Physician Assistant school interviews are extremely challenging.
Here is a comprehensive list of forty-six high-frequency pa school interview questions you will likely encounter.
This list of the "Top 46 Physician Assistant Applicant Interview Questions" is adapted from Andrew Rodican's excellent book "The Ultimate Guide to Getting Into Physician Assistant School," Christina's helpful video post from PrePARC (which is no longer available), actual physician assistant applicants, and my PA school interview. Have an answer ready for each of these questions, and you will ace your PA school interview!
Looking for answers to these questions? Check out our latest post, ChatGPT Answers the Top 46 PA School Applicant Interview Questions.
The Interview Process:
Most programs have several volunteers who sit on the admissions committee, evaluate applications, and conduct applicant interviews. The committee comprises program faculty, program PA students, graduate PAs who work in the community, and various other medical professionals. Each committee member is issued a stack of applications to review and score. That same stack of applications is then passed on to two other committee members for review and scoring. Once all the applicants receive a score, the committee meets to select a group of candidates to interview. The number of applicants invited to interview varies from program to program. Many schools interview approximately 100 applicants per year. The committee usually unanimously agrees on seventy-five or so candidates who are clearly and objectively the cream of the crop. The final twenty-five applicants are selected through a process of individual and group selection. The interview often consists of three parts: 1. The student interview, 2. The group interview and 3. The individual interview.
A Look Inside Two PA School Interviews
The PA school interview is daunting. You must be prepared, but not to the point that you sound like a robot. You must be relaxed, but not too relaxed as that might give the impression you did not do your research. Inside Two PA School Interviews, I interviewed at two PA schools in California in [read more…]
46 Physician Assistant Applicant Interview Questions
- Question: What is a PA?
- Question: Why do you want to be a PA?
- Question: Why have you chosen PA over NP?
- Question: Are you familiar with any national or state-level regulations for PAs?
- Question: How many hours a week do you plan on studying?
- Question: Tell me what your typical day looks like.
- Question: How many tests and quizzes do you expect to take a week, and what can you handle
- Question: Do you have a car? Where do you live, what is your social support, and are they close?
- Question: How do you plan to pay for your education?
- Question: What kind of stress do you see associated with the PA profession?
- Question: Have you applied to other programs?
- Question: What have you done to prepare yourself for this profession?
- Question: Have you done anything to increase your chances of being accepted to the PA program?
- Question: What makes you stand out from the person sitting next to you this morning?
- Question: What is your understanding of what PAs do?
- Question: Tell us about the role you see the PA playing in the health care system.
- Question: How do you feel about taking call or working 60 or more hours per week as a second-year student?
- Question: Describe an interaction you have had with a patient that made an impact on you.
- Question: What do you think is the most difficult situation described in the interview scenarios that you completed earlier today? Why?
- Question: Describe the most stressful work or academic situation you have been in and tell us how you dealt with it.
- Question: How do you usually deal with stress?
- Question: What kind of personal stress do you see associated with our PA program?
- Question: Describe the history of the PA profession.
- Question: What do you do outside of work or academic studies?
- Question: Please discuss your answer to question #__ on the interview questionnaire. Or, what did you mean by __ in your essay?
- Question: Your file indicates that you have had difficulty with __ (e.g., time management or science coursework). Would you like to explain this?
- Question: What accommodations, if any, do you need to successfully complete this program?
- Question: So, tell us a little about yourself. In other words: Why are you here?
- Question: You have had several jobs in the past; how do we know you will finish the program if we accept you?
- Question: Why do you think Duke turned you down?
- Question: What are your strengths as an applicant?
- Question: What are your biggest weaknesses as an applicant, and what do you plan to do to correct them?
- Question: Do you manage your time well?
- Question: Do you prefer to work with others or by yourself?
- Question: Your supervising MD tells you to do something that you know is dead wrong; what do you do?
- Question: What interests you most about our school?
- Question: What would be your ideal job as a PA?
- Question: What did you learn from your overseas internship/experience?
- Question: What do you want to be doing five years from now?
- Question: Have you ever seen anyone die?
- Question: How are you today?
- Question: Did you have any trouble finding us?
- Question: What was the last movie you saw?
- Question: What was the most difficult question they asked you at Bowman Gray?
- Question: What will you do if you don’t get in this year?
- Question: Do you have any questions for us?
"My PA school interview went well! Thank you so much for getting me in such late notice and helping me out during the mock interview! I feel really good about the interview but all thanks to you! As you mentioned, I was asked questions that had nothing to do with PA! One of those questions was If I turned your car on right now, what type of music will be playing Again, thank you! - Suleeporn S. Terrell, Pre-PA
Bonus questions:
300 PA School Interview Questions You Should Be Ready to Answer
300 PA School Interview Questions You Should Be Ready to Answer300 actual PA school interview questions that have been asked of the generations of PA school applicants who walked before you.
Bonus Question 47: Why did you choose PA school over medical school?
JD says: "Although it may seem silly, many of my friends were asked this question and it can really trip people up. You don’t want someone answering with “I want to become a physician later” or “I didn't get in” or even “I have applied to medical schools as well.” None of these answers give people the impression you are passionate about becoming a PA!"
Bonus Question 48: If we have only one position left to fill why should we pick you?
Bonus questions collected from the blogosphere (some may be variations of the above, but it is helpful to see the differences)
- Tell us about yourself.
- What makes you sure you want to become a PA?
- Why should we pick you?
- Where do you see the future of medicine heading?
- If you could pass a law that would help PAs, what would it be?
- What experiences influenced you to pursue this career?
- What are the greatest problems facing the field of medicine in America?
- If you saw someone stealing medications in the hospital, what would you do?
