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You are here: Home / Pre-Physician Assistant / PA School Interview / A Look Inside Two PA School Interviews

A Look Inside Two PA School Interviews

BY Stephen Pasquini PA-C 6 Comments

A Look Inside Two PA School Interviews

 The PA school interview is daunting

  • Be prepared, but not to the point that you sound like a robot.
  • Be relaxed, but not too relaxed as that might give the impression you did not do your research.

Inside Two PA School Interviews

I interviewed at two PA schools in California in 2016, and they starkly contrasted one another

  1. PA School A was comprised of individual Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
  2. PA School B was comprised of four different interviews involving both group and individual interview (one-on-one)

School A was my first interview and was very short, lasting only twenty-four minutes.

School B (my second interview) was more like two hours.

I suggest you call the PA school and ask them what their interview process is, as this will give you an idea of how to prepare.

You must be ready for anything and everything because no one interview is the same. My suggestion is to do all you can to prepare yourself and put yourself at ease on the day of the interview.

"Relax and channel your inner Beyonce- be confident and brilliant."

Beyonce PA Quotes
"Relax and channel your inner Beyonce- be confident and brilliant"

PA School A: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)

The “Multiple Mini Interview” (MMI) format— growing in popularity— in which there are several stations, each with its own mini-topic or purpose.

School A was my first interview and it started at 7 AM. There were fifty people interviewing and we all gathered in the building.

Three faculty members who were running the interviews greeted us, and the head of the department explained exactly how the interview process would take place because he didn’t want us to be nervous (as if that could be avoided).

The process was explained to us

  • There would be four mini-interviews. In each room, there would be a staff member and a current student who would ask us one question and possibly one follow up question.
  • We were given 6 minutes in each room to answer, but we did not have to use up the entirety of the allotted time.
  • The interview was “closed book”, which means the interviewers knew nothing about us but our name. Everything we did up to this point was null, we were all on an equal playing field and this was make it or break it time.
The Top 46 Physician Assistant Applicant Interview Questions*Note: Follow this link to see the top 46 PA school interview questions and take an interactive mock interview. 

The Four Doors of the PA School Interview

Multiple Mini PA School Interviews

Door #1 - “Tell us about a time you worked with someone you didn’t like.”

I stood behind door number one and walked in on command.

I met my interviewers quickly, and once I sat down, they said to me, “Tell us about a time you worked with someone you didn’t like.”

The physician I work with immediately popped into my head. I explained to them that I rarely meet someone that I do not like, as I try to find the good in everyone.

I went on to talk about how the physician and I did not always see eye to eye, and I proceeded to give an example about a time when we had a disagreement and came to a resolution.

I told them that now we have a great working relationship and feel comfortable approaching each other when we have disagreements.

Tip: What the Admissions Committee is Looking for
For this question, they want to know that you are a team player and can resolve problems appropriately and efficiently.
 

Door #2 - “What kind of barriers, besides financial, do you see involved with being a PA student?”

The second room asked, “What kind of barriers, besides financial, do you see involved with being a PA student?”

I replied that I felt completely prepared, as graduate school was always on the horizon for me.

I explained that stress is most certainly a barrier, but preparation and organization are critical in overcoming this.

I also talked about CrossFit and how it is my release, I like to be challenged mentally and physically and be a member of a supportive and motivating team. This not only gave them something to remember me by but also helped solidify why I would be a good PA.

Tip: What the Admissions Committee is Looking for
In this question they want to know that you are not just “testing the waters”. They want to know that you are prepared to be a PA student and are aware of the rigorous nature of the program.
 

Door #3 - “What have you done, besides shadowing experience, to prepare for the PA profession?” 

In the third room, I was asked, “What have you done, besides shadowing experience, to prepare for the PA profession?”

