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You are here: Home / Pre-Physician Assistant / PA School Interview / My PA School Interview: The Journey of a Lifetime

My PA School Interview: The Journey of a Lifetime

BY Stephen Pasquini PA-C 20 Comments

My PA School Interview -The Journey of a Lifetime

It seems like just yesterday.

Like Gene Kelly in the 1952 classic "Singing in the Rain," there I stood, rain-drenched, under an iconic cast-iron streetlight, holding a soggy white letter in my hand.

The letter that said:

"You have been accepted for a PA School Interview."

peace-for-the-journey

I was living in Seattle at the time, two years removed from my undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Washington.

I was working long, hard hours for the Puget Sound Blood Center and taking night courses to become certified as an EMT.

I had already received two letters of denial: One from theĀ Oregon Health Sciences University PA Program and the other from theĀ Stony Brook University PA ProgramĀ in NY.

It was late and a typical Seattle night: raining cats and dogs.

Rarely in life do things play out like a true storybook ending, but there I found myself shedding for the first-time real tears of joy.

It is weird to think that acceptance into a graduate school program can evoke such emotion. But I knew as I held that letter that I would someday sit here, as I do today, writing about how I get to practice medicine.

The Journey of a Lifetime

I am on a plane to New Jersey, and I feel sick to my stomach.

About a month earlier I had received notice from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey that I had been accepted for an interview. Being from California and living in Seattle for six years I had spent little time on the East Coast. I had traveled to NJ once as a teenager with my parents as part of a three-month around-the-country RV trip.

There are trees in New Jersey?

Jersey? I said to myself, they have trees in New Jersey?

Little did I know that New Jersey is also known as ā€œthe garden state.ā€

I arrived at 2 PM in Albany, New York. I chose Albany because I was able to score an incredibly cheap ticket and I had very little money.

I didn't know how far away Albany, NY was from New Jersey, but I had heard that I could take a train to NY and from there to NJ, and that sounded like an adventure.

It was 22 degrees the day I arrived. That first night I walked to a small bar about 2 blocks from my hotel room and had a beer to unwind. I kept to myself and thought about the upcoming 3 days.

The following day I boarded a train to NY City, it was spectacular.

In a window seat, my cold red nose pushed up to the glass, holding a cup of coffee and an enjoyable book. I put the book aside to stare out the window. The trees were white, and the tips were clear like glass. The repetitive clock-like click of the train car on the tracks slowly faded as we passed into dark endless tunnels and then into Grand Central Station. Where the normal now gave way to the surreal: The beauty and the sharp cold edges of NY City.

I walked all day, non-stop. I took a free ferry ride to Staten Island and back, then walked from the very tip of the Manhattan to the end of Central Park and halfway back again to Times Square. In Times Square I passed a young intern on the street who asked me if I wanted to attend Late Night with David Letterman. I thought ā€œI have an interview tomorrow in NJ I can’t be on the David Letterman Showā€. But I couldn’t pass this up, so I returned at 5 pm and attended the show. Again, it was surreal; I was already falling deeply in love.

How I got to Piscataway NJ (the home to UMDNJ), into my hotel room, and ready for the next morning perplexes me to this day. First, because I remember that no-one in the train station knew where Piscataway was and because I can’t imagine that I decided to wait till that night so late to try to get to the location of my interview. But it was a different time in my life.

The wonderful thing was that by the time of the interview I was in love. Not just with the idea of PA school but the idea of PA school here. And the journey here lit a fire in my soul and changed my focus: Ā From one of worry to one of great hope and optimism.

The Interview

pas-school-interview-copy

It's 6 am and I am holding bagels and cream cheese, I met another young applicant in the hotel lobby. We took a cab together to the school where we were ushered into a room with about thirty other applicants.

There were students there at the time volunteering as part of the ā€œmeet and greetā€. We were in that room for a long time, we had nametags, we introduced ourselves, talked about our goals and why we were there, we then spoke one on one with several of the students and each other…

I remember thinking how amazing it was to be here all the way across the country. I was one of only a handful of applicants from out-of-state.

From the meet and greet our name was called, we were given a small packet (I can’t remember what was in there at the time) probably just some general info about the program and we were taken to one of the small classrooms where I was placed in a chair sitting directly in front of three instructors and a student who would be asking me questions.

