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You are here: Home / Pre-Physician Assistant / Parenting and PA School / Going Midlevel Midlife: Michelle’s Story of Becoming a Physician Assistant in her 40’s

Going Midlevel Midlife: Michelle’s Story of Becoming a Physician Assistant in her 40’s

November 9, 2017 By Stephen Pasquini PA-C 1 Comment

After 16 years of teaching high school wellness, Michelle Roush felt ready for a greater challenge to leverage her interest in health. After much planning and preparation, she is now studying to become a physician assistant, and loving the journey.

Tell us a little about your background…

I am a married, 41-year-old mother of two boys, ages six and eight. I received my BA in health and physical education in 1996 from Ohio Northern University (Ada, Ohio) and taught in the greater Cincinnati area for four years before moving to Chicago.

I finished my Master’s in Education in 2002 and taught at New Trier High School in Winnetka, IL for 12 years. I taught in the Kinetic Wellness department, which, in most schools, is better known as health and physical education.

My primary teaching assignment was health education (sex education and personal fitness) but I also taught team sports and women’s health and fitness. In addition, I was very active in departmental activities: I was the sophomore health course coordinator, sat on the hiring committee and the policies and procedures committee, and more.

My boys! They were two and five when I started tackling my PA school prerequisites and are five and eight now

When did you start to think about making a career change and becoming a physician assistant?

PA School Age-Related Statistics

First-Year Class: Age M SD Mdn n(P)
Age of first-year PA student 26.1 2.51 26.0 170
Age of youngest first-year PA student 21.4 1.23 21.0 168
Age of oldest first-year PA student 44.1 7.57 44.0 168

When each of my sons was born, I took a leave of absence from my job to spend time with them in their infancy months. With my second child, I did not feel that magical “pull” to return to work. Teaching had started to feel like Groundhog Day, every day; I could do anything and everything on autopilot. While this made work quite easy, it also made it exceptionally boring.

Compounding this issue, I often felt like a second-class citizen at my high school because I did not teach what they considered a “solid” class, like English or math.

I am very curious about health, wellness, and disease, and if I couldn’t use my skills and talents in the classroom, I felt I should find other avenues where I could make a difference. It doesn’t help that I don’t have a lot of confidence in our state and federal government when it comes to public education—be it classroom funding, standardized assessments, or funding pensions. It was clearly time for me to leave teaching.

What is your next act?

I am a member of the 2017 Rush University Physician Assistant Studies cohort. Upon completion of the program and after passing the licensing exam, I will be certified as a Physician Assistant (PA) and will be able to practice medicine as a member of a collaborative team of healthcare providers.

I will become a PA-C, which stands for Physician Assistant-Certified. In every state, to practice as a PA, one must take and pass the PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam) for initial certification and take and pass the PANRE (Physician Assistant National Recertifying Exam) every 10 years. Additionally, to maintain their license, a PA must accumulate a specified number of continuing education hours each year, as defined by their state licensing board.

Rush’s program is 30 months to complete as it has the unique 6-month advanced practice rotation. Participating in a program structured like this, the graduate is prepared with both strong generalist skills and proficiency in an area of advanced practice. Most other PA programs are 24-27 months (Northwestern is twenty-four, Midwestern is twenty-seven, Rosalind Franklin is 24 months).

Despite having very intense academic demands, I can honestly say that I am so happy I made this decision. I love studying medicine and science, learning how disease processes work, using critical thinking and reasoning to arrive at potential diagnoses, and beginning to formulate treatment plans. On the downside, there are days where all I feel I do is study, go to class, eat, study, then pass out from exhaustion – but I realize that this stage is temporary and so worth it!

The volume of information and the speed at which it is disseminated is completely unreal; for example, our dermatology unit lasted one week where we spent five days in the classroom, had six PowerPoint sessions with over 650 slides, then had our exam. And keep in mind that was only for one course!

The volume and pacing are just brutal, and, at times, I think to myself “how on earth am I going to remember all this?” but then I do review sessions for my certifying exam (two years down the road) and surprise myself with how much I know!

Study Carrel at Rush University

There has been a huge growth in demand for PAs and in applications to PA schools. Why is that?

Implementing team-based, collaborative care coupled with the influx of more patients to the health care system (due to the Affordable Care Act) has emphasized the need for flexibility in care delivery to best meet the needs of patients.

PAs are utilized in many areas of healthcare: seeing patients in the clinic for routine or acute needs, rounding on patients in hospitals, assisting in surgery, performing various procedures, and providing patient education – often autonomously, but with collaboration from their partner physician.

