Northern Arizona University PA Program: Chianti's Acceptance Story

By: Savanna Perry, PA-C

TL;DR

Chianti applied to 10 programs, was offered 8 interviews, attended 4, and was accepted at all four — choosing Northern Arizona University's downtown Phoenix Biomedical Campus. She had a 3.8 GPA in both overall and science, 1,500 PCE hours at the time she applied growing past 2,000 by matriculation, and 120 shadowing hours with surgical PAs. She credits EMS work as the most valuable patient care experience she could have gotten.

Last Updated: August 2, 2026

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Why PA?

The lateral mobility and opportunity to provide high quality patient care with a large scope.

In this post:

How many programs did you apply to?

In Our Experience

In our experience at The PA Platform, Chianti's endorsement of EMS work is one we'd echo. Prehospital care puts you in situations with incomplete information, real time pressure, and full responsibility for a patient in front of you — and that experience produces interview answers about stress and decision-making that nobody can fake. It's also relatively accessible: EMT certification takes a matter of months rather than years. Her result speaks for itself, with 8 interview offers from 10 applications and acceptances at every program she visited. Worth noting: she reports 1,500 PCE hours at submission, which is moderate, so the strength here is a 3.8 across the board paired with clinically demanding experience rather than sheer volume.

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

Offered 8 interviews, attended 4, and was accepted at all 4.

Every Pre-PA Should Know...

Chianti's PCE went from 1,500 at submission to over 2,000 by matriculation. Programs evaluate the hours you report when you apply, but continuing to work through the cycle strengthens your position on waitlists and in any update you send.

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Where will you be attending?

Northern Arizona University at the downtown Phoenix Biomedical Campus

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

The pa platform book & Reddit's prepa forumn!

Any other advice for other pre-PA students?

My EMS experience was incredibly valuable to me and I highly recommend it for anyone searching for excellent PCE. Being in the field will prepare you for extremely stressful situations and challenge you to grow.

Need to Know:

Undergraduate education: Bachelors in Medical Laboratory Science from Arizona State University
Overall GPA: 3.8
Science GPA: 3.8
GRE: 309
Total PCE hours: 1500 at time of application (2000+ by matriculation)
Total HCE hours: 630 hours as a lab technologist and ICU volunteer
Shadowing hours: 120 (general surgery and orthopedic surgery PAs)
Volunteer hours: 350 volunteering hours. 250 research hours
LORs: 1 from a PA, 1 from an MD I did research under, 1 from the academic director of my lab science program
How many times did you apply?: 1
Age: 22
Gender: Female

FAQ

What GPA do you need for the Northern Arizona University PA program?

Chianti was accepted with a 3.8 overall GPA and a 3.8 science GPA. [VERIFY] Confirm NAU's current minimum GPA requirements.

Does Northern Arizona University's PA program require the GRE?

Chianti submitted a GRE score of 309. [VERIFY] Confirm whether NAU currently requires the GRE, as many programs have dropped it.

Is EMS good patient care experience for PA school?

It's among the best. Chianti recommends it specifically, noting that field work prepares you for high-stress situations and forces you to grow. EMT certification is also faster to obtain than most other clinical credentials.

How many patient care hours do you need for the NAU PA program?

Chianti applied with 1,500 PCE hours, reaching more than 2,000 by matriculation, plus 630 HCE hours and 120 shadowing hours. [VERIFY] Confirm NAU's current PCE requirements.

Does research experience help a PA school application?

It can, particularly when it produces a strong letter. Chianti logged 250 research hours and one of her three letters came from the physician she did research under, alongside letters from a PA and her lab science program's academic director.

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

Eight interview offers, four attended, four acceptances — Chianti had one of the cleanest cycles in this batch at age 22. Her stats are strong but not extraordinary in volume, and what she points to as the differentiator is EMS field experience. If you're deciding how to get patient care hours, that recommendation comes from someone whose approach worked at every program she visited.

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Northern Arizona University PA Program: Chianti's Acceptance Story