Leslie Mean is a 23-year-old single white female who presents to the PA school admissions committee on her second attempt to get into PA school.
She has a 3.68 overall GPA and a 3.61 science GPA. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. She never sat for the GRE, because most PA programs stopped requiring it.
She has two years of hands-on clinical experience working as a CNA and a long history of volunteer work, which exemplifies her desire to help her community.
She is kind and considerate and has reference letters that demonstrate her maturity and strong interpersonal skills.
She was accepted into PA school on her second attempt.
Who is Leslie, and why did she get into PA School?
When asking the question: What do I need to do to get into PA school? You would be smart to talk to Leslie.
Leslie is a hypothetical PA school applicant who went on to become a PA school student, an entirely average PA school student.
She also embodies what PA schools across the country are looking for at this very moment.
How do I know this?
Because PAEA publishes the numbers, and I went and got them. 35,280 people applied to PA school in the 2025–2026 cycle — the most ever. In the cycle before that, 34,625 applied and 13,195 matriculated. Those figures, and the profile of the students who got in, come straight out of PAEA's CASPA applicant and matriculation data files.
So when I tell you what the average admitted student looks like, I am not describing a stereotype. I am describing 13,195 real people who started PA school in the most recent class PAEA has counted.
As much as I like to talk about not being average and differentiating yourself from the pack, it's nice to know what average is. Average provides a baseline by which you can measure your progress, set goals, and develop an application timeline.
Does this mean you have to be just like Leslie to get into PA school?
Absolutely not, first, factors such as race, age, ethnicity, etc., are of no importance, and you certainly don't have to be female to get into PA school (I am living proof).
But it is safe to assume that most schools are looking to keep their graduation and certifying exam pass rates high. They have an incentive to take fewer risks, and because of this, anything below average is considered a risk.
Thus, take a good look at Leslie and focus on factors that you can control to differentiate yourself, like your academic standing, your experience, your volunteer activities, your references, and your essay.
If you set the bar at Leslie and end up being a Mother Theresa, I am fairly sure you will be accepted into PA school, although I have no data on religious preference and PA school acceptance rates. 🙂
What are your chances of getting into PA school?
- 35,280 people applied to PA school in the 2025–2026 cycle — up from 30,049 four cycles earlier. The applicant pool has grown every single year.
- In the last cycle with complete numbers on both sides, 34,625 applied and 13,195 started PA school — 38.1%. Careful with that figure: it is matriculants divided by applicants, not an acceptance rate, and PAEA does not publish it as one. I am doing that arithmetic for you.
- From a program's side of the desk it looks nothing like 38%. Applicants apply to an average of 8.45 programs each — roughly 292,000 applications chasing about 13,200 seats, or 22 applications for every single seat.
- Both pictures are true, and confusing them is the most common mistake I see pre-PAs make. You are not applying once. You are applying eight times. That is the whole reason your personal odds look so much better than any one program's.
- Matriculating students applied to a median of 8 programs and finished the cycle with a median of 1 acceptance. One yes is all you need.
- 29% of this year's applicants were re-applicants, up from 24% four cycles ago. Nearly three in ten people in the pool got told no before and came back anyway. If that is you this year, read that sentence twice.
So, what does an average PA school applicant who is admitted to PA school (i.e., student) look like?
Let's take a look:
In studies, the five most influential noncognitive factors known to have an effect on PA school admissions are faculty interactions, career motivation, knowledge of the PA profession, maturity, and professionalism. - Journal of Physician Assistant EducationClick To Tweet→ The average PA school student is 23 — and getting younger
- The median age of a matriculating PA student is 23, and the average is 23.71.
- 82.9% of matriculants are between 20 and 25. The single biggest misconception about PA school is that it is full of second-career thirty-somethings. It is not.
- But the range runs from 18 to 68. Read that again if you are a career-changer convinced you have aged out. Somebody started PA school at 68.
- The class is getting younger, fast. The average matriculant age has dropped from 25.67 to 23.71 in four cycles — nearly two full years. Pre-PAs are figuring this out earlier and applying sooner.
| Age at matriculation | Matriculants | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 19 | 43 | 0.3% |
| 20–25 | 10,932 | 82.9% |
| 26–30 | 1,517 | 11.5% |
| 31–35 | 378 | 2.9% |
| 36–40 | 150 | 1.1% |
| 41–45 | 68 | 0.5% |
| 46 and older | 38 | 0.3% |
| Did not report | 69 | 0.5% |
Median 23 · average 23.71 · range 18 to 68. Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data, 2024–2025 cycle (n = 13,195).
→ Four out of five PA students are women
The PA profession skews heavily female, and the gap is widening. 81.45% of matriculating students are women, up from 77.27% four cycles ago.
- Female: 81.45% (10,747 students)
- Male: 18.48% (2,439 students)
- Declined to state: 0.07%
| Cycle | Female | Male |
|---|---|---|
| 2024–2025 | 81.45% | 18.48% |
| 2023–2024 | 80.33% | 19.56% |
| 2022–2023 | 78.52% | 21.39% |
| 2021–2022 | 78.30% | 21.39% |
| 2020–2021 | 77.27% | 22.52% |
Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data (n = 13,195 in the most recent cycle).
So yes — the majority of your future classmates will be women, and more so every year. That mirrors healthcare broadly, where women make up most of the workforce.
I want to be careful here, because this is a place where people love to speculate. The data reports who matriculates. It does not report why. I have seen it claimed that women are "more likely to be accepted" than men — there is nothing behind that, so I am not repeating it.
If you are a man reading this and wondering whether you belong in a class that is four-fifths women: you do. I am living proof, and so are 2,439 of the students who started last year.
→ Two out of three admitted students hold a Bachelor of Science
Almost everyone who starts PA school already holds a bachelor's degree, and it is usually a BS. A small but real slice arrives with a master's already finished.
| Degree held at matriculation | Matriculants | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Science | 8,730 | 66.2% |
| Bachelor of Arts | 1,629 | 12.3% |
| Master of Science | 323 | 2.4% |
| Other bachelor’s | 131 | 1.0% |
| Bachelor of Arts and Science | 86 | 0.7% |
| Master of Public Health | 69 | 0.5% |
| Bachelor of Science in Education | 50 | 0.4% |
| Master of Arts | 46 | 0.3% |
| Bachelor of Applied Science | 35 | 0.3% |
| Bachelor of Science in Nursing | 33 | 0.3% |
Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data, 2024–2025 cycle. Top 10 degrees only, so this does not account for every degree held by all 13,195 matriculants.
→ What do admitted PA students major in?
