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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?

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

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.

Previous Post: « The Future of Physician Assistant Education: Stop Stealing Dreams
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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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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

The edits I received were extremely helpful and insightful. I think they really brought my essay to the next level, and I am thrilled with the outcome. Thank you!!

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Kitti, Pre-PA

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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.

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I worked with Duke to edit and complete my essay. It was a terrific experience that I would recommend to everyone! Duke has an amazing ability to help you move things around and change it a little, while still making it feel like 100% your own work. We talked out every change we made, and we both conceded to each other in different places. He made extra time for me when I got stressed out about the deadline, and worked with me for a while each time we sat down. I paid $199 for this service, and I think that was the best bargain I ever got! I have been invited back to submit supplemental applications to some schools, and I will keep the team updated about my interviews. Thanks Duke!!!

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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

Beth, my editor with The PA Life, truly made my essay feel impactful and, most importantly, expressed what I have to contribute to the PA profession. The one-on-one editing session we had was the most beneficial advice I have ever received, and her ability to work with my essay and make it so powerful was incredible. She is a professor, and her teaching methods were so easy to follow and guided me through how to write such a meaningful essay. I finally feel like an immense weight has been lifted off my shoulders after having her help me with the writing process and how to make what I have written even more high impact. I am forever grateful for this service. It has provided me with Beth, the sweetest and most insightful editor ever, a woman I admire and will be an essential factor in my journey to attending PA school. I currently feel confident in my abilities to receive an interview after working with her.

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I really appreciated Duke and his way of cutting out the unnecessary fluff in my essay. He was extremely helpful and helped steer me in the right direction to better my writing and make me a more competitive applicant. I am currently still applying to programs and will notify you guys once I get an invitation!

Ani S. Pre-PA

I have used The PA Life services throughout my application process this year and I am 100% satisfied! Sarah helped me with my personal statement and mock interviewing. As a second time applicant, she really helped me strengthen my statement to convey my story of why I wanted to be a PA. I felt very confident in submitting my statement thanks to her review and was later invited for my first interview! The mock interview service was EXTREMELY helpful. Sarah provided excellent feedback during our session on how I could better rephrase my responses to make them stronger, but still, sound natural and true to myself. The session eased a lot of the interview nerves I had that come interview day I felt pretty confident. I’m proud to say that after my first interview, I was accepted! Thank you, Sarah, for all of your help throughout my PA journey!

Amanda B, Pre-PA

I just wanted to let you know that the majority of my interviews have gone really well! So far, I’ve received six interview invites and have interviewed for five schools. Midwestern (AZ) just got back to me a bit ago, and they sent me an acceptance email! I am beyond thrilled! I just wanted to thank you so much for your help! Your mock interview gave me a lot of confidence that I was able to carry into my interviews! I appreciated having the opportunity to practice my interview skills with you. I wanted to let you know just how much you’ve helped me with my application process (with my interviews, personal statement, and just my confidence in general)! Thank you so much for all of the advice over the past few months!

Sneh, PA-S

I just wanted to update you that I got waitlisted for Drexel but accept to Dominican University of California. I still have other interviews coming up. Thank you for your help!

Karmen Wu, Pre-PA

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Ryan, Pre-PA

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

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!

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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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Jerry C, Pre-PA

We worked on my essays back in summer and oh, how much work it was! But it all paid off because I just got accepted into the school of my first choice! Thank you so much for your time and dedication to my success. I will also be glad to recommend your services to other pre-PA students at my school!

Jennifer, H Pre-PA

Sue Edmondson was instrumental to my understanding of the entrance essay I was trying to write as well as very honest and positive. I loved her writing technique and her instructive points were very easy to understand. Most definitely will recommend as well as keep her in my contacts for possible future essay revision/help. Thank you.

Vladimira, Pre-PA

My editor with The PA Life was a grammar goddess! She provided amazing feedback and was quick with responding back to any emails, questions, and concerns!

Saniha, 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Catalina, 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 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

It was wonderful to work with The PA Life once again. I appreciated all of my editors’ feedback and creative writing style which was needed to keep the essay within the allowable character limit. I also appreciated how my editor, Sarah, took the time to discover more about me and worked to show those parts which I was unable to reflect myself. With Sarah’s help, the essay really came to life and was a true reflection of my work, personality, and aspiring goals. I’m grateful for all the work she put into helping me with this project!

