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You are here: Home / Pre-Physician Assistant / Who Gets In / Why Are So Many Women Becoming PAs? Here’s One Man’s Answer

Why Are So Many Women Becoming PAs? Here’s One Man’s Answer

November 15, 2018 By Stephen Pasquini PA-C 8 Comments

In the World of PAs, It's a Woman's World - UNT Health Science Newsroom

"Interestingly, PA work does not appear to have been redefined as ‘women’s work’ even though women now comprise the majority of providers."
Although the physician assistant profession began as a male-dominated workforce, women now comprise over 72 percent of physician assistants (PAs) in the United States.

In fact, in the 51 short years since our careers' inception, it was only the first 20 that saw a male-led majority.

In 1972, five years after the inaugural class of PAs graduated, 19.9% of PA students were women; in 1976, 32.8% were women; and by 1982, the distribution of graduates was nearly equal.

In comparison, the percentages of women entering U.S. medical schools for the same years were 16.8%, 23.8%, and 30.8%, respectively.

The Growth of Female PAs

The Growth of Female Physician Assistants Over Time

By the late 1990s, it became clear that that the PA profession might become a female-dominated profession and the move to master’s degrees has had an even more significant impact on the number of women entering the PA profession.

From 1990 to 2000 there was a threefold increase in female PAs.

In 2007 of the 97,721 PAs 66% were female and data from the most recent NCCPA statistical report shows that the number of certified PAs by gender in 2018 is 73.9% female and just 26.1% male.

That's quite a shift!

So what factors have caused this gender revolution and why have women come to dominate the PA workforce?

Historically Male Roots

The first PA programs in America were created with the chief goal of transforming competent male military corpsman into healthcare practitioners who could desperately fill a void of healthcare practitioners in underserved areas.

The first sign of physician assistants in the United States was seen in a fast-track three-year medical curriculum that was developed to educate physicians for military service during WWII.

The U.S. Surgeon General identified a shortage of medically trained personnel, which happened to coincide with the return of military servicemen who had delivered medical care in Vietnam. Unfortunately, they were considered technically unqualified to practice on civilians.

One solution was to train these workers quickly and allow them to work under the supervision of physicians to address a gap in primary health care. Eugene Stead, the founding father of the first PA training program at Duke University decided that ex-military corpsman would be suitable for his ‘experimental program’ because they had considerable medical training, yet no comparable civilian employment.

He based the PA curriculum on the fast-track training of doctors during WWII. Local firemen were among the first PAs to be trained in emergency community-based medicine. In exchange for their training, they worked in hospitals in their off-duty time as PAs. Former Navy hospital corpsmen were also hired and classified as PAs.

Early promotional content recruiting PAs into the profession was primarily targeted towards men. In a 1966 public statement Eugene Stead was quoted as saying:

"We intend to produce career-oriented graduates. Since the long-range goals of most females remove them from continued and full-time employment in the health field, we anticipate that the bulk of the student body will be males. This is not meant to exclude females, for those who can present credentials, which would assure the Admissions Committee of proper intent should be considered in the same light as male applicants. - Eugene Stead, 1966"

Despite Dr. Stead's call to male arms by the middle part of the 1970s, there were a lot of US women in search of precisely this type of medical training.

*Want to test your knowledge of PA history? Take the PA History Quiz

Social Closure Theory

According to this 2005 Women and Health article on the feminization of the PA profession Witz’s (1992) theory on social closure provides insight as to why the PA profession was largely male in its origin.

She argues that male power is organized and institutionalized “where gendered exclusionary strategies (i.e., requiring certain credentials to enter a profession) operate to sustain patriarchal modes of occupational closure.”

Witz asserts that credentials exclusionary strategies employed through institutions in society, such as university and professional associations, are effective at excluding women from professions.

One of the founders of the first PA program stated that the decision regarding the appropriate recruiting pool had the “secondary effect of defining the physician assistant role as male-dominated for many years to come.”

PAs were not to be recruited from the nursing pool, but rather males were the preferred candidates.

Although nurses are normally recruited in areas with a medical shortage, nurse practitioners were not drawn upon because it was feared that they would have too much independence. Thus, the recruitment of ex-military personnel fostered a male image of the occupation, and this had the unfortunate effect of excluding many women from the profession.

Some even contend that the American Medical Association designed the physician assistant role to sabotage the American Nurse’s Association’s “efforts to define nurses as independent associates of physicians, rather than task-oriented physicians’ handmaidens.”