Biology dominates, but not as completely as people assume. Here are the ten most common majors among students who actually got a seat.
| Undergraduate major | Matriculants | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | 3,602 | 27.3% |
| Health science | 1,503 | 11.4% |
| Psychology | 936 | 7.1% |
| Biological sciences | 762 | 5.8% |
| Biomedical science | 750 | 5.7% |
| Exercise science | 722 | 5.5% |
| Kinesiology | 604 | 4.6% |
| Neuroscience | 538 | 4.1% |
| Public health | 502 | 3.8% |
| Human biology | 378 | 2.9% |
Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data, 2024–2025 cycle (n = 13,195). Top 10 majors only, so this does not capture every major.
Group the biology-flavored majors together — biology, biological sciences, biomedical science, human biology — and they account for about 42% of the entering class. That makes sense, because a bio degree quietly knocks out most of your prerequisites along the way.
But look at the rest of that list. Psychology is the third most common major in the country. Exercise science, kinesiology, public health, neuroscience. There is no such thing as a "PA major." Programs care that you finished the prerequisites and did well in them. They do not care what your diploma says.
I have said this for twenty years and I will keep saying it: major in something you will actually work hard at. A 3.8 in a subject you love beats a 3.1 in biology you slogged through, every time.
Here are some tips on how to choose the best undergraduate major for PA school.
→ Matriculating PA students had a median of 3,200 patient contact hours
PA school applicants come to the table with a variety of medical experiences, especially if they are strong applicants.
This is the single most misunderstood number in PA admissions, so slow down here. The hours a program requires and the hours the people who actually get in have are two completely different numbers.
| The two numbers people confuse | Hours |
|---|---|
| What programs require — median minimum direct patient care | 500 hours |
| What matriculants actually had — median direct patient contact | 3,200 hours |
Requirement: PAEA Curriculum Report 6 (2021–22); 67.4% of programs required direct patient care, median minimum 500 hours, range 80–2,500. Matriculant hours: PAEA Student Report 6, Table 53.
Meeting the minimum makes you eligible. It does not make you competitive. If a program says 500 and you show up with 500, you are bringing about a sixth of what the median admitted student brought. Aim for 2,000 hours as a floor, and 3,000+ if you can get them.
Experience in one of the following areas is common:
- Nursing
- Registered Nurse (RN)
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- Allied Health
- Physical Therapist
- Occupational Therapist
- Registered Radiologic Technologist
- Athletic Trainer
- Emergency Services
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Paramedic
- Emergency Room Technician
- Miscellaneous
-
- Phlebotomist (that was me!)
- Medical Researcher
- Medical Volunteer
-
Medical Experience Statistics for PA School Applicants
96.1% of admitted students had been employed in a healthcare field before PA school. The most commonly reported roles were medical assistant (34.8%), nursing assistant (33.0%), scribe (21.4%), EMT/paramedic (17.8%) and home health aide (10.3%). Students could pick more than one, which is why the column below adds to well over 100% — most people did two or three of these jobs on the way in.
| Health Care Employment Prior to PA School | Percent |
| Medical assistant | 34.8% |
| Nursing assistant | 33.0% |
| Scribe | 21.4% |
| EMT/Paramedic | 17.8% |
| Home health aide | 10.3% |
| Emergency room technician | 8.8% |
| Phlebotomist | 7.8% |
| Clinical research coordinator/assistant | 7.0% |
| Physical therapy assistant | 5.5% |
| Pharmacy technician | 4.0% |
| Medical reception/records | 3.8% |
| Medical technician | 3.7% |
| Ophthalmic technician/assistant | 3.2% |
| Surgical technician/assistant | 2.8% |
| Athletic trainer | 2.7% |
| Healthcare administrator | 2.7% |
| Medical lab technician | 2.3% |
| Dental assistant/hygienist | 1.3% |
| Radiologic technologist | 1.1% |
| Health services researcher | 1.0% |
| Source: PAEA Student Report 6, Table 52 (n = 3,117). Students could select more than one role, so these do not sum to 100%. |
How many patient contact hours do PA students actually have?
Here is the full spread of direct patient contact hours among students who started PA school in 2022. Notice how enormous the range is — the top 10% arrived with nearly ten thousand hours, while the bottom 10% got in with 840.
| Direct patient contact hours | Hours |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 840 |
| 25th percentile | 1,750 |
| Median | 3,200 |
| 75th percentile | 5,600 |
| 90th percentile | 9,600 |
| Mean | 4,994 |
Student self-reported hours, derived from weeks worked × hours per week — which is why the mean (4,994) runs far above the median. A handful of second-career nurses and paramedics with 20,000+ hours drag the average up. The median is the number to plan against.
Admissions directors Q&A: What are some of the points that are extremely impressive to you in the application?
Commitment to community, overcoming adversity, a WELL written narrative, great letters of reference from someone that REALLY knows you, ability to juggle many responsibilities simultaneously, and activities that show a particular passion for something are what we look for in a PA school applicant - Penn State University PA ProgramClick To Tweet→ Do you still need to take the GRE for PA school?
For most applicants in 2026, no — and this is the biggest change in PA admissions since I first wrote this post.
The last time PAEA formally counted, reviewing program websites in 2021–22, 52.2% of PA programs required the GRE. Today it is a minority requirement. Our own running list of PA schools that don't require the GRE puts it at 92 of 338 programs (about 27%) as of July 2026, and an independent prerequisite tracker counted 86 of 318 (27.0%) in April 2026. Two people counting separately landed in the same place.
| Share of PA programs requiring the GRE | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 2021–22 — PAEA Curriculum Report 6 | 52.2% |
| July 2026 — program-by-program trackers | about 27%, or roughly 1 in 4 |
The 2021–22 figure is PAEA's own count. The 2026 figure comes from program-by-program trackers, not PAEA, which has not published an update — I am labeling it that way rather than dressing it up as official. Note too that "requires" and "accepts" are different things: another ~70 programs will look at a GRE score if you have one but do not ask for it.
So what does this mean for you? It means the GRE is now a targeting decision, not a rite of passage. Build your program list first, then find out whether anyone on it wants a score. Plenty of applicants never take it.
If you do need one: among the programs that published a GRE expectation in PAEA's last count, the average total was about 307 — roughly 153 verbal, 152 quantitative, and 4.1 on analytical writing. A composite around 300 is workable, and above 310 is genuinely strong.
A note on what I am not telling you. You will find tables all over the internet listing "mean GRE scores of matriculated PA students," often down to a decimal. PAEA's student survey does not ask matriculants for their GRE scores at all — the only GRE data in it is how much people spent on prep books. Any national matriculant GRE average you see, including the one that used to sit in this post, is not coming from where it claims to.
| Admission exam | Share of programs requiring it (2021–22) |
|---|---|
| TOEFL (international applicants only) | 97.0% |
| GRE | 52.2% then; about 27% in 2026 |
| CASPer | 17.2% |
| PA-CAT | 5.6% |
| MCAT | 4.9% |
Source: PAEA Curriculum Report 6 (February 2023; review of 273 accredited program websites, October 2021–February 2022, of which 268 had usable admissions data). This is the most recent national count PAEA has published.
