PA Program: High Point University
How long is your program and what quarter/semester are you in? My program is 27 months. I am about to start my very first clinical rotation next week! I'm starting with Family Med.
Didactic year is 15 months (June-following August)
Clinical year is 12 months (August-following August)
Class size: 35 students
Why did you apply to your program? I went to undergrad at High Point University and I could not imagine going to another university for PA school. I valued my undergraduate experience so highly that attending this PA school was my top choice.
We have a brand-new building that houses all of the graduate health professional programs. We have a SIM center with more than 13 high fidelity mannequins equipped for very real-life simulation experiences. Our main class is clinical decision making and is primarily problem based learning, however we have supporting lecture based classes in pathophysiology, pharmacology, clinical methods and procedures, and history and physical examination. We also have a brand-new cadaver lab for anatomy!
Why did you end up choosing to attend your program? I knew as soon as I interviewed with the faculty that this was my top choice. Also, the campus is breathtaking if you haven’t seen it!
Is there anything unique about your program? I am in the 3rd PA class at HPU. The application cycle is currently in progress for the 5th class.
We are a program with 15 months of didactic. This allows us to go from 9AM-3PM most days, which allows plenty of extra time to study each day.
We have mini clinical experiences during our 3rd semester of didactic year where we get to shadow various providers in the community.
We are located in North Carolina, which is a very PA friendly state (The first PA Program was started at Duke!).
We have at least a week-long break in between every semester which is so nice to spend time going home or going on vacation. It’s a great time to relax and mentally prepare for the next semester.
What is your favorite study resource? (Affiliate Links)
A Comprehensive Review for Certification and Recertification Examinations for Physician Assistants- AKA “The green book”
Step Up to Medicine- and other books in this series
What is the most difficult or surprising part of PA school?
Difficult- PA school needs to be a top priority; your schedule literally revolves around what you are doing with your program. It’s very difficult to make plans in advance, but that’s the nature of dedicating 27 months of your life to your future career. However, most PA programs realize that life doesn’t stop and you are very capable of missing time and making time up for weddings, funerals, etc.
Surprising- For me, it was not as hard as everyone made me fear going in. As long as you go in with the mindset of this is your top priority, you will be okay. Spend the time you need studying and make sure to learn the necessary material for both didactic and clinical years, and you will make it through and become a great provider.
What advice would you give to other PA students?
Take time for yourself!! This is the most important advice I have, and it is everything I stand for in PA school. There is plenty of time for friends and family on top of studying. Your entire life does not need to be consumed with studying while in PA school, you have extra time to do the fun things that matter to you.
Take things one day at a time. When you have 5 exams coming up in a week, you need to focus on each one as they come first. Focusing on all at once will stress you out, and you will burn out.
Eat healthy! A lot of time will be spent sitting down and studying, don’t get trapped into snacking and eating out every day. Spend the extra time to cook healthy things. Some people in my class have meal prepped, and others have used meal delivery services like Blue Apron or Hello Fresh.
Find a group of friends to study with, they will help you so much and they will be some of your greatest friends in life.
Where can we find you? (websites, Instagram, etc.)
@ConqueringPA on Instagram!
conqueringPA.com - Blog coming VERY soon!! :)
If you’re a current PA student and would like to share your experience, please email savanna@thePAplatform.com
