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You are here: Home / Physician Assistant Stories / The #1 Trait that Determines Long Term Success as a Physician Assistant

The #1 Trait that Determines Long Term Success as a Physician Assistant

May 5, 2013 By Stephen Pasquini PA-C 46 Comments

Do You Have What it Takes To Become a Physician Assistant

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Sir Winston Churchill

I've come to realize that it's not the best genetics, the highest GPA, or the most relevant healthcare experience that produces the most success, especially when it comes to being a PA or trying to become one.

It comes down to one word: 

Grit

What the Hell is "Grit"?

Kid tennis

No, not grits like in My Cousin Vinny.

Grit is defined as: "perseverance and passion for long-term goals."

There we go.

More and more research is coming out that shows in school, work, and in life, intelligence is no longer the most significant predictor of success. It's grit and character – the ability to push through adversity, challenges, and setbacks to find a new solution or path to success.

Angela Duckworth, a Psychology Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, has found through her research that:

"Smarter students actually had less grit than their peers who scored lower on an intelligence test. This finding suggests that among the study participants — all students at an Ivy League school — people who are not as bright as their peers' compensate by working harder and with more determination.' And their effort pays off: The grittiest students — not the smartest ones — had the highest GPAs."

She also discovered that:

"At the elite United States Military Academy, West Point, a cadet's grit score was the best predictor of success in the rigorous summer training program known as "Beast Barracks." Grit mattered more than intelligence, leadership ability, or physical fitness.

At the Scripps National Spelling Bee, the grittiest contestants were the most likely to advance to the finals — at least in part because they studied longer, not because they were smarter or were better spellers."

These findings suggest that the achievement of difficult goals entails not only talent but also the sustained and focused application of talent over time.

Last week in the New York Times, Thomas Friedman published an article that I couldn't agree with more: "Need a job? Invent one!" In this article, he references Harvard Education Specialist Tony Wagner, "Today, because knowledge is available on every Internet-connected device, what you know matters far less than what you can do with what you know."

So what does all this science and job talk have to do with a physician assistant life, getting into PA school, or becoming a physician assistant by design?  After all, it's simple, right?  Get good grades, make sure you have the prerequisite healthcare experience, and work hard, right?

As we all know too well, there is so much more to having the long-term success that goes beyond getting good marks and finding healthcare experience that looks good on an application. It's not how much information we know, but what we DO with that information that will determine our success.

Or, in wanna be PA terms, success is going from a blog reader to an action taker. 

Instead of knowing all of the answers, instead of chasing the perfect healthcare job to pass the time, or waiting to write that perfect essay, people who succeed get started. And then they stick with it.

My Tale of Grit

stephen

I am proud to say that I am on a better road to being proud, confident, and strong. 

But it wasn't always that way . . .

  • I was cut from my high school basketball team for my size and lack of an outside shot.
  • My grandmother told me as I left for college in Seattle that I was "selfish and not thinking of the family."
  • I was told by my college guidance counselor that I would never have the grades to make it as a medical professional.
  • I have struggled from time to time with depression and low self-esteem.

It wasn't until I adjusted my goals, changed my major, and started to believe in myself that I finally started to have success. From that point on, it was another six years of incremental improvements, setbacks, adjustments, and research that led to small changes and new tactics.  I imagine I'll spend the rest of my life learning more, failing more, and trying to discover new ways to improve myself.

To some, this might sound boring or daunting.  

However, I discovered that it is fascinating and encouraging to see improvement from week to week, no matter how small they are, to make a difference in peoples lives, to adjust my focus from one of self to "what can I do today to make somebody else's life better."

"Boring" became exciting, instead of blaming the world for what I didn't have, I became thankful for all the beautiful blessings I did have. 

I fell in love with small changes and small wins, adding up to significant transformations.

Instead of saying, "ugh, I have to study, or ugh I have to work out (another passion of mine)," it's become "I wonder what I'm capable of today? 

Somewhere early in the second half of my journey to a PA life, I decided I wanted to help others feel that same excitement without having to make all of the same rookie mistakes I made during my six years of discovery;  I wanted to help beginners see progress and build momentum and confidence from day one.

This project is part of this mission. 

I've learned that grit CAN be developed, and once you have it in one area of your life, it carries over to others.

