Writing a Resume for PA School

A resume isn't strictly required by CASPA, but it's important to have a professional one ready while you apply. It highlights your education, healthcare experience, and volunteer hours in one clean place.

There are two main reasons you'll want one. First, for letters of recommendation. When you ask someone to write for you, give them everything they need to write a strong letter. You should still include a personalized note explaining why you're asking this specific person, but a resume helps them see where the rest of your experience comes from.

Second, as part of a supplemental application. The committee is reviewing thousands of applicants, and a resume is a quick, effective way for them to understand who you are as a professional. Not every program asks for one, but it does come up occasionally, so it's smart to have it ready.

For most people applying to PA school, there won't be a huge difference between the two. Think of a resume as a snapshot of your experience and qualifications, while a CV is a more detailed look at the same components.

For example, if you've done research or writing, a CV would include more about the focus of your work. A CV is usually longer than a one-page resume because it includes so much more detail. Honestly, don't worry about the distinction too much. For the vast majority of pre-PA applicants, a strong one-page resume is exactly what you need.

Your resume should highlight who you are as a candidate, not every job you've held since you were 16. Focus on the experiences that make you an ideal PA student. Consider including:

• Education

• - Work experience (PCE, HCE, and other related work)

• - Volunteer experience

• - Shadowing experience

• - Leadership experience

• - Research experience

• - Certifications

• - Achievements and honors

• - Affiliations and memberships

Don't worry if you can't fill in every category. Feel free to leave out any sections that don't apply to you. A free resume template can set all of this up for you so you're not staring at a blank page.

Like any professional resume, yours should be clean and concise. A few tips to keep in mind:

• Make it one page, no exceptions. Committees already have your full application in CASPA, so this is just an overview. You can elaborate at your interview.

• - Use an easy-to-read font like Times New Roman or Arial. This isn't the time for creative fonts or heavy graphic design. Most PA faculty are traditional and you're applying to a professional program.

• - Use a legible font size. It's tempting to shrink fonts and margins to cram everything in, but resist it.

• - Don't write in complete sentences. Instead of "During my time as a paramedic, I assessed the condition of patients and determined a course of treatment," write "Assess a patient's condition and determine a course of treatment."

• - Read, re-read, and ask others to proofread. Don't rely on your computer to catch every mistake.

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A polished one-page resume makes life easier for your recommenders and helps committees see your value at a glance. Don't overthink it, just keep it clean, relevant, and error-free. If you'd rather not start from scratch, grab our free resume template to get the structure set up for you.