In essence, the PA profession developed mainly in response to a physician shortage. Initially, PAs were drawn from the military and hence were predominantly men.

After the 1970s, however, the pool of military corpsmen declined, while at the same the women’s rights and civil rights movements gained momentum, and more women entered the PA profession.

The Allied Health Professions Personnel Act of 1966 promoted the development of training programs for new types of primary care providers, such as physician assistants.

Cutbacks to medical residents’ hours also led to an increased demand for PAs and social closure strategies became more difficult to maintain while the PA sector expanded. There was a growing gender-specific demand for PAs in a male-dominated workforce, and the PA profession proved very compatible with a woman’s “double day” wherein many households women continue to perform the majority of household and childrearing tasks.

Percentage of Women Among Different Healthcare Professions

Women dominate most healthcare professions. In 16 of the top 21 healthcare occupations women reign supreme.

  1. Nurse practitioners 94%
  2. Medical Assistants 92.9%
  3. Medical records and health information 92%
  4. Registered Nurse 90%
  5. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses 90%
  6. Nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides 88%
  7. Therapists 82%
  8. Social workers 81%
  9. Respiratory therapists 73%
  10. Medical and health services managers 72%
  11. Physician assistants 72%
  12. Physical therapist assistants and aides 69%
  13. Physical therapists 69.4%
  14. Psychologists 67.5%
  15. Veterinarians 63%
  16. Pharmacists 60%
  17. Medical scientists 47%
  18. Physicians and surgeons 38.2%
  19. Emergency medical technicians and paramedics 35.7%
  20. Dentist 34%
  21. Chiropractors 27%

Source: Boston Globe: The percentage of women and men in each profession

The Pharmacist Case Study

Pharmacy is an occupation that has undergone a well-documented, rapid gender reversal.

In 1950, women accounted for eight percent of all pharmacists. By 1988 women constituted thirty-two percent of all pharmacists and today it's 60%. 

Some argue that this gender shift largely occurred because of a rise in pharmaceutical manufacturers and a shift from independently run pharmacies to retail drug stores. This changed the nature of the profession, especially its level of autonomy.

Changes to pharmacy practice rendered it less attractive to men who value autonomy and entrepreneurial opportunities. It has been argued that men’s loss of interest in pharmacy opened up opportunities for women.

Why Women Say Women Want to be PAs

Most studies of gender changes in professions report that women move into a profession after a deterioration in work conditions. But this is not the case for PAs. Women have joined the PA workforce in lockstep with improved autonomy, increased pay, and growing respect for PAs as serious players in the healthcare system.

As part of research done by Sally Lindsay in the feminization of physician assistants, 15 semi-structured interviews with PAs (8 male, 7 female) and 6 key informants knowledgeable
about the PA profession were conducted.

Here is their take on why women are choosing to become PAs:

Women Want Women

Some evidence suggests that women have entered the PA profession in response to consumer demand whereby women prefer a female provider.

"There are so many women going into the profession because there’s a huge demand for female PAs . . . in modern times more female patients want a female provider. It’s purely driven by the marketplace."

An Alternative to Nursing

Many women chose the PA profession because it offered an expanded career choice beyond nursing, yet it did not have the time requirements and expense of medical school.

"I don’t like to be bossed around so I could never be a nurse."

"This offers something different from nursing. You can find positions that make family life very doable."

There's Benefit by Hiring Women

Hiring women makes financial sense.

"I think an advantage of adding a PA to your practice is by having a gender mix it makes your practice more marketable. A male doc  that would hire a female PA would really increase their practice, economic productivity almost instantly."

Work-Life Balance

Many female PAs claimed that the compatibility of work with their family lives was particularly desirable. This is consistent with previous research suggesting that women often choose work that is conducive to family life.

"Because of children and family, I chose to be a PA as something that would get me to the practice of medicine sooner than medical school."

"I don’t have to only have a work life. I can have a personal life as well."

"It certainly is a good field for women in terms of the flexibility and to frequently set up hours that are conducive to life outside of the hospital and the practice. For the person who wants something other than nursing but doesn’t want to make the commitment to medical school, this is a very attractive alternative."

The Top 5 Reasons People Choose to Become a PA: Put To The Test

The Ability to Work Part-Time and Raise Kids

Male physician assistants worked more hours per week than female PAs. This is likely a reflection of women coping with their ‘double day’ because in many households women continue to perform the majority of household and childrearing tasks.