Becoming a physician assistant, versus an MD, requires fewer years of study while still allowing you to assume a lot of responsibility in the field of medicine and rewarding you with an attractive salary. In addition, job opportunities are plentiful. According to a recent Forbes article, physician assistant studies is ranked the number one best master’s degree for finding a job. Here is a link to the US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics regarding PA salaries, requirements, outlook, etc.

While I can’t speak for other institutions, the program director at Rush did tell us she typically receives six job inquiries from potential employers per student. Currently, 100% of Rush graduates are employed within six months of graduation. Many secure jobs even before they graduate.

With PA Students, in the ER department at Rush

Why did you choose to become a physician assistant?  What other options did you consider?

I knew I wanted to do something in medicine, so I initially considered medical school to become a physician. After doing some research and talking to MDs and PAs, it became quite clear to me that the role of a PA was best suited for me. Knowing I would want to start school when I was 41, had I gone the MD route, I would not have begun practicing medicine until I was 50 and then I would have spent the next decade (or more!) paying off medical school debt.

Also, having had the opportunity to gain work experience and learn about the roles various individuals play in team settings, I am very comfortable with assuming a great deal of autonomy within the medical setting but am also comfortable serving as an adjunct in various settings.

Knowing that admission to PA school would be extremely competitive, I had to consider backup options. In the event I did not get into PA school, I also applied (and was accepted) to the Generalist Entry Master’s (GEM) program at Rush University, which would have awarded me a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) and allowed me to sit for the registered nurse (RN) licensure test. I could then choose to complete further studies to become a nurse practitioner (NP), an RN with advanced training in diagnosing and treating illness.

For me, there were three main drawbacks to this backup route. First, the didactic and clinical preparation for PAs and RNs is pretty different: PA school follows a medical model and approaches medicine as an organ-disease system, whereas RNs are trained under a nursing model and approach medicine as more of a lifespan issue. For the most part it means that PAs are trained like doctors and use basic sciences as a foundation for their diagnostic reasoning in the care of patients: They determine the workup, analyze how the patient presents (signs/symptoms), order and interpret various tests (labs, imaging, etc), create a differential diagnosis list (possible underlying causes for the chief complaint), then formulate a treatment plan. I mean no disrespect when I say this next part, but nurses are trained to care for the patients they receive while in the hospital. A patient is admitted to their unit and assigned to them. The nurse follows the orders as prescribed by the MD/PA/NP and takes care of the patient on a moment-to-moment basis.

Second, after completing the MSN program and becoming an RN, I would have to spend a bit of time as a floor/shift nurse before I could work toward becoming an NP. I was not so keen on this work. As a floor nurse, you work three shifts a week for 12 hours at a time and every other weekend. While the responsibility is great, the opportunity to actually make decisions regarding the care of the patient is pretty low. As a physician or a PA, you look at the data given and use your physical/mental assessments to make decisions about the workup and treatment plan. The nurse follows your orders/plans. If something should change in the patient’s status, you have to call the provider and await his or her decision to modify care plans, and sometimes they’re not so nice about this—especially when you’re calling them at 3 am! When I became a Certified Nursing Assistant to get the required patient experience, I learned that while the majority of the providers who saw patients on our unit were tremendously kind, there were some that were just rude and condescending.

The job of floor/shift nurse can be exceptionally grueling, both physically and mentally. I think nurses must possess a very special skill set of caring and compassion, above and beyond what is typically provided by the MD/PA. Nurses are absolutely brilliant caregivers and the best ones have a knack for knowing what to say, how to say it, and when to say it. I know, this sounds really “intangible” if you will. From my experience as a nursing assistant, I saw so many wonderful nurses be able to provide such wonderful care to patients and their families in this manner. I also realize that they do it so much better than I could ever do it!

All in all, in order to work in the capacity that I wanted to, PA school would ultimately be less expensive and take less time, not to mention give me the intensity and focus I was seeking.

Studying in our driveway, while watching our boys

How hard was it to take the plunge? How did you prepare?

By nature, I am a planner. I need to understand processes, chart a course to arrive at my destination, and do lots of preparation to stave off disaster or failure. Once I made the decision to go for it, I began researching, first figuring out which schools in the Chicago area offered PA studies and then learning what I would need to do to present a competitive application.

I had to retake some courses (anatomy and physiology, psychology) and take several for the first time (general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, probability, and statistics). I completed these at City Colleges of Chicago and College of DuPage.

Since I hadn’t touched most of these subjects in 20 years, I didn’t mind having to do all this work. Furthermore, my undergraduate GPA was a 3.0 so these additional undergraduate hours (with straight As) would significantly strengthen the academic portion of my resume for my application. Because I had to fit these prerequisites into my schedule, which also included working full-time and being a wife and mom, I took these courses part-time. It took me from spring 2012 through fall 2014 to complete all these class requirements.