- What animal would you be and why? (This is weird and may not be super common, but they just want to see how you respond to a question like this)
PA School Interview Day Tips
If you have volunteered, shadowed, or had direct-patient care, be sure to mention this during your interview questions.
Prior to your interview, have the school put you in touch with a student or alumnus to discuss the program. Not only can you gain valuable information about the program but describing this conversation during your interview will let the program know you are especially interested in their program and you’re willing to go above and beyond to find out this information.
Don't imitate and don't copy! Escape competition through authenticity. Nobody can compete with you on being you!Click To Tweet* Hint: Always be ready for the unexpected. On my application and during my interview I mentioned that my wife (she was my fiancé at the time as I was to be married in 2 weeks) was a registered nurse. At the end of my interview one of the staff members on the panel asked me "since I was married why was I not wearing a wedding ring"... Valid question! I told them the truth: that fiancé' just didn't seem to fit since we had been together for 6 years, we were to be married in 2 weeks and she would be traveling with me 3,000 miles in a U-Haul, changing jobs, and was the main reason I was sitting before them that day. One of the panel members gave me a look of disappointment. And I was worried. I remember having this quick thought at the time that I should just lie and tell them that I left my ring at home or in the hotel room. But I am a bad liar, and that would have been horribly obvious.
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What Our Clients Have to Say
I was interviewed and accepted into four of the programs I applied to (including my #1)! I am sharing because I want to say thank you so much for these questions! I went over them, and they helped me feel extremely prepared, and that confidence translated well during my interviews! I finally feel ecstatic when I think about my career path, and having the ability to finally work with patients, hopefully in a clinical trial setting where I can really be an asset, is more than I ever hoped for up until now. So, thank you, thank you, thank you! - Laurin, PA-S
Take-home lesson:
Always be honest, no matter how hard the question is . . . The road to PA interview success is lined with the building blocks of your life. Don't try to be somebody you are not or try to answer the questions with some memorized rote version of what you think the interviewer wants to hear. They have heard those answers a thousand times. Believe it or not, being yourself is a novelty at times. Wow them with your individuality, your passion, your compassion, your work ethic, and your knowledge of the PA profession.
Don't forget to leave your answers in the comments section!
More PA School Interview Resources
- Recommended Book: How To "Ace" The Physician Assistant School Interview
- Recommended Book: The Physician Assistant School Interview: Essential Strategies to Blow 'Em Away and Claim Your Seat in Class
- Blog Post: A Look At Two PA School Interviews
View all posts in this series
- My PA School Interview: The Journey of a Lifetime
- The Top 46 Physician Assistant Applicant Interview Questions
- Use this Interview Hack to Get The Physician Assistant Job of Your Dreams!
- The Physician Assistant Job or PA School Interview – Email Etiquette
- The Physician Assistant Interview: Thank You and Follow-up (With Sample)
- A Look Inside Two PA School Interviews
- 5 Things I’ve Learned Going Into My Fourth Physician Assistant Application Cycle
- 300+ PA School Interview Questions You Should Be Ready to Answer
- PA School Mock Interviews: Prepare with a LIVE, Recorded Video Interview
- Mock Physician Assistant School Interview With Taylor Hill Pre-PA
- Mock PA School Interview With Pre-PA Lily Boyle
- The Interview That Got This Pre-PA Into 5 PA Schools
- 101 PA School Applicants Answer: What’s Your Greatest Strength?
- Mastering Your PA School Interview: Tone Matters
- The Worst PA School Interview Question Ever!
- Why Choose PA Over NP? Here’s the Perfect Answer
- Don’t Make This Critical PA School Interview Mistake!
- 5 Best Ways to Give a Memorable PA School Interview
- 3 Things to Do the Night Before Your PA School Interview
- How to Prepare for Your PA School Interview Day Essay
- How to Squash PA School Interview Day Stress (4 Simple Steps)
- Mind Mapping: A Tool for Personal Statements, Supplemental Essays, and Interviews
- Here’s What a REAL PA School Interview Looks Like
- My PA School Interview Preparation Strategy
- How to Bring Your Best on PA School Interview Day
- How to Cope with PA School Application Rejection
- ChatGPT Answers the Top 46 PA School Applicant Interview Questions
- Why Our Program? How to Answer This Common Supplemental Essay and Interview Question
- What is a PA? How to Nail This Not-So-Easy Interview Question
- How to Answer Behavioral Questions in Your PA School Interview
- Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) Strategies for PA School: A Comprehensive Guide
- Meet Maya: Practice Your PA School Interview Out Loud, 24/7
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Hi Stephen,
I’m so happy to have stumbled across your website in my preparation of a possible PA school interview. I have a question about my answer to “What is your biggest weakness as an applicant and how are you working on it?”
My answer is as follows:
My biggest weakness as a PA school applicant is, in fact, my greatest strength. I genuinely love people, and with that love comes a caring of what they think of me. I hold myself to high standards and treat others the way I want to be treated. When a patient doesn’t seem to like me, despite my greatest efforts of appeasing him or her, it makes me feel as if I’ve done something wrong. This can be a little discouraging. I work on this daily by simply placing myself in the other persons shoes and keeping a smile on my face. People come to healthcare providers because they are unhealthy or injured, and are usually not in the best of moods to begin with. By keeping a smile on my face and showing the patient that I truly care about him or her by providing the best possible care, I know that I have successfully done my job.
I get nervous that PA interviewers may not want to hear that I can get my feelings hurt by people not liking me, but I’m not sure how to make any weakness actually sound good. What do you think?
