ENT PA Interview: Ngan on AAPA Advocacy and PA Life

Before PA school, Ngan earned her Master of Public Health and worked as an epidemiologist with a local health department, investigating infectious diseases. She also spent time as a medical assistant at an HIV clinic. She is honest that the MPH did not directly earn her more interviews, but it became a strong conversation starter once she was in the room.

As a practicing PA, she feels the public health lens changed how she thinks about patient care, pushing her to consider socioeconomic status and other factors that affect health. She believes that makes her a better provider. Her advice is practical: taking a few public health courses can help almost anyone, but only pursue a full second master's if you are truly drawn to working with underserved populations or improving community health.

Ngan applied to Florida International University when the program was still provisional and became part of the very first graduating class. She admits she was a little nervous applying without much information, but going through the process and being interviewed by ARC-PA gave her confidence. It takes a lot for a PA school to reach accreditation.

She encourages students to look closely at provisional programs rather than write them off. One of the upsides of a brand-new program is the chance to give feedback, help mold the curriculum, and leave a real mark for future students. If making that kind of impact appeals to you, a newer program can be a great fit.

Ngan is candid that she did not research programs well. At the time she did not know anyone going through the process, so she navigated it alone. She applied to 10 schools, mostly in Florida, chosen largely by location and whether her GPA met the listed requirements.

Looking back, she wishes she had dug into each program's mission and values. You spend two or more years in a program and invest your whole career in it, so fit matters as much as proximity. Because she did not prepare as thoroughly, she received only one interview, at FIU. Fortunately, that was the only school she needed. Her takeaway for applicants is simple: do the research and apply where you genuinely belong, not just where it is convenient.

Ngan works at an academic ENT practice alongside residents and attendings, and her group is unusually subspecialized, with providers focused on otology, rhinology, pediatrics, and reconstructive plastics. That means her days vary a lot. She might work with the ear doctor in the morning and switch to a different clinic in the afternoon, Monday through Friday.

During her training phase, the expectation is that she sees each new or returning patient, takes a full history, performs the exam, does ear debridement when needed, and then discusses a plan with her attending before they return to the patient together. She is also learning nasal endoscopies. Once training wraps up, the goal is to see and manage her own panel of patients independently. She found her job through networking at an ENT conference she attended as a student.

Ngan was active as a student leader at FIU, serving as her class diversity chair, which led her to her state academy. She had caught the advocacy bug years earlier lobbying in college, and after her MPH she wanted to use her PA title as a platform for patients. When she saw on Facebook that AAPA was seeking student delegates, she applied and was selected to serve for a year.

As a delegate, she helped enact policies for the profession. The student academy holds the largest voting body with 16 seats, and delegates spend several days at the AAPA conference debating and voting on policies that affect care delivery, Medicare coverage, and PA practice. She points to real wins, like an initiative to increase PA diversity through funding for programs at historically Black colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions, and rural-serving institutions, plus support for higher PA federal loan limits.

Ngan's story is a great reminder that there is no single perfect path into the PA profession, and that getting involved beyond the classroom can open doors. If you are prepping for interviews and want to practice telling your own story with confidence, a mock interview with one of our coaches is a great next step.