As part of the PA application, I also had to gain direct patient contact experience. While there are many ways to do this, I chose to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and work at a hospital. Knowing that I decided to leave teaching in the spring of 2013 so I could acquire as many hours as possible since most schools really like to see 1,000 hours on the resume.

Shadowing physicians or PAs was another required activity for the application. I was able to shadow in internal medicine, infectious diseases, obstetrics and gynecology, and interventional radiology. It was easy to find MDs to shadow but PAs were virtually impossible, as most of the PAs with whom I am acquainted work for medical groups that do not allow shadowing. Ideally, one of the MDs/PAs you shadow should write one of your letters of recommendation. In any event, the experience should shed light on the role that the PA plays in the healthcare team.

Finally, I had to take the GRE, a graduate admissions test, which is basically a math and English test. I had to prepare intensively for the GRE because it had been decades (literally!) since I had done many of the math problems I would be required to solve. I spent 6-8 weeks with a Princeton Review manual to ready myself.

Medical volunteers at Chicago’s Rock N Roll Half Marathon

What was it like to go back to school to complete your PA school prerequisites?

Rarely did I have same-age peers in my classes. I think my background in teaching was exceptionally helpful in forming connections with my classmates. I was often the one organizing study groups outside of class. Also, since many of my peers were taking these classes for the first time, I was able to help them begin to develop good study habits such as creating/using mnemonics and making effective flashcards. I have kept in touch with several of my lab partners and study buddies from my courses.

The other students and my professors were very welcoming. Again, after being on the other side of the lectern, I understand the importance of building good (yet genuine) relationships with my professors. I’m still in contact with two of my instructors, and one even wrote my letter of recommendation.

With other Second Years

When did you find time to become a certified nursing assistant too? Are there other ways to get the patient experience that’s required to apply to PA school?

I took an 8-week course in spring 2013 while I was still teaching AND taking anatomy and physiology two as well as organic chemistry. I’m not going to lie—it was BRUTAL. Fortunately, the CNA course wasn’t difficult at all; it was just time I had to spend to get it done and take the state certifying exam. You pay your $960 fee, buy your blood pressure cuff and stethoscope, pay for your background check, and state exam fee, and you’re done. It was super easy.

Some people come to PA school from another health field, such as being a registered dietitian, physical therapist, or pharmacist. In those cases, the individual has earned at least a BS and has had acceptable patient contact. Most people, however, take the “entry-level route” and pursue employment as an EMT or paramedic, phlebotomist, scribe, transporter, physical or occupational therapy aide, pharmacy tech, x-ray tech, etc. Each individual school has its own idea as to what they deem acceptable; it is certainly not uniform across the board.

Practicing casting and splinting (my leg is NOT broken)

Tell us more about the application process

Currently, there are over 250 programs that offer academic training to become a PA. I applied to four schools (Rush, Northwestern, Midwestern, and Rosalind Franklin). This is a small number when compared to other students in pursuit of the same degree; because of the competition for admissions, many students apply to 10-20 programs. For example, Rush received 1,200 applications, invited two hundred to interview, and offered admissions to 30 (in other words, a 2.5% admit rate). Midwestern, based on what I heard at open houses, receives about 3,000 applications for eighty-six spots.

All applications must be sent through CASPA.

It’s easy – demographic information, enter ALL your coursework (so your overall and science GPA can be calculated), enter your direct patient contact hours, your shadowing experiences, GRE scores, former work experience, etc. The application fee was about $290.

You must include at least two recommendation letters but no more than three. Most programs want one from an instructor who can speak to your academic abilities and one from a PA/MD. I got my first recommendation from the infectious diseases physician I shadowed. My second one came from my Anatomy and Physiology instructor who had previously worked in ultrasound/radiology and used to be the director of the radiology tech certification program at her school. My third one came from my manager at the hospital where I worked as a nursing assistant.

The CASPA has one general essay: “Why do you want to be a physician assistant?” I hated it because it was so general and so open-ended. I also knew that initially, it would get about 2 minutes of eye-time, so I had to make sure my essay grabbed the reader immediately. Some schools require supplemental questions, like Rush and Northwestern. For Rush, it was asking, “Are you really serious about our school?”

Whiteboard wall in study lounge at Rush, preparing for an anatomy exam

You were called in for an interview at Rush. What was that like?

My PA school interview went from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The initial session was informational, with the program director. The twenty of us who had been called in were split into four groups, where our activities rotated.

My group started with a tour of the facilities, hosted by a first-year student. Next, we had a paperwork session where we had to submit a photo, unofficial transcripts of any outstanding coursework, and fill out a sheet indicating any change in our direct patient contact hours and shadowing since our application submission. Following that was a 30-minute one-on-one interview.

