Life as a Single Mom in Physician Assistant (PA) School

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Jennifer of The PA Cafe.

My name is Jennifer, a United States Army Veteran, single mom and currently enrolled in both the Master’s of Public Health and Master’s of Medical Science (PA program) in Davie, FL.

The journey through PA school has been both challenging and humbling thus far. Like many of my peers, I don’t like asking for help and at times I like to think that I am invincible.

But then life happens, reminding me that I’m only human. In those moments I realize my need for a support system to help me through the struggle that is the PA program.

My support system is the key

First up, my ex-husband; although we are divorced our relationship is still very amicable. He is a great father to both our daughter and his teenage son who is also very instrumental in keeping his little sister busy during weeknights while I’m studying on campus.

Unfortunately, most of my daughter’s days are spent at school. She carpools to morning care with a classmate, whose mother is a friend of mine. This arrangement is how I can make it to class on time with the one-hour commute. Her father picks her up from aftercare and they spend the evenings together until I return home. During the more demanding semesters and upcoming clinical rotations, I fly in my aunt from Haiti. She lives with me for 6 months at a time, taking care of my daughter and household.

When it comes to unexpected school closings, holiday breaks and teacher work days; I rely on close friends and family members. But the support they provide is more than just helping with my daughter; the moral and emotional support they provide is just as important.

Whether it’s just a morning motivational text, a shoulder to cry on, prayer, home-cooked meal, or just stopping by my house to check on us - all of these small gestures make the biggest difference.

Fears of PA School

The biggest obstacle that I had to overcome was myself. Before starting PA school, I was going through a very stressful time. I was recovering from a surgery, my mother was very ill, I had just lost my job and finalized my divorce a few months prior, and to top it all off my home needed some major repairs.

Feelings of worry, doubt and fear consumed my thoughts. Even though I had just been accepted into my 1^st choice PA school … I wasn’t excited about it. There was so much going on in my life already, did I really want to add the stress of PA school to it all?

These voices of fear grew stronger with each passing day, but I knew that putting my life on hold any longer wasn’t going to change anything. The way I saw it was, it’s now or never, so I jumped in and let my faith carry me through.

My other concern was money

As a single parent who is hell-bent on living a debt free life – the thought of living on a fixed income made finances a major concern.

While the Department of Veteran Affairs is paying for my education, I still need to provide food, clothes, and shelter for myself and child. How was I going to maintain our lifestyle while enrolled in school?

I knew that rainy days were going to come so I made it my mission to sort out my finances while completing my undergrad. I saved money, created and stuck to a detailed budget in addition to eliminating as much debt as possible.

I’m so thankful that I did that because those rainy days came and they were more like thunderstorms and hurricanes.

Life can be chaotic

I’m often late to school functions and extracurricular activities… assuming I’m able to make it at all.

Before PA School, my daughter and I had a lot of fun together. It was just the two of us and the mommy and me activities were endless, but that’s not possible right now.

Much of my time is spent in school or studying. On the rare occasions that I have time off from school, it is usually spent catching up on “life,” car repairs, grocery shopping, doctor’s appointments, and all the other fun stuff that comes with adulting. My social life is non-existent and many of my household chores just flat out don’t get done. But it’s all about priorities, I triage my to-do list in order of most important/urgent to what can be outsourced or pushed back.

Quality Time

When Fun Fridays come around, my time and attention are completely devoted to my kid.

We usually end up having our infamous “junk food movie nights.” We are both superhero fanatics, so we catch up on episodes of Flash, or watch the Marvel/DC Comics films. On Saturday mornings we catch the sunrise on the beach and play for a few hours, go out for breakfast then head back home so I can hit the books.

At least one weekend a month I try to schedule play dates with her friends or spend a day at my sister’s house who has children that are the same age as my daughter. Other than that, she is on her iPad while I study. It’s not ideal for my kid to have so much screen time, but I must remember that this is for a temporary amount of time.

Advice to PA parents

Make a plan and stay organized. The world keeps spinning even though time seems to stop.

Be prepared for the worse case scenarios before you even apply and build a rock-solid support system. I created a blog called “The PA Café” (www.thepacafe.com) for parents considering a career as healthcare providers. I feature parents currently enrolled in various graduate-level healthcare programs sharing their experiences and how they balance school with family life.

It is important for parents, especially mothers, to know that fulfilling their career goals is possible regardless of their responsibilities at home, backgrounds, or perceived limitations. Anything is possible once you set your mind to it, sometimes we just need proof that it can be done.

Stephen Pasquini PA-C Physician Assistant

Stephen has been a family practice PA since 2004 and is the creator of The PA Life, Smarty PANCE Board Review, and PASchoolfinder 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 to foster universal recognition/awareness of the PA profession. Read more about Stephen.

See Full Bio

Physician Assistant Physician Associate CASPA Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) Physician Assistant National Recertifying Examination (PANRE) PA School Interviews PA School Admissions PA School Personal Statements

Download Your FREE 300 PA School Interview Questions and Answers Workbook

Sign up below to receive your free 65 page 300 PA school interview questions and answers workbook.

Send My Workbook

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Webinar: Crafting Your Best PA School Personal Statement

Hosted by Stephen Pasquini PA-C, Deanna Matzen

About this webinar Are you applying to PA school but worried about writing a compelling personal statement that will grab the admissions committee’s attention? Do you want to learn the secrets of crafting a PA school essay that stands out from the crowd and showcases your personality, motivation, and fit for PA school? ​ If so, then you don’t want to miss our webinar on Crafting Your Best PA School Personal Statement. ​ In this webinar, you will learn the following: What a personal statement is and how schools use them. You will understand the purpose and expectations of writing a personal statement and how schools use this information during the admission process. What to do before you start writing. You will learn how to prepare and organize your thoughts, research, and brainstorm your strengths and achievements. A successful structure for your personal statement. You will learn how to craft a clear, coherent, and compelling narrative that showcases your personality, motivation, and fit for their program. Common mistakes to avoid. You will learn how to polish your personal statement and avoid errors that could undermine your credibility or impact. By joining this webinar, you will gain valuable insights and tips on how to write a personal statement that increases your chances of admission to your desired PA school. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions and get feedback from our experienced PA school coaches. ​ Don’t miss this chance to learn how to write your best PA school personal statement. Register now and secure your spot for this webinar. You won’t regret it! ​

Powered by

Register Now Powered by

CASPA Personal Statement Help

We offer comprehensive, start-to-finish personal statement assistance or help to perfect a draft you already have. We have services to fit every budget.

Personal Statement Editing

Schedule a Live Recorded PA School Video Interview

We offer 60-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 an Interview

Pre-PA Consulting and Advising

Our pre-PA coaching service consists of a 1-hour phone consultation focused on addressing your specific questions or concerns about becoming a PA and applying to PA school.

PPre-PA Consulting and Advising

Download Your Free Copy of the How to Write Your PA School Essay Workbook

We created a free workbook to help you craft a personal statement that the admissions directors will be dying to read. Tell us where to send your free copy.