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You are here: Home / Physician Assistant Stories / Physician Assistant vs. Physician Associate: A Rose is a Rose?

Physician Assistant vs. Physician Associate: A Rose is a Rose?

March 22, 2012 By Stephen Pasquini PA-C 30 Comments

Physician Assistant versus Physician Associate

Juliet: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

OK, a show of hands.

Who would prefer we change the name of our profession?

Should it be physician assistant or physician associate? Or something else entirely?

What should we call PAs?

The Case for Physician Assistant

Patients are already confused by what we do. Wouldn't a name change just confuse them even more?

Part of this patient confusion comes from the term assistant.  It assumes that we are indeed  "assisting" someone; in this case, a doctor.

The term itself would lead one to believe that at some point during their office visit, they should have time with the actual physician for whom the PA is assisting.

As a family practice physician assistant in a rural setting, I usually work alongside other PAs and nurse practitioners. Nowadays, rarely is there a doctor to be found on site.  And that is OK; there is always someone available by phone if necessary.

In other words, I rarely "assist" anybody.

But, this, in my opinion, is just semantics.  I am proud of what I do as a physician assistant and the quality of service I provide my patients.

When my patients ask, "when am I going to become a doctor," I just smile and explain the millions of reasons why I love my job, why I became a PA and why even if given a free "upgrade" to MD I would never even consider it.

The Case for Physician Associate

The term associate is not absent of ambiguity.

Just look at one of the definitions assigned by Wikipedia:

Associate, a person who is in league with the Mafia but is not treated as a full member, e.g. a corrupt official.

Not that there isn't a bit of a "cool" factor that comes with being likened to the mafia.

I think the big complaint about the term "assistant" is that it comes with a feeling of subservience. In a law firm, an associate is a low-level lawyer. The problem with this is that PAs are not low-level doctors they are something different entirely.

Maybe the main problem is the term "physician"

A physician is at the highest level of the medical field. And therefore, the term should be reserved for just that.

For a comparison take a look at variations of the term Nurse:

  • Nurse
  • Nurse Practitioner
  • Certified Nurses Assistant
  • Licensed Vocational Nurse
  • Nurse Midwife
  • Nurse Anesthesiologist

This professional deviation from the term "nurse" is far removed from the original intention.

Here are some other common medical professions:

  • Emergency Medical Technician
  • Medical Assistant
  • Respiratory therapist
  • Psychiatrist
  • Psychologist
  • Radiologists
  • Scrub Tech
  • Surgeon
  • Physical Therapist
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Physician
  • Doctor
  • Dentist
  • Dental Hygienist
  • Nutritionist
  • Social Worker
  • Phlebotomist
  • Pathologist

Here you see many different qualifiers such as: "therapist," "worker," "tech," "technician" and once again "assistant."

Outside of the medical field are other types of professions that exist alongside another "main" occupation;  paralegal comes to mind.

One could make the case then for the term "paramedical" instead of physician assistant, but this is just too confusing.  Especially given the closely related term paramedic.

A New Profession:

In all honesty, the physician assistant of 2020 is a lot different from the PA of 1977.

Part of what has happened is that we are coming to terms with the fact that to be an excellent diagnostician in primary care one does not need to attend medical school and complete a residency.

There is a minimum effective dose for primary care, and that is probably the education of a physician assistant.

Of course, while working alongside a physician in a surgical role the term assistant is always appropriate.

So maybe what we need then is an entirely new professional designation?

It is not the "assistant" or "associate" designation we should be concerned about but the term "physician!"

Otherwise, we will always be playing the same game, creating the same patient confusion, and constantly struggling to find our own identity.

Maybe we should take a page from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and accept that the terms "assistant" and "physician" are two star-crossed lovers.

Juliet: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

- Stephen

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About Stephen Pasquini PA-C

Stephen has been a family practice PA since 2004 and is the creator of The PA Life and Smarty PANCE Board Review websites. A National Health Service Corps Scholar and a graduate of The University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ (Rutgers) PA Program and the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. Stephen's goal is to provide one-of-a-kind online resources for those interested in or practicing in the PA profession, to promote better access to healthcare for all, and foster universal recognition/awareness of the PA profession. Read more about Stephen.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Medical Professional says

    May 26, 2021 at 1:15 pm

    If we’re talking about names and using the correct terms “nurse anesthesiologists” do not exist, as an “anesthesiologist” is a physician, but “nurse anesthetists” do exist. Thank you.

    Reply
  2. Actual Doctor says

    May 26, 2021 at 5:27 am

    Um excuse you.
    A 2 years masters degree will never equal the amount of training that a physician goes through.
    You do 1 year of didactics and 1 year of clinicals and then can work.
    A primary care physician (you feel you are so equal to) goes through 4 years of medical school (2 years didactic, 2 intensive clinical years) and 3 very intense years of residency (80 or more hours per week). Then pass several difficult 8 hour exams in Med school and board exams to be board certified.
    I’m not sure what geniuses PHysician assistants think they are to find yourselves equivalent with a physician with a very small amount of the training.
    As a primary care actual physician I spend my days fixing your mistakes. So please, get off your high horses and know your place. You are a part of the medical team but you are not the same as us.