Percentiles matter more than raw scores. Every GRE administration differs slightly in difficulty, which is exactly why the percentile exists. If your score sits above the 50th percentile, treat it as competitive and put your energy somewhere it will move the needle more — like your hours, your grades, and your personal statement.
→ What GPA do you need for PA school?
Students who got into PA school last cycle had a 3.68 cumulative undergraduate GPA and a 3.61 science GPA. Both have climbed every year for four straight cycles.
But here is the number almost nobody publishes, and it is the most useful one on this page. Compare the people who applied with the people who got in, in the same cycle:
| GPA, 2024–2025 cycle | Everyone who applied | Everyone who got in | The gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative undergraduate | 3.47 | 3.68 | +0.21 |
| Science | 3.36 | 3.61 | +0.25 |
The science gap is bigger than the overall gap. That is the whole ballgame. Admissions committees are not just reading your cumulative number — they are pulling out your science coursework and reading that. A quarter of a grade point is the difference between the average applicant and the average admit.
| Cycle | Applicant GPA (cum. undergrad) | Matriculant GPA (cum. undergrad) | Matriculant science GPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–2025 | 3.47 | 3.68 | 3.61 |
| 2023–2024 | 3.47 | 3.67 | 3.60 |
| 2022–2023 | 3.45 | 3.64 | 3.57 |
| 2021–2022 | 3.43 | 3.62 | 3.55 |
Source: PAEA CASPA applicant and matriculation data files. Applicant GPAs for the 2025–2026 cycle are already in: 3.48 cumulative undergraduate, 3.37 science — the pool keeps getting stronger.
| What programs set as a minimum | Value |
|---|---|
| Median minimum overall GPA (97.4% of programs state one) | 3.0 |
| Range of stated overall minimums | 2.5 – 3.5 |
| Median minimum prerequisite GPA (94.1% state one) | 3.0 |
| Range of stated prerequisite minimums | 2.0 – 3.5 |
Source: PAEA Curriculum Report 6. A 3.0 gets your file read. A 3.68 gets you admitted. If you are sitting below the median right now, the fix is an upward trend and a strong recent science block — not despair. Programs read the trajectory, not just the number.
→ What is the racial and ethnic makeup of PA students?
Most matriculating PA students are white — but that is changing faster than almost anyone realizes.
White matriculants have fallen from 66.8% to 59.1% in four cycles. Every other group grew. This is one of the fastest demographic shifts in health professions education right now, and it is happening quietly.
| Race / ethnicity | Matriculants | 2024–2025 | 2020–2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 7,801 | 59.1% | 66.8% |
| Asian | 1,998 | 15.1% | 12.3% |
| Hispanic | 1,734 | 13.1% | 11.0% |
| Black or African American | 690 | 5.2% | 4.5% |
| Two or more races | 576 | 4.4% | 3.2% |
| American Indian | 23 | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Native Hawaiian | 8 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Did not report | 365 | 2.8% | 1.9% |
Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data, 2024–2025 cycle (n = 13,195). Unlike PAEA's student survey, these categories are mutually exclusive and sum to 100%.
The direction of travel is genuinely encouraging. PAEA also reports that applicants from groups underrepresented in medicine grew by about 35% over the same stretch, rising from 21.4% to 25.5% of all applicants. That matters — patients do better when the people caring for them reflect the communities they come from.
→ How many PA programs should you apply to?
- Matriculating students applied to a median of 8 programs (mean 8.6).
- They received a median of 1 acceptance (mean 1.8). Most people who get in, get in once.
- Across the whole applicant pool the average is 8.45 programs — so eight is genuinely the national habit, not a rule of thumb somebody made up.
My honest advice: eight to twelve well-chosen programs, where "well-chosen" means you actually meet the prerequisites and the mission fits you. Firing off twenty applications to schools whose minimum coursework you have not finished is expensive and does nothing. Build your list first, then count it.
→ Pucker up, baby. Most PA students are single!
80% of matriculating students are single (including engaged), and 20% are partnered.
91.4% have no legal dependents. For the 8.6% who do, the average is two dependents, with a maximum of five. If you are applying with kids at home, you are not alone, and you are not disqualified — roughly one in twelve of your classmates is doing exactly the same thing.
| Legal dependents | Percentage of matriculants |
|---|---|
| Without dependents | 91.4% |
| With dependents | 8.6% |
→ Where do PA students grow up?
Not where you would guess. Six in ten matriculants grew up in a town or small city of fewer than 50,000 people, and only 5.6% came from a metro area of over a million. PA education has deep small-town roots, and a lot of programs are actively looking for students who intend to go back.
| Size of the community where the student spent most of their life | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Isolated rural (under 2,500) | 8.0% |
| Small town (2,500–9,999) | 22.6% |
| Large town (10,000–49,999) | 30.1% |
| Mid-size city (50,000–99,999) | 18.1% |
| Large city (100,000–1 million) | 15.6% |
| Urban (over 1 million) | 5.6% |
→ Do you need money and connections to get into PA school?
I get some version of this question constantly: everyone applying seems to come from a medical family with money, and mine doesn't. The data says otherwise, and it is not close.
CASPA asks every applicant a set of questions about disadvantaged background. Here is how the students who got in answered them.
| Among students who started PA school last year… | Matriculants | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Went to a high school where many students got free or reduced-price lunch | 4,774 | 36.2% |
| Come from a Health Professional Shortage Area or Medically Underserved Area | 2,681 | 20.3% |
| Come from a family that receives public assistance | 2,021 | 15.3% |
| Went to a high school where few seniors earned a diploma | 448 | 3.4% |
| Took part in a Health Careers Opportunity Program | 148 | 1.1% |
Source: PAEA CASPA matriculation data, 2024–2025 cycle (n = 13,195). Students could answer yes to more than one.
More than one in three admitted PA students came from a high school where hunger was common enough to be measured. One in five came from a place without enough clinicians. Those students got in. Read that again if you have been quietly wondering whether people like you get into PA school.
And here is the part I care about most: those are exactly the PAs the country needs. Students who come from underserved places are far more likely to go back and practice in them. If that is your story, it is not a weakness in your application. It is the strongest thing you bring.
Admissions directors Q&A: Who is the perfect PA school applicant?
Our program will look to utilize a holistic approach to admissions. We look at academic success, life experiences, and community activities to evaluate all candidates. There is no one mold to fit the PA profession. However, PAs need strong communication skills, leadership, grit, and a willingness to support the community - Michigan State University PA ProgramClick To Tweet Students need to be well organized, know how to manage their time and outside influences, and have a genuine desire to help and care for people. PA school is rigorous, so we recommend honest conversations with family and friends ahead of your start. - CWRU PA ProgramClick To Tweet→ PA school students don't smoke pot and are not drug dealers or part of the Italian Mafia
Assume yes to both. Every PA program I am aware of requires a criminal background check, and the large majority require drug screening before you can start clinical rotations — hospitals demand it of the program, so the program demands it of you.