"It’s more conducive to family life that you’ll have more time for children. A female physician who takes time out, either by only devoting part-time to their profession or taking a year off when their kids are small is really detrimental to their career, whereas that’s not true for PAs."

A Better Investment

PA school makes more financial sense.

"The reason I'm slanting towards PA school versus medical school or a nursing career is that it makes a nice investment; it’s not too much time and money."

Salary Trends

Womens Median Base Salary as a Percentage of Mens Base Salary

Despite the growth of women in the physician assistant workforce, the salary of female PAs remains below that of men.

Research conducted by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) and published in a September 2017 issue of Women's Health Issues found that female PAs are compensated 89 cents for every dollar men are compensated.

Women represent nearly two-thirds of the profession but receive approximately $18,000 less in primary compensation. The differential reduces to just over $9,500 when the analysis includes a variety of other variables.

Year Percent of male salary
1997 87%
1998 90%
1999 86%
2000 90%
2001 87%
2002 88%
2003 87%
2004 88%
2005 87%
2006 85.5%
2007 86%
2008 86%
2009 NO DATA
2010 85%
2011 NO DATA
2012 89.5%
2013 NO DATA
2014 90%
2015 90.5%
2016 91%

This pattern is echoed in the gender differences that were found by practice specialty in which a higher percentage of male PAs were in high-status areas, such as surgical subspecialties.

Consistent with previous research on the health care division of labor, female PAs predominate in the lowest paid specialties, such as obstetrics/gynecology and pediatrics, in which the average salary is $95,000 and $85,000 respectively.

Male PAs, on the other hand, predominate emergency medicine (average salary $115,000), surgical subspecialties with wages upwards of $116,000 per year, and industrial medicine with an average salary of $105,000.

Meanwhile, the findings also show that a higher proportion of male PAs are self-employed.

Somewhat surprisingly, a higher proportion of female PAs work in internal medicine compared to males. This may suggest that women are moving beyond the traditional ‘feminine’ areas of work within the profession. This adds to Witz’s theory on social closure, suggesting that if the sector expands, closure might be difficult to maintain. Indeed, women may be choosing to become a PA over other professions for reasons of status and opportunity.

Final Thoughts: The Feminization of PAs (Infiltration, Invasion, and Takeover)

According to Lindsay Sally's women's health article on the feminization of physician assistants, one definition of feminization describes it as the movement of women into a formerly ‘male’ occupation. A second definition sees feminization as a transformation in which not only are more women present, but the occupation also comes to be viewed as women’s work.

This definition captures it best by identifying three stages that occupations may undergo as their gender composition changes:

  1. First, ‘infiltration’ occurs when only a few women are present in a man’s occupation.
  2. Second, ‘invasion’ occurs when many women enter an occupation, but men have not completely abandoned it.
  3. Finally, a ‘takeover’ occurs when an occupation has been redefined as women’s work

“Interestingly, PA work does not appear to have been redefined as ‘women’s work’ even though women now comprise the majority of providers.” – The Feminization of the Physician Assistant Profession

Being a PA allows women to practice medicine, albeit under supervision, while simultaneously balancing their family life.

In interviews, female PAs report entering the profession because it allows them to practice within the medical model without having the high expense and demanding schedule of medical school. In fact, they claimed that the profession is quite compatible with family life.

Significant gender differences were found in work characteristics, primary employer type, and practice specialty. Although women tend to concentrate in practice areas of women and children’s health, evidence suggests that they are moving beyond these traditional roles into areas such as internal medicine and surgery.

Although women comprise the majority of advanced practice providers, they are less likely to work in a rural area than men.

Interestingly More men (82.4%) than women (59.8%) are married; a significant association between gender and domestic status was found. The way that men rated career satisfaction was not significantly different than the way women did.

Sixty-five percent of men and women completely agreed that they are satisfied with their career. Eighty-three percent of men and women PAs believed that they can balance their personal and professional responsibilities.

Many women enter PA work because it offers an alternative to traditional nursing careers and the demanding schedules of physicians. This is salient because women are normally segregated into lower status work and encounter barriers when entering higher status professions.

What's the future hold for male PAs like me?

As a male PA, I'm proud to stand beside my female colleagues in a shared effort to make the world a better place for patients and fellow providers. As mentioned above the PA profession offers an alternative to traditional nursing careers and the demanding schedules of physicians. 