    Reply
    • Another Actual Doctor says

      May 27, 2021 at 5:53 am

      Exactly. You are not called doctors for a reason. You are only endangering the patient if you think you can do as much as us. Know your place and do your job, assistant.

      Reply
    • Francis Tapon says

      December 15, 2021 at 11:40 am

      I’m not in the medical field, but my wife is about to embark on it. She’s unsure whether to be a PA, MD, or NP.
      As an objective observer, it’s disappointing to see how insecure physicians are about their profession.
      In these comments, several “Actual Doctors” display contempt and arrogance toward the PAs (and probably NPs).
      It’s a stereotype, and it’s sad to see that there is truth to it.

      Physicians feel so threatened by PAs instead of seeing them as partners on the same team. You’re all trying to save/improve lives, right?

      Secondly, it’s disappointing to see some commenters look down on all PAs simply because they had ONE bad experience.
      Hardly scientific.
      Surprise! There are lousy individuals in EVERY profession, including physicians, PAs, NPs, police, politicians, and janitors.
      Let’s not condemn a profession because you’ve had a bad experience or two.
      You need more data before concluding that.

      I salute and admire everyone in the healthcare profession, yeah, even arrogant, insecure doctors.
      Thank you for your hard work.

      Reply
      • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

        January 5, 2022 at 5:55 am

        Thank you, Francis! This is a beautiful critique, and I couldn’t have said it better myself!

        – Stephen

        Reply
  3. David says

    June 9, 2020 at 7:26 am

    As nurse I find it insulting and disrespectful when PAs believe they have same qualification as NP. PA are Assistant to providers not providers themselves!

    Reply
    • Wendy Pasquini says

      June 11, 2020 at 12:55 pm

      Hello, and thank you for your comment. I first want to ask; what type of practice you work for? It sounds like you have not had a good experience with PAs, and I’m sorry.
      I ask because I have been a nurse for 20 years, and my husband is a PA for about 17yrs now. We have had many discussions over the years of NP vs. PA.

      PAs are in-fact providers and are indeed just as qualified if not more qualified than an NP. They can diagnose and prescribe medications on their own just as an NP can. They differ on the legality of things. Legally, they are assigned a supervising physician who is responsible for checking in with them and signing off on a percentage of their charts. This requirement varies from state to state, sometimes considerably from organization to organization. The quality of the university program they attended can also significantly have an impact on how well they are prepared to enter the workforce. It can also vary on what type of practice they are in. PAs are used very differently in each specialty. For example, family practice, such as my husband, PAs will often be completely autonomous. On the other hand, in a surgical specialty, there may be tighter strings attached as they are ultimately working under their license, and then the term “assistant” is appropriate. PAs also must recertify by exam every ten years. This test is very comprehensive and broad, covering all of medicine and not just the specialty they happen to be working for.

      My husband had a wonderful experience with his first family practice job. He was taken under the wings of several physicians and was provided support and constant feedback for his first year. After that year, he worked closely but autonomously, always having a physician to bounce ideas off of and treatment plans with. He was very well supported. He has gone on to have several jobs, and with each one, he has had variable levels of autonomy depending on his supervising physician. Unfortunately, this is not always the case for new PAs. Often, they get a job with little support and are expected to work independently from the start, and often their supervisor physician is not even on sight. This is a disservice for them, their patients, and the profession itself. Some sites are reluctant to provide for a supervising physician, so they choose to hire an NP to get around this legality. Their college education is also slightly different, as it is more based off of an MD model. PA students take classes alongside medical students and often rotate with them through an overly broad and wide range of specialties.

      NPs can diagnose and prescribe as well but are not legally required to have a supervising physician. It is exceedingly rare though that you will see an NP have their own practice and work independently from an MD. Being able to practice legally independently does not make them better, and I would argue sometimes scarier. It really comes down to what education they received and their level of experience. It used to be the case that NPs needed to be nurses first and then went back to school for their NP degree. This is not the case anymore. Many universities have fast-tracked this system, and they go right from their nursing program into a focused specialty NP program without ever being a nurse. Kind of takes the word “Nurse” out of the “Practitioner.” Depending on their rotations and education, they are very “Green” upon graduation.

      As an RN, I remember my first year on the job. I can say that I learned how to be a nurse from hands-on experience in the hospital that first year with my assigned mentor at the University of Washington Medical Center. My second job was in oncology, and again, I gained vital on the job training to learn this specialty. I had a great nursing program (Seattle Pacific) and great rotations, but it wasn’t until I was on the job and gained experience did I become a “real nurse.”