I broke it down and said that

  1. I joined both the AAPA and my local state constituent chapter of the AAPA to stay up to date on all things relating to the PA profession.
  2. I took on volunteer work treating patients pro bono so I could understand what it is like to have my own patients, devising a treatment plan and following them the whole way through.
  3. I have been taking Spanish classes (hint: here is the best audio program in the world) as I know living in California, this is vital to the PA profession, and many of our patients only speak Spanish.
  4. I have reached out to multiple people currently in PA school to gain a thorough understanding of what it is to be a PA and how to prepare myself.
Tip: What the Admissions Committee is Looking for
Here, they wanted to know what you have done for PA school specifically, not what you have done to become a healthcare professional. Every answer must be tailored to the PA career and that is where a lot of people make mistakes.

Door #4 - “Tell me about a time when you didn’t meet expectations.”

The very last question was, “Tell me about a time when you didn’t meet expectations.”

The physician I work with, once again, provided me with ample material. I told the interviewers that usually I would not discuss this, but they made me feel comfortable so I wanted to tell them (this made them smile, and wanting to know more).

When I wrote my PA school essay, the physician I work with reviewed it to give me tips and advice. That day he tore it apart, embarrassing me in front of my coworkers.

I told my interviewers that I did not handle the situation well, and I explained how I learned from my experience. I also told them that if it weren’t for him, I probably would have never made it to the interview in the first place.

Tip: What the Admissions Committee is Looking for
For this question the interviewers want to know that you do not break under pressure and can learn from an experience and grow from it.

School A: The Multiple Mini Interview Wrapup

  • The interview process was nerve racking but the interviewers made me feel very comfortable.
  • My suggestion is to prepare your answers so that you use up almost all of the six minutes in each room.
  • You have very little time to make an impression, so use it. Try to connect with the interviewers.
  • Remember their names, and thank them at the end for their time. Be genuine and use experiences and examples that make you different.
  • Relax and breath, you made it this far, because you are good enough to get in.

PA School B: Four different interviews involving both group and individual

The group interview: one or more faculty member interviewing a small group of 3-5 applicants, usually in a “discussion.”

School B was my second interview, and much different than the first.

There were about thirty of us interviewees in a room and were introduced to about ten professors and two current students.

This interview felt more intimate, and it was much longer. We were told there would be four total interviews, and a test/writing section. The interview was “opened book”. The interviewers had read our files and were prepared to ask us questions directly related to our applications.

Interview #1: The first interview was a group interview

Fierce PA School Competition

Three of us sat side-by-side in a room with two interviewers.

They asked one question, and each of us answered with a one-minute response.

Some of the questions were as follows:

  1. “Why do you want to be a PA over MD or NP?”
  2. “Are you aware of recent changes in legislation regarding what PAs can and cannot do?”
  3. “If you were not accepted into this program, what do you think would be the reason?”
  4. “Why did you choose our program over the others?”
  5. “What makes you an ideal applicant for PA school?”

The best way to prepare for the group interview is to research anything and everything about the PA profession.

I suggest becoming a member of your local PA constituent chapter and AAPA as they are great resources that provide a lot of useful information.

You must know exactly why you want to be a PA because they want to know that you are not just “testing the waters.”

Group interviews are stressful, but the goal is to be yourself and give answers that make you stand out.

Interview #2: The second interview was an individual interview

In this interview, they gave a scenario and asked a question relating to my application.

Because I had experience working in a pain medicine clinic they set the scene by saying, “Okay you are working for a cardiologist and your patient comes in saying that they have run out of opioid pain medication and are unable to get it from their pain management physician for another few weeks. What do you do?”

Honestly, I did not answer this question the way that I should have.

I said I would pull a Patient Activity Report to confirm the medication being taken. I would check with the cardiologist to make sure it was okay for me to prescribe, and then I would give them a few weeks' worth until they could make an appointment with another pain medicine physician or primary care.

The first two points I made were acceptable, but my interviewer essentially said my answer should have been to not prescribe because it would not be within the cardiology specialty.

He was right, but the answer had already been given.

How to prepare for this interview

To prepare for this interview, you must know your application front to back and understand how your current job/ work environment relates to the medical profession in general.

