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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

My editor knew exactly what kind of edits I was looking for and addressed all of my questions/concerns I had about my essay. I will definitely be recommending this service to my club members and friends.

Stephanie, Pre-PA

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

Carly did a tremendous job of helping edit my personal statement. Her suggestions and hints have taken my personal statement to the next level!

Austin, Pre-PA

Sarah Schultz was a great editor and was easy to communicate with. She answered my emails very promptly and made great suggestions while also helping me cut down and condense my essay to be in the character limit. She made me feel more confident in my work and helped me develop an essay that I am proud of. I would definitely use this service again!

Katie, Pre-PA

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

Jennifer, PA-S

This is Tyler. I hope you remember helping me with my essay back in May. As promised, I wanted to update you with news of my PA school journey and I am excited to tell you that I was accepted to Stony Brook’s PA program!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH for helping me write an essay that was truly reflective of who I am as a candidate and as a person! It played a pivotal role in this whole nerve-racking process and has helped me achieve a major life goal. You are a godsend to Pre-PA students.

Tyler, PA-S

Sarah is an amazing writer. She helped clarify my thoughts and encouraged me on this journey. When/ if I get an interview, it will be because of her amazing writing skills.

Araceli, Pre-PA

After receiving two edits from Carly I feel extremely confident in my personal statement. She not only fixed grammatical error and syntax, but helped me better organize my thoughts into a competitive essay. To other Pre-PAs looking to submit their essays: I know it’s a bit of an investment but the peace of mind, comfortability, and confidentiality is so worth it! Thank you The PA Life!

Elizabeth, 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

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 felt our mock interview was an absolute necessity to prepare for the Academic and Personal interviews from Yale School of Medicine PA Program Online. I felt the calibre of questions you had asked me, in addition to the coaching and post-question feedback, really helped me understand what an ideal response looks like and gave me time to reflect and prepare my responses for the formal interview just two days later.

During my interviews I was asked plenty of questions I didn’t have a prepared response to (and I had combed through tons especially in the days following our mock interview!) I can say that I answered each question genuinely, authentically, and showed both interviewers the best version of myself. I didn’t stammer or lose my place, and I felt confident in my words and expressions. I don’t think I would have been as comfortable, calm, or confident without having accepted your guidance and feedback and learned from our time together.

Gratitude for your words, encouragement, and support is an understatement. Thank you, Sarah!

Best Regards,
Jacob

Jacob, PRE-PA

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

Mina, Pre-PA

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

Steve Koehler, PA-S

I received an acceptance call from USC! I’m going to be a PA! ??‍⚕️ I’m so overfilled with joy and gratitude!! All of my experiences led to this, and I can’t help but feel immense gratitude for every single person that was part of this journey. You were a huge component of this journey, and I am so appreciative of all of your help. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Cintia Chávez, PA-S

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

Alex (Future PA)

I greatly appreciate the help because it answered questions and doubts I had about my personal statement. I feel much more confident in submitting to CASPA. Thank you very much, Sue!

Sarah, Pre-PA

Sue did an excellent job. Despite my sending a request just in time for a holiday, not only did she meet my deadline-she was early. She asked questions beyond the provided text, in an effort to gain deeper insight into me as a person. Her positive attitude and professional review help to ease my stressful anticipation. I am happy I sought her service! (Thanks, Sue)

Angela, Pre-PA

Sue was awesome and ensured I received my edited version of the essay in a timely manner. The editing was above exceptional and exceeded my expectations. Thanks so much!! You guys are awesome!

HK, Pre-PA

I 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

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 let you know that I was accepted into PA school.  I start at Albany Medical College in January!  Thank you again for doing such an amazing job helping me with my essay…I think in the end it really carried my application.

Lindsey Porubcan PA-S

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

Angela, Pre-PA

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

Deanna, Pre-PA

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

I have never used an editing service before, but after working with The PA Life, I am so glad I did. I feel my essay flows better and is polished and precise. I am now signed up for supplemental essay editing as well.

Nicole, Pre-PA

Sue was extremely prompt and thoughtful in providing her comments, edits, and revisions. My essay had a good start but she helped me write it with admissions committees in mind. I will keep you updated on if I get interview invitations.

Kirsten, Pre-PA

I enjoy working with Beth she literally turned my “hot mess” of an essay into something amazing and readable. She made my story flow, helped me get to my main points and interesting to read. I am very confident with sending off my personal statement to PA schools this upcoming spring. No invite just yet but I know I will get some invites this same cycle.

Maggie Kabongo, Pre-PA

Deanna was an absolute joy to work with. Not only was she a wonderful writer and editor, but she helped me develop my thoughts and produce a personal statement I was proud to submit. She helped me refine my ideas, and concise my writing to illustrate my reasons for wanting this career. She was also very prompt in responding to my emails and questions. I am very happy with my personal statement and would recommend this service to anyone who is considering this service or feels stuck in their writing process.

Maddie, Pre-PA

Duke and I worked really well together. Seeing my first draft in comparison to my final draft was like night and day. I really appreciate all the help!