Developing "True Grit"

When I moved past my initial goal of becoming an MD I didn't realize it at the time, what I was doing was identifying the new "normal" and the new "identity" I wanted for myself.

Then I proved that this new identity was actually a future possibility with teeny tiny small wins, building momentum, developing more grit, and perseverance.

Here's how you can develop grit yourself:

1) Identify the new "identity" you want to have. The more specific you can be with it, the easier it'll be to prove it to yourself. "I'm the type of person that never misses a lecture." "I'm somebody who hardly ever misses a workout." "I'm somebody who works on gaining healthcare experience and meeting my prerequisites every day." Remind yourself of this EVERY day by hanging up a post-it note on your bathroom window, or using your phone/calendar to keep this at the front of your mind.

2) Prove to yourself you can do it with small wins.  Create a teeny tiny benchmark for yourself to show that you are heading in the right direction.  Make it something you can do every day that takes less than 15 minutes. Five minutes is even better.  Build a habit.

3) Build momentum by completing the small win every day for at least 30 days.  Remember, we have limited willpower, so dump all of it into building this one habit.

4) Once you have established your new "normal," it's time to stretch again.  Constantly adjust your new normal, but make the adjustment small so it's not a drastic adjustment.  Slow and steady for the win!

5) If you fail at something, make sure you fail differently next time. Failing is not a reflection of your character. You're simply crossing something off your list that didn't work. Move onward and upward.

Physician Assistant Grits

tortis and hari

Rule #1: It doesn't matter where you came from, only where you're going.

This is why I love meeting people and receiving emails from prospective PAs or practicing PAs.  These are people like you and me: ordinary folks with normal lives and typical problems.  They may not have healthcare experience, and they may be deciding between various healthcare careers. They may not understand what a PA does.  Or maybe they are a PA student or a practicing PA who worked hard but didn't pass their PANCE or PANRE. Perhaps they have tried every tactic out there and struggled to find success for a long time.  Then, for whatever reason, that light bulb went off in their head, and they were encouraged to try something different:

  • Joe failed his PANCE: He reached out to those who had been successful, purchased a new review book, focused on completing PANCE practice questions every day, and then took a lot of practice tests. He is now working full time as an Orthopedic Physician Assistant.
  • Staci didn't get into PA school on her first three tries: Now she is a 2nd year PA student who is looking forward to graduating head of her class and starting a career in family practice medicine.
  • Ryan didn't know how he was going to pay for PA school.  He applied for the National Health Service Corps and was accepted after his second try. Now he gets a monthly stipend and will fulfill his dream of working with an underserved population.

These guys didn't set out to drastically change their life, but they knew it was a possibility.  They just focused on small wins, building momentum, and building a new normal for themselves.  As a result of that, these men and women are forever changed.

My goal with The PA Life is to help you build grit and momentum. I've seen it happen with hundreds of people, and it all starts with one thing: the first step.

This is a challenging journey, but one I hope you're willing to take. There's no doubt in my mind you have it in you to become the passionate and caring healthcare provider you see in yourself, and I look forward to the day when you start to believe it too. Prove it to yourself.

Don't ever let anybody tell you that you can't accomplish something.  

My dad always said this, and it is true: "excuses are like armpits, everyone has them, and they all stink. "

Tell me one small victory you've had recently and one small change you're going to make, or drop me a line and tell me what you need help with. 

- Stephen Pasquini PA-C

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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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Comments

  1. Kennedy says

    August 6, 2021 at 10:32 pm

    “…and I look forward to the day when you start to believe it too. Prove it to yourself.
    Don’t ever let anybody tell you that you can’t accomplish something.”

    WOW, that ending hit me! I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear that. Sometimes we need those types of reminders and I’m so glad I read this article. A bit bummed out that I got a C on my very first chemistry class in college, but you know what? After it’s all said and done, I still consider it one of those small victories. The especially big thing that I’ve done is make the switch from an Associates of Arts to Associates of Science. Something I NEVER felt I was capable of doing and didn’t bother entertaining the thought. But here I am now at 23, a bit over halfway through with my classes (mainly the science and math ones left). Chemistry seemed so intimidating, but I was lucky to have an awesome professor turn a scary mountain into a teeny anthill. That’s not to say that it’s an easy peasy course (it’s a whole subject all on it’s own!), but I’ve gained some confidence in the fact that yes, I AM capable of much more than I give myself credit for. And I think it’s safe to say that I’m no longer letting that C demotivate me from doing even better in chemistry 2 and in many others!! There are still a myriad of areas that I know that I can improve on and I’m going to keep moving forward–even if I have to go to the point of crawling instead of running. At least I’m still moving.

