How to Get Into Physician Assistant, PA School

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By winnster
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Get Into Physician Assistant, PA School

Wanna become a physician assistant? A few steps to get you started.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Step 1

Create a CASPA application. Duhh. Make sure you start early. Begin in March if you can. Even though you may think that you'll have enough time in the end, you won't!
Step 2

Start volunteering and shadowing. If you have already been doing so, great. If not, start by January of the year that you are applying. Many schools have due dates at around the beginning of October. Starting early will give you plenty of time to gather up hours. The more prestigious schools need anywhere from 2000-5000 direct patient care hours. When entering your hours on CASPA, enter anything and everything you can, including all volunteer hours, training hours or community service hours.
Step 3

Get your letters of recommendations, preferably one from your professor, one from your supervisor at the volunteer site, and one from a PA that you shadowed. The one from the PA is a must. Some schools will accept a letter from any health professional. Make sure you ask for them at least two months in advanced to allow them time to respond to you.
Step 4

Increase your GPA. If your GPA is less than stellar, you can try to retake the courses. Check with the schools to see what their required GPA is. Remember that CASPA or the school's computer system will screen you. Therefore, don't expect them to go through your application if your GPA do not meet the requirements exactly. Make sure you have completed all the prerequisites and passed with decent grades. Those courses are the ones that count the most.
Step 5

Maximize your resources. Talk to other PAs. Build connections. Join the Physician Assistant Forum at physicianassistantforum.com. This website is possibly the best resource you can find. It features members who post their personal statements. You can ask questions and receive feedback. Take advantage of everything you can find.
Step 6

Write an out-of-this-world, super extraordinary PERSONAL STATEMENT. Be prepared to spend at least a month of two just gathering up ideas and writing your first draft. This is not something you can do the night before the applications are due. My advice, highlight your positives and downplay your negatives. More on how to write a personal statement in another article. :)
Step 7

Take the GRE. Now depending on the school, some schools do not require a GRE. However, it would be to your own advantage if you do take it.
Step 8

Dress for success. If you get an interview, remember to look professional and act confident. It may be intimidating, but the schools do not want to see that you are nervous. Relax and breathe. You've done all this work just applying, don't screw it up on the interview. Practice just a little bit the night before and make a list of questions that you think or know that they are going to ask. Don't sound like a robot trying to reiterate what you've memorized the night before. Finally, don't forget to smile.