I am giving you that as my read of the landscape rather than a statistic, because the percentages that used to sit here were attributed to a PAEA student report that does not measure this at all. Check the program's own admissions page — that is the only source that binds them.
If you have something in your history, disclose it early and honestly. I have watched applicants with old convictions get into PA school. I have also watched applicants get pulled from a class over something small they tried to hide. The offense is almost never the thing that ends it. The nondisclosure is.
Some Important Points
It's Not Rocket Science: It is important that a candidate demonstrates reasonable aptitude in the hard sciences such as anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and biology. It is more likely that the committee may overlook a grade of C in U.S History or Spanish I. They will be less tolerant of a marginal grade in the sciences.
Show compassion: Your GPA is stellar, and you've amassed an impressive amount of medical work experience in the little spare time you have while keeping your grades pristine, but you still get that dreaded rejection letter. Why?
You didn't do enough volunteer work. Volunteering exemplifies your desire to help your fellow man—the attribute identified by schools as one of the most integral to becoming a successful PA.
Students who have had experience in working with underserved populations, rural or diverse populations, performing volunteer service or disaster relief, or other experiences that illustrate a drive and compassion for others often stand out to the admissions committee!
The view from the top isn't that crowded
It's an easy race to the bottom, so set your sights on the top.
People deflate when they read that only about a third of applicants get in each year. I think that is exactly backwards. Being in the top third of any field is not nearly as hard as it sounds — because most of the competition is not doing the work you just did by reading this far.
You have just read the whole thing. You know what the median actually is on hours, on GPA, on how many programs to apply to — and you know which "statistics" floating around the internet are made up. That already puts you ahead of most of the people you are competing with.
If you aim high, you will be competing with a much smaller minority, and your odds of getting an acceptance letter will increase dramatically. It also helps if you apply to 12 programs. 😉
What is new for the 2026–2027 CASPA cycle
- The cycle opened April 30, 2026 and closes April 1, 2027.
- The COVID-19 impact essay is gone. In its place is a new situational question asking how future PAs should use emerging technology — AI, telemedicine, wearables — while keeping care patient-centered.
- There is now an AI attestation. You confirm the application is your own work. Write your own essay. I mean it.
- Fees are $185 for the first program and $65 for each additional one. Fee waivers are available at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, cover your first two programs, are first-come first-served, and the submission window is now 21 days.
- There are 330 ARC-PA accredited PA programs as of May 2026, and eight more were granted provisional accreditation at the April 2026 meeting. The number of places to apply keeps growing.
Sources — so you can check my work:
- Applicant counts, applicant GPAs and re-applicant share: PAEA CASPA Applicant Trend Numbers, cycles 2021–2026 (posted May 2026). This is where the 35,280 applicants for 2025–2026 comes from.
- Matriculant counts, GPA, science GPA, age, gender, race, majors, degrees and disadvantaged-background data: PAEA CASPA Matriculation Data, 2020–2025 (posted March 2026), covering the 2024–2025 entering class (n = 13,195).
- Programs per applicant and URiM growth: PAEA, "PA Program Applications Show Growth, Persistence."
- Admission exams, minimum GPAs and minimum patient-care hours: PAEA Curriculum Report 6, a review of 273 accredited program websites.
- Patient contact hours, prior healthcare roles, programs applied to, marital status, dependents and where students grew up: PAEA By the Numbers: Student Report 6, PAEA's most recent national student survey. CASPA's data files do not measure these, so this is the only national source for them.
- Accredited program counts: ARC-PA, Currently Accredited Programs.
- Cycle dates, fees and application changes: PAEA 2026–2027 CASPA Applicant Guide.
Where a number is my own arithmetic on PAEA's figures rather than something PAEA publishes directly — the 38.1% matriculation rate, the 22-applications-per-seat figure — I say so in the text. Where a number simply does not exist, I say that too instead of filling the gap. Numbers on this page were last verified in July 2026.
You may also like -
My PA School Rejection Letters – How to Turn Your “Set Back” into a “Set Up”If I fail more often than you, I win!
I have written before about the importance of becoming an epic failure and how this is a fundamental part of becoming an epic success.
I was cleaning out some of my old file cabinets today and came […]- Overcoming Obstacles on Your Path to Becoming a Physician Assistant
Life is full of obstacles. They can be as simple as getting out of bed in the morning or as arduous as writing the perfect PA school application essay.
Most of the time, the biggest obstacle is ourselves (affiliate link). The […]
- Physician Assistant Application Letter of Recommendation Samples: Applying to PA School
PA School Letters of Reference
Here are two letters of recommendation I received when applying to PA school.
I am not posting them here to fluff my feathers but merely to serve as an example of what I included as part […]
CASPA Personal Statement Help
We offer comprehensive, start-to-finish personal statement assistance or help to perfect a draft you already have. We have services to fit every budget.
Schedule a Live Recorded PA School Video Interview
We offer 60-minute mock PA school interviews with post-interview feedback and advice. Includes a recorded video of your interview that you can watch, download, or share with family and friends. There is no better way to prepare!
Schedule an InterviewPre-PA Consulting and Advising
Our pre-PA coaching service consists of a 1-hour phone consultation focused on addressing your specific questions or concerns about becoming a PA and applying to PA school.
Also, I’m pretty sure I’m most interested in specializing in psychiatry but can’t seem to find schools in Florida that list their specialties. Is there a reason for that? Thanks
Stephen,
Loved the article. Applying to PA school has been on my mind for years now but every time I thought I would go for it I became intimidated. I received my bachelors degree in 2 things unrelated to medicine, Chinese and Advertising. I absolutely love volunteering and feel becoming a psychiatric PA would be a great fit. However, I’m not a good standardized test taker and know I have to sit for the GRE. I also have only taken Chem 1 w/lab so I know I have a lot of prereqs to take prior to applying. I don’t think I should kill myself with tough science prereqs if I end up doing poorly on the GRE, seems counterproductive. I have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 and got a B in Chem 1 and an A in the lab. I despised chemistry but I know many people who push through the tough courses for the end goal in mind. My question is this, do you think it’s best I take the GRE before continuing with the prereqs to see where I rank?
There are still a lot of PA schools who don’t require the GRE, that was my approach, I just didn’t have the patience to prepare for and take the GRE exam. I would not let the GRE dictate your PA school admissions or decisions. An average (or even below average) score would not affect your admission chances especially if you make up for it in other areas (such as your wonderful academic record). The GRE is a formality not a linchpin.
– Stephen
OK, thanks, I didn’t know that was an option. I’ll do a search of schools hat don’t require the GRE. Also, another problem I am having is acquiring health related experience. I know a lot of applicants have a ton of hours working at hospitals or being an LPN or patient care tech but those take even longer to receive the certificate. Do you know where I can find a good list of opportunities to get health related experience without having to get a certificate or another degree? Or do you have any ideas? Thanks so much for all of your insight!