Boy was I nervous, but somehow at the same time, I felt this sense of calm.

The night before I had told myself this, and this is something that I have used every time I have an interview or am in a new situation: Be yourself, be humble, be extremely honest, you have skills that this organization/school needs. Let them see who you are.

The first thing they asked me was an icebreaker: ā€œHow has your trip here beenā€ ā€œDid you have any trouble getting hereā€?

What a great first question, because I couldn’t wait to tell them about the beautiful train ride, the lights of NY City, my ferry ride to Staten Island culminated by my stint on the Letterman Show. I could see how their eyes lit up as I talked about it. It was bringing something back for them; I was like a baby who had found a new toy. And it was my enthusiasm that shined through.

Then they asked me about my work experience: I was a phlebotomist now; I traveled all over the city of Seattle and the outskirts on a mobile bus. I had worked during the summers at a Special needs youth summer camp with kids with disabilities, I had finished an internship at the University of Washington Laboratory, I had finished my training as an EMT, I held a bachelor’s degree in Zoology. I was engaged to be married.

They asked me about my 2.9 GPA. I explained how my first two years in college had been a part of how I got there that day. How my last 2 years I made the dean’s list, how I challenged myself by taking harder classes that interested me. I explained how this gave me a broad base of experience. How this taught me about hard work and the meaning of perseverance.

They asked me about my patient care experience. I told them how I hold the hands and arms of patients often when they are the most vulnerable… The job of a phlebotomist seems trivial, but I explained to them that it is not. It is about comforting people when they are afraid, easing their worries, taking the time to listen to their story. It is what I want to do as a PA.

And last, that asked me why I wanted to be a PA, not a Doctor. For me this was simple. I had known a physician assistant who was changing the world, one patient, at a time. That is who I wanted to be.

The Letter

Back to the rain-soaked night standing on my porch in Seattle, holding that acceptance letter, writing this today.

Life is such a beautiful journey.

Your Journey!

Wherever this finds you on your path to becoming a Physician Assistant I will say this: It is not just clichƩ to say that if you want anything bad enough you can get it.

And what I learned during my interview process for PA school was that I had to overcome a fear of failure and many deep-rooted feelings of inadequacy that I held onto.

I tell you of my journey because it was the trip around my interview that was the most important part.

It reminded me at an extremely crucial time just how wonderfully amazing life can be. The beauty of simple things and the reason I was there.

Otherwise, had I not had this experience I may have just become another fly on the wall.

Lost to my insecurities, stifled by a lack of creativity in a moment of intense stress and distraction.

View all posts in this series
  • My PA School Interview: The Journey of a Lifetime
  • The Top 46 Physician Assistant Applicant Interview Questions
  • Use this Interview Hack to Get The Physician Assistant Job of Your Dreams!
  • The Physician Assistant Job or PA School Interview – Email Etiquette
  • The Physician Assistant Interview: Thank You and Follow-up (With Sample)
  • A Look Inside Two PA School Interviews
  • 5 Things I’ve Learned Going Into My Fourth Physician Assistant Application Cycle
  • 300 PA School Interview Questions You Should Be Ready to Answer
  • PA School Mock Interviews: Prepare with a Live, Recorded Video Interview
  • Mock Physician Assistant School Interview With Taylor Hill Pre-PA
  • Mock PA School Interview With Pre-PA Lily Boyle
  • The Interview That Got This Pre-PA Into 5 PA Schools
  • 101 PA School Applicants Answer: What’s Your Greatest Strength?
  • Mastering Your PA School Interview: Tone Matters
  • The Worst PA School Interview Question Ever!
  • Why Choose PA Over NP? Here’s the Perfect Answer
  • Don’t Make This Critical PA School Interview Mistake!
  • 5 Best Ways to Give a Memorable PA School Interview
  • 3 Things to Do the Night Before Your PA School Interview
  • How to Prepare for Your PA School Interview Day Essay
  • How to Squash PA School Interview Day Stress (4 Simple Steps)
  • Mind Mapping: A Tool for Personal Statements, Supplemental Essays, and Interviews

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About Stephen Pasquini PA-C

A PA since 2004 and 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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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Joseph says

    July 21, 2021 at 12:18 pm

    Hi Steve
    I also happen to be a Pre-PA from CoHK-GHANA
    I am very nervous and scared
    I have gone through several of the PA sample interview questions and I must say , this is really helping me alot.
    God bless you
    Joe