After the interview, we all reassembled for a Q&A session with students in the first, second, and third years. Next up was a 60-minute time slot allotted for a 70-question medical terminology exam.

Finally, we had a 60-minute time slot to type responses to two essay questions that we had received upon our arrival.

Observing orthopedic surgery

What kinds of things did they seem to be evaluating?

It was a little bit of everything. Even though the formal interview was only 30 minutes, I’m not naïve to think that the other parts of the day didn’t matter. Here is my take on what they were looking for during each part of our visit:

Arrival and opening session: How comfortable are you socializing with strangers who are all in the same boat as you? Do you seem like the type who might be a good fit for cohort work?

Three-on-one interview: I interviewed with the director of clinical education, a third-year PA student who was currently in her advanced practice rotation, and a second-year PA student who was doing her clinical rotations. All three of them had laptops and took turns asking questions, then immediately started typing once I began to speak.

Medical terminology test: I purposely took a medical terminology class so I could ace this. Luckily, I passed it. If you do not pass it but matriculate at Rush, you must retake it.

Essay: We had two essays and were given the prompts at the beginning of the day. They were both scenarios one might come across, one while in PA school, another once a practicing PA. During the breaks in the day, I started brainstorming and putting together my ideas. They are evaluating one’s ability to think critically about a complex problem and convey a thoughtful, coherent solution in a concise manner (considering we only had 60 minutes to write both essays).

After our white coat ceremony

Can you tell us more about the three-on-one interview? What kinds of questions did they ask?

Here are the questions anyone interviewing with a PA school should expect:

  • Why do you want to be a PA?
  • What do you think a PA does?
  • Why do you want to study here?
  • How have you prepared to deal with the rigors of this program (academically, emotionally, and do you have a support system in place)?
  • What unique experiences have you had that you can apply to being a PA?
  • The requisite ethical question (mine was: you believe your attending/supervising physician is under the influence of alcohol, what do you do?)
  • Why should we pick you?

I was not terribly stressed out about this interview. In my role as a high school teacher, I was on the hiring committee so I spent a good four years on the other side of the interviewing table. I remember what I liked (and didn’t like) to hear and see and could tailor my approach to better read the needs of my interviewers and give them what they wanted. For example, I’d look at their body language: Are they looking away/yawning as if bored or disinterested or are they leaning forward in their chairs, nodding along with me?

I also made a playlist for my iPod and listened to music on the drive to Rush that morning; it really set the mood for me and got me pumped up. I also spent a great deal of time preparing for the interview by reading through the college catalog. I knew that I could drop keywords that demonstrated my knowledge of the school’s mission, tell stories that illustrated my skills using “their language,” and show enthusiasm.

I wanted to be a good “match” for the school, so I made sure to speak to their mission, values, and vision, all of which were clearly defined over and over throughout the catalog. I wanted to leave no doubt that I a) knew what a PA was, b) knew that I wanted to be a PA, c) knew that I wanted to matriculate at Rush, and d) knew that I would be both a great student and alumni.

Our white Coat Group

How supportive were your family and friends?

I would never be able to do this without the unconditional support of my husband. He is my biggest cheerleader in this endeavor. When I was still teaching full-time AND taking my prerequisites prior to application, he assumed the bulk of the family responsibilities—sometimes four months would go by and I wouldn’t have done a single load of laundry. As a result, I was able to focus on my job and my studies without having to stress about the house or the family.

My boys were two and five when I started tackling my PA school prerequisites and are five and eight now, as I’m starting PA school. This is “normal” for them. What I like the most is that I get to model hard work, focus, and perseverance in an academic pursuit; I hope they adopt my work ethic and drive. Although I was fortunate to have done well, this was NOT easy, and I’m proud of what I accomplished. I hope they can see that hard work can take you far in life.

My friends have been incredibly supportive of my desire for change and, I’ll be honest, it is exhilarating to share with my former colleagues that I indeed DID achieve my goal of getting into PA school!

With my Husband

What challenges did you encounter?

I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist and was unwilling to accept anything but an outstanding academic resume to present for admissions, so I probably put myself under a greater amount of stress than was necessary. In fact, now that I am in the didactic year of my program, I am finding that I am LESS stressed than when I was taking my prerequisites!

Another challenge was planning for a decrease in our family income. Rush’s program costs approximately $100,000. All the programs in the Chicago area are private institutions, so costs would be similar but lower since they are shorter in duration. I have taken out student loans to cover the cost of tuition. While they may seem daunting, I am in the fortunate position of having a spouse who works full-time (which means I don’t have to take out loans for housing or living expenses, etc.). This has meant that we had to modify how we live and how we spend, but the impact hasn’t been too great. It makes me feel a little better about paying them back, knowing that we’ve been able to keep the family afloat while I’ve had no income.