Hi, Stephen.
Thanks for a great blog, it’s been very helpful so far.
I am a 20 y/o white female who is currently in the midst of the application process for PA school. I just finished up my junior year in undergrad, and will hopefully graduate in another semester with a bachelors in biology, with honors. My overall GPA is 3.94, my science GPA is 3.89. I’m not applying to any schools which require GRE’s, as I have absolutely no patience to take them. (My SAT score is 1430, which is a bit higher than the score you cited as being the average.) In terms of patient care hours, I have over 1000 hours from working in a pediatrics clinic as a medical assistant, and over 300 hours from volunteering as an EMT. (Both of these positions are still ongoing, so by the time I submit my application that number will have climbed.) In addition to that, I’ve volunteered in a soup kitchen, and I also just got back from volunteering with an organization that sends members to small communities across the country to run a summer camp for the children there. I’ve also had various side jobs as a lifeguard, subbing in a preschool etc. And hopefully my contacts and professors that I’ve asked for reference letters from are writing decent ones ;). So, you might say, ok, so far this girl seems to be doing ok. But then I get stuck with the personal statement. I have absolutely no clue how to proceed with that; what are the schools expecting to see? There are really no guidelines for what to write. What are the admissions committees looking for specifically in the essay? (Just to give you and idea about me, for my undergrad application, I wrote an essay expounding on how Calvin and Hobbes is the book that most impacted my life.) Do you have any advice for me in this area?
Keep up your great work!
Hey Celine,
We have been working on a new ebook that I believe will answer a lot of your questions. The first section will be the most beneficial to you as it includes the results of our interviews with 12 PA school administrators. We haven’t officially launched the ebook yet as we are adding new content, making some revisions as well as some necessary edits. If you are interested you can download the “beta” 🙂 version for $9.99 here http://www.thepaessay.com . If you do end up purchasing this pre-release let me know and I will send you the workbook and the official release version once we have it finalized. Also, if you are stuck, we have been working with a lot of students through our personal statement review service. We can help you with some simple touch ups and also offer one-on-one collaboration if you need help getting started. I just brought on a new editor, Maura, who is an admissions director at The University of Pensylvania and a Wellesley College grad, she is excellent! https://www.thepalife.com/the-free-physician-assistant-essay-and-personal-statement-collaborative
If you have more questions about any of this drop me a line, I am always available to help.
– Stephen
What would you consider to be enough volunteer work? And how recent does it have to be? I want to aply to PA school, I have worked as a tele nurse for about three years and just started in the ER, I’m 22 years old. When I was 16 I volunteered one day a week for 4 hours for over a year I think I had somewhere around 260+ hours. Would that be enough hours? Or would I need to make the hours more recent. I finished my BSN recently and need to take Organic Chem, General Chem and General Bio before I apply by then I will be about 23 years old.
Thanks sooo much for the blog! I love it.
Hi Infinite,
Most schools do not require volunteer work, it is nice to be able to list this on your application as a testament to your good nature, but it is not absolutely necessary. I wouldn’t list volunteer work you did at 16, this would not work in your favor. As an RN you will be able to accumulate a good amount of hands-on patient care experience – the kind that really matters. This will give you a leg up, both as a future practitioner and as an applicant to PA school. If you have some extra time on your hands and feel inclined to volunteer within your community it certainly wouldn’t hurt, although it is not compulsory.
– Stephen
Hi!! I am very interested in becoming a PA but I am currently stuck on which route I should go about. Right now I’m debating on working on pre reqs to become an LPN then bridge over to RN.. work for awhile then possible apply for PA school OR.. work as an CNA while taking the pre reqs to get into PA school then APPLY for the PA program. The only reason why I thought about the nursing route is because I’m not sure if I’ll get into PA school during my first try and if I don’t I will still be able to work as a nurse because I am a mother of two kids and working while attending school is mandatory.
I think this is a great idea. Personally, I think nursing school and the hands-on patient care experience you accumulate as a nurse is ideal preparation for PA school. The nursing model is much different than the medical model and sometimes the pay you receive as a nurse is the same as (or more than) what you receive as a PA which is one reason why many people who enter nursing enjoy a life-long career in this field (just ask my wife). Also, you have more options. You can become a nurse anesthetist, you could become a nurse midwife, you could become a nurse practitioner, you could go into administration, you could teach or, of course, you could become a PA. All of these are wonderful options. And as you mentioned, as a mother of two children, nursing is wonderful, you can create a flexible schedule that works well for a family both during and after school. My wife transitioned to home health care and for the last 5 years this has been great for our family and our children who are now school age. The sky is the limit! Follow your heart, it will show you the right path!
– Stephen
So I just got some other feedback regarding the nursing route to becoming a PA and they told me its a waste of time and that there going to ask me why would I decided to become a PA instead of a Nurse Practitioner. How long did it take you before you applied for the PA program? Thank you
Hi Stephen, I am planning on joining the Air Force next year and pursuing a Bachelors in Health Science and eventually attempting to get into the Inter-service PA program for the military. I was wondering after completing my bachelors and all necessary pre reqs, will the admissions board still take my high school transcripts into consideration?? I slacked a lot in high school just barely graduating (2.6 GPA!!) I would hate for this to hinder my future.
Hi Briana,
No, not at all. The admissions committee is looking at your upward trajectory. In fact having low grades in high school with a strong upward trajectory in college may actually work in your favor. This is what happened to me. I had low grades my first 2 years of college and converted this to Dean’s list my last two when I finally got my act together. We are all human, I think sometimes demonstrating that we are not always “perfect” is a good thing!
– Stephen
I loved this article! I can’t help but share my story and ask a question.
At 19 I became a Certified Medical Assistant, worked for 4 years in Urology & 1 year in Chiropractic. I missed school. I missed learning new things. I always believed that I was meant to help patients, but in a bigger way. 2 years ago I decided to go back to school to become a Paramedic. While in school, I realized PA school was my dream, my goal. I was recently accepted to Western Carolina University (start next month) into their Emergency Medicine Program (to compete my pre-med bachelor’s degree). It will take me two years to complete the program, then I will start applying to PA schools. I have received the ‘who’s who among students’ award, represented as EMS club president, and continue to volunteer in the community. I will be 27, white, and female (although I didn’t think any of that mattered before reading this article).
My main concern: Where to apply. How many schools should I apply to? Is it a common thing to move to another state to attend PA school? I have a toddler, and never put much thought into moving. I live near a PA school (Wake Forest), but was unaware of the 5% chance until now. I know that attending medical school usually incorporates moving to new states/traveling, but I kinda thought PA school would be different.
