Undergraduate education: B.S. Biology
Overall GPA: 3.5
Science GPA: 3.2
GRE: 305
Total HCE hours: >5,000
Total PCE hours: 2,500
Shadowing hours: 80
Other volunteer hours: 200
LORs: A nurse I worked under, my anatomy professor, and two PA’s I shadowed
How many times did you apply?: 1
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Why PA? The area I’m from, rural Southwest Virginia, has a serious need for providers and I believe the role of Physician Assistant would be the most beneficial! It ticked every box I was looking for in a career in medicine.
How many programs did you apply to? 18 (lol!)
How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? 3! One waitlist, one denial, and finally one acceptance!
Where will you be attending? Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, TN!
Anything you found surprising about interviews? The school that denied me told me outright that it was a “red flag” on my profile that I finished my prerequisites at a community college during the interview.
Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? Savanna’s book FOR SURE! I also listened to mock interviews on YouTube and tried to answer the questions and then listen to how the person answered them.
Any other advice for other pre-PA students? Push yourself. If you don’t think that you’ll get through it, think about where you’ll be a year from now. This past year has been the hardest of my life, but it’s all been worth it now that I know that it’s paid off with an acceptance.