      Nurses, PAs, and NPs do not get extensive paid residency programs like MDs. However, this is changing, and more residency programs are being created for PAs. I am also aware of some RN programs. Nurses, NPs, and PAs all get a job and hope that it is set up to properly guide and mold us. If any new grad takes a position without knowing how they will be supported in their first year, they should not even consider it and look elsewhere. Often organizations and practices are not aware of the education PAs and NPs have upon graduation and believe they are ready to work autonomously right out of the gates. Again, I will say, this is a disservice for them, their patients, and the profession itself.

      I believe this may have been the case you have experienced. Someone you feel does not know what they are doing, and they happen to hold the title of PA. As a nurse, I have had, on many occasions, been “disrespected and insulted” by someone who holds the diagnosis and prescribing rights that I do not have as an RN. I only have my nursing knowledge, experience, and opinions. I would hope I can collaborate with my colleagues (MDs, PAs, NPs, medical assistants) based on these things. I too only ask to be heard, respected, and bring a willingness to collaborate and learn from all my colleagues, including those that do not share my title as RN.

      The actions and attitudes you have experienced from working with this one PA at your site should not reflect on all the PAs in the world or the profession. The word “Assistant” in the title Physician Assistant can be misleading if one does not understand the role they play in the medical field or the education and legalities they have.

      Respectfully,

      Wendy Pasquini RN

      Reply
    • Hps says

      January 29, 2022 at 6:47 pm

      David, I guess I shouldn’t have trained the NP in our practice……. lol. I will continue to educate those that have the wisdom to learn. you are a disgrace to the goal of nursing-caring for people! Because PAs are very qualified professional providers and we start with being PEOPLE. You need to get off your horse. Btw, aren’t you the KY guy who is on doximity who feels he is a doctor.

      Reply
  4. Leroy Jenkins says

    May 19, 2020 at 9:28 pm

    I think physician-ish or physician lite would be less confusing to patients.

    Reply
  5. Charles F Wetter says

    August 6, 2019 at 1:04 pm

    As a practicing PA for over 24 years I’ve grown tired of this title.
    In my home state a work force evaluation published in the last 30 days failed to mention or use the term “PA” or physican assistant once. The terms, MD, DO, and NP were laced thoughout the document.
    I do part time work in the field of occupational medicine where for the first time in years the ” doctor only” list is growing by leaps and bounds.

    I do believe that if the nursing model produces a “Nurse Practitioner” than the medical model likely produces a Medical Practitioner, not a physician , not a assistant…
    Time to bite the bullet and change the name..loose the physician..loose the assistant…choose a title that reflects what we do… Medical Practitioner.. and do it before the state’s health care manpower plan and large employer’s make you irrelevant

    Reply
    • Jessica says

      December 7, 2019 at 10:02 am

      Yes! Medical Practitioner is the most perfect change, in my opinion

      Reply
      • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

        December 17, 2019 at 8:35 am

        Hi Jessica, I am not sure I like the term “medical practitioner” as it seems rather vague to me. Did you see the latest list of name change options offered up by the AAPA? They are one for the record books… and not in a good way!

        Stephen

        Reply
  6. Impala says

    January 20, 2019 at 7:19 am

    I don’t work in the medical field and that being said my comments are based on my actual experience with PA’s. I no longer accept being evaluated by a PA. I believe a more appropriate title might be Medical Aide. Over the course of the last several years my experience with PA’s is as follows:
    1) evaluated a skin lesion as a “boil” when in fact it was basal cell carcinoma
    2) determined that the severe pain following back surgery was part of the healing process. Turns out it was a large hematoma pressing on the spinal cord requiring immediate emergency surgery
    3) prescribed a cardiac drug without evaluating drug interactions thus missing a very severe interaction
    4) determined that the severe pain from an implanted spinal stimulator was due to pain med withdrawal when in fact the pain was due to a massive infection requiring the removal of the stimulator followed by several weeks of IV antibiotics.

    Now, whenever I make an appointment with a doctor I make it perfectly clear that I want nothing to do with a PA other than taking my vitals I.e. blood pressure, temperature and pulse. If that is not acceptable I simply go to someone else. I also believe that PA should have to carry their own malpractice insurance. Once it becomes public knowledge how many patients they actually kill I think we will finally start to see the PA come under more stringent control.

    Reply
    • Bisley says

      January 21, 2019 at 11:26 pm

      I could not agree with you more. I recently had an appointment with my pcp and a physician assistant came in to go over my medical history. As I was explaining my history with chronic kidney disease she had this blank look on her face. So I asked her a few basic question specific to kidney disease such as pauci immune, The difference between PANCA and C-ANCA, creatinine clearance and GFR and she had no clue about what I was asking. Instead of admitting she had no clue she tried to BS me.
      The real problem is that they don’t know what they don’t know. I only hope that people wise up and demand to see a real doctor. Once the law suits start hitting I believe things will change.

      Reply
    • jmeck says

      April 6, 2021 at 12:59 pm

      Impala,
      It is tough to hear that any patient has had the kind of experiences you had when a PA was unable for whatever reason to provide the care you obviously needed…and deserve. I have worked in primary care as a PA for 20 years and, like everyone else I know, have had things slip by…things I should not have missed. There are a couple different kinds of errors that we make. One is that we simply misinterpret, or do not get enough, information. Another is failing to get “another set of eyes”, as the phrase is often used.