    And not only that, but there’s still so much more stops left in my metaphorical road map before I even get to the stage of applying for PA schools. After I complete my associates, I want to complete a certification at my local college so that I can gain some healthcare experience via a job. (It takes like 9 months to complete. Yes, I am that eager to get into healthcare. Which is why you won’t see me going the MD route because I don’t have that kind of patience, LOL. Big respect to the MD’s though!)

    Ramble aside, as yet another wannabe PA student, thank you for this article!

    Reply
    • Kennedy says

      August 6, 2021 at 10:43 pm

      Also another thing I forgot to include: Before I even made the switch, I took a Anatomy and Physiology class so see how I liked it. Evidently, I got a B and those classes are NOT easy either. But I loved it! There was never a boring moment. One thing I learned the hard way though: NEVER TAKE LAB SCIENCES DURING THE SUMMER–especially more than one. So much info in so little time. I nearly metaphorically died trying to pull that off taking biology along with another science. YIKES. I’m actually taking part 2 of Anatomy and Physiology this coming Fall and I’m so excited! You better believe I’ll be reading ahead before the start of the semester. 😉

      Reply
  2. Angela says

    June 18, 2019 at 12:42 pm

    Interesting, I am hoping to get int PA school, but not feeling super hopeful because of my subpar undergraduate academic record, and my age. I did graduate school to try and show that I do have what it takes.

    What I like about this, is the Finns have a word “sisu” that means “true grit” or “giving a little more when you think you have nothing left.”

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      June 19, 2019 at 2:23 pm

      I guess this explains why the Finns have the heaviest coffee consumption in the world (along with the best education system)! 🙂 My son and I were on a run the other day and we made our way up into this small grotto that has pieces of paper with notes written on them that people leave. My son (who is 9) was complaining about our jog and saying he was tired. He grabbed a piece of paper and is said: “Don’t stop when you’re tired; stop when you’re done.” Couldn’t have been better timing! One of the hardest things to do in life is to differentiate between fatigue and misdirection. If we are running down the road waiting to be done but we are running down the wrong road we can essentially run forever and not find what we are looking for. But if we are on the right road, and we keep running through the fatigue, disappointment, setbacks, etc. etc. we will eventually get there. And you don’t want to stop early. So you will have to decide if you are on the right road. You will know if you have had a chance to spend a lot of time working with PAs and within the field of medicine. Does it allign with your passion and your purpose? If so, then go for it, and dig deep into your “sisu!”

      Stephen

      Reply
  3. Vela says

    June 6, 2019 at 9:32 am

    A small victory for me. My dad passed away in March after my first observation in an OR. I am still a bit depressed but trying to get motivated again. I’m now sitting at the coffee shop at Kaiser waiting to meet the PA I’m going to be shadowing today. It’s a small step in the right direction I think. Thanks for the good news on “grit.”

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      June 19, 2019 at 2:15 pm

      Hi Vela, thanks so much for sharing your story. It’s hard to pick yourself back up after the death of a loved one, especially a parent. I am so proud of you for still digging deep and moving forward… and hanging in there. If this is no the definition of grit than I don’t know what is. Keep up the great work and let us know how the shadowing goes.

      Stephen

      Reply
  4. Lauren says

    May 7, 2019 at 12:47 pm

    Hi Stephen,

    I recently got accepted into PA school and will be starting this upcoming fall. I am very excited but also anxious. Any tips for me as I enter into my first year?

    Thank you for the great article. I have always been one that has to study very hard to do well.