    Reply
  2. Latoya Brownlee says

    November 29, 2017 at 5:35 pm

    Thank you so very much for writing and sharing this piece. My interview with Rutgers is less than a week away and I have been experiencing both feelings of excitement and self-doubt. I am incredibly inspired by your journey and how so many of your experiences, as a phlebotomist, working with disadvantaged groups and even as an out of state applicant resemble my own journey. I will take a note from your book and think about my interview as an opportunity to share the many things about myself that I hope to one day provide to future patients of mine. I plan to share my passion for life and the overall excitement I have for a chance to help others live happier, healthier lives. Thank you for helping to give me a greater sense of peace.

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      December 1, 2017 at 8:40 am

      Hi Latoya, I can tell already that you are going to do great. The faculty and students at Rutgers are all such kind and wonderful people. The interview is very relaxed and the people are friendly. Just be yourself and soon I will be calling you a fellow Rutgers PA!

      Stephen

      Reply
  3. James Lee says

    January 1, 2017 at 9:19 pm

    Hi Stephen,

    I am a pre-PA student from Reno, Nevada nervously counting days until my PA school interview at the Drexel University in Philadelphia. It will be held on February 2nd. This will be my second interview. Unfortunately, I was rejected from the program in Reno. Since I am an out-of-state applicant, I do not know what to expect during my interview. However, it seems that you have already gone through this same experience. It gave me confidence after reading your post. I would really like some tips and tricks you could recommend me.

    James

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      December 1, 2017 at 8:43 am

      Hi James, I wish you the very best in your upcoming interview. Just be yourself and don’t overthink your answers. Take time to prepare for the difficult ones, like “what are your weaknesses”, “describe a time you experienced conflict and how you resolved it”, and “why do you want to be a PA?” The last one is hard because it is the one that they hear A LOT of answers too, so be genuine and demonstrate your knowledge of the profession. Yo are going to do great!

      Reply
  4. Fabiola says

    July 20, 2016 at 10:40 am

    Hi Stephen,
    Right now I am in the process of applying to PA schools. I am a senior and I was so nervous about the whole process. The thing that scared me the most were the rejection letters. Most schools require a 3.0 and I have exactly that but then it is a competitive program. I came across your page and it inspired me a lot. Now I am ready to do THIS and accept any failure but that would only make me want this career more. Thanks for the words of encouragement. You are truly an INSPIRATION.

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      July 22, 2016 at 6:43 am

      Hi Fabiola,

      It’s good when something challenges you – that’s how you grow. So don’t be afraid to embrace new things, and if you make any mistakes, take advantage of them. Use them as learning opportunities that can bring you closer to your goal. Following your calling is all about leaving your comfort zone and exploring the unknown. Sounds like you are well on your way! Keep up the great work, and feel free to contact me along the way if you ever have any questions.

      Stephen

      Reply
  5. Monica F. says

    August 28, 2015 at 6:06 am

    Hi Stephen! What a great story! I have been a PA for 17 years and came across your site. I also like your daily PANCE/PANRE questions. The archives are extensive. I will use your resume & CV examples as I transition to full time academia and part time clinical practice. Your contribution to the PA field is invaluable. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      August 28, 2015 at 3:18 pm

      Thank you, Monica so much for your kind and heartfelt comment, it absolutely made my day!

      – Stephen

      Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      August 28, 2015 at 3:18 pm

      Thank you, Monica, so much for your kind and heartfelt comment, it absolutely made my day!

      – Stephen

      Reply
  6. Nicole Aguilera says

    April 13, 2015 at 12:24 pm

    Wow every post of yours that I read it does nothing but inspire me and has me left in tears. I cannot thank you enough for this site and the inspiration you have brought to me.

    Nicole

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      April 13, 2015 at 7:56 pm

      Hi Nicole that is ridiculously kind of you šŸ™‚ Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a nice comment, it is comments like yours that make all the “blood, sweat and tears” worth it!!!

      – Stephen

      Reply
  7. Duke says

    February 17, 2014 at 10:54 pm

    Stephen, this is a beautiful post and shows what a great writer you are. The sound of the train, your nose against the window, the cup of coffee. Awesome. Your belief about what you need to do at every interview is great advise. You brought tears to my eyes. I’m proud to call you my son and to be working with you in making it possible for others to follow your dream.

