LSU Health Shreveport PA Program: Anna's Waitlist-to-Acceptance Story

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Anna applied once to 5 programs, interviewed at 2, and was waitlisted at both before being accepted to LSU Health Shreveport. She then voluntarily withdrew from the second waitlist so someone else could have the spot. Her file: 4000+ PCE hours as an EKG tech, home health RBT, and medical assistant, a 3.5 GPA, and a 300 GRE.

Last Updated: August 2, 2026

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Why PA?

I chose PA when I was 12 years old because the ability to remain a student the rest of my life was utterly appealing. I have always enjoyed school, always loved learning, and relished the thought of continuing that for the rest of my professional life. Growing up, I learned how much of a Type 2 (helper) I am. I was always going out of my way to make sure things and people around me were taken care of and doing my best to take any burdens off of my family, coworkers, and friends. I want to work in a role that allows me to help those I work with and those I don’t in a healthcare setting. Being a PA affords the opportunity in stepping into a myriad of roles other than JUST being a provider.

In this post:

How many programs did you apply to?

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, "do something for your application every day" is the single best piece of process advice in this entire series. This work fails when it becomes a series of frantic sprints — a weekend of essay drafting, a month of GRE cramming, a scramble for shadowing in June. Twenty minutes a day over a year produces a stronger, calmer application than any sprint. Anna’s method of finding shadowing is also worth copying: ask the providers you already work with for the names of PAs they know.

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

2 – Waitlisted to both, then accepted to the first. I backed out of the second waitlist because I felt that it was selfish to stay on when I had a position at a school (I do NOT think this is a general opinion, it just felt less stressful for me personally to back out!)

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Anna withdrew from her second waitlist once she had a seat, freeing it for another applicant — while explicitly noting it was a personal choice, not a rule.

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Where will you be attending?

LSUHSC Shreveport

Anything you found interesting about interviews?

The types of questions that were asked. I understand now that they could have been to see how I respond to pressure, how I respond to stress, how I think on my feet, etc., but in the moment it was a little overwhelming.

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

Magoosh for GRE prep taught me HOW to study for the GRE, so that was a mental game changer for me.

Any advice for other pre-PA students?

Do something for your application every day. Learn a new word (better GRE prep), volunteer for 1 hour, go shadow (even a virtual session), spend 20 minutes typing a rough draft of your personal statement, look up the programs you are interested in attending and ensure you are checking all of the boxes.

Where can we find you? (Instagram, TikTok, Website, etc)

Instagram @annamedora

Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: Ferris State University
Overall GPA: 3.5
Science GPA: 3.4
GRE: 300
PA-CAT: Did not take
Total PCE hours: 4000+ – EKG tech in ER, Home Health RBT, Medical Assistant
Shadowing hours: 150+ – I reached out to PA students I knew and asked for contacts, and also asked the doctors I worked with for contacts of PA’s in the hospitals
Volunteer hours: 50+ – Coaching softball for kids, participating in after-school programs.
How many times did you apply?: 1
Age: 25
Gender: Female

FAQ

What GPA do you need for the LSU Health Shreveport PA program?

Anna was accepted with a 3.5 overall GPA and a 3.4 science GPA. [VERIFY] LSU Health Shreveport’s current published minimum GPA and most recent accepted class averages.

Does LSU Health Shreveport require the GRE for PA school?

Anna submitted a 300, prepared with Magoosh, and did not take the PA-CAT. [VERIFY] whether the GRE is currently required, optional, or not accepted at LSU Health Shreveport.

Should you withdraw from a PA school waitlist after being accepted elsewhere?

It is a personal decision and not an obligation. Anna withdrew from her second waitlist once she held a seat, noting explicitly that she does not consider this a general rule. Holding a spot while you weigh genuine options is completely legitimate.

How do you find PA shadowing opportunities?

Anna asked PA students she knew for contacts, and asked the physicians she worked with for names of PAs in their hospitals. Both approaches use networks you already have rather than cold outreach.

What should you do every day to prepare for PA school applications?

Anna’s approach was daily small progress: learn a vocabulary word for the GRE, volunteer an hour, do a virtual shadowing session, or spend 20 minutes drafting your personal statement. Consistency beats cramming.

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

Anna decided she wanted this at twelve, spent years chipping away at it daily, and got in on her first try. Then she gave up a waitlist spot she no longer needed. Do something for your application every day, she says — the least dramatic advice here and probably the most effective.

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LSU Health Shreveport PA Program: Anna's Waitlist-to-Acceptance Story