Jacob, Pre-PA

I hope this email finds you well. I would like to thank you for your help with my PA school personal statement. I’m glad to share that I did get into my top choice – Drexel!

Ashley, Pre-PA

I wanted to let you know I got accepted into the PA program at Mercy College and have another interview at Pace University PA program next week. Thank you so much for guiding me through this process. I just want you to know I really appreciate the time you put into working with me.

Alex (Future PA)

Carly was extremely prompt and helpful! She helped edit my personal statement into something that I am extremely confident applying with!

Danielle, Pre-PA

Wanted to let you know how this application season was going for me so far.

I’ve had two interviews, still have at least three more scheduled, and I received my first acceptance last week.

Thank you again for your help!

M.S, Pre-PA

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 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

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

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

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

I’ve been telling everybody that I come into contact with about the incredible value of your service and that I directly attribute your editing as a reason I got into two schools this academic cycle and received 8 invitations to interview. All the best! Read more at http://www.thepaessay.com

Jeremy Cohen 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 want to let you know that I got accepted into Misericordia University PA program starting the Summer of 2021. So far, I have had two interviews, one rejection and one acceptance. I have two more interviews coming up, and other schools are still reviewing applications. You have been a huge part of my application process, and I just want to appreciate your time and efforts you put in during my application. Thank you, and God bless

Jani, PA-S

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

I wanted to reach out and thank you for your help with my personal statement. I received compliments about my essay at every interview I had. I also wanted to let you know that I will be attending Duke’s PA Program – my top choice. Your help was amazing! Thank you so much again!

Kelli Tseng, PA-S

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

Deanna was amazing! She was able to help me put into professional language my desire to help people. I deeply appreciate and value all of her feedback, edits to my essay, and guidance. She was very attentive, capable, and helpful. She explained things I didn’t understand in a way that allowed me to comprehend. She’s a wonderful writer! I am so grateful for her help! I was stressed out about my essay, and her guidance really helped me stay on track (and calm me down) and portray my interest in becoming a PA clearly and precisely in my essay.

Valerie Charlton, Pre-PA

Sue was very quick to edit my essay and give feedback. Any questions were answered very promptly. I am very pleased with the service provided.

Brandon, Pre-PA

The editor I was assigned, Ms. Matzen, was incredibly friendly, courteous, and professional. This was easily the best experience I’ve had with any guidance or essay editing program.

Andrew, Pre-PA

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

Patrick, Pre-PA

I finally have amazing news. So first of all, in total, I was offered 13 interviews. I was just offered a seat at Nova Orlando! I am finally going to be a PA and a big part of that was from all of your help with my personal statement. So thank you very much for helping me succeed during this round.

Jennifer, PA-S

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

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

My editor was Beth, and she blew my expectations out of the water. She got back to me within 24 hours of submitting my request for edits and helped me so much with the edits she made. If I receive an interview, I am excited to use PA Life to help me with mock interviews.

Haley, Pre-PA

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

Fariha, Pre-PA

Sarah did such an excellent job editing my personal statement that I wanted her expertise for my supplemental essays. I’ve had multiple interview invites so far. I’m so glad I used this service, and I’m so glad I had Sarah’s help! She really took my essays to a whole new level and had good suggestions. I’m recommending her to my peers.

Emily Crenshaw, Pre-PA

Sarah was amazing! She completely transformed my essay and helped include other important key points that I was previously missing in my essay. The editing process was simple and it was easy to collaborate on google docs. I would 100% recommend The PA Life editing service to my friends and people who just need that extra help to make their essay stand out to admission committees. I look forward to this application cycle with my new essay!

Myriam, Pre-PA

I am so glad I chose The PA Life to edit my personal essay. They polished my personal statement that was lacking in some areas into an essay I am confident with now. Everything was straightforward and prompt. Thank you, The PA Life! 🙂

Winnie, Pre-PA

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

Your services have eased the stress and anxiety that results from guessing whether or not your essay contains the content that many PA programs are looking for. Your services were prompt and genuine. It is clear that you have the applicants success at heart. Thank you!