Studying at the Pool

Were there times when you thought about giving up?

I’ll share a funny story here. Typically, most PA schools have wrapped up their interview and offer process around the beginning of the year. On January 5, 2015, when I hadn’t heard from the PA schools where I’d applied, I decided that I would contact the GEM nursing coordinator and let them know I’d like to matriculate in the fall.

I felt as if I had gone through the Kubler-Ross five stages of grief and decided I needed to begin moving forward with Plan B, nursing. I accepted that I could be happy with this decision knowing that I had done everything to try to pursue PA school. The very next day, I was invited to interview at Rush for a spot on the waitlist. Of course, I jumped at it—what did I have to lose?

I interviewed on February 6, learned I was on the waitlist on February 17, and got the call from the director on February 19 with the invitation to join their program.

Celebrating the end of a quarter with friends at Cooper's Hawk

What did you learn about yourself through this process?

Spending 16 years teaching has made me a better student than I ever could have imagined. I understand learning and how to learn, and it’s been a huge help.

I’ve also learned just how supportive my husband is. He is a great partner, father, and my biggest cheerleader.

What words of advice do you have for women seeking reinvention in midlife?

It can be very scary and risky, so be sure to have backup or contingency plans. That being said, don’t let your fear of the unknown stop you from pursuing something when you know it is the right decision. Before making the leap, grab lunch or coffee with people in the profession to learn as much as you can. Don’t be shy asking them about the grades, experiences, and finances involved. Put together a reasonable plan to accomplish your goals—many of you might have a family that also needs you.  Build a solid support network around you that includes people who are enthusiastic about your choices.

What words of advice do you have for those interested in pursuing your path?

Get good grades, pursue interesting and appropriate clinical experiences to earn the hours needed for the application, start networking with physicians and PAs who will let you shadow and perhaps eventually write your recommendations.  Get into a hospital and make sure you see some of the most disturbing things: newly amputated limbs, trauma sites, infected wounds, gushing blood – these are all things that will be commonplace in your future career so get used to them now.  I’m at the point where NOTHING surprises me anymore!

Find the right PA program for you. Currently, there are 217 programs that offer academic training to become a PA. A list can be found here. Clearly, some programs are stronger than others. Interested students should look for ones that offer a master's level of education. Also, the PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam) first-time pass rate should be strongly considered as it sheds light on the rigor of the program.

Be certain to attend any open houses provided by the schools you wish to attend. Take your spouse or partner with you so they, too, know what you may be getting into.

My final project for my mental health rotation

What resources do you recommend?

  • PA Education Association
  • CAPSA or Central Application Service for Pas: This is where prospective students apply plus it has a wealth of other information
  • Follow the American Academy of Physician Assistants.
  • The Ultimate Guide to Getting Into Physician Assistant School by Andrew Rodican. I bought it and read it cover to cover numerous times.
  • How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement

What’s next for you?

Right now, I’m focused on surviving my didactic (academic/classroom) year of PA school, which means being in class from 8 am to 5 pm daily for the next year. Once I get through the program and settled into a career, I think my next act will be retirement (in about 25-30 years!)

View all posts in this series
  • Married with Children in PA School: How This Mom Makes it Work
  • How to Survive PA School as a Dad: Advice from a PA School Parent
  • Going Midlevel Midlife: Michelle’s Story of Becoming a Physician Assistant in her 40’s
  • Life as a Single Mom in Physician Assistant (PA) School

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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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  1. Christina Berryman says

    May 29, 2020 at 5:57 am

    Thank you for getting the perspective of a non-traditional student. I am 35 and have 2 young children and am now considering a career change and just discovered the PA profession and I feel like I have finally found my calling. Unfortunately, I have a terrible GPA and am going have to re-take some undergrad courses and science courses to boost it up to the required 3.0. I’m actually looking at programs like Rush in Chicago because they are closest to me. But Chicago is still an hour away from me as I live in Indiana. If I can overcome my lower GPA and gain patient care experience (I have a decade of research experience and one year of hce as a med tech), do you think it’d be possible to manage a PA program with a long commute (55 miles)? I’m hoping to apply in 3 years when my youngest starts kindergarten so I have time to gain experience and improve my GPA. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again for sharing a unique perspective and encouraging older non-traditional applicants like me.

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Hi, I’m Stephen

I'm Stephen (about) (contact), a proud family practice PA of 14 years. My passion is helping PAs, PRE-PAs or students like yourself attain (or maintain) your dream of becoming a PA. Join our community of compassionate PAs who want to make a positive difference in the world!

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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

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Shannon B. Pre-PA

Even at the busiest time of the year for applications, they got me my edit in a matter of days. They did a great job with grammar, punctuation and suggestions. I am very satisfied with the draft I got back from Sue.

