Samuel Merritt University PA Program: Andrea's Acceptance Story (8 Interview Offers, 6,500+ PCE Hours)

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Andrea applied to twelve programs, all in California, and received eight interview offers on her first cycle. She attended five, was accepted at two, waitlisted at two and declined at one, choosing Samuel Merritt University in Oakland. Her application ran on 6,500+ patient care hours — 3.5 years as an ambulance EMT and 1.5 years as an ED tech — plus 780+ volunteer hours weighted toward homeless services.

Last Updated: August 3, 2026

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How many programs did you apply to?

12, all in California

In this post:

How many programs did you interview with and what were the outcomes?

Interviewed with 5, got 8 interview offers. Got into 2, waitlisted at 2, & declined at 1 after an interview.

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, applying entirely within one state is a legitimate strategy when that state has depth, and California does. Andrea's twelve programs were all Californian, and eight of them offered her interviews. The tradeoff is concentration risk — California programs skew competitive and many give preference to in-state residents, which helped her but would hurt an out-of-state applicant running the same list. [VERIFY] Confirm residency preferences at each program before building a single-state list.

Where will you be attending?

Samuel Merritt University in Oakland, CA

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Andrea's shadowing was almost entirely opportunistic — five PAs in the emergency department where she already worked. If you are employed in a clinical setting, the people around you are the easiest shadowing hours you will ever arrange, and they already know your work.

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Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, webinars, etc) you used to get through prerequisites courses, the application or interview process?

I swear by the book “Physician Assistant School Interview Guide: Tips, Tricks, and Techniques to Impress Your Interviewers” By Savanna. Besides a couple google searches on common interview questions, this book really helped me!!

Any advice for other pre-PA students?

You don’t need to get a Degree in science, & you don’t need all A’s to get into PA school. Just try your best to stick out & do more than the minimum requirements in different categories of your application. Try not to compare yourself to others stats, but use it as a gauge to see how ready/prepared you are to apply. Make sure you’re 100% ready to apply, so you don’t waste your money & time. 🙂

Where can we find you? (Instagram, TikTok, Website, etc)

– @dre.the.pa on Instagram, TikTok, & YouTube.

Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: California State University, East Bay
Overall GPA: 3.55
Science GPA: 3.68
Total PCE hours: 6,500+ hours when I applied, 3.5 years as an EMT on an ambulance & 1.5 years in the ED as an ED tech.
Total HCE hours: 260 hours meals on wheels during the pandemic for my ambulance company.
Shadowing hours: 140 hours. 5 PAs in the ED at work. 1 FNP at an urgent care & 1 Hospitalist MD.
Volunteer hours: 780+ hours. Lead volunteer for a Homeless Lunch Program at a local food bank, children’s hospital volunteer, skilled nursing facility, passed out hygiene bags to the homeless, and a hospital charity event.
How many times did you apply?: 1
Age: 26
Gender: Female

FAQ

How many patient care hours do you need for PA school in California?

California programs tend to attract high-hour applicants. Andrea applied with 6,500+ hours from 3.5 years as an ambulance EMT and 1.5 years as an ED tech, and received eight interview offers from twelve programs. [VERIFY] Confirm each program’s stated minimum, which is usually far lower than the average admitted applicant.

Do you need a science degree to get into PA school?

No. Andrea explicitly says you do not, and that you do not need all A’s either. What matters is completing the required prerequisite courses and exceeding minimums across several categories of your application rather than just one.

Can EMT experience get you into PA school?

Yes. EMT work is universally accepted as patient care experience, and Andrea built the bulk of her 6,500+ hours over 3.5 years on an ambulance before moving into an ED tech role. High-acuity roles also give you strong interview material.

Is it a good idea to apply only to PA programs in one state?

It can work where the state has many programs and you qualify as a resident, as Andrea did with twelve California schools. It concentrates your risk though, and out-of-state applicants generally face longer odds at public programs. [VERIFY] Check residency preferences before committing to a single-state list.

Should you decline a PA school interview offer?

Andrea received eight offers and attended five. Declining interviews at programs you would not attend saves money and travel and frees the slot for another applicant. Withdraw in writing as early as you can.

How can I be featured in an Accepted! post?

Email [email protected] or use the contact form at The PA Platform to share your acceptance story.

CLOSING

Eight interview offers from twelve applications is an exceptional return, and Andrea got it with a 3.55 GPA. The hours did it — five years of continuous, high-acuity patient care plus 780 volunteer hours built around homeless services. Her own summary is the right one: you do not need a science degree or perfect grades, you need to clear the minimums by a distance in several places at once.

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Samuel Merritt University PA Program: Andrea's Acceptance Story (8 Interview Offers, 6,500+ PCE Hours)