Hi Ashlyn,
We people pleasers just can’t help ourselves, its in our DNA 🙂 A weakness does not have to “sound good”, for example, if you were to ask me what my weakness was in tennis I would say my backhand. Can I hit a backhand? Yes I can, but it is weaker than my forehand and probably the worst part of my game. Moral of the story, my backhand needs some work if I want to be a better tennis player and if I was going to be competitive I would pay the money to hire a coach. This doesn’t mean I am a crappy tennis player, just that I am aware that I am not perfect.
If I ask you what your biggest weakness is and you say you love people too much, that is likely to backfire on you. Maybe you could say that as someone who always likes to please my patients I often struggle when a patient is not happy, or disatisfied even if it is not a result of my care or passion to help. I allow other people’s opinions of me to affect my own opinions of myself, and sometimes when my best efforts to provide support and care for my patient are not well received, I get discouraged.
For example, you see a patient and upon meeting you they immediately say “I don’t want to see you the PA I want to see the doctor”. You could take this personally, or you could simply say, I understand completely Mr. or Mrs. Smith, but the doctor is not available right now, if you would like I will kindly schedule you an appointment so you can be seen at her earliest convenience. Or if they are available you can step out and honor their request. There are many times patients will not be happy with you, it may be because you are unable to refill a medication, or it could be a family member or a relative.
How are you working on this? It takes time, practice and patience to understand that if you are always giving your best effort and advocating for you patient you can never go wrong. It’s a lot like parenting, if my daughter says she hates me because I won’t let her ride her bike without her helmet so be it, I know she will thank me someday when she is older 🙂
– Stephen
Stephen,
Thank you so much for helping me with how to state my weakness. Now I just have to keep myself from locking up and being unable to speak in my interview lol. I really appreciate all of your help with this website!
-Ashlyn
thanks a lot. Your reply was motivation enough. Interview is on the 8TH of January. I will let you know however the process turns out.
– Clement
Hi Stephen,
this is a great resource. I just have a quick question/suggestions. I got invited for an interview for my first choice of PA school. I have great acadeacademic records, two years of phlebotomy, two years of clinical research, and great references(none from a PA). I also no no shadowing experience, mostly because I couldn’t for the life of me find any willing to, and it’s just hard to find in my area. I however have Skype interview two PA’s, and personally spoke to a few while in the hospital with my sick niece for weeks. I belive knowledge is powere, regardless of the form received. I did not have the resources to give me shadowing experience, but I did not let that stop me from enquiring about the occupation by other means. Basically I’m scared that even though I have an interview, I might not appear competitive compared to others with shadowing experience. What can I say if asked about how I’ve prepared to for PA studies. I’m afraid I might give an adequate answer to make myself more marketable. Thanks
Hi Clement,
I understand your concern, I was basically in the same boat as you when I applied for PA school. I think what you have said here is more than enough to please the admissions committee, it shows great initiative and a passion to learn about the profession. Focus on what you did learn from your time spent with PAs as well as your Skype interviews, as long as you can demonstrate a solid understanding of what it is we do, you will do just fine. Focus on all the wonderful patient care experience you have, the life skills and dedication you bring to the table and avoid the comparison trap. You are going to do great!
– Stephen
Thank you for offering such a helpful and detailed online resource. I truly appreciate it and have referred to this site MANY times over the past 3 application cycles I have gone through (yes, 3… yikes).
I have an interview on Jan 10th and am in the process of answering all of these questions myself and using them to “study” off of.
However, my interview involves a written portion and a “group exercise”. I’m wondering if you can offer advice: what do the written questions usually consist of during an interview setting (ethical dilemma question, opinion about a current issue)? what do group exercises often entail?
I understand that I need to be a team player, respectful, a good listener and also insert my own opinions in a confident and humble manner – but any other advice? I am beyond nervous, this is really my last shot at PA school for this year and I just want to be accepted so badly I can barely sit still…
Hi Averil,
Hang in there, nothing worth doing is every easy.. At least in my experience 🙂
We had a group portion as well during my interview. They took all the applicants and divided us up into smaller groups where we spent time with two current students who were volunteering for the day. They asked questions about our lives etc. etc. it was very informal. They were simply trying to see how we acted around real people 🙂 Everyone was of course very nervous, especially me, but once we started talking and making conversation it was a lot easier to just relax. Try to focus on the people in the room, ask them interesting and insightful questions. I realized it was just about being myself, no need to try to impress. They may have you do a group exercise, or have you complete a task as a team, but it’s not about the task, it’s simply about working together to complete a task… Just as you said “being a team player”.
The written portion could be virtually anything, which is probably a good thing, it will allow you to be spontaneous and answer from the heart. Often the goal here is to make sure that the essay you have submitted is consistent with your writing style at the interview. If not, this is a red flag. Be honest and sincere, and you will do fine.
If they are aware this is your third year applying make sure to point out everything you have been doing to improve yourself. The committee loves it when applicants say “These are the things I did to strengthen my skills” It shows maturity and ownership.
Other advice I would have is to perform several mock interviews, you could print the list here and hand it to a trusted family member or friend and have them run through the questions. Record yourself, and watch it back, no matter how painful this may be 🙂
Practice having someone hand you a random topic to write about and sit down and write out your answer in 10-15 minutes.
Lastly, no matter how stupid it may sound – visualize your perfect interview day every night before you go to bed. This is something Michael Phelps did all the way to the podium every time, his coach called it his “videotape”. When it came time for the big event Phelps would “put in the videotape” and off he went. Visualize your day from waking up in the morning, getting dressed, going to the interview, doing the group interview, writing an essay and sitting down, relaxed and comfortable, with the committee making great eye contact. I would suggest you go through the process for one of your mock interviews and even get dressed up in your interview attire. When it comes time for your interview, you can put in the videotape, knowing you are well prepared.
