Undergraduate education: Berry College – Biology major, Chemistry minor (2013)
Overall GPA: 3.11
Science GPA: 3.03
GRE: 163 Verbal/147 Quant/4.0 Writing (310 total)
Total HCE hours: 0
Total PCE hours: 4400
Shadowing hours: 101
Other volunteer hours: 120
How many times did you apply?: Four!
Age: 27
Gender: Female
How many programs did you apply to? 15 this cycle. 2 in the 2015-2016 cycle, 9 in the 2016-2017 cycle, and 2 in the 2017-2018 cycle.
How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? 4 invitations, 3 interviews, 1 waitlist, 2 acceptances
Where will you be attending?: Duke University! By the grace of God
Any red flags on your application?
Undergrad science/prerequisite GPA. I went into college with almost no study skills and very little of the self discipline needed to succeed in my pre-med biology program. I earned Cs (10! to be exact, plus one D+) in almost every major course, many of which are prereqs for PA school.
Anything you found surprising about interviews?
Duke’s interview process was all day but surprisingly laid back. I felt very comfortable there because they went out of their way to make students feel at home instead of purposely stressing them out. I absolutely loved that! I was also surprised by how fun I found the MMI interviews at OHSU to be. It was my first time doing an MMI interview but it was much less scary than I thought it would be! To me it felt a little like a game that challenges you in how quickly you can adapt and intelligently respond to different scenarios. I knew I didn’t do everything perfectly but I actually enjoyed it!
Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process?
Physician Assistant School Interview Guide by Savanna Perry was an absolute lifesaver! This book stood apart from everything else I read relating to interviews because it helped me to think about the “why” behind each question that could be asked. Once I started thinking this way, I felt ready to answer any question thrown my way!
Any other advice for other pre-PA students?
Never, ever, ever give up! I know it’s discouraging to receive rejection after rejection. I know what it’s like to feel like you’re not good enough or smart enough to get into PA school. But I am a living testimony that if becoming a PA is truly your life’s path, and if you refuse to be deterred, then you can and will get in! If you don’t get any interviews or acceptances this cycle, then sit down and try to take an objective approach to your application. Get others to look at it too, and see what you can do to improve every part that is lacking. If you need to take a year of from applying to take more classes or get more hours, THAT’S OKAY! Do not feel like you have to apply again right away. It may be better for you to take more time to work on things, both financially and practically. I honestly wish I had done this because it would have saved me so much money, effort, and disappointment. At the end of the day, you have to do what’s best for you. Don’t compare yourself to others in this process, don’t let a rejection letter define who you are, and most importantly, don’t ever give up!
Where can we find you? Instagram @missmariahdee, YouTube Mariah Dee, Future PA-C
If you’ve recently been accepted to PA school and would like to be featured in an “Accepted!” post to share your story and advice with other PA hopefuls, send an email to savanna@thepaplatform.com
