Undergraduate education: I majored in Health Sciences, Pre-Clinical and got my Bachelor of Science at the University of Central Florida
Overall GPA: 3.42
Science GPA: 3.35
GRE: 301
Total PCE hours: 4,599
Shadowing hours: 3,668
Other volunteer hours: 60
LORs: I had 5 LORs: 1 from a PA, 1 from an RN, 1 from a professor, and 2 from physicians.
How many times did you apply?: 3
Age: 24
Gender: Female
How many programs did you apply to? Over the course of three years, I applied to about 25 programs
How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes?I received one interview invite the first cycle and one interview invite the second cycle, and I was waitlisted both times. The third cycle I received two interviews and was accepted at my number one program so I declined to interview at the other.
Where will you be attending? Barry University (The St. Petersburg Campus)
Anything you found surprising about interviews? The other applicants at each interview were always SO nice! It didn't feel like we were all competing, everyone was nervous and giving each other pep talks and we were total strangers! It really is a community and I loved how supportive everyone was.
Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps) you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or interview process? I actually retook a couple of courses to boost my GPA and I found Doane University to be very helpful because they offered a ton of pre-req classes online, even Anatomy and Physiology with lab, and that was really helpful because I really wanted to be able to work and gain PCE as much as possible. Also, the book How to "Ace" the Physician Assistant School Interview by Andrew J. Rodican (affiliate link) is super helpful!
Any other advice for other pre-PA students? If being a PA is something you really want to do and you are truly passionate, do not give up. It wasn't easy reapplying multiple times and getting waitlisted two years in a row... but everything happens for a reason and it was all worth it in the end :)
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