      A couple points are important here. First…no one…NO ONE…knows everything about everything. I’ve worked with many different clinicians over the years and I’ve seen physicians as well as associate clinicians flummoxed by what others in the same office could diagnosis within minutes (I’ve been on both sides). Some physicians I’ve worked with are uncomfortable with almost any orthopedic injury and refer many more than probably need to be. We all have our own strong, weak, and, unfortunately, blind spots. And in this case I mean all clinicians.
      In addition…everyone…EVERYONE…asks for help. Some more than others – depending on experience, training, and type of practice. Physicians at the top of the food chain in their specialty certainly ask less…although an Orthopedic surgeon who specializes in hand surgery may still need some tips from a colleague when called on to manage a giant cell tumor of bone in a 20 year old.

      One more thought…my own experience. My MD, who I think the world of, missed the increasingly obvious signs/symptoms of progressive cervical myelopathy. I had surgery within two weeks of the MRI, although that wasn’t done until I had symptoms for over a year. Some of my symptoms did not resolve after surgery.
      However I stayed with that MD until she left the practice. I now see an NP as my PCP. She may not have the years of experience (I count years that include practice and education so I think there’s no question that physicians have an education that NP/PA’s cannot match…and don’t need to) but I trust her to do the right thing.

      I don’t think I would’ve trusted my clinician(s) after what you went through. But I think you are making judgements both about physicians and associate clinicians that, while understandable, may not completely reflect the wide mosaic of physicians and associate clinicians that function daily as “healthcare providers”…which is what I am everyday – and now for 20 years.
      Again, I am very sorry you had such suboptimal care from the healthcare providers who treated you.
      Jeff
      Greenfield, MA

      Reply
    • Dave says

      May 26, 2021 at 5:29 am

      As a physician I would never allow myself or a family member see a PA because I know how much training they have.

      Reply
  7. Anonymous says

    January 5, 2019 at 10:18 pm

    This article is basically a slap in the face to any Primary Care Physician who comes into work intending to do his or her job well. I am a resident at a top U.S. medical center that hires top ancillary staff so I am very well aware of Physician Assistant knowledge and capabilities. Your premise that you do not need to attend medical school and residency to be an excellent diagnostician exposes your arrogance. While it’s true that four years or medical school and three years of FM/IM residency is a lot, the medical model will always be the superior model and should always carry ultimate responsibility for patients. While PAs are taught basic science and can access resources to learn the zebras, they simply aren’t tested on it to the level an MD/DO is. When it comes to clinical education, emphasis is always on presentation of patients and getting consults from other providers by acting like a broken record “my attending wants it”. In the primary care setting, there is no investigation into the primary cause. Yes, diabetes and hypertension are the common causes of CKD, but if the patient is leaking protein for months with a lower GFR, you better do a further work up into the other causes. PAs routinely miss this because they of the attitude that “medicine is not complicated” and the fact that they view their job as a 9-5 with no obligation for continual education.

    Before you start worrying about the term physician, why don’t you instill moral accountability into your trainees and let them leave only when the job is done instead of having them dump all their unfinished business on residents? How about you make them write notes that make sense and be interpretable by other medical providers instead of ones that look like they’re written by broken speech recognition software? How about you hold them to higher standards in terms of actually having them compete with physicians regarding medical knowledge because the PANCE is a joke? How about you instill a culture of continual self directed learning instead of training your future profession to view medicine as not that complicated that can be 9-5’ed? I know…because at the end of the day, you think deep down that physicians are stupid and your way is better, but when push comes to shove you just push buttons, don’t think, and think that physicians will clean up your mess. If you want to practice independently why don’t you learn actual medicine and instead learn to manage patients instead of presenting them? How about you take accountability for your errors? Oh wait, if you do that, you’re going to be in school longer, working from 6am-7pm with weekends when you’re out. I’m not even a primary care physician but I make it a point to have every one of my patients see an actual MD/DO when I see PA-C or CNP under the PCP designation.

    Reply
    • A says

      January 20, 2019 at 1:33 am

      This response is extremely arrogant. No where in this article did anyone claim physicians are stupid. It is because of people like you that PAs want a name change in the first place- they don’t want to be seen as YOUR assistant. PAs work incredibly hard and DO follow the medical model in the accelerated 2-3 years of graduate school. How about instead of bashing on them for wanting respect you instead learn to respect all those in the medical profession because nothing would get done without each and every one of them. You do not walk on water sir and you most certainly don’t have the right to insult on your fellow healthcare professionals.

      Reply
      • Actual doctor says

        May 26, 2021 at 5:34 am

        Hahahah. Nothing would get done? Accelerated model?
        Do you think Med students are just sitting around drinking margaritas all day?
        Medical school is INTENSE. For 4 straight years. And then residency is even more intense for another 3-5 depending on your field. So the fact that you think you can learn as much in a masters degree in 2 years is why doctors resent the arrogance of the mid level.