    Reply

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Cintia, Pre-PA

I can’t begin to explain how thrilled I am to have stumbled on this service. Like many other PA applicants, I was unsure of whether I was on the right track with my personal narrative. Reading Stephen’s two different PA school application essays showed me how to come up with something unique and creative, but the private personal statement review really made my essay shine.

Duke was so kind and helpful in helping me understand what admissions committees look for in a strong essay. Our phone conversations were so thorough, as we read through and discussed every word in my essay. Sue’s guidance helped me cut out the fluff to reach the character limit.

Melissa T. 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

During our first one-on-one session, my editor Sarah had the chance to understand who I am as a person before even editing. This was remarkably helpful in terms of making my voice stand out in my personal statement. I especially appreciated how thorough her comments were regarding the aspects of my essay that needed fine-tuning.

Austin, 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

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

Catalina Bulla, PA-S

I used your service for my personal statement and my top school secondary. I feel this is an amazing service and have recommended it to many of my friends who are currently applying to PA school.

Jeff, Pre-PA

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

Rebecca G. PA-S

It’s very clear that Deanna, my editor, put a good amount of time and thought into this. She FAR exceeded my expectations, even providing me with two different possible drafts (my original copy was 1500 characters too long). After paying for two separate editing services, I was initially disappointed to find that the first had not provided anywhere close to the level of feedback/review/editing that I had hoped for. I thought I was on my own again with my personal statement and did not have high hopes for any additional edits at the time that I’d received the review from Deanna, of thePAlife. The first service I’d used provided reviews that were neither thoughtful, in-depth, nor helpful, but Deanna’s edits were each of those! My hopes had been shot down by the first service but were immediately uplifted after I received Deanna’s edits. Her feedback was timely, thorough, thoughtful, critical, and even supportive! She provided an exceptional service, and I would highly recommend her to anyone

Cierra, Pre-PA

Sue was extremely prompt and thoughtful in providing her comments, edits, and revisions. My essay had a good start but she helped me write it with admissions committees in mind. I will keep you updated on if I get interview invitations.

Kirsten, Pre-PA

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

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

I received an acceptance call from USC! I’m going to be a PA! šŸ‘©šŸ½ā€āš•ļø 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 ChƔvez, PA-S

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

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

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. šŸ™‚

Amy, Pre-PA

I came into this with a half written personal statement and not a lot of time left. I am beyond pleased with the work Sarah and I were able to accomplish together, and I’m so grateful to have gotten the chance to work with her. She has helped me so much with getting my writing to where I wanted it to be, and has instilled in me a great sense of confidence in myself and my abilities. I highly recommend this service to anyone going through the stress of applying! Keeping my fingers crossed as I submit my applications!

Celine, 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

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

Jamie, Pre-PA

I 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. Ā 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

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

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

I wanted to reach out and thank you for your help in editing my personal statement this application cycle. I have been accepted to the University of Utah and I was lucky enough to get a number of interviews! I know that your help with my statement definitely made a difference and I am so thankful! Thank you so much!

Nicole, Pre-PA

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

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.

Yana, 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

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

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

Lily, Pre-PA

Sue Edmonson has been a great help in ensuring my personal statement made sense and fit what information I was trying to convey. Her ability to find the pertinent parts in an essay and gain more information about me to make the essay seem relative to my pursuits was truly a Godsend. Would recommend her and your company to others. Thanks!

Christopher Ohsie, Pre-PA

Sue was great! She edited my essay in a short time frame and the comments and feedback were very informative. She helped link all of my main ideas and gave great advice regarding appropriate information for the essay. I highly recommend this service.

Michelle, 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

Carly was excellent! Not only did she make my essay much more compelling, but she understood the deadlines I wanted to reach and helped me do that! 10/10!!

Jesse Cordova, 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

Duke went above and beyond to help me. I so appreciate his help and would recommend this service to anyone!

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

Lanisha Cole, PA-S

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

Anand T. Pre-PA

The feedback that I received through The PA Life editing serviceĀ 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

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 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!