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      May 16, 2019 at 11:40 pm

      Congratulations Lauren! This is a good question. Probably one of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to try to make it a goal to read about the topic being discussed in lecture prior to the actual lecture. My best friend in PA school was the master at this and I didn’t really appreciate the true power of this tactic until after we had completed the didactic year. When you have done some research on a topic before it is being discussed you come prepared with the right questions so as it is being discussed in class you will have a much better understanding of the materials. My friend graduated top of our class and he always seemed calm, prepared and relaxed. I know his strategy for preparation had a lot to do with this. Also, if you haven’t had a lot of anatomy I would suggest taking an online anatomy course or a CC course if it’s available. There are probably a lot of free options online these days if you do some research. You can start memorizing all those body parts now which will give you a huge leg up! I absolutely love OSMOSIS (www.osmosis.org) something that was not available to me while I was in PA school. But I use it a lot now in my board review course and they cover so many topics in a fun and interesting way. I would purchase a subscription and start watching these videos. They have tons of lectures and quizes on anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacolgy and even some great tidbits on test taking skills and how to used spaced repetition. This woudl be a great place to spend some of your pre-PA school time. Also I love the essential anatomy 5 app to augment any anatomy course you may be taking. And search the iTunes or Google Play store for podcasts. This is a wonderful way to learn medicine topis while on the go.

      Hope that helps some. Also, make sure to take a vacation! 🙂 What ideas have you come up with for preparation?

      Stephen

      Reply
  5. Laura says

    February 15, 2019 at 2:17 pm

    Hi Stephen!
    Thank you for this. This embodies my time as a struggling pre-PA student!
    One small win recently has been that I started packing a lunch for full days of classes. It’s small, but I am absolutely proud because I used to spend money every day on Starbucks coffee and breakfast sandwiches, which aren’t too nutritious anyway. Or I would just snack all day. I feel awesome and well-nourished lately, and I’ve been saving some cash. Woo-hoo brain food!

    Reply
  6. Richard William Crum says

    August 30, 2017 at 6:30 pm

    Hello, my name is Richard Crum and i am a sophomore at Western Washington University, i am considering a PA career and am not sure if i want to pursue it but after examining other medical professions such as nursing and PT i have figured out that there is no other Profession i can see myself in in the current medical field. My father is a Pediatrician so i grew up surrounded by his work and his fulfillment through that and that helped me decide what to go to school for. I would love to hear back on any advice for what i can expect in the following years and if i should continue pursuing this career. thank you for writing this article as well!

    Reply
  7. günstige kfz haftpflichtversicherungen says

    November 4, 2016 at 10:35 pm

    our post, Developing Brand Awareness through Outlook and NetSuite, we needed a way to synchronize our Outlook Contacts to NetSuite using Outlook Categories while

    Reply
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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

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

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

Anand T. Pre-PA

This review is long overdue, but my gratitude for how much The PA Life has helped me will never fade. Ms. Schultz went above and beyond to help me tailor my personal statement to my unique stories and qualities. She was open to my suggestions and often thought from my perspective instead of imposing her thoughts on my essay. I appreciate the time she took to help me create a personal statement that expressed my thoughts clearly and concisely. I am happy to report that I have been invited to interviews, and I’m on the waitlist for one of my top schools. If I don’t get in this cycle, I will be using the editing services again. Big shout out to Ms. Schultz!! Thank you for all your encouragement, patience, and support! I am honored to have the chance to work with you. 🙂

Amy, Pre-PA

This was an AMAZING edit and I am highly satisfied with the level of service. 100% made it a worthwhile investment. I also used myPAresource and, although they were helpful, I found the PA Life to be a much higher quality evaluation of my personal statement. I will highly recommend it to my peers!

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

Chelsie W. Pre-PA

Sarah was absolutely incredible to work with! My initial draft conveyed all the ideas that I wanted it to, but I wasn’t sure that it flowed well or was memorable. Sarah did a great job with helping me make my introduction stand out and also helped me immensely with the overall structure of my essay. My personal statement had initially been a source of stress but I am so happy with my final draft and extremely grateful to Sarah for her thoughtful insights!

Tina, 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 was a very quick service and the attention to detail and response time was amazing. I thank you for having a service like this and am so happy I decided to go with the PA Life!!

Rachel, Pre-PA

I wanted to reach out and thank you for all of your help throughout my entire application process — your words, advice, and support made a world of a difference to me, and I’m sure everyone who has had the pleasure of working with you feels the exact same way. I thought I’d let you know that after my Stanford and Duke interviews over the past couple of weeks, I received acceptance to both programs! I’m still on cloud 9 and I don’t believe I’ll be coming down anytime soon. And as of early this week, I officially committed to Stanford University’s PA program and I begin in August!!! Thank you again for everything you’ve done to help!