Oh, and don’t forget to do your power poses 🙂 https://www.thepalife.com/use-this-interview-hack-to-get-the-physician-assistant-job-of-your-dreams/
– Stephen
Hi Stephen, I just wanted to let you know that I have been a huge fan of your site for a long, long time. I started using your site a couple years ago when I was still struggling between the MD/PA decision. I had your site to go to when I started the CASPA application process. I used your school finder to locate the best schools that were a good personal fit for me. I used your advice as motivation through many personal statement drafts. Finally, I used your 46 most common interview questions to become better prepared for my PA interviews. Today, at 3:04 PM, I was accepted to my first choice PA program. I am beyond excited! Thank you for being my coach through this long journey.
Hi Jax,
Thank you for that, you just made my day!
I truly wish you the very best on your journey through PA school. I am so proud of you and so very happy for you! I am confident that you will find PA school to be a spectacular adventure filled with the highs and lows that make it worth all the effort.
Never let the occasional distractions take your mind of the goal of caring for your patient, if you make caring for them your utmost priority at all times you can never go wrong. I really do wish you the very best, and you will be in my thoughts and prayers as you make the transition into your first year of school. You will have to stop by in a few months to give us all an update!
– Stpehen
Stephen, I have been reading your wonderful blog for a while and was very interested in your story of becoming a PA. Thank you for answering each persons comments so thoroughly. I will post mine in a bit!
Question #2: Why do you want to be a PA?
The first time I experienced health care outside of the U.S. was on a trip to the Dominican Republic a few years ago. I volunteered with a medical team for several days in villages where refugees from Haiti had come to live after the earthquake that destroyed many of their homes. While working alongside the medical team, I began to notice the same fearful, yet trusting look in the eyes of the people we were treating. They were scared; we were strangers who spoke a different language and were performing medical acts, some of which they had never seen (like pulling teeth, giving IV fluids). Regardless of the language and cultural barrier, they knew we were there to take care of their needs; in knowing this, they trusted us with their well-being. Since this time in the Dominican, I have seen this same look in the eyes of many other patients during my volunteering experience in various hospitals and health facilities. My compassion for all of these people is the same; my desire to treat their medical needs and support their mental and emotional well-being is a calling; and I consider this, along with my dedication to academic success, to be a gift that has led me to pursue the PA career.
This is such a great answer! I believe it is this desire to help another human that drives all of us to pursue a career in medicine, you have demonstrated this artfully…
– Stephen
Hi! Thanks so much for all of the helpful information on this website!! I have a interview next week and I am a little bot nervous about it because it is my first one. Going through these questions is really helping me ease my nerves. Can you give me a general overview of what you think about my answers. There may be some grammatical errors throughout my answers because I just kind of typed things out as I thought about them but I hope you can still make sense of everything. Question 16 confused me a bit..can you help? Thanks a lot..sorry this is really long!
1. Question: What is a PA?
A PA is a mid-level health care-professional that works as a member of a health care team and under the supervision of a doctor. They do things such as take medical histories, conduct medical tests, assist in surgery, develop treatment plans and prescribe medication. The career has a great balance between autonomy and dependence because a PA can work one-on-one with patients while at the same time collaborate with other medical professionals in order to best treat patients.
2. Question: Why do you want to be a PA?
I want to be a PA because I really enjoy caring for others. As a Physician Assistant I will have the wonderful opportunity to care for others in a medical way. Through my undergraduate years, I have taken many science courses and I spent the past two years as an EMT on my college campus. My experiences have led me to realize that I really enjoy seeing patients and that the field of medicine is one that both interests me and can continuously challenge me. I want to go on and become a PA so that I can further enrich my medical knowledge grow in my abilities to take care of patients. And although other health professions offer this opportunity the PA career its versatility and great balance between working independently and collaboratively.
3. Question: What is the difference between a PA and an NP?
From my understanding, the basic differences between a PA and an NP are the training, education and ability to practice without MD supervision. First, Nurse Practitioners are trained under a nursing model while PA’s on the other hand are trained primarily as diagnosticians. Secondly, to be a NP you must have a nursing degree before getting your masters while to be a PA you need a bachelor’s degree that allows you to takes the academic requirements before getting your masters. Also NP’s have to ability to work independently in a specific field while PA’s must work under the supervision of a doctor but have the ability to work in a variety of fields.
4. Question: Are you familiar with any national or state level regulations for PA’s?
It is required that a PA must have graduated from an accredited PA program and pass the national PA certification examination called the NCCPA before practicing medicine. While practicing they must log 100 hours of continuing education every two years and sit for the recertification exams every 6 years.
5. Question: How many hours a week do you plan on studying?
I am willing to spend as many hours as it takes to confidently master the material. To me this means not only memorizing facts, but also digesting the information and committing it to memory in a way that will allow me to apply when starting my career.
6. Question: Tell me what your typical day looks like?
On a typical day, I usually wake up around 7:00 am to get ready and be in my first class at 8:00am. As an undergraduate taking 15 credit hours I have an average of 3 classes a day that usually end before 3pm. In between and after classes, I spend time reviewing the material and doing homework before I go to work, or dance practice. I work about 4 days a week and have dance practice about 2 days a week. The later part of my day usually consists of going home preparing dinner or running and necessary errands depending on the day. I end almost everyday by taking about 5 hours to study before bed.