This is without a doubt the #1 reason men and women choose to pursue a career as a physician assistant. I know it's why I did.

If I were a gambling man I would predict that the PA profession will follow the ratio of the famed economist Vilfredo Pareto and his 80/20 rule. And it will be at this 80/20 ratio where we will see the percent of females/male PAs in the workforce plateau and remain steady over time. If not, then hopefully it's not my other prediction, the one where women realize that there really isn't much need for men so they just get rid of us all together.

Resources:

  • The feminization of the physician assistant profession (Women Health)
  • 2017 Statistical Profile of Recently Certified Physician Assistants
  • The Physician Assistant History Society
  • Physician Assistant: A Guide to Clinical Practice
  • Racial and Gender Disparities in the Physician Assistant Profession
  • Practice characteristics and lifestyle choices of men and women physician assistants and the relationship to career satisfaction
  • Gender differences in rural and urban practice location among mid-level health care providers
  • National trends in the United States of America physician assistant workforce from 1980 to 2007
  • Predictive Modeling the Physician Assistant Supply: 2010–2025
  • Chart: The percentage of women and men in each profession
  • 2014 Statistical Profile of Recently Certified Physician Assistants
  • 2015 Statistical Profile of Recently Certified Physician Assistants
  • 2016 Statistical Profile of Recently Certified Physician Assistants
  • Social Closure Oxford Bibliographies

Photo Credit:

  • Alexa Branch, UNT Health Science Newsroom

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About Stephen Pasquini PA-C

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

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Comments

  1. Joe says

    July 26, 2020 at 4:09 pm

    As a causasisn male with a 4.0 in both undergrad and prereqs, a top GRE score, and many years of hands on experience, it took many years to obtain a spot in a PA program. I met my female competition, and I read their stats. The majority were not in any way better than me yet were accepted the FIRST year they had applied. Quite a few had actually failed prereqs and had to talk their way out of that embarrassment. How is that possible?

    What the females chosen to populate PA studies had on their side was a mostly older white female faculty choosing females to be in their program, and a university PA program website full of pictures of ANYONE who was not a white male (showing intent).

    I have no idea why a lawyer out there does not sue. There is zero reason for PA cohorts not to be 50-50 male-female (Other than gender hate).
    Now that I have graduated and am out working, I think back on how many of the females had to retake a lot more of the exams than I did. A few flirted with me to ask me for study help (these 22 year olds were all married or engaged–so that was gross). A few were indeed of high IQ.

    Many PA programs are 90 percent female. But even seventy-two percent female is a scandal and there will eventually be lawsuits that will be easily won.

    Reply
  2. Jen says

    April 4, 2020 at 8:48 pm

    Hi,
    I am writing a research paper. I am wondering where did you get the 72% from for females. I went straight to the Statistical Profile of Certified Physician Assistants and see 68.8% for female physician assistants. I am just scratching my head. Otherwise great article. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      April 8, 2020 at 9:48 pm

      Hi Jen, this is an excellent question, and thanks for pointing this out. It’s possible at the time that I pulled that number from the AAPA vs. the NCCPA statistical analysis. Regardless I have updated the data using the latest statistical analysis, which is from the 2018 report, which shows that the number of certified PAs by gender in 2018 is 73.9% female and just 26.1%, male. I suggest that you use these numbers as well in your research paper. Here is the link to the most up-to-date NCCPA report: https://prodcmsstoragesa.blob.core.windows.net/uploads/files/2018StatisticalProfileofRecentlyCertifiedPAs.pdf

      Stephen

      Reply
  3. Justine Chmielewski says

    November 4, 2019 at 7:11 am

    Any chance you can tell me when this article was written? I am doing a research paper on the rise of PA’s and want to use this article as a source, but without a date I fear it won’t pass as a viable source to cite.
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      November 4, 2019 at 9:22 am

      November 15, 2018

      Reply
  4. Daniel Hoock says

    October 1, 2019 at 7:40 pm

    This article is dripping with sexists comments. All there theories as to why it originated as a male dominated profession are presented with an extremely biased view. I’d like to present a question. Why is the proportion of male applicants accepted to PA school below the national average of applicants? Answer this question please. I personally on paper have much more life experience, medical experience, and academic experience than many of my female classmates but why did I get waitlisted at 6 schools, 3 of which are top 5 programs. Why with a 5% acceptance rate are many of my my female classmates fresh out of undergrad with limited experience, while nearly all of my male classmates have extensive experience???