Madison Holtz

I wanted to share exciting news with you – I got accepted to UT Health San Antonio’s Physician Assistant program!!! I am so thankful for ALL of your work and talent that was put into my personal statement and supplemental essays. I could not have gotten through this process without you. I extend a thank you from my mother, Tammy, as well. We were so blessed to be paired with you. Your hard work and dedication to helping me as a Pre-PA student-led to success during the application process. I hope 2021 is treating you well and you have a blessed year!

Aubrey, PA-S

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

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 absolutely loved working with Sarah! She provided the best feedback to my personal statement, while also being sensitive to the details regarding personal family trauma. At the end of our sessions, I always felt confident in the statement and knew that Sarah would help me best articulate into words what I wanted to say. My statement now is something I can be completely confident in, and know that Sarah has been able to help me achieve a statement that prospective schools will pay attention to. Thank you, Sarah (and The PA Life) for everything!

Elizabeth, Pre-PA

Carly was so helpful and encouraging! I truly felt like I was in good hands, and I know my personal statement is much stronger now because of her!

Chloe, 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 read my personal statement again today and got the chills. I am so happy with it and just wanted to thank you for all your help with my PA school essay!

Mikaela, Pre-PA

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

Amanda, Pre-PA

I had an overall great experience working with Duke. He was open to my suggestions and provided great feedback on my essay. So far I haven’t gotten any interviews yet, but it is still early in the process. I will keep you updated when I get interviews. Steve

Steve Koehler, PA-S

I absolutely loved working with Sarah! I could not be any happier with how my personal statement turned out. She was incredibly encouraging, sensitive to my needs, and insightful. There is not enough praise that I could give her for the amazing work she did for me.

Vanessa, Pre-PA

I am so happy I used your service. It really took all of my frustrations and anxiety about my personal statement away. I am really happy with the final product. While Maura did a great job with editing my grammar and making my essay sound better overall in my first edit, Sue did an amazing job turning my essay into a story that flows in my final edit.

Marissa Pre-PA

The ease, frequency, and promptness of communication were some of the best aspects of this service. I found the review and revisions to be very thoughtful and explained in a way where I knew exactly how to apply them to my essay. I would 100% recommend the PA Life PS review to any applicant, and especially enjoyed working with Carly. I am hopeful my personal statement will gain the attention of PA programs I am applying to.

Charlie, Pre-PA

Sarah was amazing and so helpful with thoroughly explaining her edits! I was so impressed with the first edit. She really took my theme to the next level and really helped tighten the flow of my essay. During our first phone call, I was amazed by how quickly she incorporated my new ideas/suggestions. Sarah is extremely clever with re-wording and cutting down unnecessary words, allowing you to elaborate more on important things. I can’t say enough good things about Sarah! I am so thrilled with my result!

Khanhi, 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 really felt the person who edited my essay, Sue Edmondson, took the time to get to know me as a person because she wanted my essay to reflect exactly who I am. I couldn’t have been more impressed with the edits and revisions she has given me along with the reasoning behind each revision.

Nicala, Pre-PA

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

Personal Statement Collaborative

Michelle Murphy, Pre-PA

I wanted you to know about my acceptance into Elizabethtown College’s PA program. I am incredibly excited – I loved the school, the program and thought the staff was incredible, especially the director. I know my personal statement was a key component of getting an interview with them, and I am so thankful for your help in getting my statement polished!

Steve, PA-S

Sarah Schultz is such a gifted and talented writer. She is super sweet and is a joy to work with. I could not have asked for a better editor. She was able to articulate all of my ideas and thoughts seamlessly and effortlessly. Although challenging at times, her suggestions and edits were very insightful and necessary into creating a spectacular essay. I am extremely pleased with the outcome. It is now a true work of art. I am so grateful to Sarah for offering her time to helping individuals like myself to write the best possible personal statement. I would not have been able to write such a cohesive and smooth flowing essay without her help. Thank you so much!! I would unhesitatingly recommend The PA Life Essay Collaborative and Sarah Schultz.

Patrick, PRE-PA

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

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

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

I really appreciated Carly’s attentiveness to my writing style and working to keep my message and content but working it in a way that reads easier. I appreciate her turnaround time, as well as priority deadlines for programs, are quickly approaching!

