Undergraduate Education: Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, MN
Overall GPA: 3.83
Science GPA: 3.66
GRE: Verbal-153. Quantitative-152. Writing-4.5
PA-CAT: Did not take
Total PCE hours: I had a total of 2,244 hours of PCE. During undergrad I worked part time as a support worker for individuals with disabilities in homecare. I worked with individuals that were nonverbal and had medical issues. To gain patient care experience I administered medications and food orally and through a g-tube. I recorded I/Os, and any changes to the clients conditions. To gain the majority of my PCE hours, I worked as a Monitor Technician in Telemetry during my gap years. As a Telemetry tech I performed and monitored patients’ vital signs including ECG. I reported any findings to RN/care team. I also performed CNA work, I/Os, ambulation, transfers, and feedings.
Total HCE hours: I had a total of 140 hours of HCE which I gained by volunteering at the hospital I worked at. I worked at the information desk where my duties were to welcome patients to the hospital, give directions, escort patients in wheelchairs if needed, and handle and deliver packages that were delivered to the hospital entrance.
Shadowing hours: I shadowed a total of 56 hours. 32 hours was with a PA working in Family Med Clinic. I met this PA through one of my home care client’s mom, who worked at the same clinic as this PA. I shadowed with a NP in cardiology at the hospital that I worked at. I was able to observed a few cardiac procedures, such as a coronary angiogram, TEE, stress test, and DCCV. I also shadowed a MD in Family Med for 8 hours.
Volunteer hours: I had a total of 156 hours of volunteering, but 140 of them were volunteering at a hospital information desk and I classified those hours as HCE. I had 24 hours of volunteering from college volleyball opportunities. I was able to collect food for the local food shelf and organize a fundraiser for cancer awareness.
How many times did you apply?: 2
Age: 23
Gender: Female
Why PA? I am passionate about being a healthcare provider that patients can trust to have their best interest in mind, feel comfortable with, and can rely on. I want to be a PA and use my knowledge, training and resources to provide superior care. From my patient care experiences I have experienced how much joy it brings me to serve patients, help them succeed, thrive and live a full life. Lastly, I am passionate about expanding access to quality healthcare in rural and underserved areas and populations in the Midwest and want to be a PA in these areas.
How many programs did you apply to? 6
How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes? I interviewed at 3 schools. 1 acceptance and 2 waitlists.
Where will you be attending? Northwestern College in Iowa.
Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, webinars, etc) you used to get through prerequisites courses, the application or interview process? Pre-PA social media accounts and blogs! I learned so much about current issues in the PA field and just more about the profession in general. I was able to use some of this information in my interviews. The majority of information came from the PA Platform and I watched most of their webinars and live events, read posts and blogs. These accounts/blogs also provide so much information about CASPA, the application and interview processes. I also did a mock interview with the PA Platform which helped me become more confident in myself and my answers for my interviews.
Any advice for other pre-PA students? Ask questions and ask for help! The first time I applied, I tried to research on my own, didn’t really reach out to PAs or PA students, and I didn’t find a community online of current applicants! The second time a applied I used more resources like this and felt more as ease with the process and more confident in my myself and for the interview.