    Reply
  5. Chris says

    December 2, 2018 at 10:51 am

    “I don’t like to be bossed around so I could never be a nurse.”

    My issue with this statement, as with any other position in medicine, is that we ALWAYS have a boss, ultimately our patient, and choosing a career based on whether or not we will be “bossed around” is a poor decision point.
    I am a PA, I have a boss, and when I don’t, I have my patient as boss, who is part of the decision making process.
    I have known plenty of great nurses, and likewise, they are a huge part of the decision making process, and I’ve never once “bossed around” a nurse.

    Reply
    • Stephen Pasquini PA-C says

      December 3, 2018 at 9:59 pm

      I agree Chris, my wife is a nurse and she has a ton of autonomy and is an integral part of the medical decision-making team. Our duties are indeed different. I do understand this respondent’s sentiment though. In the end as a provider, you will have a certain amount of say in the in the final treatment plan for your patients that as a nurse you will not have. But this depends on the task at hand, and as you mentioned we are, in reality, all part of a hierarchy. It’s just part of being an employee in any organization. The same holds true for doctors, PAs, NPs, and even CEO’s or medical directors.

      Stephen

      Reply

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Testimonials

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

Diana, Pre-PA

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

Vivian, Pre-PA

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

Nikki, PA-S

The feedback that I received through The PA Life editing service was more detailed than I expected! It gave me a clear idea of what direction I need to take in regard to my personal statement. I absolutely loved the edits!

Crystal, Pre-PA

Carly was excellent! She was very quick to provide edits and did a thorough job. She really helped me with the flow of my essay. I will be sure to let you know if I receive any interview invitations. Well worth the money! I feel confident in my essay.

Casey, Pre-PA

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

Lanisha Cole, PA-S

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

Christine Chen, PA-S

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

Fariha, Pre-PA

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

Catalina, Pre-PA

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

Ashanna, Pre-PA

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

Anna Mantikas, PA-S

Sarah was beyond excellent. Her timelines and efficiency provided me with enough time to revise and meet with her again before our final draft. Her comments and edits were extremely effective. I hope to be receiving an interview and will be using this service (requesting Sarah) for a mock interview if that happens!

Kaitlyn, Pre-PA

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

Sophia, Pre-PA

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

Patrick, PRE-PA

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

Ravee, Pre-PA

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

Karina Kapani, Pre-PA

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

Eric, Pre-PA

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

Jamee, Pre-PA

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

Juliana, Pre-PA

Carly did a great job helping my personal statement flow from paragraph to paragraph. She truly helped me show throughout the essay why I wanted to become a PA. What I really appreciated was she explained why each change was made; comments and reasons which not only helped with this one time essay but for all my future essays as well. Definitely was worth it!

Kathleen, Pre-PA

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

Vladimira, Pre-PA

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

Jo Lynn, Pre-PA

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

Charlie, Pre-PA

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

Shynar Johnson, PA-S

Carly was helpful and gave insightful comments while helping me to create more impact within my sentences. I feel confident and at ease knowing that my supplemental application has been reviewed in a thorough manner. Thank you for all your help!

Mina, Pre-PA

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

Hannah, Pre-PA

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

Nicolas, Pre-PA

My editor was quick and responsive with her emails. Her explanations on how to improve my personal statement were detailed and organized. I’m very glad I chose The PA Life to help me with my personal statement and point me in the right direction. Thank you very much!

Phillip, Pre-PA

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

Cintia, Pre-PA

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

Anna M. PRE-PA

Sue did an exemplary job at editing my personal statement. Her service was particularly useful once my essay was ready for fine polishing and trimming down – she really pulled the fat off leaving the meat of my personal statement remaining. I would recommend this service to others.

Sarah, Pre-PA

I just wanted to reach out to you and let you know that I got accepted into PA School and wanted to thank you so much for all of your help throughout this journey. I truly could not have done it without your help! Thank you again so much.

Emily Sharpe, Pre-PA

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

Alana P. Pre-PA

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

Joe, Pre-PA

I am amazed by what Deanna was able to do in helping me get my supplemental essays in shape. I had hit a serious roadblock and she was able, and in an incredibly quick manner, help me remove those blocks. I am very grateful!

