and I know that I’ll be able to apply the skills and tips I learned from these mock interviews when the time comes. I felt incredibly supported throughout the entire process and I could tell that they really want your dreams to come true!
Ome Ollin, Pre-PA
I really appreciated Duke and his way of cutting out the unnecessary fluff in my essay. He was extremely helpful and helped steer me in the right direction to better my writing and make me a more competitive applicant. I am currently still applying to programs and will notify you guys once I get an invitation!
Ani S. Pre-PA
Carly is absolutely amazing, and I would recommend her to everyone. She was very helpful and supportive with her edits and why she recommended certain changes. She is amazing, and she helped me tell my story.
Peter, Pre-PA
Just letting you know I received an Acceptance call today from ATSU in Mesa, AZ! This is the program I interviewed with this past Monday. I’m so excited and grateful! Thank you again for your support and coaching. I am going to interview with three more programs next month. I’m glad to have one option for sure!
Julia, PA-S
Really great service, definitely worth the money! I am very pleased with the amount of work that went into editing my paper and giving reasons as to why sentences or paragraphs were changed around. Carly did an amazing job!
Christina, Pre-PA
Susan did a fantastic job editing my essay! She guided me and gave me suggestions for strengthening certain sections and equally took out weak parts. After I followed her recommendations, I really felt like I had an essay where every sentence mattered and reflected who I was. Thank you so much Susan for your help. I feel that I have a stronger essay because of your honest feedback and your help!
Amanda Pre-PA
This company is THE BEST! Carly did such an awesome job of not only revising my personal statement but also explaining every step she made. It helped me understand why certain things fit better in different places and helped improve my writing. I am able to submit my applications confidently, knowing that I have a strong personal statement. I HIGHLY recommend this service!
Tiffany M, Pre-PA
Thank you for helping me prepare for my interviews. Your feedback was really helpful. I got accepted to 2 programs. Once again, Thank You!
Abiel, Pre-PA
Sarah did a great job at making me feel comfortable while answering the practice interview questions. I felt that her feedback was honest and truly geared toward helping me become a stronger candidate.
Kate, Pre-PA
With the help of Smarty PANCE and several other books and study guides I took my PANRE on October 2018 and beat my PANCE score by an additional 250 points! Thanks again for creating such a wonderful product!
Dan Nichols PA-C

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Schedule a Mock PA School Video Interview We offer live 45-minute mock PA school interviews with post-interview feedback and advice. Includes a recorded video of your interview that you can watch, download or share with family and friends. Be ready for any interview scenario.

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Schedule a One-On-One Live Mock PA School Video Interview

We offer 45-minute mock PA school interviews with post-interview feedback and advice. Includes a recorded video of your interview that you can watch, download or share with family and friends. There is no better way to prepare!
Schedule Appointment

Yellow background video interview

Schedule a One-On-One Live Mock PA School Video Interview

We offer 45-minute mock PA school interviews with post-interview feedback and advice. Includes a recorded video of your interview that you can watch, download or share with family and friends. There is no better way to prepare!
Schedule Appointment

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101 PA School Admission Essays

Admissions Directors Know What They Want. Shouldn't You? 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…

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How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement

What Makes This Book Unique? We have worked with 1000’s of applicants through our Personal Statement and Essay Collaborative and have interviewed PA school faculty and Admissions Directors from 12…

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