Touro University California PA Program: Serena's Acceptance Story

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Serena applied to PA school three times before being accepted into Touro University California's joint MSPAS/MPH program. Her second cycle produced five interviews and two waitlists that never converted. On her third attempt she applied to 17 programs and got four interviews and an acceptance. Her science GPA was 3.14, hurt by a sophomore year loaded with upper division courses, and she never took the GRE. She brought more than 11,000 patient care hours.

Last Updated: August 2, 2026

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

4 interviews, 1 acceptance, 1 waitlist, 1 rejection, 1 have not heard back.

In this post:

Where will you be attending?

Touro University California-Joint MSPAS/MPH Program

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, Serena's advice about matching your shadowing to a program's mission is a detail almost nobody thinks about. If a program exists to produce primary care providers, they will ask whether you have shadowed in primary care — and orthopedic shadowing hours, however numerous, won't answer that question. Read each program's mission statement and make sure your experience speaks to it. Her recorded-video interview segment is also worth preparing for; asynchronous video interviews have become common, and practicing on camera beforehand removes most of the discomfort. Note that she was accepted into a joint MSPAS/MPH program, which is a strong fit for applicants drawn to population health.

Any red flags on your application?

I did not do well my sophomore year (had all upper division courses) and it really hurt my science GPA. I had to explain why on a couple applications and interviews.

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Serena's second cycle produced five interviews and two waitlists — and no acceptance. She reapplied with more coursework and continued shadowing, and the third cycle worked. [VERIFY] Confirm Touro University California's current MSPAS/MPH program requirements.

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Anything you found surprising about interviews?

One of the schools I interviewed with replaced the writing portion of the interview process with a video segment. This through me for a loop! I am not the type of person who likes to record myself talking so the jitters got the best of me.

The rest of the interviews were as expected: MMI’s, writing, group activity.

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

I googled for different blogs to help me with the interview process. The blogs provided me with tips on how to prepare for the interview such as what questions I should definitely prepare for, what the interviewers are looking for in your answers, and what you should and should not say during an interview.

Any other advice for other pre-PA students?

DO NOT GIVE UP!! I know it is easier said than done, but it is true! I applied three times before finally being accepted. My second round of applying I was interviewed five times and waitlisted twice before ultimately not being pulled off the waitlist (talk about a bummer!) If you are a reapplicant, you definitely want to show the schools that you have improved since the last cycle. For me, I enrolled in more classes. It does not have to be science courses necessarily, schools want to see that you are constantly trying to improve yourself. I continued to shadow the PAs in my community. If a school’s mission is to provide primary care, you should shadow a primary care PA because the school will ask if you have done any shadowing in this specialty.

If you are invited for an interview, first off, congrats! That is a huge accomplishment considering schools look over thousands of applications and they chose YOU! How to prepare for the interview? Be able to answer why you want to become a PA and why you chose that particular school (research research research). Practice interviewing with your friends, coworkers, etc. but do not over practice. You do not want to sound rehearsed. Try to converse as if you were on a coffee date (relax). Lastly, be you. Schools do not want to hear the cookie cutter answer, what separates YOU from the everyone else?

Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: BS in biology, minor in chemistry
Overall GPA: 3.45
Science GPA: 3.14
GRE: Did not take the GRE
Total HCE hours: 1888
Total PCE hours: 11000+
Shadowing hours: 409
Other volunteer hours: 336 as a mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters, 1068 as a hospice caregiver
LORs: 4; Two from physicians, one from PA, one from volunteer manager
How many times did you apply?: 3
Age: 28
Gender: Female
How many programs did you apply to? 17

FAQ

What GPA do you need for the Touro University California PA program?

Serena was accepted with a 3.45 overall GPA and a 3.14 science GPA. [VERIFY] Confirm Touro's current published minimum GPA requirements directly with the program.

Does Touro University California's PA program require the GRE?

Serena did not take the GRE at all and was accepted. [VERIFY] Confirm the current testing policy before assuming the GRE is optional for your cycle.

How do you improve a PA school application as a reapplicant?

Show measurable change. Serena enrolled in additional coursework — noting it doesn't have to be science — and kept shadowing PAs in her community. Programs want evidence you've been actively improving, not just resubmitting the same file.

Should you shadow in a specific specialty for PA school?

Match it to your target programs. Serena points out that a school whose mission centers on primary care will ask whether you've shadowed in primary care. Read each program's mission statement and make sure your shadowing supports the application you're submitting.

What is a video interview for PA school?

Some programs replace a written component with a recorded video response, either live or asynchronous. Serena found this format unexpectedly difficult because she dislikes recording herself. Practice on camera in advance if any of your programs use it.

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

Serena's second cycle gave her five interviews and no seat, which is one of the more demoralizing outcomes possible. She took more classes, kept shadowing, applied to 17 programs, and got into a joint MSPAS/MPH program. If you're between cycles, her question is the one to answer: what separates you from everyone else?

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Touro University California PA Program: Serena's Acceptance Story