7. Question: How many tests and quizzes do expect to take a week and what can you handle?
Taking in to account my experience as an undergrad, and knowing the intensity of a Physician Assistant curriculum, I expect to have quizzes and tests every other week if not every week. From talking with PA students, I also understand that the tests will not only be more often, but they will cover a more intense amount of material. I most defiantly believe that I can handle it because as a science major, I had many weeks where I have successfully juggled several tests and quizzes within one week. Also, because I have been involved with extra-curricular activities and work throughout my four years as an undergrad, I know myself very well and have a really good idea of the time that I need to put in to succeed in my school work.
8. Question: Do you have a car, where do you live, what is your social support and are they close?
I currently live off campus in a two-bedroom apartment with my twin sister. My sister and I share a car but because the apartment is very close to John Carroll and I am able to walk, and my sister can drive to her university. I am very close to my sister and she is a huge social support for me. Because we both we are both finishing our bachelor degrees we encourage each other to do our school work and help each other in stressful situations. Also, I am blessed to have my mom and dad living about a half hour away from me and they are always willing to help me out with anything that I need.
9. Question: How do you plan to pay for your education?
I plan to pay for my education through federal loans and any financial aid that I can receive from the state. Although I know that I will have a lot of loans to pay back at the end of my two years, the great salary that the PA career offers allows me to be confident in my decision.
10. Question: What kind of stress do you see associated with the PA profession?
I believe that similar to other medical professions, a PA must deal with the stress of being responsible for an individuals well being. From my shadowing experience, I have come to see that there are many situations in which PA’s must make fast and accurate decisions that hold a lot of weight in a patient’s outcome. Also, PA’s working in fields such as oncology must endure the stress that comes with loosing patients due to illness that they have build close relationships with.
11. Question: Have you applied to other programs?
Yes, I applied to a total of 10 programs within Ohio and Pennsylvania.
12. Question: What have you done to prepare yourself for this profession?
I have prepared myself for this profession by doing research about it, working as an EMT and also shadowing multiple PAs in a variety of medical fields. My research allowed me to gain a big picture of the PA career while the time I spend shadowing allowed me to truly see a PA’s day-to-day responsibilities. Shadowing in multiple fields was crucial because it opened my eyes to the position’s versatility and listen to each PA’s unique perspective. Lastly, as an EMT I gained a lot of patient-care experience, which solidified my interest in the medical field, and I will allow me to be more confident when spending time with patients during clinicals.
Question: Have you done anything to increase your chances of being accepted to the PA program?
I have done several things to increase my chances. First, I have put hard work throughout my undergraduate years, which has been reflected, in my GPA. Also, I have spent time over 500 hours as an EMT over 40 hours shadowing different PAs in order to gain hands on medical experience and gain more information on the career. Lastly, I have spent time volunteering with different organizations so that I can be better prepared to care for and communicate with a variety of different people as a Physician Assistant.
13. Question: What makes you stand out from the person sitting next to you this morning?
The variety of medical calls that I received as an EMT has allowed me to gain medical knowledge in a much different way then most students do in a classroom setting. With every patient, I learned something new and became more mature and knowledgeable due to my experiences. I have had a taste of both the stress but also the joy of that come along with being a medical professional. Additionally, being born outside of the US and volunteering with individuals of different race and ethnicity allows me to be very open to different cultures and types of people that I will encounter as a PA. Along side this I also have a keep a very open mind, which will allow me to collaborate very well with other medical professionals.
14. Question: What is your understanding of what PA’s do?
15. Question: Tell us about the role you see the PA playing in the health care system.
With rising demands on healthcare and increased wait times, I believe that PAs play a very important role in the healthcare system today. PAs are able to increase the number of patients that can receive a high quality care by treating patients in ways that a doctor would. A PA can spend more tie with a patient then a doctor can and thus has time to educate patients on their illnesses so the patient can better prevent further illness.
16. Question: How do you feel about taking call or working 60 or more hours per week as a second-year student?
*** Not really sure about this one…60 hours seems like a lot to me! But I am kind of confused on what this question is trying to get at?
20. Question: How do you usually deal with stress?
The best way for me to deal with stress is to be active and exercise. Exercise is not only gets your mind of off stressful thoughts but it is also very beneficial for your health. Also, as a Christian, I am able to find freedom from stress by spending quite time in prayer and reading scripture.
Hi Kate, I have placed a response behind each answer, great work! Sorry I didn’t have time to bold my responses but just read through them and you should find them all there. Best of luck!!
1. Question: What is a PA?
A PA is a mid-level health care-professional that works as a member of a health care team and under the supervision of a doctor. They do things such as take medical histories, conduct medical tests, assist in surgery, develop treatment plans and prescribe medication. The career has a great balance between autonomy and dependence because a PA can work one-on-one with patients while at the same time collaborate with other medical professionals in order to best treat patients.
I like this – I probably would avoid the word “dependence” and replace it with another word – maybe “inter-dependence” 🙂
2. Question: Why do you want to be a PA?
I want to be a PA because I really enjoy caring for others. As a Physician Assistant I will have the wonderful opportunity to care for others in a medical way. Through my undergraduate years, I have taken many science courses and I spent the past two years as an EMT on my college campus. My experiences have led me to realize that I really enjoy seeing patients and that the field of medicine is one that both interests me and can continuously challenge me. I want to go on and become a PA so that I can further enrich my medical knowledge grow in my abilities to take care of patients. And although other health professions offer this opportunity the PA career its versatility and great balance between working independently and collaboratively.
great answer
3. Question: What is the difference between a PA and an NP?
From my understanding, the basic differences between a PA and an NP are the training, education and ability to practice without MD supervision. First, Nurse Practitioners are trained under a nursing model while PA’s on the other hand are trained primarily as diagnosticians. Secondly, to be a NP you must have a nursing degree before getting your masters while to be a PA you need a bachelor’s degree that allows you to takes the academic requirements before getting your masters. Also NP’s have to ability to work independently in a specific field while PA’s must work under the supervision of a doctor but have the ability to work in a variety of fields.