Lily, Pre-PA

This was the most amazing experience! I felt so confident about my topic and essay after our meeting. Duke got back to me quickly and worked around my crazy schedule. The editing of the essay was professional and gave me insight I could not have received any other way. I only applied to one school because it is really the one I would like to go to the most and I got an interview!!! Thank you so much for all of your help!

Kathryn R, PA-S

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

Melanie, PA-S

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

Zulhumar, Pre-PA

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

Tina, Pre-PA

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

Savannah, Pre-PA

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

Danielle, Pre-PA

Duke went above and beyond to help me. I so appreciate his help and would recommend this service to anyone!

Jessica H. Pre-PA

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

Amanda, Pre-PA

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

Anand T. Pre-PA

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

Jacob, Pre-PA

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

Natalie, Pre-PA

Sarah was super helpful and flexible in my schedule. Her editing really turned my essay around, and made me a much more confident applicant! I am so glad I utilized this service. I will keep you updated on my results for this round 🙂

Mollie, Pre-PA

Carly is absolutely amazing, and I would recommend her to everyone. She was very helpful and supportive with her edits and why she recommended certain changes. She is amazing, and she helped me tell my story.

Peter, Pre-PA

Sarah was a joy to work with! She was extremely helpful and patient with any questions I had for her! 10/10 recommend using this service!

Lori, Pre-PA

Sarah is absolutely amazing and really helped transform my essay into the best version it could have possibly been!

Shannon B. Pre-PA

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

Megan Hunstad, Pre-PA

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

Jenn, Pre-PA

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

Kaitlin Emmerling, Pre-PA

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

Rachel, Pre-PA

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

Ian, Pre-PA

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

Rachelle, Pre-PA

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

Jennifer B. Pre-PA

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

Olivia, Pre-PA

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

Lauren Clewley, PA-S

I just wanted to give you an update! So far I have had two interviews and been accepted to both! I have three more interviews scheduled as of right now, and still waiting to hear from a handful of schools. Thank you so much for all of your help with my essay!

Jennifer Bidwell, PA-S

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

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

Thank you again for your help!

M.S, Pre-PA

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

Tiffany, PA-S

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

Margarita, Pre-PA

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

Jeremy Cohen Pre-PA

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

Mikaela, Pre-PA

I am very pleased with the services provided! I received an email almost immediately upon submitting my essay for review, and within 24 hours my essay review was completed. I would definitely recommend this service to any PA school applicant before they submit their essay to CASPA! Thank you for your help!

Hannah Watson, Pre-PA

Sue was great! She edited my essay in a short time frame and the comments and feedback were very informative. She helped link all of my main ideas and gave great advice regarding appropriate information for the essay. I highly recommend this service.

Michelle, Pre-PA

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

Haley, Pre-PA

I am so thankful that this editing service exists. The personal statement is incredibly important which is why I was so nervous about it. It took me two weeks to even get started because I was so nervous about writing the wrong thing. After Carly helped me with my essay, I am now so much more confident in it. Her edits were very thorough and showed that she had a really good understanding of what is important for a PA personal statement. Her email detailing her overall impression of my essay also showed she understood every single point I was trying to make and what kind of feeling I was trying to give to people reading my essay. This has been the most reassuring thing.

Angela, Pre-PA

A couple of months ago you worked with me on improving my personal statement. I wanted to reach out and let you know that it worked out! I got 5 interviews and so far have been accepted to 2. I am so so thankful for all your help as I don’t think it would have worked out without your amazing editing skills. Thank you for all you do! Not just me but for all the applicants you helped get accepted this year!

Matthew B. PA-S

My experience with the PA Life personal statement collaborative was simply remarkable. My editor did an outstanding job making sure that my personal statement reflected my BEST work and addressed all of my concerns regarding the essay and other questions I had about my application. I can’t thank you enough for all the help I received during this process. Thank you!

Erika, Pre-PA

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

Kelsey, Pre-PA

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

Kelsey, Pre-PA

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

Rebecca, Pre-PA

This service was invaluable – I felt decent about my essay, but it’s remarkably better. I appreciate the level of detail and courtesy even with my discounted rate. You guys are too great!

Taylor Hamstra, Pre-PA

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

Aubrey, PA-S

Very detail-oriented and took the time to explain the process, so our expectations were on the same page. Excellent editing and feedback on the content. Helpful comments on how I could maximize limited character count to make the most impact on the reader. I very much would recommend this service!