Hi Kirstin, there is certainly no hard and fast rule about how many schools you apply to. I believe I read somewhere recently that the average is 7-8 schools. But, as the law of averages predicts, the more applications you send out into the world your chances of an acceptance will certainly increase accordingly… as will the cost, unfortunately.
It is common for PA students to move out of state to attend PA school, I did, although the majority of my class were NJ residents. It is harder to get into a program as an out-of-state applicant but I feel most schools try to have a certain amount of geographic diversity so depending on the types of applications they receive in a given year applying from out of state may be to your advantage.
PA school has become more competitive than medical school in recent years and I am sure more people will be expanding their options in the upcoming years. Also, a lot is about to change as we see the development and acceptance of distance learning programs which hasn’t taken off just yet.
Kirstin, thanks for your comment and I wish you the best as you pursue the PA path… It is a great one and well worth the effort!
Cheers,
Stephen
Stephen, My name is Dustin Moore. I am a sophomore at the University of South Carolina trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. This is a great article and was really helpful in trying to decide my career path. I was wondering more about how important that work experience is when applying to PA school. I am going to start volunteering this year and plan to get a lot of hours in that. I also have an SAT score of 1310 which is a good deal higher than the average you stated. Will that offset the work experience necessary or will i still have trouble getting into PA school right out of my undergrad? Thank you for your response and this article.
Hi Dustin,
It’s hard to say because it depends on so many factors, including the schools health care experience requirements. As you eluded to in your comment, having exceeded other requirements such as high marks during your undergrad, a good GRE score, loads of volunteer experience, wonderful references, and the writing chops needed to pack the final punch with a great personal statement; you may not need 2000 HCE hours. But, you should at least meet the schools prerequisite requirements and aim to have a minimum of 1000 hours, in my opinion, to be competitive. You can always apply with less, but you do take a bit of a risk in this case… again, that is relative to everything else.
Great job BtW, keep up the great work!
– Stephen
Hello Stephen,
I am a female 4th year health sciences student at DePaul University. I have a year until I graduate. I want to take a gap year before I hope to enroll in 2017, but who knows where I’ll be or where I’ll end up. Just keep moving forward, is my motto. I would call myself a non-traditional student in that I didn’t immediately know what I was going to do with my degree. I always imagined medical school, but in all honestly that became something I really do not want to do. For about a year, I have researched and learned about the PA profession. I fell in love with this profession and saw it as not only a job but a lifestyle that I was great for.
I am a residential advisor in the residence halls. After I graduate I’ll have 2 years of that experience. I also am the University Chapter President of a national humanitarian relief organization. My GPA isn’t so stellar (I struggled after my parent’s divorce as a freshman and failed a couple classes) – it’s a 3.18 right now and growing. I have a couple struggling grades that pass the prerequisite expectation but are on the low end. (C, B-) There are A’s as well though. I still have more time to improve. I just started working with my family doctor who does family practice and is also a pediatrician – I brief patients by asking them what they’re in the office for, any allergies, any current medications, and taking measurements such as BP, Hemoglobin, temperature, height, and weight. I also just applied to be a medical scribe on Phyassist Scribes online. I’m also planning on taking the GRE at the end of the Summer – or during December.
I have a couple of questions:
Are my current volunteer hours considered patient contact care?
Is there anything I should be concerned about regarding what I shared?
Any personal suggestions – for anything (GRE, hours, references, etc).
I’m hesitant right now and I think a gap year would be a really great growth year for me.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and everyone else’s messages!
Hi Anonymous 1,
I will take a shot at answering your questions.
Are my current volunteer hours considered patient contact care?
When people ask me this question I always refer them back to their preferred program websites and admissions offices. Every school is different when it comes to what they accept and what they don’t. Many schools accept work as a scribe while others don’t. Sounds like the work you are doing in Your physician’s office would count in most cases. But again, call and make sure it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Is there anything I should be concerned about regarding what I shared?
As long as you address your lower grades to the admissions committee you will be fine. You will want to do this toward the beginning of your interview (when you receive one) and demonstrate how you overcame these obstacles and excelled.
Any personal suggestions – for anything (GRE, hours, references, etc).
Make sure to do something in your gap year that builds upon your application: 3 months (or longer) learning Spanish and working with a medical team in Honduras, followed by a month living with an indigenous tribe in Papua New Guinea will look a lot better than learning to dive and drink Chang beer in Koh Tao Thailand. But I am sure you knew this already. I love the idea of a gap year. Used wisely it can be a huge advantage… And you can still make some time for a bit of fun along the way 🙂
I’m hesitant right now and I think a gap year would be a really great growth year for me.
See above, I agree completely.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and everyone else’s messages!
Anytime, joy in life comes from helping others. Thanks for giving me the opportunity!
– Stephen
I am speechless by reading your words. Thank you- small words with a big feeling.
Thank you Mr. Stephen. Sense of regrets is killing me right now. Why didn’t I choose to become PA long time ago? But I m feeling motivated after reading your words. I m sure your must be excellent PA and wonderful human being. Thank you again
Thanks Payal,
Bronnie Ware is an Australian nurse who spent several years working in palliative care, caring for patients in the last 12 weeks of their lives. She recorded their dying epiphanies in a blog called Inspiration and Chai, which gathered so much attention that she put her observations into a book called The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.
Ware writes of the phenomenal clarity of vision that people gain at the end of their lives, and how we might learn from their wisdom. “When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently,” she says, “common themes surfaced again and again.”
What was the most common? “I wish I had taken more chances on my dreams”
“This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.”
Studies have proven that We regret the goals we don’t attempt 2x as much as those we do, regardless of the outcome. It is never too late, and it is never the “perfect” time. The right time is when you are ready. Now seems like a very good time 🙂
– Stephen
Please reply honestly! What are my chances of getting into PA school. Bachelors degree in Accounting from India. MBA degree from USA. Zero direct patient hour experience. need to take all prerequisite classes. Currently working as a senior accountant in health care industry. 32 year old and a mom of 15 month old baby. Am I trying to persue something crazy?
Hi Payal,
Right now you have zero chance of getting into PA school, in 2 years you just may be the perfect candidate!
We all need to start somewhere and then make the decision to believe in ourselves and our dream of pursuing our professional goals, whatever they may be. It has less to do with your GPA and GRE scores and a lot more to do with grit. Sometimes life circumstances require that we have more of it (grit); like finding babysitters, taking evening classes or searching to find online degree programs that allow one to take classes from home and still care for a 15-month-old. Some schools even offer special family housing on campus and deeply discounted daycare while you take your prerequisites. But, you start like we all did; by doing some research and identifying what it is you have to do to get into PA school. You can make this into a list, then give yourself a timeline and refine your list some more by narrowing down PA schools and their individual requirements. You need a clear, well-defined goal…. This is essential.
