Prepping for PA School as a Junior

As my sophomore year wound down, I started planning a full summer. My EMT course had been canceled in January, so I signed up for the summer section, and I also joined a Summer Scholars Program to work in a research lab and present my project at the end.

For context, my research focuses on deleting a specific transcription factor in a pathway involved in early microglial cell recruitment to glioblastoma tumors. My weeks filled up fast: weekdays in the lab and weekends in EMT class and clinicals. It left little time to relax, but I gained a ton of hands-on experience and it confirmed my interest in emergency medicine. That busy stretch deepened my research knowledge and clarified what I wanted, which made all the effort feel worth it.

Going into junior year, I was excited to keep up my research and EMT work and to start shadowing a PA with my instructor's help. These were great opportunities, and I felt like I was finally checking boxes for my PA school application. But what I really needed to learn was how to manage my time.

With so many extracurriculars running at once on top of a full class schedule, I started struggling to keep up with my coursework and earn the grades I wanted. I stuck with that overloaded schedule longer than I should have, hoping I'd figure it out, before I finally admitted I needed to fix my time management. That realization was uncomfortable, but it was the most valuable thing I took from the year.

Over Christmas break, I did a lot of self-reflection on the semester and my time management struggles. I decided to pause shadowing and pick it back up the following summer, and I passed my EMT boards so I'd have that certification moving forward.

I planned my spring semester with a lighter course load to recover from the previous one. That semester was a big improvement, not just in grades but in learning to balance research, friends, and coursework. I also got to present my research as a poster for the Association of Southern Biologists through Tri Beta Honors Society in Little Rock, Arkansas, which sharpened my presentation skills during a four-hour session. Spacing things out made everything more manageable.

My summer is booked with finishing shadowing a couple of PAs in the emergency room and adding to my volunteer hours. With next year being my last before I start applying, I'm focused on keeping good time management and staying confident in my preparation as the application date approaches.

Looking back, this past year was full of learning and growth. Between finding opportunities to fill out different parts of the application and figuring out how to juggle them with a full course load, I grew a lot personally and as an applicant. Completing application pieces is exciting, but prioritizing your schoolwork and protecting study time matters just as much. Good time management is a skill that will carry straight into PA school.

Junior year is the time to keep building your experience while protecting the grades that committees lean on most. Be honest with yourself about how much you can carry in one semester, and don't be afraid to stagger things out. When you're ready to map your timeline, our free application timeline and our coaches can help you plan it.