RachelĀ J, Pre-PA

Just wanted to drop you a quick line to let you know that I got accepted to UC Davis, and have accepted their offer. I can’t thank you enough for your help through this process. I owe much credit to you and your amazing editing skills in helping me get in.Ā With endless appreciation!

Jolene Duthie

I was extremely stressed out about writing my personal statement, and finally decided to search the internet for advice and assistance. I came across the personal statement editing service on the PA Life, and decided to give it a try. I received a response within a day, and my stress was instantly relieved. I worked personally with Duke to edit my statement, and he is a phenomenal writer. He didn’t change the content of my statement, but rather helped me tell my story in a way that is much more desirable! I cannot recommend this service enough to others seeking help on their personal statement. Duke was friendly, sincere, and definitely experienced! I felt 100% confident in his editing abilities, and we worked together the entire time so that we were both pleased with the results! Thanks again, Duke, for all of your help!

Chelsie W. Pre-PA

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

Margaryta, 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!Ā Thank you again for all your help!

Lauren Smith, 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!

Patrick, 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

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.

Angela, Pre-PA

AMAZING EDITS. Really opened my eyes to a new perspective of what a personal statement should really be like!

Jasmine, 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!Ā  I truly appreciate all your help and encouragement throughout my PA application process.

Christine Chen, PA-S

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

This is just a great service overall, because not only is it an editing service, it is specific to the PA personal statement. Sue did a wonderful job editing my essay, and pointed out important flaws in it that I otherwise might not have noticed. Her edits highlighted the main points that I was trying to get across in a much better way than I had originally written. Overall, very satisfied with the results, and will have to keep you updated about the interviews. Thanks so much!

Sabrina L. 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 šŸ™‚

Alli Cowan, Pre-PA

I am very pleased with the services provided! I received an email almost immediately upon submitting my essay for review, and within 24 hours my essay review was completed. I would definitely recommend this service to any PA school applicant before they submit their essay to CASPA! Thank you for your help!

Hannah Watson, 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

I loved this service!!

Madeleine Zeichner, Pre-PA

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

Pavitra, 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

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

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

Anna M. PRE-PA

I am very thankful for all of the work and time invested in me. Ā I learned incredible amounts from Duke about writing. Though some of it didn’t make sense to me, I knew he was right and I learned to trust him. He helped me more than any of the other dozen people I had trusted with my essay. This is such a big part of my future and my dreams and I honestly appreciate all of his work to help me get in. Thank you, Duke.

Andrew N. Pre-PA

My editor thoroughly went through my essay and provided exactly what I was looking for to bring my essay to the next level.

Matthew, Pre-PA

The suggestions are great! My essay sounds better already and I’ve just started editing it. The edits are nicely explained and make sense, and I like that there are also comments about what sounds particularly good in my original draft, too. I like that, although you said I already had a very good start, there were still significant changes you suggested that, as I’ve heard others who used this service say, “elevated my work to a whole other level.”

Phong, 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 šŸ™‚

Sonja D. PA-S

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

Working with Sarah was a wonderful experience. She was prompt, attentive, and incredibly supportive throughout the process. Sarah never deviated from the authenticity of my essay. Even after she made vast changes, the essay still felt true to what I wanted to express. Thank you, Sarah! I would recommend this service to anyone applying to PA school.

Ashley, Pre-PA

Carly was helpful and gave insightful comments while helping me to create more impact within my sentences. I feel confident and at ease knowing that my supplemental application has been reviewed in a thorough manner. Thank you for all your help!

Mina, Pre-PA

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

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

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 greatly appreciate the help because it answered questions and doubts I had about my personal statement. I feel much more confident in submitting to CASPA. Thank you very much, Sue!

Sarah, Pre-PA

This was an extremely helpful process! I still have work to do on my essay but Sue was very helpful by giving me criticism I needed to hear from an unbiased source as well as being very fast responding! I think this will help me moving forward and having a strong application!

Morgan Rial, Pre-PA

I absolutely love the way my essay sounds! I truly appreciate all of your help. I will definitely recommend prospective PA students your way! It’s been a pleasure.

Natalie, 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

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

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

Keith G, Pre-PA

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

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’ve had several people look at my essay in an effort to gauge whether the content was strong and to help clean it up and cut characters – none were as helpful as Carly. Carly’s editing truly helped make a difference in the quality of the essay, and while there’s still quite a bit of character cutting I have to do, I am more prepared now than I was before. I am so happy I chose to work with The PA Life.

