First-Generation PA Student: Breaking Down Barriers

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Jessica Gomez, a first-generation PA student at UC Davis and the daughter of immigrants, shares the unique barriers she faced, from being her parents' cultural and linguistic mediator to navigating college applications without guidance. Through hard work, she raised her GPA and built her application to become a PA.

Last Updated: June 12, 2026

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What barriers do first-generation students face on the path to PA school?

I'm Jessica Gomez, a PA-S1 at the University of California, Davis, and I wanted to share a few of the barriers I have overcome as a first-generation student. As the daughter of immigrants, I faced unique challenges that shaped my life because of the cultural hardships my family worked through. As a child, I was my parents' linguistic and cultural mediator, and that responsibility actually strengthened my interpersonal skills and showed me early how fulfilling it is to help others.

Being a first-generation college student is an honor and a privilege my parents did not have. But it also meant I could not turn to them for advice on college applications, scholarships, or even choosing a major. That lack of a roadmap made the start of my journey much harder than it is for students who have family who have been through it.

In this post:

How did you overcome academic struggles and reach your goal?

Without that guidance, I struggled academically during my first year of undergrad. But my parents instilled in me a hardworking, diligent attitude, and through persistence I was able to turn things around. I can't tell you how many hours I spent studying to bring up my GPA.

I also took advantage of every opportunity I could find: volunteering, shadowing, and working as a scribe, all to make sure I would reach my goal of becoming a PA. Whatever your obstacles are, keep at it. I deeply believe we can achieve anything we set our minds to and work for. If you are a first-generation student feeling like you are figuring it all out alone, please know that your background is a strength, not a setback.

In Our Experience

This is a guest post, and Jessica's story is one I see often in coaching: first-generation applicants who carry extra weight because there is no family playbook to follow. In our experience, the very skills these students build, like translating, advocating, and persevering, end up being exactly what makes them compassionate providers.

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

First-generation students often grow up as their family's translator and advocate, building the exact interpersonal skills PA programs look for.

Free Application Timeline → https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-application-timeline/

Need to Know:

First-generation students often navigate applications without family guidance
Serving as a family translator builds strong interpersonal skills
A rough first year of college can be recovered from with persistence
Volunteering, shadowing, and scribing strengthen your application
Your background can be a genuine strength in your story
You don't have to figure the journey out completely alone

Listen: Respiratory Therapist, Mom, and First-Gen College Student to PA School: An Interview with Jessi

First in her family to go to college. A mom. A respiratory therapist. And now a PA student.

Episode show notes & key takeaways

First in her family to go to college. A mom. A respiratory therapist. And now a PA student.

Jessi did this the hard way, and she's honest about it. No one in her family had been through college, so there was no roadmap and no one to ask. She was working as an RT and raising kids while taking prereqs. The doubt was constant.

What I love about this conversation is that she doesn't pretend it was smooth. She talks about the moments she thought about quitting and what actually kept her going. If you're doing this while working full time, parenting, or figuring it out with no one in your corner who's been there, listen to this one.

RT is also a great PCE job, and we get into how that experience shaped her application.
What we cover:
Being a first-generation college student with no roadmap for this
What respiratory therapy taught her that shows up in PA school
How she handled prereqs while working and parenting
The self-doubt, and what she did with it
How she talked about her nontraditional path in her application
What she'd tell someone starting from zero

Resources

Follow The Pre-PA Club: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · All episodes

FAQ

What is a first-generation PA student?

A first-generation PA student is someone whose parents did not attend or complete college, meaning they often navigate higher education and the PA application process without family who have done it before.

Can you get into PA school after a rough first year of college?

Yes. Jessica struggled academically her first year and recovered by studying hard to raise her GPA. A slow start does not disqualify you if you show an upward trend and persistence.

How can first-generation students strengthen their PA applications?

Take advantage of every opportunity you can, including volunteering, shadowing, and scribing, and lean into the unique perspective and skills your background gives you.

Is being first-generation an advantage or disadvantage for PA school?

It can be both. The lack of a family roadmap is a real challenge, but the resilience, advocacy, and interpersonal skills first-generation students build are genuine strengths.

Where can first-generation pre-PAs find guidance?

Mentors, advisors, PA forums, and coaching resources can fill the gap that family guidance might not. You don't have to navigate the process alone.

CLOSING

If you are a first-generation pre-PA, your path may have extra hurdles, but those hurdles are part of what will make you a strong applicant and provider. Keep going, lean on the resources around you, and reach out if you want help mapping out your own roadmap to PA school.

Pre-PA Counseling → https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-counseling/

First-Generation PA Student: Breaking Down Barriers