MEDEX Anchorage PA Program: Maia's One-Application Acceptance Story

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Maia applied to a single PA program, interviewed, and was offered a spot at her campus of choice. She got there with 4,800 PCE hours as a psychiatric and emergency department tech, 3,300 volunteer hours from two years with AmeriCorps, 120 shadowing hours, and no GRE at all. Her interview was a small group modified MMI where the interviewers went off book.

Last Updated: August 2, 2026

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Why PA?

I wanted to stay in the medical track, I like the ongoing education and the critical thinking needed in a provider role, and I want to be able to move laterally throughout my career as well as provide care in a more affordable not accessible manner.

In this post:

How many programs did you apply to?

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, applying to a single program is a high-risk strategy that works best when there is a genuine fit — a regional program, deep local ties, and an applicant profile that matches what the school is built to serve. Maia had all three. For most applicants we would still recommend a broader list, but her story is a good argument for researching a program so thoroughly that you know whether you belong there before you spend the application fee.

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

I got an interview for the program I applied to, and was offered a spot in my campus of choice.

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Maia prepared by asking friends to lob PA questions at her in idle moments for a full year before applying. It cost nothing and made the real interview feel like a conversation she had already had a hundred times.

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Where will you be attending?

I will be attending the MEDEX program, Anchorage campus.

Anything you found surprising about interviews?

My interview was small group modified MMI, and the interviewers went off book, asking us questions based on our different experiences and having us answer things as a team. This threw me at first, but ultimately was wonderful because it allowed me to represent myself as a person, rather than just deliver all of my well-thought-out answers.

Were there any helpful resources (books, websites, apps, etc…) that you used to get through prerequisite courses, the application or the interview process?

I shamelessly utilized my friends, and for a year leading up to my application would ask them to throw questions about the PA profession, the application process, and how I fit into it at me when we had a down moment. I was also fortunate to have many people willing to do mock interviews with me once I secured one, and I think that was the most helpful preparation of all.

Any other advice for other pre-PA students?

I focused on forming lasting relationships with mentors early on, and those people really invested in teaching me and supporting me. They helped me navigate a lot of the more stressful or unfamiliar portions of the application process and helped highlight my personal and unique strengths when I was focusing on selling my stats. I would recommend finding a mentor and investing in that relationship.

Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: Hawaii Pacific University
Overall GPA: 3.3
Science GPA: 3.6
GRE: Did not take
PA-CAT: Did not take
Total PCE hours: 4,800 hours. I worked as a tech in the psychiatric and emergency departments at our regional hospital.
Total HCE hours: 80 hours. I volunteered at many COVID vaccine POD clinics in my community, and took advantage of local public health and training events.
Shadowing hours: 120 hours. I reached out to many PAs in the community and was ultimately able to spend several shifts shadowing emergency, primary care, and emergency PAs. I also spent a school year shadowing the PA at the student clinic one afternoon a week.
Volunteer hours: 3,300. I spent two years as an AmeriCorps volunteer after undergraduate.
LORs: 2 PA’s, 2 MD’s, 1 Biology Professor
How many times did you apply?: 1
Age: 30
Gender: Female

FAQ

Does the MEDEX PA program require the GRE?

Maia did not take the GRE or the PA-CAT and was accepted. [VERIFY] the MEDEX program’s current standardized testing policy, as requirements change by cycle and by campus.

What GPA do you need for the MEDEX PA program?

Maia was accepted with a 3.3 overall GPA and a 3.6 science GPA. [VERIFY] MEDEX’s current published minimum GPA and the most recent accepted class averages for the Anchorage campus.

Is it risky to apply to only one PA program?

It is, for most applicants. Maia applied to one and was accepted, but that outcome depends heavily on fit, strong regional experience, and meeting every requirement. Weigh your own profile honestly before narrowing your list that far.

What is a modified MMI interview?

It blends multiple mini interview stations with other formats. Maia’s was a small group modified MMI where interviewers went off script and asked the group to answer some questions as a team. [VERIFY] each program’s current interview format before preparing.

Does AmeriCorps count for PA school applications?

AmeriCorps service is typically logged as volunteer experience rather than patient care. Maia recorded 3,300 volunteer hours from two years of AmeriCorps service alongside 4,800 PCE hours as a hospital tech. [VERIFY] how each program categorizes service-year hours.

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

Maia’s advice about mentorship is the throughline of her whole application. The people who invested in her early were the same ones who helped her see her strengths when she was busy reducing herself to a set of stats. Find those people, and keep them. If you are looking for that kind of guidance, our pre-PA sessions are a good place to start.

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MEDEX Anchorage PA Program: Maia's One-Application Acceptance Story