Kristen, Pre-PA

Sarah is absolutely amazing and really helped transform my essay into the best version it could have possibly been!

Shannon B. Pre-PA

This was the most amazing experience! I felt so confident about my topic and essay after our meeting. Duke got back to me quickly and worked around my crazy schedule. The editing of the essay was professional and gave me insight I could not have received any other way. I only applied to one school because it is really the one I would like to go to the most and I got an interview!!! Thank you so much for all of your help!

Kathryn R, PA-S

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! šŸ™‚ Thank you so much!!!

Ramsha, Pre-PA

I must say, I originally thought I had a fairly strong statement. But after reading Sue’s comments/revision. The quality, structure, and overall flow of my statement was in fact leaps and bounds better than my original.

George, Pre-PA

Sue was amazing! She was very quick at replying to my emails and looking over my paper and application. She was so helpful and has a way with words. I know I will continue to use her services throughout my application process!

Miranda, 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

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!Ā Thank you again so much.

Emily Sharpe, Pre-PA

Testimonials

Sarah is truly amazing! She gave me so many helpful tips and advice for my future interviews. She has a beautiful way with words. I am so grateful for her and look forward to working with her again.
Kiara, Pre-PA
This is my 4th PANRE, I graduated 25 yrs. ago as a surgeon assistant and physician assistant. Ā I have spent the last 20 years on a H+P service and I started my medical career as a USMC corpsman. Ā The USMC uses the accolade OUTSTANDING, your entire program is such , the attention to details to the answers, the 230 plus pages onĀ PDF, the flash cards, your program built my confidence BIG TIME, Jesus has richly blessed my life BECAUSE of you , I never have to take this brutal exam again and can retire at 66 yrs old you played a prodigious part in me passing amen!!!
David Gavin PA-C
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
Thanks for your expertise and passion for developing this website. Ā It was valuable to me for studying for the PANRE. Ā Plus, love that it’s free, as opposed to the NCCPA who charges $35 per practice exam.
Keith RemoPA-C
I was very pleased with this service. Writing has never been my strongest area. While I had the ideas that I wanted to convey I wasn’t able to articulate them as well as I’d hoped. Carly provided comments and suggestions without altering my central thesis. Any questions that I had were answered quickly and thoroughly. Any grammatical mistakes were also addressed which put my mind at ease. I would recommend The PA Life personal statement essay revision service to anyone applying.
Keith G, Pre-PA
Awesome service. Duke did a great job editing my personal statement – his feedback was top-notch. For the 2014-2015 cycle, I applied to one school. I was selected for an interview and yesterday I received an offer of admission … which I quickly accepted. I know my Personal Statement played a huge role in my success. I highly recommend this service.
Nikki, Pre-PA
This was an extremely helpful process! I still have work to do on my essay but Sue was very helpful by giving me criticism I needed to hear from an unbiased source as well as being very fast responding! I think this will help me moving forward and having a strong application!
Morgan Rial, Pre-PA
Holy cow! I wanted to let you know I have been accepted to PA school.Ā  I will be attendingĀ the Franklin Pierce Physician Assistant Program, Class of 2019 in West Lebanon, NH.Ā 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.Ā  I want to share with you my exceptional experience using this service.Ā  First, do yourself a favor and BUY the eBook, ā€œHow to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement.ā€Ā  I read it twice. Once before I started my essay draft and then again during.Ā  I cannot stress how helpful the book was in clearly stating what the Admissions Directors are looking for in an application essay.Ā  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.Ā  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.Ā  Duke’s professional experience and kind and straight forward demeanor allowed me to create a winning essay that was an authentic representation of me.Ā  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.Ā  Thank you, ā€œPA Lifeā€ for being a part of my journey.
Michele Williams, PA-S
Thank you so much for all your time and help again Ms. Schultz–not to mention your insightful tidbits on everything ranging from how past experience translates into applicability in the program and how it sets my application apart to set the stage about how weakness affected patient experience. It truly means a great deal–your constructive criticism and positive feedback are very much appreciated. Please let me know who I can forward and recommend your service to (aside from the feedback link) as you are not only professional, and an asset to the PA life, but also an expert as evident in your questions, feedback, and tips developed through years of well-honed experience.
May, 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

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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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