Jacob, Pre-PA

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

I rarely give all “Excellent” ratings, but this was exceptional work. Beth was quick, personable, and transformed my essay beyond expectations. I banged my head against a wall for months and was still unhappy with the final product, but reading her edit, I felt like PA school was within reach. I’d absolutely recommend this service to anyone who wants a glow-up for their personal statement.

Adam Johnson, 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

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

This past June, you helped me formulate my personal statement for my PA school applications. After our video chat and countless hours editing my CASPA information, I submitted my application and was then given the opportunity to interview at five PA programs. To prepare for my interviews, I would read my personal statement over and over again to remind myself of why I wanted to be a PA. This helped me succeed in my interviews. I was accepted to a few schools, but have I have made my final decision to matriculate into the University of Texas Medical Branch PA program in July! I wanted to follow up after I made my final decision to thank you for helping me with an important step to achieve this amazing life goal. Several of my friends are applying this upcoming cycle, and I will definitely be passing along your information. Again, thank you so much!

Kylie, Pre-PA

I was so glad that I chose to have Duke look over my essay, he turned it from long, rambling, and scattered to a much more concise, well written essay. I really feel as though it represents me well! Duke always responded quickly and I felt as though I got a lot of value for the money. Thank you!

Jennifer B. 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

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

Sarah was so helpful, accommodating my needs, and I would highly recommend her to a friend/peer. I love this company and the people that work here!

Erin Felter, 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 so happy to have gone through this editing process! I did not think you would take so much time to not only give me great feedback but also to edit and revise my paper like you did. I am so happy with my new revised paper and will definitely tell my friends!

Eric, Pre-PA

Sarah was amazing to work with. I love that she is able to take what I am trying to say and form concise sentences that flow together so effortlessly. Every time I read a paragraph that she ‘cleans’ up for me, my immediate response is “WOAH!”. Simply put, she was a pleasure to work with and I would recommend The PA Life personal statement editing service with her to anyone!

Jamee, 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 am so impressed by Carly’s editing, advice, and insight. It was incredibly thorough and helpful. I wish I would have done this sooner. I had three interviews this cycle and three waitlists. I believe I would have gotten more interviews this past cycle if I would have done the essay edit last year. As a waitlisted applicant preparing for another application cycle, I submitted my essay to two other services at the same time and The PA Life gave the most helpful, detailed, and professional edit.

Jenn, 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

Testimonials

Thank you, Sarah. I appreciate how you have given me the confidence in answering, “tell me about yourself.” I needed the reminder that I should be proud of my journey to where I am now and all the work I have put into to get to this point. My interview is coming up, and I am excited to say my nerves have been diminished.
Angelica, Pre-PA
Thank you so much for this mock interview! I feel better prepared and more confident about my upcoming interview. Sarah was positive, encouraging, and so helpful and I truly appreciate all the advice she gave! I was nervous for my interview but now I look forward to it!
Kalee M, Pre-PA
I wanted to say thanks for your podcast! I am really enjoying the questions and subsequent explanations!  Your podcasts give me some good quality time in the car, while I have downtime at work, and while I’m at home. I really appreciate the time you’ve put into the podcast.
Ashley N. Schnell, PA-C
The interview was a perfect amount of constructive criticism and a confidence booster. I would highly recommend this service to anyone!
Melissa, Pre-PA
Sarah has increased my confidence for the real interview. She was very professional and honest with her feedback. I would highly recommend everyone utilize The PA Life mock interview services.
Claire, 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
Deanna was GREAT! She was so easy to talk to and put my nerves at ease. She gave AMAZING feedback and was more than willing to answer all of my questions. I truly feel much more prepared for my interview later in July!
McKenzie, Pre-PA
Duke and I worked really well together. Seeing my first draft in comparison to my final draft was like night and day. I really appreciate all the help!
Kenzi H. 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
Just letting you know I received an Acceptance call today from ATSU in Mesa, AZ! This is the program I interviewed with this past Monday. I’m so excited and grateful! Thank you again for your support and coaching. I am going to interview with three more programs next month. I’m glad to have one option for sure!
Julia, PA-S

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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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