It is OK to ask for a minute to think about it. If I had given myself a little more time, I may have produced a more appropriate answer.

Interview #3: The third interview was another group interview, but it was just one other person and me

inside-three-pa-school-interviews-image-1

We were given about fifteen photos and told we had about four minutes to arrange the photos into two separate stories, tell the stories, and then explain the similarity between the two.

I thought we worked well together but our stories were in cohesive. It is impossible to prepare for this.

Tip: What the Admissions Committee is Looking for
The interviewers want to see that A) we worked well together and B) we could solve a problem quickly and efficiently. We were successful only in part A.

Test and Writing Assignment

Before the last interview, we were given a test and writing assignment.

  • There was a medical terminology test, which was multiple choice and about forty questions.
  • The writing portion was related to the information they sent us in an email weeks before the interview.

The writing portion was about how to prepare for PA school and titled “Things to Consider.”

Tip: What the Admissions Committee is Looking for

Make sure you READ this information before going to the interview; I think they just wanted to see if we had read and understood all the information they sent us.

Interview #4: - The last interview was quick but threw many of us off guard

Each person went into a room in front of a video camera and was asked, “What are you famous for?”

I said I am famous for my positivity.

Some stated that they were famous for “being weird” or for “taking risks.”

I think in this question it is important to highlight a quality that will make you a good PA.

This was a good way to end the interview because it made me think, why should a PA school choose me?

This is an important question to ask yourself. Think about it and remember your answer.

Believe in yourself, and the school will believe in you too.

Take Home Tips

Commonly, interview days may include:

  • A greeting talk from one or more faculty members.
  • A talk from someone in the financial aid office.
  • A tour of the facility and the chance to meet students in the program.
  • A writing exercise on a topic they give you.
  • The actual interview (one or multiple).

The entire experience will usually take the better part of a day— say 9 AM to 1 or 2 PM, with the actual interviews usually lasting less than 30 minutes each. This means much of your time will be spent on things other than your “actual” interview.

  • Call the PA school and ask them what their interview process is like. This will give you an idea of how to prepare.
  • Soak in as much as you can about the program while you aren’t interviewing. It can give you great hints about what values the program holds, how the curriculum works, and the “personality” of the school. If you’re lucky enough to have a tour before your interview, ask questions and pick your tour guide’s brain. This can lead to valuable insights you can share if you are asked “Why do you want to go to school here,” or “Why do you think you are a fit for our program?
  • Believe in yourself, and the school will believe in you too.
  • If the school sends you information, MAKE SURE YOU READ THIS INFORMATION before going to the interview; they just wanted to see if we had read and understood all the information they sent us.
  • Accept that anxiety is normal, you will not be the only nervous person at the interview. In fact, the overwhelming odds are that you won’t be the most anxious person talking (there’s only one of those per school!) Anxiety is a normal part of interviewing and accepting and expecting that will take you far.
  • Pause: You don’t need to talk the second you are asked a question. Period. Take a little time to think about what you want to say. Pausing gives you time to organize your thoughts.
  • Be yourself anxieties, and all. Rather than trying to project an untarnished image— an image of the perfect applicant who has all the answers, allow yourself to be who you are. If that’s nervous, okay. It means you’re real, flesh and blood, and therefore more personable than the other 150 “plastic” candidates. Congratulate yourself for accepting who you are.

About This Post: This is a guest post by recently ordained PA student extraordinaire Chelsea and documents two of her PA school interviews in 2016 prior to receiving her acceptance to PA school in February.