        Reply
    • Bisley says

      January 21, 2019 at 11:32 pm

      I could not agree with you more. With regards to the PANCE test, I took a 100 question sample test and scored in the high 70’s and I have no medical background other than what I have learned managing my own health.

      Reply
    • Jessica says

      December 7, 2019 at 10:24 am

      You sound like a overworked medical resident who might be regretting their own career choices. I’m a PA working in a higher acuity urgent care (we have RNs, CT, US, x-ray, do labs, IVs and procedures and function like the fast track of an ED) and work with PAs, NPs and family practice docs. Several of our docs are in their first job out of residency. ALL of our PAs have ED experience and a lot of us have 10, 15 or even 20+ years experience working in medicine. We can trade shifts with each other and are completely interchangeable, no difference in our jobs and responsibilities whatsoever. In this particular situation, we function completely as equals. However, a patient is much more likely to be referred to the ED for a simple lac, given antibiotics for a common cold or get unnecessary CYA testing by the doc. I’ve had one of these new docs ask me to see a possible eye FB patient because they’re just “not comfortable” with eye problems. I’ve seen another one send a nurse maids elbow to the ED. I regularly see their abscess or paronychia patients return because they were only treated with abx by a doc who didn’t want to do the I&D. On the other hand, I’ve worked in EDs with docs who I absolutely look up to and defer to and consider mentors and teachers. My point is, there’s variations in all professions. You can see and inept doctor or an inept PA. You could see a PA with 15 years of experience (On top of graduate school and undergrad and previous healthcare experience) or an MD who just finished a 3 year residency (on top of med school and undergrad, etc). Why don’t you try supporting and respecting all of your colleagues regardless of their specific background and education. Everyone has things they could learn and improve on and everyone has something to bring to the table.

      Reply
  8. Samuel Simmons PA-C says

    April 10, 2018 at 4:15 am

    The US Department of State uses the term Medical Provider (FSMP or foreign service medical provider) which is pretty much identical to “medical practitioner”. And yes it is broad and encompasses PAs and NPs. When you think about it, ALL healthcare professionals provide medical care.
    I don’t think the word “physician” is the problem as long as it has a prefix/suffix to indicate we are different from MDs and DOs. Patients seem to understand doctor, doc, physician, etc. to mean “the person ultimately taking care of me”, and I find that patients will continue to call me (doctor, etc) even after correcting them and clearly explaining what a PA is. I have seen this with NPs as well. Patients will see you as the “doctor” if you are the one ultimately taking care of them, regardless of what your title is and the explanation you give them. And so the confusion arises when the “doc, or person taking care of them”, is wearing a name tag with the word “Assistant” in the title. In my opinion, Physician Associate may not be perfect, but probably best. The word “associate” may be ambiguous, but at least it is not misleading like the word “assistant”. No profession will have the perfect title; the title “doctor” is actually quit ambiguous as well. And NPs have it even worse! I think the term “Physician Associate” removes confusion and allows some room for the continuous evolution of our profession.

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      April 10, 2018 at 8:00 am

      The only problem is that I am going to have to rename my website 🙂 But, the general consensus seems to be in agreement with your sentiments!

      Stephen

      Reply
  9. Luke says

    October 8, 2016 at 6:56 pm

    Most days I don’t have time to explain what a Physician Assistant is to my patients in a busy Urgent Care setting. Oftentimes, I will describe my profession as “similar to a Nurse Practitioner” to move the conversation forward. Physician Assistant does not do our profession justice as for most of us don’t just “assist” but practice medicine! Physician Associate, Medical Practitioner, anything but Assistant. This is a topic that needs to be addressed by our governing officials then voted on by the PA profession.

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      October 9, 2016 at 8:34 am

      Hi Luke,

      I used to disagree, and felt that a name change would just confuse our patients even more. But given how often people ask me “when are you going to go back to school and “go all the way”” I am realizing that maybe you (and the AAPA) are right and the term “assist” is a problem. Nobody asks the nurse, or the radiology tech, or the anesthetist or really anybody else with a health professional degree that questions. People do ask medical assistants that questions though, and we share a part of our name in common. The AAPA has proposed that we are just “PAs”, kind of like and RN except the acronym would have no real meaning. The other part of the problem is that we use the word “physician” and as long as that is part of our title we will always be in some way “less” or in “search” of something “more”. In the UK PAs are called physician associates, but I am not sure I am a fan of that either.

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the topic.

      Stephen

      Reply
      • Luke says

        October 10, 2016 at 7:29 pm

        Stephen,

        The AAPA proposal for just “PAs” is the most ambiguous term yet. Try to think of an acronym in English today that has no meaning behind it, exactly, they are none! I’m not saying Physician Associate is the perfect term, but it is less misleading and more representative of the education, responsibility, and skill level required to function as a PA. I think you would be surprised to see how many PAs in training/practicing want a name change and I think this needs to be at the top of AAPA discussions. AAPA needs to obtain a list then defer the issue to a nation wide vote of physician assistant constituents. In the mean time, I may discuss with the UK PAs on how they are perceived and give you feedback.