Kenzi H. Pre-PA

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

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

Jo Lynn, Pre-PA

Well worth the money. I consider myself a decent writer but found I was stuck on a few key points of my personal statement. After a few edits on my own and with a few people I trust, I decided to submit my essay for editing through ThePALife to make sure I was really on the right track. I am supremely satisfied. The essay I wrote turned out to be a solid base, but Sarah went to work, and every change and suggestion had a logical place. She polished it up and made it shine. Thank you so much!

Conor K. Pre-PA

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

Catalina Bulla, PA-S

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

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

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

Khanhi, Pre-PA

It was an absolute pleasure working with Sarah. She was prompt to respond, professional, and kind. Sarah is an excellent writer. I was consistently impressed with her edits and suggestions for my personal statement. After working with Sarah I feel confident that my final essay will be well-received schools and help me stand out as a candidate.

Leah, Pre-PA

Carly blew away all my expectations. She not only suggested edits to refine the content, but she also made grammatical and structural changes that fine-tuned my essay and allowed it to flow. I came into the editing process feeling hopeless about my personal statement, but with her edits, I feel confident that it will stand out. On top of all that, Carly was very timely in editing and returning my essay – I got it back within a few days! I’m very pleased with her service and recommend it to anyone out there who needs a fresh, professional set of eyes on their personal statement.

Stephanie, Pre-PA

I’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

Deanna was very opening to helping me with my essay. Although I had the material, the way she edited gave it a very nice and easy flow for the reader. She gave me her critical suggestions and comments that I would have otherwise missed. I am so glad I chose The PA Life revision services for my personal statement for PA school.

Yana, Pre-PA

I wanted to send you a quick life update and another BIG thank you! I received my acceptance at the University of Utah’s PA Program on Monday and couldn’t be happier. Thank you for all your help with my essay and interview prep. Both of these services that you provided were so helpful in my success. I will highly recommend you to any future PA student.

Lily, Pre-PA

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

Miranda, Pre-PA

I’m emailing you to let you know that I received an acceptance call yesterday! It’s my first cycle applying so I’m still in shock. This may sound weird to say, but you have been a part of my journey since the beginning when I was trying to figure out how to write my personal statement, to practicing for the interview that led to my acceptance. I genuinely believe that I would not have been accepted into the program if it weren’t for you.

Anthony, 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

This is just a great service overall, because not only is it an editing service, it is specific to the PA personal statement. Sue did a wonderful job editing my essay, and pointed out important flaws in it that I otherwise might not have noticed. Her edits highlighted the main points that I was trying to get across in a much better way than I had originally written. Overall, very satisfied with the results, and will have to keep you updated about the interviews. Thanks so much!

Sabrina L. Pre-PA

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

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

Marissa Pre-PA

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

The comments and edits made by Sue are exceptional! They’ve helped a lot in terms of helping me express my thoughts more clearly and effectively. It felt as if she was there with me, reading my thoughts and helping me with the entire process in person!

Amy, Pre-PA

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

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

Myriam, Pre-PA

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for helping me with my personal statement. I have been accepted at Cornell, and will most likely be entering their program in March 2017. I have also received interview offers from Wake Forest, Duke, Pitt, Quinnipiac, Oregon Health Sciences, and Chatham so far. I am happy to share my success up to this point, because I would not be in this position without your guidance, wisdom, and talent.

I thoroughly enjoyed working with you, and I am profoundly grateful for your help. I wish you all the best in the future.

Stephanie Dwyer, PA-S

Carly took the time to listen to my concerns about my personal statement and apply them to what I had already written. I was so appreciative as I wasn’t sure where my personal statement stood before submitting it. I now feel more confident in my statement!

Chelsea, Pre-PA

Working with Sarah felt like working with an old friend. Her thoughtful insight made the revision process easy. She had great advice for improvements to make while remaining within that difficult 5,000 character limit. Thanks, Sarah, you helped a ton!

Ryan, Pre-PA

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

Valerie Charlton, Pre-PA

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

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

My reviewer was Deanna Matzen who was incredible. I reached out to The PA Life’s editing service after being disappointed by myparesource, whom I was referred to initially. Deanna composed two alternate ways to structure my journey and allowed me to find a novel way to present my personal statement. After revision, I was able to flip my lens, utilize my introduction as my conclusion, and the rest of the paper began to fall into place. Very satisfied with the quality of her work, thank you so much, Deanna!

Steven, Pre-PA

This experience was great. They took my essay and gave great constructive comments that made it an even better essay. Very fast and efficient process.

Gabby, Pre-PA

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

Kelli Tseng, PA-S

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

Mary Peterson, Pre-PA

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

Sabrina, Pre-PA

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

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

Sarah, R PA-S

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

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

Sarah, Pre-PA

Carly Hallman did an amazing job helping me with my personal statement! I was feeling conflicted and uncertain about my own personal statement, but she helped set my mind at ease! I now have peace of mind regarding my personal statement. She was so helpful in correcting any grammar errors and also informed me of what I could add to my essay. I knew I was missing something in my essay, but could not quite put my finger on it. Carly identified what was missing so I could make those changes to my essay. I’m so thankful for her help because I do not think I could have figured out that “missing piece” had it not been for her. I now feel confident about my essay and I am extremely happy with it! 🙂 Thank you so much!!!