Esmeralda, Pre-PA

Hi, I am beyond words to express how I feel, I got accepted, contingent on background check which I think is a formality. I want to say boldly that I am going to be a PA, thanks to you. You will be always blessed for the wonderful service you provide.  You were very kind and worked beyond what I thought could be offered. Thanks again!

Pavithra, Pre-PA

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

Alli Cowan, Pre-PA

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

Pattie Solomon PA-CNorTh Miami Florida

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

John R. Pre-PA

Holy cow! I wanted to let you know I have been accepted to PA school.  I will be attending the Franklin Pierce Physician Assistant Program, Class of 2019 in West Lebanon, NH. I cannot thank you enough for being part of my journey.

If you are reading this you might have been like me skeptical and trying to find a way to write a stellar essay for your PA application.  I want to share with you my exceptional experience using this service.  First, do yourself a favor and BUY the eBook, “How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement.”  I read it twice. Once before I started my essay draft and then again during.  I cannot stress how helpful the book was in clearly stating what the Admissions Directors are looking for in an application essay.  Next, the book reviews how to formulate a proper essay with clear instructions, easy reminders of the writing process, and excellent examples of good and bad writing choices.  After several drafts of my essay, I made an appointment to work with Duke Pasquini, one of the authors of the guide, through the internet and via phone to help with editing and my length issue.  Duke’s professional experience and kind and straight forward demeanor allowed me to create a winning essay that was an authentic representation of me.  Not only did I receive an interview from my top choice of PA school I was accepted a week later into their Physician Assistant Program, Class of 2019.  Thank you, “PA Life” for being a part of my journey.

Michele Williams, PA-S

It’s very clear that Deanna, my editor, put a good amount of time and thought into this. She FAR exceeded my expectations, even providing me with two different possible drafts (my original copy was 1500 characters too long). After paying for two separate editing services, I was initially disappointed to find that the first had not provided anywhere close to the level of feedback/review/editing that I had hoped for. I thought I was on my own again with my personal statement and did not have high hopes for any additional edits at the time that I’d received the review from Deanna, of thePAlife. The first service I’d used provided reviews that were neither thoughtful, in-depth, nor helpful, but Deanna’s edits were each of those! My hopes had been shot down by the first service but were immediately uplifted after I received Deanna’s edits. Her feedback was timely, thorough, thoughtful, critical, and even supportive! She provided an exceptional service, and I would highly recommend her to anyone

Cierra, Pre-PA

About a year ago you helped edit my personal statement to get into PA school! I just wanted to let you know that I got interviews and was accepted to all the schools I applied to! I have decided to attend UAB in the fall! Thank you again for all your help!

Lauren Smith, PA-S

Having my essay edited proved extremely helpful. I was having trouble connecting my thoughts, and the edit helped so much. I haven’t found out about acceptance yet. I’m just now about to submit my application!

Amber, Pre-PA

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

Carly Bransky, Pre-PA

I just wanted to let you know I got accepted to Yale!!!! I’m so pumped. I can’t wait to talk more in-depth with you about my experience. For now I just wanted to say thank you!!!! You really were SO helpful.

James Hennessy, PA-S

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

Kristopher, Pre-PA

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

Valeria, Pre-PA

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

Andrew, Pre-PA

Deanna was amazing! She really went above and beyond the single-edit that I could afford. I consider myself a pretty good writer, but she helped me focus and ground my story without sacrificing the overall creativity of the original piece. All I can say is wow! If there ever was something worth the money, this service is it!

John S. Pre-PA

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

Jo Lynn, Pre-PA

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

Sonja D. PA-S

So far, I’ve received 3 interview invites from Chapman, Drexel, and Tufts!!! I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to Sarah for polishing my PS, supplemental essays and giving me lots of awesome tips for my upcoming interviews!!!

Audrey, Pre-PA

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

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

Jennifer MurphyPRE-PA

Duke really pushed me to write from the heart and explore my true reasons for applying to PA school.  I was very pleased with the outcome.  I haven’t yet received an interview, but my fingers are crossed!

Emily P. Pre-PA

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

Elizabeth, Pre-PA

Deanna gave me excellent feedback on my personal statement, and I couldn’t be more grateful. She was very articulate and gave examples for me to work with on the rewrite. What I struggled with most was the organization of my writing, and Deanna helped me structure my paper so that it was easy to read. I would 100% recommend this service to a friend applying to PA school. Thank you so much!