        Reply
        • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

          October 14, 2016 at 12:49 pm

          I agree completely about the acronym PA – seems like it is being used more as a “placeholder” until there is some consensus. I think you are on the right track regarding discussing this issue with those working in the UK.. I am eager to hear your findings. Now if we could just model our healthcare in a similar universal fashion we would be making real progress.

          Stephen

          Reply
  10. Michael Jones, BSN, RN says

    January 24, 2016 at 2:00 pm

    I’m an ICU RN advancing my education as either a Nurse Anesthetist or a Physician Assistant. I found this article to be extremely compelling and worth further investigation. Has the PA profession ever considered the term Medical Practioner? Nurse Practitioners, advanced practice nurses with either a Master’s or Doctorate degree study the nursing model of care, Physician Assistant’s study the medical model of career and perhaps should be called Medical Practitioners.

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      January 28, 2016 at 4:03 pm

      Hi Michael,

      I think you hit the nail on the head, if a problem does indeed exist, it isn’t with the word “assistant” it is with the word “physician”. I personally think “medical practitioner” is a bit too broad and all encompassing, but then again, I am more than happy to keep our current name mostly because it now has recognition and I believe that as practitioners we are judged far more often by our actions than by our namesake.

      – Stephen

      Reply
  11. Paul says

    December 15, 2015 at 3:22 am

    The best term I have heard for the profession is “Paraphysician” as the term was originally used long ago. If you look up the definition of what is a paraprofessional, the term is more appropriate today now more than ever.

    Too many are confusing Physician Assistants with Medical Assistants as a Paraphysician can have a it’s own level of ability in the public’s eye such as a paralegal in law or a paramedic. See the wikipedia listing for Physician Assistants as the industry is moving towards the title of “Paraphysicians.” For details see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physician_assistant
    or http://brunerfoundation.org/BFhistory.html

    Reply

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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!

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Fariha, Pre-PA

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

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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!

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

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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.

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Sue did an amazing job editing my personal statement. She included all the aspects that I wanted in the statement and made it flow so much better. Thank You! Thank You!

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I worked closely with Duke and Sue for the revisions on my personal statement. They must have edited my original version half a dozen times before they felt it was good enough to send off and never made it seem like an inconvenience. They always responded to my e-mails within a 24-hour time frame but usually got back to me within a few hours. I am very pleased with how my personal statement turned out thanks to all of their time, ideas and direction. The service the PA Life provides is well worth the money spent!

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Michelle Murphy, Pre-PA

Sue did a wonderful job. I know this is an extremely busy time of year as CASPA is accepting applications and Sue was great about responding to my initial submission and getting back to me. She provided thoughtful feedback and quality editing. Fingers crossed for an acceptance to PA school!

Jo Lynn, Pre-PA

I have recently been accepted to a program that was one of my top choices, and I also was waitlisted with two other schools. I wanted to thank you again for all your help Duke.  Not only am I grateful for your knowledge of writing and grammar (which were invaluable), but most importantly your kind word and motivation, which I needed so much at the time.  You’re a great person!

Alex Taylor, PA-S

I just wanted to share that I got into USC! Woohoo!!! They just called me to share the good news. I’m feeling pretty shocked since that interview did not go as well in my head. I can’t believe I got into school during my first round of applications. This would not have been possible without you, and I really appreciate all the support you gave me throughout this process. ?

Tiffany, PA-S

Sue Edmondson was VERY thorough in her editing of my essay, as well as the promptness of her responses to me. She not only took the time to edit the grammar of my essay but helped me remove a large portion of it to focus on the important aspects of it and draw in more details. Overall, a fantastic service!

Megan Hunstad, Pre-PA

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

Stephanie, Pre-PA

I felt our mock interview was an absolute necessity to prepare for the Academic and Personal interviews from Yale School of Medicine PA Program Online. I felt the calibre of questions you had asked me, in addition to the coaching and post-question feedback, really helped me understand what an ideal response looks like and gave me time to reflect and prepare my responses for the formal interview just two days later.

During my interviews I was asked plenty of questions I didn’t have a prepared response to (and I had combed through tons especially in the days following our mock interview!) I can say that I answered each question genuinely, authentically, and showed both interviewers the best version of myself. I didn’t stammer or lose my place, and I felt confident in my words and expressions. I don’t think I would have been as comfortable, calm, or confident without having accepted your guidance and feedback and learned from our time together.

Gratitude for your words, encouragement, and support is an understatement. Thank you, Sarah!

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Jacob, PRE-PA

Sarah is an amazing writer. She helped clarify my thoughts and encouraged me on this journey. When/ if I get an interview, it will be because of her amazing writing skills.

