The examination of a 26 year-old male demonstrates a “bag of worms” consistency within the left hemiscrotum. This finding is suggestive of a(n): A. acute case of balanitis B. varicocele. C. hydrocele. D. spermatocele. E. paraphimosis. Answer: B, varicocele. This is a description of varicocele (varicose veins of the scrotum). Hydrocele is just a water collection […]
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How to Choose the Best Undergraduate Major to Get into PA school
You already know that the best PA programs want applicants with an excellent GPA and a solid background in healthcare and science. But if you’re not sure what major to choose, this guide will help you decide!
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 66
A 24 year-old male presents complaining of chest pain. He states that it is worse with swallowing and taking a deep breath. It is improved sitting up and leaning forward. He denies trauma, a cough and shortness of breath. Which of the following test would be most compatible with your suspected diagnosis? A. a hiatal […]
5 Things I’ve Learned Going Into My Fourth Physician Assistant Application Cycle
Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up – Thomas Edison I will be honest; this is not an article I ever thought I’d be writing. I submitted my first PA school application immediately after finishing my undergrad, and here I am, three […]
How to Add Virtual Shadowing to Your CASPA Application
In this blog post, I provide tips and resources for finding and completing virtual shadowing experiences and how to effectively include them in your CASPA application for PA school.
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 39
A 6 year-old female presents complaining of right ear pain. The tympanic membrane cannot be well visualized. She complains of pain when the tragus is manipulated. Several periauricular lymph nodes are easily palpable. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis? A. acute otitis media B. acute otitis externa C. eustachian tube dysfunction D. […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 58
A patient presents with a recurrent history of swelling on the right side of the jaw that begins while eating and subsides within two hours postprandially. You suspect: A. hypochondriasis B. sialolithiasis C. parotitis. D. an abscessed tooth. E. conjunctivitis manibularis. Answer: B, sialolithiasis Sialo(salivary gland) lithiasis (stone) is described in this question. Parotitis would be […]
Married with Children in PA School: How This Mom Makes it Work
The Life of a PA School Mother My name is Anna, and I am a mother of two boys, two and six years old. I am also a PA student. For me, it was a long and arduous journey to get into PA school. I applied three consecutive years before finally getting accepted to a […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 67
A 2 month-old febrile male is brought to your facility to be evaluated for loss of appetite, irritability, and an acute petechial rash. Rectal temperature is 102.8F. Which of the following diagnostic studies is the most important in this child’s evaluation? A. white blood count and differentia B. urinalysis C. CSF analysis D. serum glucose […]
ChatGPT Answers the Top 46 PA School Applicant Interview Questions
Just be yourself! This is the one piece of interview advice we have all heard a gazillion times. Maybe you heeded this advice but failed to get into PA school. Or, maybe, like many, advice to “just be oneself” while examining one’s greatest weaknesses doesn’t’ bode well for confidence? Be myself? But who’s that exactly? […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 40
A 51 year-old male with renal artery stenosis and an elevated BUN and creatinine, is newly diagnosed as hypertensive. Which of the following agents should be avoided? A. hydrochlorothiazide-triamterene B. prazosin C. nifedipine D. verapamil E. furosemide Answer: A, hydrochlorothiazide-triamterene This is a potassium sparing diuretic and should be avoided in anyone with renal disease. ACEI […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 59
Which of the following is the earliest manifestation of diabetic nephropathy? A. proteinuria B. a progressive decline in the creatinine clearance C. an elevated serum haptoglobin D. renal insufficiency E. microalbuminuria Answer: E, microalbuminuria Tiny amounts of albumin (microalbumin) show up first – but need a special test ordered to detect it. Intervention at this point […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 68
Your 27 year-old sister is visiting and requests you to provide refills of dexamethasone and homotropine ophthalmic drops for her. What condition is most likely being treated? A. conjunctivitis B. glaucoma C. iritis D. Herpes keratitis E. blepharitis Answer: C, iritis Iritis is treated with steroid drops (dexamethasone) and miotic drops *homotropine, like atropine (to constrict […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 25
A patient with AIDS develops severe headaches. A CT scan demonstrates multiple ring-enhancing lesions of the brain. What diagnosis is most likely? A. Toxoplasmosis B. Histoplasmosis C. lymphoma D. Cytomegalovirus E. Herpes encephalitis Answer: A Toxo occurs commonly in HTV, and is a parasitic infection causing ring-enhancing lesions (but lots of things can cause ring-enhancing […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 41
A patient at a Christmas party on a cruise ship develops a terrible headache. His blood pressure is 224/158 mm Hg. Which of the following agents is this patient most likely taking regularly? A. tricyclic antidepressants B. barbiturates C. benzodiazepines D. monoamine oxidase inhibitors E. phenothiazines Answer: D, monoamine oxidase inhibitors This is a typical scenario […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 60