Daniela, Pre-PA

Very helpful. I needed help figuring out what to cut and Sue was great at showing me what could go without sacrificing what I was trying to convey.

Dave, Pre-PA

Working with Sarah was a wonderful experience. She was prompt, attentive, and incredibly supportive throughout the process. Sarah never deviated from the authenticity of my essay. Even after she made vast changes, the essay still felt true to what I wanted to express. Thank you, Sarah! I would recommend this service to anyone applying to PA school.

Ashley, Pre-PA

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Testimonials

I really needed help with my personal statement. I wrote many copies and finally sent my favorite to the PA life to get some assistance editing. I thought I would have a hard time with the constructive criticism because I spent so much time already on my writing, but the editors were great in suggesting edits and why as well as complimenting appropriately. I’m very proud of my end product and am excited to send it to PA schools. I haven’t finalized my application yet but will definitely let the PA life know if and when I get an interview (or hopefully 2)! 🙂
Bailey B. Pre-PA
I just wanted to share that I got into USC! Woohoo!!! They just called me to share the good news. I’m feeling pretty shocked since that interview did not go as well in my head. I can’t believe I got into school during my first round of applications. This would not have been possible without you, and I really appreciate all the support you gave me throughout this process. ?
Tiffany, PA-S
I absolutely loved working with Sarah! She provided the best feedback to my personal statement, while also being sensitive to the details regarding personal family trauma. At the end of our sessions, I always felt confident in the statement and knew that Sarah would help me best articulate into words what I wanted to say. My statement now is something I can be completely confident in, and know that Sarah has been able to help me achieve a statement that prospective schools will pay attention to. Thank you, Sarah (and The PA Life) for everything!
Elizabeth, Pre-PA
I wanted to share exciting news with you – I got accepted to UT Health San Antonio’s Physician Assistant program!!! I am so thankful for ALL of your work and talent that was put into my personal statement and supplemental essays. I could not have gotten through this process without you. I extend a thank you from my mother, Tammy, as well. We were so blessed to be paired with you. Your hard work and dedication to helping me as a Pre-PA student-led to success during the application process. I hope 2021 is treating you well and you have a blessed year!
Aubrey, PA-S
Duke helped me with my essay and he was great! He really helped me fine tune my essay so it’s ready for submission and answered all of the question I had about small details in my essay. He was also great about responding to emails in a timely manner. I definitely recommend this personal statement review service to anyone who’s applying to PA school…even if it’s just as a final read-through before submitting it on their application.
Tyler J. Pre-PA
This was an extremely helpful process! I still have work to do on my essay but Sue was very helpful by giving me criticism I needed to hear from an unbiased source as well as being very fast responding! I think this will help me moving forward and having a strong application!
Morgan Rial, Pre-PA
Sarah was beyond amazing, she was always on time with my essay edits, took the time needed to really listen to what I had to say. Sarah pretty much transformed my essay form caveman style to an easy, awesome flow good content easy and fun to read essay. I am very thankful for her collaboration, I could not have done anything that resembles her quality of work. Thanks a million!!!!
Jerry C, Pre-PA
I was so glad that I chose to have Duke look over my essay, he turned it from long, rambling, and scattered to a much more concise, well written essay. I really feel as though it represents me well! Duke always responded quickly and I felt as though I got a lot of value for the money. Thank you!
Jennifer B. Pre-PA
I took my boards for the 7 th time on Monday. I work in pediatrics for the past 20 years. I used your site and a review book to prepare. I think your site is fantastic and a bargain . I just found out I passed. Thank you!
Mark Leinwand, PA-C
Sarah is an excellent Interviewer. She encourages her interviewee all along and calms them down. She guided me every step of the way and gave me on the spot feedback. They were very helpful. She taught me to be empathetic and showed me the steps in very helpful and practical ways. She gave me awesome links, which have helped me prepare even more. I am building confidence. I am 100% satisfied with the PA Life mock interview service.
Ram Sundar Aryal, Pre-PA

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101 PA School Admission Essays

Admissions Directors Know What They Want. Shouldn't You? You’re slaving away at your personal statement, but can’t help wondering if anyone will read past the first line. A troubling thought, isn’t…

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How to Write Your Physician Assistant Personal Statement

What Makes This Book Unique? We have worked with 1000’s of applicants through our Personal Statement and Essay Collaborative and have interviewed PA school faculty and Admissions Directors from 12…

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