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My editor was quick and responsive with her emails. Her explanations on how to improve my personal statement were detailed and organized. I’m very glad I chose The PA Life to help me with my personal statement and point me in the right direction. Thank you very much!

Phillip, 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

Deanna was very opening to helping me with my essay. Although I had the material, the way she edited gave it a very nice and easy flow for the reader. She gave me her critical suggestions and comments that I would have otherwise missed. I am so glad I chose The PA Life revision services for my personal statement for PA school.

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I am so thankful that this editing service exists. The personal statement is incredibly important which is why I was so nervous about it. It took me two weeks to even get started because I was so nervous about writing the wrong thing. After Carly helped me with my essay, I am now so much more confident in it. Her edits were very thorough and showed that she had a really good understanding of what is important for a PA personal statement. Her email detailing her overall impression of my essay also showed she understood every single point I was trying to make and what kind of feeling I was trying to give to people reading my essay. This has been the most reassuring thing.

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Sarah is amaaaaaaaaaaazing!! She is super kind and helpful. My original essay was very long at about 9,000 characters and I had no idea how to trim it down. Sarah helped me decide what to include and eliminate from my personal statement while correcting many of my grammatical errors. She was a complete professional and very easy to work with. I would recommend Sarah and The PA Life personal statement revision service to everyone, they are absolutely wonderful!

Fariha, Pre-PA

I just want to let you know I received multiple interview invitations and got my first acceptance a few weeks ago! I am still preparing for more interviews, but at this point, I am pretty certain I will be going to Midwestern University, and I think so much of my success with applications is because of your help with my personal statement. Because of this, I wanted to reach out and say THANK YOU! I really appreciate your support and I would definitely recommend this service to anyone applying to PA school 🙂

Alli Cowan, 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

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 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

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

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!

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Carly was incredible! Her prompt edits were extremely helpful, and I will definitely provide updates on the status of my application later down the line!

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Matthew, Pre-PA

I submitted my application this morning so I am not able to answer if I received an interview yet but I am THRILLED that I found this service. Sarah has been such a blessing working on my personal statement with me. She took my ideas and mediocre paper and turned it into a beautifully written story about my life. She helped me write exactly what I wanted to say and guided me with how to say it. I would recommend, without reservation, this service to anyone who is applying to PA school. I am one hundred times more confident about applying knowing my personal statement is exactly where it needs to be. Instead of feeling stressed and overwhelmed when I submitted my application this morning, I had complete peace. Thank you, for being a shining light full of kindness to applicants like myself.

Savannah, 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

I’m so happy with the amount of time and attention that Duke and Sue put into helping perfect my essay. I’m extremely fortunate to have come across Stephen’s page and this opportunity- I would have sent in an essay that unknown to me at the time, had issues and needed many improvements. I’m almost to the point where I’m going to submit my application, and will definitely update the team on prospective interviews. I cannot thank you guys enough for having this essay review service available, you definitely make it worth every dollar and more.

Tiffany Ly, 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

Sarah was amazing from beginning to end. Her listening skills are just superb. She edits in a manner that captures your story in a raw format and complete format. I loved my experience.

Vivian, Pre-PA

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!

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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 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

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

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

My editor knew exactly what kind of edits I was looking for and addressed all of my questions/concerns I had about my essay. I will definitely be recommending this service to my club members and friends.

Stephanie, 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

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

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

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 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

I just wanted to let you know I accepted a spot at the University of Dubuque’s PA program! I want to thank you for all your help and support in this process and for all the positivity you brought my way. Thanks for all you do and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with you! I would recommend you highly to anyone.

Meghna, PA-S

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

Sarah was beyond amazing, she was always on time with my essay edits, took the time needed to really listen to what I had to say. Sarah pretty much transformed my essay form caveman style to an easy, awesome flow good content easy and fun to read essay. I am very thankful for her collaboration, I could not have done anything that resembles her quality of work. Thanks a million!!!!

Jerry C, Pre-PA

An amazing experience. Glad to have worked with Duke. He did his best, and it was very enjoyable.

Anand T. 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 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 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

I’m not sure if you remember me but you helped me a couple of months ago on my PA personal statement. Just wanted to let you know — I got accepted into University of Pacific’s PA program! I’m overjoyed!

Thank you so much for all your help and encouragement! I really appreciate it.

Jennifer MurphyPRE-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

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

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 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

Duke is great! I had such a great time with him editing my personal statement. So glad I found this site!

Melissa Nicole Aguilera, Pre-PA

I owe you a lot! Thank you so much for helping me in this important process. God bless you.