Araceli, Pre-PA

Loved this service and working with Sarah. She was super helpful and easy to talk with. Will definitely recommend this service to others.

Diana, Pre-PA

Sarah was absolutely wonderful. She not only helped take my personal statement to the best level, but she also made it easy to understand why certain changes were better. In the end, she went through and used a highlighting method to show how we connected things to PA and skills that were good. This made it easier to visualize everything. I’d recommend Sarah to anyone applying to PA school that needs that extra push on their personal statements.

Taylor, Pre-PA

I used the personal statement editing service through The PA Life, and I worked with Sarah. She was AMAZING and made such a difference in both the quality of my personal statement and in my confidence as an applicant. That said, I’m so grateful to say I’ve been accepted into two out of the three programs I applied to and have an interview with the third on Friday of this week. I couldn’t be more excited!

Nikki, PA-S

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

Meghna, PA-S

I am writing this because I wanted to share with you that I have been accepted to the University of Iowa PA program.  I would like to once again thank you for your insight and guidance while writing my personal statement, it came at just the right time.

Eugene V.PA-S

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

Jerry C, Pre-PA

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

Anand T. Pre-PA

Sarah Morris Schultz was my PA statement editor and she was absolutely fabulous! She helped to shave my original 4-page long, winding PA statement down to a 2 page impactful, poignant, moving statement that lead me to get accepted to a Doctor of Medical Science program in Physician Assistant Studies. She has such a gift for writing and knowing how to say things in just the right way and use the right words! One of the DMS PA program committee members started off my video conference online interview by stating that my PA statement was the best he ever read, not “one of the best” but THE BEST statement. My heart leapt. My PA statement years ago had caused me NOT to get accepted to the school that I had hoped. I did get accepted to a good PA school, got my degree, and started practicing in this field that I love. However, this time I decided to humble myself and get help writing a good statement. Praise God, it paid off. I am so grateful for the PA Life service and fee for the one-on-one service is worth every penny! I recommend everyone get Sarah Morris Schultz. She’s the bomb.com! I love you, Sarah 🙂

Sonja D. PA-S

I used the personal statement editing service with Deanna Matzen (April/May 2021) and the mock interview service with Mary Jones (June 2021). Both were exceptional to work with and helped me to achieve my goal. I applied to three schools and received interview invites from all three (I’m a first-time applicant). I was waitlisted at one in June and later accepted in November, received early acceptance to my top choice in November (UTSW), and I chose to decline my third interview scheduled in December. Thank you for your services!

Rachelle, Pre-PA

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for helping me with my personal statement. I have been accepted at Cornell, and will most likely be entering their program in March 2017. I have also received interview offers from Wake Forest, Duke, Pitt, Quinnipiac, Oregon Health Sciences, and Chatham so far. I am happy to share my success up to this point, because I would not be in this position without your guidance, wisdom, and talent.

I thoroughly enjoyed working with you, and I am profoundly grateful for your help. I wish you all the best in the future.

Stephanie Dwyer, PA-S

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

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

Jennifer MurphyPRE-PA

Sue’s comments were very helpful. Her quick turnaround time is very impressive. She responded to my concerns and questions promptly. She clearly knows what to present to the PA school admissions team. I am very happy with her work.

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Great feedback and turn around time. Utilizing this feature gave me even more confidence that I was trying my best to be the top candidate.

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Thank you so much for making the personal statement process less stressful! Although I had been planning and brainstorming for months, the process of writing my journey in 5,000 characters was just daunting and overwhelming. Thank you so much for your kindness, flexibility, and your patience that helped me through this process. I appreciate how you listened and incorporated my feedback to make my personal statement a work of art that is truly representative of ME! I would highly recommend your services to any aspiring PA students who feel lost or overwhelmed by the process. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Cintia, Pre-PA

Sarah Schultz was a great editor and was easy to communicate with. She answered my emails very promptly and made great suggestions while also helping me cut down and condense my essay to be in the character limit. She made me feel more confident in my work and helped me develop an essay that I am proud of. I would definitely use this service again!

Katie, Pre-PA

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

Melissa Nicole Aguilera, Pre-PA

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

Catalina, Pre-PA

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

Odilia, Pre-PA

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

Lauren Clewley, PA-S

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

Janne Kim, Pre-PA

Deanna was so amazing! She was really thorough and strengthened my essay in one edit! I feel so confident submitting my essay and I have high hopes for interviews! Thank you for providing these services to those of us with stories that need help being told. I would definitely recommend this service to everyone who wants to apply to PA school!

Valeria, Pre-PA

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

Angela, PA-S

My editor was amazing! She took everything I asked and did editing that was above and beyond. She was also great at communicating and taking my comments/opinions into consideration. 10/10 would recommend!

Ravee, Pre-PA

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

Rebecca G. PA-S

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

Cintia Chávez, PA-S

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

Stephanie, Pre-PA

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

Conor K. Pre-PA

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

Julie, Pre-PA

Hope everything is going well! I just wanted to let you know I’m 2/2 so far with receiving interviews. I know your help with my essays has played a huge part. I just wanted to update you and tell you how grateful I am for all of your help!