More PA School Interview Resources

  • View my collection of PA school interview video resources from around the web at PAFLIX PA School Interviews
  • Book: How To "Ace" The Physician Assistant School Interview
  • Book: The Physician Assistant School Interview: Essential Strategies to Blow 'Em Away and Claim Your Seat in Class
  • Blog Post: The Top 46 Physician Assistant Interview Questions
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. Nathan says

    September 24, 2019 at 9:20 am

    Stephen,

    What were school A and school B that you were interviewed in? I recently received a PA interview in CA which is less than 2 weeks from today and I want to prepare myself as best as possible. Also, what year was it when you interviewed? Thanks

    Reply
  2. Sara says

    November 14, 2018 at 3:36 pm

    Hello, I was just wondering what schools you got to interview at and is it counted against you if your answer does not take up most of the time allotted (though you still cover all of your points)? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      November 15, 2018 at 8:51 am

      As long as you cover your points there is nothing wrong with being short and concise in fact, it is preferred. I believe it was Blaise Pascal who once said: “If I’d had more time I would have written a shorter letter.” Which basically means that it’s the sign of mastery and understanding of your position on a topic if you can be short, concise and eloquent in your words.

      Stephen

      Reply
  3. Levy Williamson says

    October 3, 2018 at 12:36 pm

    A 2 hour interview? That doesn’t seem very efficient… Surely there’s no need for it to take that long. Seems like school A has it figured out.

    Reply
  4. Stephanie says

    September 26, 2017 at 10:56 am

    Gosh, some interview questions and activities are so demoralizing. I understand it’s part of the process, but I have read some encounters with adcoms from interviewees and cringe.

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      September 26, 2017 at 11:15 am

      Hi Stephanie, I hear you, but these are the exception to the rule. Usually, interviews are designed to be encouraging and straight forward. But it never hurts to be prepared just in case.

      Stephen

      Reply

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

Ashley, Pre-PA

This was even more helpful than I anticipated! I am someone who finds it very hard to let others read my writing because it feels too personal. This made it much easier to let someone edit for me and all the suggestions provided really helped me pull together the parts I was struggling with. I would highly recommend this editing service to anybody who is having trouble strengthening their essay!

Lindsey C, Pre-PA

I am happy to provide an update. I received 5 acceptances for this cycle and will be attending Rush University PA Program starting in May 2022. Of course, I definitely have Sarah Schultz and Deanna Matzen from The PA Life to thank for their incredible help with my personal statement, instilling confidence in my ability to interview, and providing me with a lot of advice in this very difficult cycle.

Bristi (Future 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

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

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

Sandy, Pre-PA

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

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 😀

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! 👩🏽‍⚕️ 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 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. 🙂

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.  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)!!!!  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 service was more detailed than I expected! It gave me a clear idea of what direction I need to take in regard to my personal statement. I absolutely loved the edits!

Crystal, Pre-PA

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!

Rachel 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. 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! 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!  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 🙂

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!!!!! 😀

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.  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 🙂

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! 🙂 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! 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.  I have spent the last 20 years on a H+P service and I started my medical career as a USMC corpsman.  The USMC uses the accolade OUTSTANDING, your entire program is such , the attention to details to the answers, the 230 plus pages on 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.  It was valuable to me for studying for the PANRE.  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.  I will be attending the Franklin Pierce Physician Assistant Program, Class of 2019 in West Lebanon, NH. I cannot thank you enough for being part of my journey. If you are reading this you might have been like me skeptical and trying to find a way to write a stellar essay for your PA application.  I want to share with you my exceptional experience using this service.  First, do yourself a favor and BUY the eBook, “How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement.”  I read it twice. Once before I started my essay draft and then again during.  I cannot stress how helpful the book was in clearly stating what the Admissions Directors are looking for in an application essay.  Next, the book reviews how to formulate a proper essay with clear instructions, easy reminders of the writing process, and excellent examples of good and bad writing choices.  After several drafts of my essay, I made an appointment to work with Duke Pasquini, one of the authors of the guide, through the internet and via phone to help with editing and my length issue.  Duke’s professional experience and kind and straight forward demeanor allowed me to create a winning essay that was an authentic representation of me.  Not only did I receive an interview from my top choice of PA school I was accepted a week later into their Physician Assistant Program, Class of 2019.  Thank you, “PA Life” for being a part of my journey.
Michele Williams, PA-S
Thank you 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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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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