Catalina, Pre-PA

Sarah was a pleasure to work with the entire time. I felt very overwhelmed when I was working on my personal statement on my own, but once I started working with Sarah, she made me feel at ease while getting my personal statement to look its best. Sarah is very knowledgeable, understanding, and professional. One of the things I loved the most about working with her is that no matter the time of the day she was always available and got back to you in a timely manner. The whole time we worked on my personal statement she made sure I felt comfortable with changes that had to be made and I appreciated this as well. Sarah is excellent at what she does and I would recommend her and this one on one service to anyone that needs it.

Odilia, Pre-PA

Thank you for all of your help with my essay. You used my content, but refined it and made it more relatable. I believe due to your help I gained three interviews this cycle! I was accepted to two of the three schools and I will be going to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston this May. Again, thank you for all of your help, it has definitely changed my life.

Lauren Clewley, PA-S

I wanted to give you an update and thank you. I just received my first acceptance and at the interview, they commented on how well written my personal statement was. I appreciate your hard work and working with me to create such an awesome piece! Hopefully, this won’t be the last time we talk- maybe our paths will cross again one day!

Janne Kim, 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

Thank you once again for your help in reviewing and editing my personal statement for PA school. Yesterday morning, I had the pleasure of accepting a position in the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston Physician Assistant Program. The class begins in July 2022, and I am excited to begin this next chapter of entering the PA profession. I have no doubt that your invaluable assistance helped me produce a personal statement that promoted my application and paved the way for my successful interview, and I am sincerely grateful.

Angela, PA-S

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 have never used a service like this before. All I can say is that I wish I had discovered it sooner 😀

Rebecca G. PA-S

I received an acceptance call from USC! I’m going to be a PA! ??‍⚕️ I’m so overfilled with joy and gratitude!! All of my experiences led to this, and I can’t help but feel immense gratitude for every single person that was part of this journey. You were a huge component of this journey, and I am so appreciative of all of your help. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Cintia Chávez, PA-S

Carly blew away all my expectations. She not only suggested edits to refine the content, but she also made grammatical and structural changes that fine-tuned my essay and allowed it to flow. I came into the editing process feeling hopeless about my personal statement, but with her edits, I feel confident that it will stand out. On top of all that, Carly was very timely in editing and returning my essay – I got it back within a few days! I’m very pleased with her service and recommend it to anyone out there who needs a fresh, professional set of eyes on their personal statement.

Stephanie, Pre-PA

Well worth the money. I consider myself a decent writer but found I was stuck on a few key points of my personal statement. After a few edits on my own and with a few people I trust, I decided to submit my essay for editing through ThePALife to make sure I was really on the right track. I am supremely satisfied. The essay I wrote turned out to be a solid base, but Sarah went to work, and every change and suggestion had a logical place. She polished it up and made it shine. Thank you so much!

Conor K. Pre-PA

Sarah helped to condense my detailed thoughts into a powerful essay. Over the phone, she was careful to collaborate with me before making any changes so that the piece remained under my control and in my voice. She served as a guide and insured the essay brought out my strengths and reasons for pursuing the PA profession. Overall, I’m incredibly happy with the service!

Julie, 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

I am very happy with your service and would highly recommend it to any PA applicant. Duke helped me to put my thoughts in order and to make significant changes. My personal statement sounds great and seems easy and interesting to read now.  He took a lot of time to explain his way of thinking and to understand what I am trying to say. Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate what you are doing for others.

Olga N. 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 had such a great time working with Carly. She is very prompt, understanding, and reliable. She made my personal statement very easy to read and helped me convey my words the way I intended it. I’m couldn’t be happier with my final essay and I really appreciated Carly’s effort to edit and re-edit until we were pleased with the result. I’m so glad that I worked with Carly and I thank her for what she did with my PS!!!

Zulhumar, Pre-PA

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

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

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

You helped me revise my personal statement for PA school admissions earlier this year, and I wanted to let you know how much you helped me. I got eight interviews and five admissions this cycle! I’ll be attending Pacific University this May. Multiple interviewers commented on how much they liked my personal statement. They described it as “eloquent” and “genuine.” I cannot thank you enough for your help earlier this year; I feel that it was a big part of my success this cycle.

Monica Harris, PA-S

Sarah was a tremendous help to me and provided me with thoughtful edits that really made my personal statement stand out from the crowd. She was very easy to work with and really seems to care about each of her clients. I really enjoyed working with her and highly recommend her as an editor. As of today, I have 3 interviews scheduled, including one at my top choice school! Thank you!

Andrew, Pre-PA

The edit that I received from Sue was exactly what I was hoping for. She was able to tighten up my draft beyond my personal skill level and made edits that I was would have never thought to make. She has definitely made my personal statement stronger. Thank you, Sue!