It begins by signing up to take that first prerequisite course. You can simultaneously start to gain HCE hours through volunteerism and completing a certificate program as a CNA, MA, EMT, phlebotomist, ER Scribe etc. etc. While doing this, you will meet the people who will eventually write your letters of recommendation, you will find PAs to shadow along the way, the pieces of the puzzle will start to fall into place.
It may sound like a huge mountain to climb, but if you break these steps down into manageable pieces, and take one step at a time, with a well-defined path and identifiable purpose, in a short amount of time, I believe you would be a wonderful candidate for PA school.
“Don’t let the fear of striking out hold you back” – Babe Ruth
– Stephen
Stephen
Great blog….I am 29 years old and graduated with by bachelors in health sciences about 6 months ago. My overall GPA is about 2.85 and science is 3.45. I just got my cert as an EMT and trying to gain HCE. I currently work as a veterinary technician for 11 years and do everything from assisting in surgery to cathers, bloodwork, xrays, etc. I understand this is not considered as HCE but how can I use this experience to my advantage during apply. Should I appy now or wait till I have gained more experience and then apply? Some of my classes may start to get old also because I worked all through my BS (no school debt). I am confused about my next step, any advice is appreciated.
Thanks
Hi Tony,
Veterinary medicine is not simply about treating people’s “pets”, it’s about pet (and animal) owners and this is where I would focus my attention. I hate to make this comparison, but in some ways it is similar to providing pediatric care in this respect (although don’t say that to the admission committee 🙂 ). I think veterinary medicine is great healthcare experience in every sense of the word and you should discuss this (briefly) in your personal statement.
If you meet all the prerequisite requirements then yes, you could choose to apply now and give it a shot. The financial cost of the application is always the biggest roadblock here. But, if you don’t get in, the information you gain while applying can be extremely valuable, and if you do get in, then great!
You can always get more healthcare experience (it will never hurt), but if you have already met your prerequisites, waiting doesn’t necessarily mean you increase your chances exponentially. Focus on writing a great personal statement, make sure you have 3 great letters of recommendation and enough shadowing experience, make sure you have a grab bag of experience to answer those interview questions then weigh the costs of applying against the costs of not. Then, simply decide if you want to apply this year. If not, outline an extremely well-defined plan on how you will use this year wisely and apply during the next cycle.
– Stephen
Hi Stephen, love your blog… Thanks a ton for the invaluable information here. I have searched online for all kinds of advice and yours is the first site I’ve ever been motivated to interact with.
I am a 38 y/o hispanic male who will likely begin a PA program at the ripe young age of 40–post prereqs and shadowing.
I have a Master’s degree in psychology and have been working as a therapist for the past 5 years. I currently work as a Utilization Reviewer at a private hospital’s behavioral health wing…
I would love to become a PA with a psychiatric specialty, as this will allow me to offer patients a very holistic set of services–therapy and medication management..
My question:
Will schools look at my experience as a behavioral health professional as adequate HCE? I have worked in Emergency Services as a Crisis Counselor, so I have the direct experience with patients. And my current role allows me to be an integral part of the clinical team, staffing with doctors, nurses and therapists, and then discussing treatment plans with insurance providers. But my direct contact with patients is not that much now.
Do you think I can be a legitimate candidate given my age and my area of HCE? I had taken all the prerequisite courses for medical school already, but it was over 10 years ago, so I am taking them all over.
Thanks in advance for any input.
Andrew
Hi Andrew,
The answer is YES! Schools will look at your experience as a behavioral health professional as adequate HCE, your age and background here will give you an advantage over less experienced candidates… and if you aren’t 100% sure based on the PA school website explanation of HCE, pick up the phone and call them directly. This will put to rest any doubt you may have and may be a good idea regardless. I think the fact you are repeating the prerequisite coursework is even more impressive. We had a 56-year-old psychologist in my PA school graduating class. He has gone on to have a wonderful professional career as a PA!
– Stephen
Thank you for your reply Stephen. Just a little bit of clarification, my overall GPA will be higher than 2.9 because the science are not yet counted in the 2.9. The 2.9 is my GPA for my business degree. I’m taking the science prerequisites in a different school.
Hi Stephen,
Thank you for this very useful website. I am wondering if I should retake the GRE again. I have scored 150 on Math section, 146 on Verbal Reasoning and 3.5 on Analytical Writing. I only took it once because of time constraint and I also registered to take it again in the past before starting classes but I got terribly sick so I had to cancel. I am currently a full time student and I also work so I don’t have time to study again and take the GRE especially that the deadline for PA applications is approaching. I wanted some advice from you please, do you think my current GRE score will lower my chances to get into PA school? My science courses GPA is 4.0 where as my Business Bachelor degree GPA is 2.9. I also have a PA shadowing experience for more than 1000 hours.
I appreciate your advice. Thank you.
Hi Salem,
I think the best thing to do in this case is to contact a couple of the PA schools where you are applying and ask them this question directly. The GRE is just a formality in most cases and with a strong science GPA and lots of shadowing experience you have many positives that can work in your favor. With an overall GPA of 2.9 though a school may then take a closer look at your GRE scores, so depending on how it goes on this application cycle you could decide if you really do want to go through the steps to retake your GRE. That being said, there may be better outlets for your energy and time, instead of studying, such as gaining health care experience through volunteerism or obtaining a certificate taht will allow you to garner new kinds of medical experience. The GRE is a horrible indicator of your future success, and schools know this, but every school uses a different algorithm and it still is a good idea to speak with a admissions director and discuss this. Then you will eliminate some doubt you may have and you can develop a strong plan moving foreward.
– Stephen
Hey Stephen,
I’m considering applying to pa school but I’m not sure if I will be wasting my time. I’ve got loads of prior volunteer experience taking care of people with disabilities (approx 1200 hours) at a retreat center. I helped with feeding tubes, catheters, and did all the poopy jobs required to take care of them. I usually worked with severely physically disabled people. I also took a year after my biochem/premed degree and went to teach math and science in an underserved community. I did this with an organization called teach and lead. For the past 4 years, I’ve had a lucrative career working with an oil and gas company. Bought a house and all that kind of stuff. My original intent with my premed degree was medicine or pharmacy but when I graduated, I felt I wasn’t ready to land on anything yet. So, now I’m 32 with a good job and adult responsibilities and I’m ready to pursue something I am more passionate about. The problem is that I have no paid experience. If I pursue a cna, I’d have to quit my job and hope I get accepted to pa school before I run out of savings and sell my house only to be stuck with a cna license and no good job. I’m really not liking that option. I’ve considered the accelerated bsn because I would at least make enough money to continue living as an RN if I don’t get into pa school right away. I’m also looking at nuc med tech programs. I just don’t want to leave a great job and be stuck as a cna indefinitely, if I don’t get accepted.
If I apply now to the schools that don’t require paid experience, do I have a shot? I can’t imagine that being a cna and wiping more booties is going to make me a stellar PA. It’s very frustrating that such a basic job can weigh so heavily. I’ve done all that as a volunteer so maybe I have a shot? What do you think?