Good, but you do not have to have a masters degree to graduate as a PA. In fact I believe there are still one or two associate degree programs out there and plenty of BS programs. I would probably just avoid getting into those murky waters.
4. Question: Are you familiar with any national or state level regulations for PA’s?
It is required that a PA must have graduated from an accredited PA program and pass the national PA certification examination called the NCCPA before practicing medicine. While practicing they must log 100 hours of continuing education every two years and sit for the recertification exams every 6 years.
The exam is not called the NCCPA, the NCCPA is the certifying organization. New graduates must pass the PANCE and practicing PAs must pass the PANRE every 10 years not 6 years (that recently changed)
5. Question: How many hours a week do you plan on studying?
I am willing to spend as many hours as it takes to confidently master the material. To me this means not only memorizing facts, but also digesting the information and committing it to memory in a way that will allow me to apply when starting my career.
Yes, you will work as long and hard as it takes to master the material.
6. Question: Tell me what your typical day looks like?
On a typical day, I usually wake up around 7:00 am to get ready and be in my first class at 8:00am. As an undergraduate taking 15 credit hours I have an average of 3 classes a day that usually end before 3pm. In between and after classes, I spend time reviewing the material and doing homework before I go to work, or dance practice. I work about 4 days a week and have dance practice about 2 days a week. The later part of my day usually consists of going home preparing dinner or running and necessary errands depending on the day. I end almost everyday by taking about 5 hours to study before bed.
Good answer, as long as you don’t say your average day is working in a concentration camp you are probably going to do just fine on this one.
7. Question: How many tests and quizzes do expect to take a week and what can you handle?
Taking in to account my experience as an undergrad, and knowing the intensity of a Physician Assistant curriculum, I expect to have quizzes and tests every other week if not every week. From talking with PA students, I also understand that the tests will not only be more often, but they will cover a more intense amount of material. I most defiantly believe that I can handle it because as a science major, I had many weeks where I have successfully juggled several tests and quizzes within one week. Also, because I have been involved with extra-curricular activities and work throughout my four years as an undergrad, I know myself very well and have a really good idea of the time that I need to put in to succeed in my school work.
Good answer, you know that there will be a lot of work and you are willing to work hard to do it. You are aware of the rigors of PA school.
8. Question: Do you have a car, where do you live, what is your social support and are they close?
I currently live off campus in a two-bedroom apartment with my twin sister. My sister and I share a car but because the apartment is very close to John Carroll and I am able to walk, and my sister can drive to her university. I am very close to my sister and she is a huge social support for me. Because we both we are both finishing our bachelor degrees we encourage each other to do our school work and help each other in stressful situations. Also, I am blessed to have my mom and dad living about a half hour away from me and they are always willing to help me out with anything that I need.
People who have strong social and family support are more likely to graduate and complete their degree. They just want to make sure you have good social support.
9. Question: How do you plan to pay for your education?
I plan to pay for my education through federal loans and any financial aid that I can receive from the state. Although I know that I will have a lot of loans to pay back at the end of my two years, the great salary that the PA career offers allows me to be confident in my decision.
I would avoid the term “the great salary” and just focus on the fact that you are financially prudent and plan on using financial aid, loan repayment etc.
10. Question: What kind of stress do you see associated with the PA profession?
I believe that similar to other medical professions, a PA must deal with the stress of being responsible for an individuals well being. From my shadowing experience, I have come to see that there are many situations in which PA’s must make fast and accurate decisions that hold a lot of weight in a patient’s outcome. Also, PA’s working in fields such as oncology must endure the stress that comes with loosing patients due to illness that they have build close relationships with.
Yes, human beings are complex and life is precious, it is a big responsibility and a great honor to care for others, but it does come with stress.
11. Question: Have you applied to other programs?
Yes, I applied to a total of 10 programs within Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Good for you!
12. Question: What have you done to prepare yourself for this profession?
I have prepared myself for this profession by doing research about it, working as an EMT and also shadowing multiple PAs in a variety of medical fields. My research allowed me to gain a big picture of the PA career while the time I spend shadowing allowed me to truly see a PA’s day-to-day responsibilities. Shadowing in multiple fields was crucial because it opened my eyes to the position’s versatility and listen to each PA’s unique perspective. Lastly, as an EMT I gained a lot of patient-care experience, which solidified my interest in the medical field, and I will allow me to be more confident when spending time with patients during clinicals.
Great answer!
Question: Have you done anything to increase your chances of being accepted to the PA program?
I have done several things to increase my chances. First, I have put hard work throughout my undergraduate years, which has been reflected, in my GPA. Also, I have spent time over 500 hours as an EMT over 40 hours shadowing different PAs in order to gain hands on medical experience and gain more information on the career. Lastly, I have spent time volunteering with different organizations so that I can be better prepared to care for and communicate with a variety of different people as a Physician Assistant.
I would mention some of the volunteer activities and charitable organizations you have worked with.
13. Question: What makes you stand out from the person sitting next to you this morning?
The variety of medical calls that I received as an EMT has allowed me to gain medical knowledge in a much different way then most students do in a classroom setting. With every patient, I learned something new and became more mature and knowledgeable due to my experiences. I have had a taste of both the stress but also the joy of that come along with being a medical professional. Additionally, being born outside of the US and volunteering with individuals of different race and ethnicity allows me to be very open to different cultures and types of people that I will encounter as a PA. Along side this I also have a keep a very open mind, which will allow me to collaborate very well with other medical professionals.