Ethan, 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

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

I received an early acceptance! I just wanted to thank you so much for all your help. You are a pro and I’m so thankful for you! You helped me more than you’ll ever know! I’m so excited! You saved me!!!!

Shelly K. Pre-PA

Carly took the time to listen to my concerns about my personal statement and apply them to what I had already written. I was so appreciative as I wasn’t sure where my personal statement stood before submitting it. I now feel more confident in my statement!

Chelsea, Pre-PA

Thank you so much for helping me with my physician assistant program application essays and interview! I am so excited to let you know that I received multiple PA school acceptances and have decided that I will be attending Cornell University’s PA Program in New York City. The program begins in February 2019 and I cannot wait to begin!  I truly appreciate all your help and encouragement throughout my PA application process.

Christine Chen, PA-S

I just want to let you know I got into the pa program! I want to give you a huge thank you for helping me nail the interview and make a great essay. Thank you, x 100,000!

Rachel J, 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

Beth did great at editing my personal statement. I feel that she corrected a lot of my grammar and made my personal statement very well-spoken while not changing what I wanted to convey. She gave me additional thoughts to consider if I wanted to edit the essay again afterward, but I feel quite content! Thank you, PA Life!

Audrey, 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

I am extremely pleased with this service. It is exactly the kind of constructive criticism I was hoping to receive. I had my essay reviewed by “myparesources” and was not very satisfied with their general comments. Sue put a lot of time and effort and gave me concrete examples of how to change my essay for the better. I WILL recommend this service over all others. Thank you so much!

Joe, Pre-PA

This is Tyler. I hope you remember helping me with my essay back in May. As promised, I wanted to update you with news of my PA school journey and I am excited to tell you that I was accepted to Stony Brook’s PA program!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH for helping me write an essay that was truly reflective of who I am as a candidate and as a person! It played a pivotal role in this whole nerve-racking process and has helped me achieve a major life goal. You are a godsend to Pre-PA students.

Tyler, PA-S

Awesome editing service! Everything was detailed, and I could tell that my editor really cared about helping me produce a great personal statement.

Ashanna, 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

I was at a point where I kept reading my essay over and over again and not knowing what to change. After Sue looked over and thoroughly edited the essay, I had a completely new focus! I knew exactly what to tweak and her service really cleared up any uncertainty I had with my essay. I’m now much more confident as I finish up my CASPA applications!

Julia Spalding, Pre-PA

I can not speak highly enough of Sarah. She was extremely helpful and easy to work with. I think she did an especially admirable job packaging the message I was trying to get across in my essay in a concise format that flows smoothly. Thank you again!

Ian, Pre-PA

Carly Hallman did an amazing job helping me with my personal statement! I was feeling conflicted and uncertain about my own personal statement, but she helped set my mind at ease! I now have peace of mind regarding my personal statement. She was so helpful in correcting any grammar errors and also informed me of what I could add to my essay. I knew I was missing something in my essay, but could not quite put my finger on it. Carly identified what was missing so I could make those changes to my essay. I’m so thankful for her help because I do not think I could have figured out that “missing piece” had it not been for her. I now feel confident about my essay and I am extremely happy with it! 🙂 Thank you so much!!!

Ramsha, 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 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

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

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

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

Deanna was an absolute joy to work with. Not only was she a wonderful writer and editor, but she helped me develop my thoughts and produce a personal statement I was proud to submit. She helped me refine my ideas, and concise my writing to illustrate my reasons for wanting this career. She was also very prompt in responding to my emails and questions. I am very happy with my personal statement and would recommend this service to anyone who is considering this service or feels stuck in their writing process.

Maddie, Pre-PA

I got in!! I got into PA school and I can’t thank you enough for your hand in helping me with this process. I received 7 interviews out of 12 applications, I was waitlisted at Jefferson, Salus, and Chatham. And I was accepted at Drexel and Stony Brook. I will be starting PA school in June! Thank you so very much!!

Natalie, Pre-PA

Carly edited my essay, providing a generous amount of comments on why she believes that her changes make for a stronger essay. She gave amazing advice and I know that my personal statement is much more well written than before the edits were made. Definitely worth the money!

Alexa, Pre-PA

Thanks to the PA life and Deanna I was accepted to ECU PA program this cycle. I’m starting my program next fall. I have been part of the PA life community and a member of the leadership team at the virtual pre-PA club with Deanna and others. I’m preparing a video presentation about how to become a PA for IMG. I’m a nontraditional app and abnormally normal applicant 😆. The video will be posted on the IMG space of the community. I’m so happy to share my experience and help pre-PA like me.

Shynar Johnson, PA-S

My editor with The PA Life was amazing! I will definitely suggest these services to anyone else applying to PA school. Thank you for everything!

Margarita, Pre-PA

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