PA School Spotlight: Pace University-Lenox Hill Hospital

Huge thanks to Kat for kicking off our PA School Spotlight series, which gives you a real student's view of what PA school looks like at different programs.

The Pace University-Lenox Hill Hospital program runs 26 months, from July through the end of August. The structure breaks down into four didactic semesters (first summer, fall, spring, and a second summer) followed by three clinical semesters (fall, spring, and a third summer).

The class size is around 75. Kat shared this while just starting her fifth semester, with Behavioral Medicine as her first rotation.

One thing that stands out is the location. Being in NYC means access to a great hospital in Lenox Hill plus top rotation sites like NYU, Columbia, NYP, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Mount Sinai. For a student coming from a small town, that exposure to a busy, diverse clinical environment was a big draw.

Kat chose Pace-Lenox Hill for a mix of practical and personal reasons.

• She wanted to step out of her comfort zone, and NYC delivered the diversity and exposure she was looking for

• - The association with Lenox Hill Hospital and strong rotation sites was a major selling point

• - The program fit her stats well, and importantly it does not use rolling admissions, so she could keep gaining experience without sinking in the applicant pool

• The lack of rolling admissions mattered because the program reviews all applications starting September 1st, which meant her later-earned hours still counted. When she applied, the program also had a relatively low patient care experience requirement, which fit where she was in her clinical experience at the time.

• The interview sealed it. She felt the vibe was relaxed, many students were on the younger side like her, and even though NYC was new to her, the area around the school felt very safe.

For the didactic year, Kat leaned on a handful of go-to resources: PANCE Prep Pearls, Lange Q&A, Rosh Review, and Sketchy Medical.

The hardest adjustment was the workload. PA school is very different from undergrad, but she found it more enjoyable because every class connects directly to caring for future patients. Two to three exams a week were overwhelming at first (she called the rough fall stretch 'Sucktober'), but she was surprised how quickly she adapted once spring semester started.

Her advice to other students is grounded and encouraging:

• Take it one exam at a time

• - Make time for your priorities; for her that was health and fitness, so she meal prepped on weekends and carved out 45 minutes to an hour to exercise 5-6 times a week

• - Believe you can do this, because PA school is temporary, so work hard and enjoy it as much as you can

• You can find Kat on Instagram at @stethoscope.kat.

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Every PA program has its own rhythm, and spotlights like this one help you picture what daily life might look like before you apply. If you are a current PA student who would like to share your program, we would love to feature you. And if you are still building your school list, our PA Programs Map is a great place to compare options.