Thank you,
Anthony
Btw, I shadowed a pa for a 40 hour work week about 5 years ago. I don’t even remember his name, so that probably won’t help me. I’ve been thinking about this for quite some time but wasn’t ready to pull the trigger.
I do think you have a shot, given you will be competing against many newbie graduates at 32 with life experience under your belt you have an advantage here. In my experience, it is applicants like yourself, that are able to pen a personal statement that grabs the Admissions Directors attention. And if you meet the requirements why not apply? What do you have to lose? It will cost some money and time but even if you don’t get accepted in the first round you will have gained the knowledge you need moving forward.
And as you mentioned there are other options such as an accelerated BSN with a transition into NP or PA later on – this is a viable option. I would also look into the option of taking on some part-time work one day a week to get health care experience before you apply. In your case, you don’t need a lot of HCE hours and you could possibly pick them up on a weekend or speak with your current administration and discuss the need to work 4 days a week or arrange your hours in a way that would allow you to pick us some work as a CNA on the side. I think if you could show the admissions committee that you are this dedicated you would be a shoe-in. A couple recent work experience hours would look great, considering your background and life experience is so strong. Also, I would try to shadow a PA one more time before you apply if you can.
– Stephen
Hi Stephen,
I too can relate to Adeline. This year, I will be a 3rd year applicant (and perhaps my last). My stats are 3.2 overall GPA, 2.8 science GPA, and 3.6 non-science GPA (post bac 3.6 science GPA). I am grateful to say that I have received at least two interviews into some of the programs that I applied to but that’s it (NO ACCEPTANCE LETTER). Never really been a “sell your soul” type of gal, so I’m not good at making pitiful situations turn into rainbows in the sky. I was hoping for some advice, because I literally have nothing left. On my interviews, I am told that my recommendation letters and personal statement are great. My GRE is not so stellar (298 Q&V, 4 AWA), and I know my science GPA is not an eye opener considering CASPA doesn’t look at the full picture. I have worked as a pharmacy technician for 6 years and a CNA for 3 years now, not to mention my shadowing hours, clinical research hours, etc. I’m literally out of gas, AND MONEY (these applications aren’t cheap). Like everything else, life moves on. I don’t want to be a 6th and 7th year applicant! Help!
Thanks,
Keila
P.S. To the guy that was told applying as a African American would amp your chances into getting in PA school. Guess again. I’m African American and a female.
Hi Keila,
I heard once that a “goal” is just a dream with a deadline. The hardest part of this process is deciding what is an acceptable deadline. How much money and time are you willing to spend in pursuit of this goal? No one but you can determine this for you. What we don’t see in many of the great success stories of the 21st century is the accumulation of prior failures that led to eventual success. But I can tell you one thing, my daughter and I are extremely grateful that JK Rowling didn’t stop at year 4 while trying to find a publisher for Harry Potter or that Martin Luther King Junior didn’t let his speech impediment stop him from becoming one of the greatest orators (and people) of our time. This isn’t about “creating rainbows in the sky” or turning lemons into lemon aid. It is about defining your purpose and pursuing it to the very end, because you believe in that purpose. There may be many roads to achieving your purpose, what is your purpose? Why do you want to be a PA? Is this the only path? And if so, if this is your dream, your “goal”, the path to fulfilling your purpose… What’s your deadline? Your future patients will be grateful that you didn’t stop applying to PA school in year 3. But there is no way to know this now. It is my belief that if our purpose is to humbly serve others, there is no such thing as a “pitiful situation”, the process may be longer than we desire, it may take more money than we had anticipated, it may be more difficult than we had hoped. Is it worth it?
– Stephen
Hi, I am a senior at the Univ of North Alabama majoring in Broadcast Journalism and minor in PR. (I already know what you are thinking) i I will be graduating in May 2016. I have always had a interest in the medical field and now I know that being a PA is what I want to do. Where do I even start? Being a Communications major I have little to no science classes. I have been researching for almost 3 months now. But I guess I’m just stuck.lol Help!
Hi Tracee,
You will have to start by fulfilling your prerequisite coursework, and then “work through the steps”. Take a look at this post. I would suggest making an appointment with an academic advisor and drawing up a plan, you may be able to do this a lot faster than you imagine by combining summer courses or even taking some classes online, through a community college or after you have received your University degree. It’s certainly not “too late” and your background in Journalism and PR may prove to be a distinct advantage. Regardless, you’re going to need a well-defined plan… What’s the one thing you could do today, right now at this very moment to make this reality? Start from there!
This may be as simple as looking at some PA school prospects, making a spreadsheet of prerequisite requirements you will need to fulfill then calling the academic advisory office and making an appointment to draw up a plan.
– Stephen
Hey there,
I will be applying to schools this year for my second time. I struggled when I was in undergrad, since I had no clue what I wanted to do! I thought I wanted to pursue physical therapy, but decided to change routes since I did not feel satisfied. When I discovered PA, I knew this is what I wanted to do. I have been taking pre-requisite courses for four years trying to make up for my mistakes and lack of motivation when I was a freshman and sophomore in undergrad. My over all GPA is a 3.0 as well as my science GPA. This of course is CASPA calculations. I have an overall 3.5 GPA at the community college, which consist of all science courses ( some are repeated courses). I have been working as a physical therapy aide for 4 years in a clinic that is located within an orthopedic surgeons medical office. I also have been working as a (non-certificate) medical assistant with the same company, working with 5 PA’s and 5 MD’s. I am like everyone else and very discouraged. I have been volunteering on and off with doctors without walls volunteering in a women’s clinic and also volunteering at the local hospital for the past year. I am wondering if I should do other types of medical work, like become a scribe? I am not sure if my resume is lacking in any way. Thank you for your time and advice.
Adeline
Hi Adeline,
I think your resume is outstanding. It is far more than I (and many others) have had when we applied to PA school. I know this is a tough road filled with lots of uncertainties, but your passion for this career path is quite evident by how you have spent your time up to this moment. Your work and volunteer history, as well as your strong academic record which has prepared you for a degree in health sciences, speaks for itself. I am not sure you would need to “diversify” any further. At this point, it will come down to selling yourself through a strong personal statement and reference letters which reflect your personal values and strong work ethic. Don’t be discouraged by the stats. Stats are there to provide a reference point, but it says nothing about you or your chances of getting into PA school. Nelson Mandela once said: “It always seems impossible until it’s done”. In comparison to ending apartheid in South Africa getting into PA School all of a sudden seems like a breeze, just imagine 27 years in prison and still keeping the faith! 🙂 You are doing great, keep your head up! If you need some help reworking your personal statement we have worked with many students who are reapplicants through our essay collaborative. The key is to stress what you have done to improve yourself from the last application cycle. Admissions directors are looking for highly motivated people who are willing to go the extra mile. It seems you have!
– Stephen