Good answer, I think your experience internationally working with people from a variety of different backgrounds is important and does make you different.
14. Question: What is your understanding of what PA’s do?
15. Question: Tell us about the role you see the PA playing in the health care system.
With rising demands on healthcare and increased wait times, I believe that PAs play a very important role in the healthcare system today. PAs are able to increase the number of patients that can receive a high quality care by treating patients in ways that a doctor would. A PA can spend more tie with a patient then a doctor can and thus has time to educate patients on their illnesses so the patient can better prevent further illness.
Yep, although I wouldn’t say “in ways that a doctor would” maybe a better term would be comparable.
16. Question: How do you feel about taking call or working 60 or more hours per week as a second-year student?
*** Not really sure about this one…60 hours seems like a lot to me! But I am kind of confused on what this question is trying to get at?
I understand that this time in my life is invaluable and I will only get one chance to learn this information. I will do whatever it takes, stay as long and as late as it takes and work as hard as is humanly possibly to assure I learn all that I can and my future patients get the best care possible.
20. Question: How do you usually deal with stress?
The best way for me to deal with stress is to be active and exercise. Exercise is not only gets your mind of off stressful thoughts but it is also very beneficial for your health. Also, as a Christian, I am able to find freedom from stress by spending quite time in prayer and reading scripture.
Good, you are a well balanced person.
Good job! Way to go through all these questions and take the time to write out all your answers. Just be yourself, answer from your heart and treat the admission committee like a group of friends who aren’t their to interrogate you but learn as much about you as they can. I would print these questions out and have your sister sit across from you and ask you them. Practice this at least 3 times. Also make a list of all your strengths that you want to identify and make a list of some of your weaknesses as well.
Best of luck
I disagree with the first line in this article. PA school interviews are not challenging at all. Maybe if you have anxiety it might be. Otherwise all of my interviews were very relaxed, personal, and enjoyable. It was honestly the best part of the application process. Don’t let people scare you into thinking its you vs. the admissions committee. They invited you there for a reason, and it wasn’t to bust your chops for 30 minutes.
Hi dynamo22,
You are right, interviews are only hard when we try to be someone we are not, or try to cover up a feeling of inadequacy. If you believe in yourself, know that you are a valuable asset to their school, a human being with a passion to help others and a purpose to provide healthcare as a PA. It is easy, and perhaps the best part of the application process. The anxiety makes it difficult, just like public speaking. Let it go, be yourself, enjoy the process, believe in yourself and the interview can be like having a cup of coffee with a group of good friends!
Thanks, I really appreciate your comment!
Stephen
Hello Stephen! First, I want to thank you for this site and compliment you on the detail and organization. It is EXTREMELY helpful as I have my first interview ever at Yale in 3 weeks. Right now, I am considering two of the most important questions to be #2 and #31 as they are really the bread and butter of why Yale would want me. I was thinking something along the lines of these:
(2) During my time in India, I volunteered at a private hospital in a mountainous town called Mussoorie. While there, I closely observed general surgeons perform an explorative laparotomy on a small girl. They found and removed a ruptured appendix. The girl recovered quickly after the surgery and was completely healed and healthy. The father mistook me for one of the operating surgeons. He took my hands in his and spoke to me in broken English. He claimed such things as owing his life and family to me. He said that I fly under the wings of the Lord. He cried as he poured everything in his heart out to express his gratitude and joy. It was this moment that solidified my passion for providing health care to others. I wished I was one of the surgeons who actually did save the girl’s life. While this story of passion explains my desire to work in health care, I must explain why I want to be a PA.
With my explanation, I do not mean to disrespect or condemn other professions in any way. I hold the highest esteem for physicians and NPs as their goals and values mirror a PA’s. However, after studying medical school curriculum and prerequisites, I realize that a physician’s studies are more heavily weighted in math and sciences. There are less humanities and behavioral classes that are required for medical school than PA school. I desire a health career that is rooted in patient-centered studies with emphasis on compassion and empathy. I believe NPs have a similar curriculum; however, most NPs work as nurses and then return to school to begin an entirely new career with more autonomy and responsibility. I do not want to make such a career adjustment. That being said, my passions and values most clearly fit a physician assistant.
(31) I have unique qualities that will benefit the PA class I am a member in. I will apply my very best efforts so that I can follow my passion for teamwork and community improvement. I will cooperate with and learn from my peers as if they were family. I will help them in whatever ways I can and encourage them to instill values such as reducing health illiteracy, increasing preventive care and bettering societal health overall. I can bring great perspectives, values and goals to this team. I want to bring perspectives, values and goals to this team. I want to be a part of this team as much as I think the team would want me to be a part of them.
Thank you so much!
Hi Erin,
I love your answers to both of these questions.
#2: Why do you want to be a PA: “I desire a health career that is rooted in patient centered studies with emphasis on compassion and empathy”! Great, especially how you compare it to MD studies which are weighted towards math and sciences that often don’t pertain to patient care.
#31 What are your strengths as an applicant? – I think focusing on teamwork is a very good approach here.
Both of these answers are excellent, Yale would be fools not to take you 🙂 I wish you the very best of luck!!!
– Stephen
Thank you for your words of encouragement! I just received How To “Ace” The Physician Assistant School Interview by Andrew Rodican in the mail today and it was really starting to terrify me! Your comment restored my confidence 🙂 Thanks again!
“Why do you want to be a PA?”
I want to be a PA because I feel it is such an honor to be included in helping a person live a healthier life. I have learned through my experiences as a nursing assistant and even shadowing that patients really value your advice and often look to you for comfort and education. As a volunteer nursing assistant in CDU, I was first able to see the role a PA plays. I was able to observe the respect shared between a PA and their physician, which sparked my interest in further investigating the career.