Celine, PRE-PA

This service was very helpful. My essay was edited and returned to me within a few days of me submitting it. The feedback was thorough and detailed. I am already planning on sending my essay for a second edit!

Sabrina, Pre-PA

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

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

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

The service provided was excellent. I really appreciate Duke taking the time and reviewing my essay multiple times and at that same time, making sure I am comfortable with the wording. Thank you for all your help!

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

Lanisha Cole, PA-S

I just wanted to let you know I was accepted to Mercy College’s PA Program last night! To say I’m ecstatic is an understatement! I wanted to thank you once again for all of your help with my essays and my interview. You helped me so much with everything and I couldn’t have done it without you! Thank you for everything.

Anna Mantikas, PA-S

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 thought that the service was very helpful in helping me with my personal statement. Duke was always prompt with responding to emails and made himself very available throughout the process. He was also good and helping, but also making sure that I was the one doing the writing. I think that the structure of the service helped me put in enough time to come out with a very good finished product.

David H. Pre-PA

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

Catalina, Pre-PA

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

Miranda, Pre-PA

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

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

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

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!

Kendra Perkey, Pre-PA

I received an admission offer from Kansas State University PA program. Your input was essential in getting this offer. Thank you so much for your help and all you do!

Sibiya Sabu PA-S

Duke helped me with my essay and he was great! He really helped me fine tune my essay so it’s ready for submission and answered all of the question I had about small details in my essay. He was also great about responding to emails in a timely manner. I definitely recommend this personal statement review service to anyone who’s applying to PA school…even if it’s just as a final read-through before submitting it on their application.

Tyler J. Pre-PA

I was very pleased working with Duke on my personal statement. I’m currently in the middle of applying to PA school, so I haven’t heard back from the programs. I’m looking forward to the experience though.

John R. Pre-PA

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

Natalie, Pre-PA

I 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 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

Carly did an absolutely amazing job editing my essays. From my personal statement to my supplementals, she was thorough and methodically made them into stronger essays. I am glad I was able to work with her. With her edits, I am more confident about the essays I am submitting. I would gladly recommend her to anyone!

Jacob, 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

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

Bristi (Future PA)

I have been accepted to my first-choice program!! UC Denver, I don’t have to move! I have also received three other interviews so far. Thank you so much for your help with my personal statement. You helped me eloquently state my desires and strengths for the career. I am beyond thrilled and thankful.

Nika, PA-S

My editor with The PA Life was amazing! I am so thankful for her attention to detail and wonderful editing skills. I am thrilled with how my personal statement turned out and can’t thank you enough for all of your help.

Olivia, 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

Sue is so incredibly kind! I needed so much help on cleaning up my personal statement and overall flow of the writing. She provided great insights and explanation.

Laila, Pre-PA

I have been accepted to my first-choice program!! UC Denver, I don’t have to move! I have also received three other interviews so far. Thank you so much for your help with my personal statement. You eloquently helped me state my desires and strengths for the career. I am beyond thrilled and thankful.

Nika (Future 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.

Kitti, Pre-PA

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 just wanted to let you know that I was accepted in the UW MEDEX program at my home campus in Anchorage, AK. After the long journey I’ve had, I finally was accepted to my top choice! It still seems surreal and I couldn’t be more excited! Thank you so much for the help and insight you gave me. I truly believe it helped prepare me and not be as nervous. I will definitely recommend you to anyone I know who is applying in the future.

Melanie, PA-S

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)

I just wanted to reach out an let you that I actually got into PA school this year! Out of the 10 programs I applied to, 4 offered me interviews. The first interview wound up being my top choice and they offered me a spot. I accept and declined all my other interviews. So I am absolutely overjoyed!! I wanted to let you know though. Your editing and help, no doubt, helped me get through the initial phase. Thank you so much! I am truly grateful.

Deanna, 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

Thank you so much for editing my essay and for your kind words. Your edits have definitely made it a stronger PS and I am proud to have it as a part of my application. Thank you for alleviating my stress on arguably the most nerve-wracking part of the CASPA app. You are incredibly talented and well-spoken, and any person that has you edit their essays is incredibly lucky! I will let you know if I have any questions, but I think each one of your edits are meaningful and super clear. I appreciate you shortening it and making it flow better. Thank you again!!!