Ramsha, 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

My editor did an excellent job with my essays. I struggle with writing emotionally and she took my material and really personalized it. I feel very confident sending in my essays after having her look at them. She promptly returned my essays and did a stellar job. Thank you!

Danielle, Pre-PA

I am so pleased with the review Carly provided me. Her responses were thoughtful and edits helped me in a lot of places where I felt totally stuck. So excited to be so close to a final draft with my personal statement. Thank you! TBD on the interview (fingers crossed)

Georgia Flynn, Pre-PA

Duke helped me with my personal essay writing for PA school. He was very patient and helpful with me. I made lots of mistake on my Essay, but with Duke’s help I was able to write a sensible essay which was good enough to get Interview calls. I highly recommend his service.

Rajni M, Pre PA

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

Austin, Pre-PA

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

Sibiya Sabu PA-S

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

Kristopher, Pre-PA

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

David H. Pre-PA

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

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

I love Deanna! She was incredibly helpful and encouraging. I liked the way she constructively gave me feedback and I liked her ability to really strengthen my own ideas instead of dismissing them like other services. She is amazing at seeing things from different angles and that way rearrange and enhance my narrative. I did get an interview from the top choice and an offer a week later. Thank you so much and I will definitely recommend ThePALife to future prePAs.

Klam, Pre-PA

I LOVED the suggestions Carly made for my essay. Not only was she thorough with her edits, but she also provided a lot of quality feedback that really made my essay shine. Carly took my unedited, messy essay and helped me better convey what I was trying to say. I have nothing but positive things to say about this experience and feel this service was worth every penny.

Rachel, Pre-PA

I loved this service! Not only did my editor transform my essay, she helped me feel more confident in my application moving forward. She was extremely personable and efficient. I love my essay and now I’m even more excited about applying for school because of the help I received from The PA Life! Highly recommend!!

Aubrey, Pre-PA

This was even more helpful than I anticipated! I am someone who finds it very hard to let others read my writing because it feels too personal. This made it much easier to let someone edit for me and all the suggestions provided really helped me pull together the parts I was struggling with. I would highly recommend this editing service to anybody who is having trouble strengthening their essay!

Lindsey C, Pre-PA

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

Laila, Pre-PA

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

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

Jennifer, H Pre-PA

I was at a point where I kept reading my essay over and over again and not knowing what to change. After Sue looked over and thoroughly edited the essay, I had a completely new focus! I knew exactly what to tweak and her service really cleared up any uncertainty I had with my essay. I’m now much more confident as I finish up my CASPA applications!

Julia Spalding, Pre-PA

I just want to let you know I got into the pa program! I want to give you a huge thank you for helping me nail the interview and make a great essay. Thank you, x 100,000!

Rachel J, Pre-PA

Kelly M. provided an exceptional experience with detailed recommendations. I am upset that I did not find The PA Life editing service sooner! I will be referring anyone I know applying to pa school to this platform!

Manny, Pre-PA

Oh my gosh thank you SOO much!!! I have been so busy with school so I haven’t been able to edit my personal statement, but I want to thank you soo much for making my statement look a heck of a lot better!!! I will be editing it over my spring break since that is the only free time I have, and I most likely will do a re-edit if I can (its $35 ish right?). Anyways thank you so much again!! Sorry for the late reply but I will get back to you again during my spring break if I need a second edit, thank you so much again for all your help!! I can already see how much of a difference you’ve made! Totally worth my money!

Melat Ashagre, Pre-PA

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

Lauren Smith, PA-S

Sarah was 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

I wanted to tell you that I interviewed with MEDEX on Friday, got the call yesterday that I’m accepted! I also interviewed with Pacific University on and I felt that went VERY well too. I should hear from them any day now. I will keep you in the loop. I appreciate all your help and support!

Norah, PA-S

Awesome service. Duke did a great job editing my personal statement – his feedback was top-notch. For the 2014-2015 cycle, I applied to one school. I was selected for an interview and yesterday I received an offer of admission … which I quickly accepted. I know my Personal Statement played a huge role in my success. I highly recommend this service.

Nikki, Pre-PA

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

John R. Pre-PA

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

Sue Edmonson has been a great help in ensuring my personal statement made sense and fit what information I was trying to convey. Her ability to find the pertinent parts in an essay and gain more information about me to make the essay seem relative to my pursuits was truly a Godsend. Would recommend her and your company to others. Thanks!

Christopher Ohsie, Pre-PA

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

Brandon, Pre-PA

I just wanted to email you and let you know that 3 weeks post-interview with Gannon, I was accepted into the class of 2023! I am so excited and thrilled and I know that your help, helped me. So, thank you!

Cailin, PA-S

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

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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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