Hi Nicole,
Great answer, I liked how you were able to detail your work and shadowing experience as well as show your empathy and compassion!
– Stephen
Hey Stephen, this site is amazing and I thank you for providing such great info!
I am preparing for my interview that is in a week and I ran across a question, “what do you like and dislike about the PA profession?”. I can go on about what I like about the PA profession but I cannot think of a good answer for the dislike..
What do you think?
Hi Dayna,
This is a tough one because you don’t want to come across sounding like “Debbie Downer”. I will tell you one thing I dislike: I dislike the fact that International organizations such as “Doctors Without Boarders” accepts medical providers from most other medical disciplines but they do not currently accept PAs into their organization. After contacting them, I believe this is due to both a lack of understanding of the PA profession in combination with fuzzy International laws dictating what PAs can do overseas.
That being said, any dislikes are usually an opportunity for us PAs to band together and implement the change we need. Up until last month I really disliked the fact that as PAs we could not sign our patients temporary disability paperwork. This was a big pain point. But we lobbied congress, and last month CA signed a new law which changed this.
Use this question to show off what you know about your local State and Federal PA regulations. Read through them and try to identify some areas for change. Your State chapter will have a website and usually you can see what changes they are actively pursuing. If you identify some of these pain points in your interview, areas that you see need change or improvement, things that you identified while shadowing or during your work with patients…. You will sound knowledgable and thoughtful, not like a complainer. 🙂
Best of luck on your interview!
Stephen
PS: I would avoid things like “people don’t understand what I do, or think I am a nurse” because this is simply a chance for us to educate. It is annoying for sure, but it is part of the growth of our profession, and a chance to talk about what we do.
Could you explain Question 4?
Question: Are you familiar with any national or state level regulations for PA’s?
What are main PA regulations that you should not miss? Need to be licensed..
Hi PPP,
It will really pay off to be familiar with all your State and National regulations.
You can find these here http://www.aapa.org/threecolumnlanding.aspx?id=304, or do a Google search “aapa state and national physician assistant regulations”. Search your State as well using the same criteria. If you use the link above, in order to download or read the PDF documents you do need to be an AAPA member, which I would highly recommend if you are serious about PA school.
Once you are logged in you will have access to downloadable PDF’s breaking down what you need to know for each state. I would read this thoroughly, possibly several times. If you do this you will know 99% more than most of us practicing PAs and even the admissions committee. If you take the time to do this research you will not only impress your interviewers with your vast knowledge but you will be ready and confident to answer any questions they may ask you in this regard. That is what I would do.
– Stephen
Great information not only for Pre-PAs, but also neophyte PA program admissions interviewers. Thanks!
Thanks so much, I guess that is great news for my readers as well 🙂
– Stephen
hi i have an interview coming up next week and i am stuck on what some things to say about my biggest strengths and weaknesses as an applicant. I was wondering if you could help me out. Thank you!!
Pretend you are in a room with 5 other people and you have to plan and launch a business within the next 5 hours. What role would you step up to take? What do people complement you on when you are working as part of a team? Do you have a good attitude? Are you a positive person? Do you work well under pressure? Are you innovative? Creative? Do you have grit? Are you dependable? loyal? Are you somebody who always finishes what you start? Do you have a good sense of humor? Do you make people smile? Are you good at making emotional connections? Are you trustworthy? Are you bilingual? Have you had to overcome something in life that gives you an interesting perspective?
Make sure your answer comes from the heart, and if you still aren’t sure ask someone who know you well what it is they think are your biggest strengths. Unbiased friends and especially coworkers can be an excellent source!
Hope this helps…
– Stephen
Hi Stephen,
This is so helpful. I applied to PA schools last year and got interview calls from both of them and did not get accepted in any!! I worked as a physician in a foreign courtry for over 5 years, moved to MN three years back and want to become a PA. So applying to PA schools again this year. I find this website very helpful. I wish I found this one before!
Thanks so much Saira,
We offer Skype mock interviews on a case by case basis as well. If you are interested drop me a line. My dad (who works with students through our essay collaborative) has sat down with several applicants and ran through these questions. Although, it can be a bit unnerving, it is great prep for the real thing.
As a physician I always find it interesting that PA schools aren’t eager to grab you up. But, I have found in these circumstances, it often takes a couple tries, so hang in there!
Cheers,
Stephen
Here is a question not listed that you may consider as your replacement
“Why did you choose PA school over med school?”
Although it may seem silly, many of my friends were asked this question and it can really trip people up. You definitely don’t want someone answering with “I want to become a physician later” or “I didn’t get in” or even “I have applied to medical schools as well.” None of these answers give people the impression you are passionate about becoming a PA!
Great question JPD, I will add it now, in fact I think I was asked this one myself!
Stephen
forgive the errors in the above post, I am unable to backspace.
My upcoming interview is at southern illinois school whose program is structured around a problem-based learning approach. I absolutely love this teaching/learning method. It is strucutred in a way that will help me succeed in the classroom and as a care provider, in fact, the problem-based method has been proven to increase overall knowledge retention when compared to traditional learning methods. I suppose that can be an answer to question 36. I am just so thrilled about the opportunity to learn in that kind of environment that I can’t help but explain how beneficial I think it is.
My daughter attends an alternative public elementary school as a first grader which uses the same method. I agree with you 100%! I have seen first hand how this type of learning environment motivates kids to ask questions and seek out opportunities to explore. I can only imagine how wonderful this would be as a PA student!
I have an interview at SIU coming up as well. Is yours on July 21st by any chance?
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I have an interview at SIU coming up as well. Is yours on July 21st by any chance?