Karina Kapani, 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

Sue was great to work with. Very prompt in responding to my submission. Asked good questions and incorporated my responses into my essay nicely. I appreciate the work.

Mary Peterson, 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

I was accepted into PA last cycle and am currently in my second semester! I am a part of the inaugural class at Keck Graduate Institute. Your services really helped me during the application process. I enjoyed working with Sarah on my personal statement. She helped me view my experiences from a different perspective, making my personal statement more unique and stand out amongst other applicants. The mock interview was also very helpful and prepared me for my one and only interview. I was given great pointers and feedback on how to refine my answers. Thank you again for your services!

Michelle Chen, PA-S

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

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

Ashley, Pre-PA

Just wanted to let you know I got into UC Davis! I can not thank you enough for all your help!

Rachael Thomas, 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

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

Pavitra, PA-S

I 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

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

Lisa Tepper reviewed my personal statement and her edits were incredibly helpful. By asking me many specific questions and responding to my answers, she helped me add much-needed context to my personal stories that I didn’t even realize was missing. And she made a few subtle suggestions in my conclusion that really tied the essay altogether. I am very pleased with how my essay turned out and it is such a relief to turn in a statement that I am proud of.Thank you so much.

Kaitlin Emmerling, 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

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 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

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

Thank you for taking the time to edit my paper! The feedback was constructive and very helpful. I liked how you highlighted all the strong points in my essay. It made me feel reassured that my essay was heading in the right direction. I also liked how you told me exactly what I needed to add to make it stronger.

Juliana, Pre-PA

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

Jesse Cordova, Pre-PA

Your service was able to help me figure out exactly what I needed to include, what did not belong and helped me display my experiences the best way possible to form a great essay. Carly was able to help me create my best essay by just editing the order and grammar without changing much of any of my written work. I am very happy with how my essay turned out. Definitely worth the money, thank you for all your help!

Nicolas, Pre-PA

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

Kristen, Pre-PA

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

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

Austin, Pre-PA

Thank you so much for your assistance with perfecting my personal statement. This service is truly helpful. They were able to easily edit and help to convey exactly what was in my heart onto paper. I was accepted to my first choice PA program this week!!

Vincent, PA-S

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

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 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

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

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

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

Jolene Duthie

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

Anna M. PRE-PA

Sarah was fantastic to work with. She is excellent at her crafted skill and can help any thought or sentence come to life, fast!

Jessica D. PRE-PA

I wanted to let you know that after 4 interviews and 4 waitlists, I was informed a seat opened up at my number one school Drexel in Philadelphia!! So I have officially enrolled in a PA program. This feeling is the lightest I have ever felt and it is incredible. Aside from myself and my mom who has emotionally supported me through this all, you were a huge part of making this happen. I cannot thank you enough for helping tell my story. If you ever want a review to be written somewhere, I would be glad to write one. I have nothing but respect for your talent in listening and translating someone’s intention and experiences into a rounded and full story. Thank you again.

Sarah, R 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!

Lindsey C, Pre-PA

Sarah was amazing from beginning to end. Her listening skills are just superb. She edits in a manner that captures your story in a raw format and complete format. I loved my experience.

Vivian, Pre-PA

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.

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

Catalina Bulla, PA-S

Carly was incredible! Her prompt edits were extremely helpful, and I will definitely provide updates on the status of my application later down the line!

Audrey, PRE-PA

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

Jasmine, Pre-PA

This is my second time using this editing service and I am highly satisfied with the results! Sarah Schultz worked with me on both my personal statement and a supplemental essay, both times providing excellent advice and editing on my papers. It was a pleasure working with her, and I look forward to hearing back from programs soon to see if I receive an invitation for an interview.

Sarah, Pre-PA

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

Carly did a fantastic job helping my personal statement create fluid and concise writing to help convey my experience! I highly recommend using this service even if you think your statement is solid because they will help make it better than you could have imagined! Thank you for everything.

Kelsey, 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!

Michelle Murphy, PA-S

This was just what my essay needed. I am confident that I have answered all the questions without sounding too “braggy”.

Kelsey, 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

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

Sandy, Pre-PA

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

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

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