Fluid from a thoracentesis is grossly purulent. The effusion from which this fluid was aspirated is best described as a(n): A. loculated effusion B. chylothorax. C. empyema. D. hydrothorax. E. hemothorax. Answer: C, empyema. A grossly purulent tap would suggest staph (empyema). Loculated effusion does not describe either a trans or exudative effusion. Chylo and hydro […]
Finding a Physician Assistant Mentor: The Foolproof PA Shadowing Guide
Let’s face it, finding a PA to shadow is no easy task. When I first contemplated a career as a physician assistant, I was hard-pressed to find a PA to shadow. I was dying to connect with a PA and pick their brain, hear about everything they did, and shadow for a day or two. […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 69
A 58 year-old male presents complaining of weakness of his grip. Your examination reveals that the problem is bilateral. During the next few office visits, you note the development of hyperactivity of his DTRs, extensor plantar reflexes and dysarthria. The patient’s sensory system remains normal and he denies any urinary symptomatology. Which of the following […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 26
A Caucasian male has a history of a meconium ileus as a newborn, steatorrhea and a positive sweat test. What is the most likely diagnosis? A. Von Gierke’s disease B. Hurler’s syndrome C. Cystic fibrosis D. Hunter’s syndrome E. Cri du chat syndrome Answer: C, Cystic fibrosis This is the classic presentation of Cystic fibrosis […]
Who is the Ideal PA School Candidate? Surprising Lessons From Olympic Ice Skating
I love Olympic figure skating. It is the ultimate test of human grit. Here are people who have spent four years and countless hours practicing for what comes down to a life-changing two-minute event. This is a lesson on life, it is a lot like preparing for your PA school interview, finally pressing submit and […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 42
A patient with known hyperlipidemia, taking clofibrate, presents to your office complaining of severe myalgias and weakness. He has noted a dark color to his urine. The laboratory calls with a panic value CPK of 8500. He was recently started on a new medication, four days earlier. Which of the following is most likely the […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 63
A 38 year-old chronic smoker presents with shortness of breath and wheezing. He has had several similar episodes in the past. He states that each previous episode began after developing a “cold that moved into his chest.” Usually, after treatment with albuterol (VENTOLIN) and several days, the wheezing stops. He adds that he has a […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 70
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic feature of multiple myeloma? A. elevated serum calcium B. osteoporosis C. “punched out” osseous lesions D. plasma cell infiltration of bone marrow E. hypogammaglobulinemia Answer: E. hypogammaglobulinemia MM is a HYPERgammaglobulinemia – all of the other findings occur in MM Help Support The Physician Assistant Life for […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 27
A 32 year-old male presents with dyspnea and a nonproductive cough. His is tachycardic, tachypneic and febrile. Auscultation of his chest reveals scattered rhonchi. His chest x-ray demonstrates a diffuse interstitial infiltrate. His ABG demonstrates moderate hypoxemia and his LDH is elevated. What is the most likely diagnosis? A. Streptococcal pneumoniae pneumonia B. Mycoplasma pneumoniae […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 43
A female patient presents for an evaluation for primary amenorrhea. She is noted to be short of stature and have short fourth metacarpals. What diagnosis do you suspect? A. XO B. XXY C. XXX D. XXXY E. Trisomy 21 Answer: A, XO This is the genotype for Turner’s syndrome. XXY is the genotype for Klinefelter’s (which […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 64
A patient is being treated for Tuberculosis. She is experiencing central scotomata, a loss of green-red color perception and decreased visual acuity. Which agent is most likely responsible? A. rifampin B. isoniazid C. streptomycin D. ethambutol E. para-aminosalicylic acid Answer, D Ethambutol is the TB drug that causes “E”ye symptoms. I remember it because it […]
The Physician Assistant Job or PA School Interview – Email Etiquette
mail is unequivocally the number one technology you must be brilliant at if you are to succeed throughout the PA school interview or job application process. For that reason, you need to be VERY careful when you use email as part of a job search effort or part of your PA school application process. It […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 71
Which of the following is NOT a risk factor for the development of osteoporosis? A. low testosterone levels in men B. low levels of physical activity C. inadequate dietary protein D. cigarette smoking E. chronic corticosteroid use Answer: C, inadequate dietary protein Low dietary Calcium, not protein, is a risk factor for osteoporosis. All of the […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 28
A patient describes a history of a “curtain being brought down over my right eye it stayed there for a few minutes then was lifted back up.” In which of the following arteries is the etiology of this complaint located? A. anterior cerebral B. middle cerebral C. posterior cerebral D. internal carotid E. external carotid […]
The Daily PANCE & PANRE Question 44
An 18 year-old female presents after completing her freshman year at college. Two months ago, she developed “bronchitis” which has persisted. She has become increasingly tired and has frequent night sweats. A chest x-ray today reveals a left mediastinal mass. What is the next step in her evaluation? A. repeat the chest x-ray in six […]