John, Pre-PA

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

Olga N. Pre-PA

I loved this service! Not only did my editor transform my essay, she helped me feel more confident in my application moving forward. She was extremely personable and efficient. I love my essay and now I’m even more excited about applying for school because of the help I received from The PA Life! Highly recommend!!

Aubrey, Pre-PA

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

Zulhumar, Pre-PA

I wanted to send you a quick life update and another BIG thank you! I received my acceptance at the University of Utah’s PA Program on Monday and couldn’t be happier. Thank you for all your help with my essay and interview prep. Both of these services that you provided were so helpful in my success. I will highly recommend you to any future PA student.

Lily, Pre-PA

Sarah did such a great job editing my personal statement! She was receptive to my concerns and had awesome ideas to make my essay stand out. I am very happy with how it turned out and I am excited to submit it. Thank you!!

Hannah, Pre-PA

Just found your site today while trying to update my resume. Also, I have to recertify next year so your tests are great for a refresher course. I was in a specialty area of medicine so I now realize how much I forgot in the past 5 years. Thank you very much and I will pass on to other PAs.

Pattie Solomon PA-CNorTh Miami Florida

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

Monica Harris, PA-S

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

Andrew, Pre-PA

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

Ethan, Pre-PA

Susan did a fantastic job editing my essay! She guided me and gave me suggestions for strengthening certain sections and equally took out weak parts. After I followed her recommendations, I really felt like I had an essay where every sentence mattered and reflected who I was. Thank you so much Susan for your help. I feel that I have a stronger essay because of your honest feedback and your help!

Amanda Pre-PA

The comments and edits made by Sue are exceptional! They’ve helped a lot in terms of helping me express my thoughts more clearly and effectively. It felt as if she was there with me, reading my thoughts and helping me with the entire process in person!

Amy, Pre-PA

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

Shelly K. Pre-PA

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

Chelsea, Pre-PA

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

Christine Chen, PA-S

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

Rachel J, Pre-PA

I had an excellent experience with this service. Deanna was thorough, attentive to my essay, and very easy to contact. She did a great job and I would highly recommend this service to anyone.

Grant, Pre-PA

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

Audrey, Pre-PA

I just wanted to send you a quick email, letting you know that I finally got accepted into PA school! I will be attending Sacred Heart University in Connecticut and will be starting this fall. I could not have made it this far without your help! This was my third time applying and during my first two cycles, I didn’t think that I needed outside help. But this time around, I decided that I needed to change my tactic and I am so freaking happy that I did. Your guidance and advice on my personal statement absolutely made a difference. I had 6 interviews and got accepted into 4! You have helped changed my life and I am forever grateful. I have several friends who will be applying this cycle so I will be referring them to you!

Christian, Pre-PA

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

Joe, Pre-PA

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

Tyler, PA-S

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

Ashanna, Pre-PA

I am mind-blown by my editor Carly’s work. My original essay is like an ill-fitting suit. She hemmed and adjusted it in all the right places and now it looks perfect. I don’t think I’m a bad writer, but I don’t write often and I have spent the past 10 years of my life focused on health sciences. I may have never been able to do this on my own. Thank you thank you, I consider this essay service a bargain.

Rebecca, Pre-PA

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

Julia Spalding, Pre-PA

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

Ian, Pre-PA

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

Ramsha, Pre-PA

Mr. Pasquini was very patient, accommodating and direct in his editing/advice. He was honest, in a way that I needed due to the importance of the letter. I even picked up a few tips to enhance my writing from our meetings. Great experience and will definitely recommend him to others!

Alana P. Pre-PA

I truly appreciate the ideas and comments Deanna provided for my personal statement. Without her expertise in having an understanding of what PA programs are looking for in a personal statement, I would have gone in a completely different and possibly wrong direction. I highly recommend this service!

Victoria, Pre-PA

Carly did more than help revise my grammatical errors and flow. She was able to show me the strengths and weaknesses of the concepts of my essay. She was able to tell me what it was missing as well as praise me for what I did correctly. It gave me confidence in my writing, and I truly believe it will make an impact on the way PA programs view me.

Sherry, Pre-PA

It was an absolute pleasure working with Sarah. She was prompt to respond, professional, and kind. Sarah is an excellent writer. I was consistently impressed with her edits and suggestions for my personal statement. After working with Sarah I feel confident that my final essay will be well-received schools and help me stand out as a candidate.

Leah, Pre-PA

Sue was awesome and ensured I received my edited version of the essay in a timely manner. The editing was above exceptional and exceeded my expectations. Thanks so much!! You guys are awesome!

HK, Pre-PA

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

Maddie, Pre-PA

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

Natalie, Pre-PA

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

Alexa, Pre-PA

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

Shynar Johnson, PA-S

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

Margarita, Pre-PA

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