Archive for 1.Preparation
Answers to Pre-PA Questions – Gaining Experience to become a PA
Posted by: | CommentsI received a message thru the contact form of The PA Path about how to gain experience to become a viable candidate. This person was interested in the program located in the Anne Arendel CC in Maryland.
Looking at the PDF for the last 3 PA class profiles there, students commonly had these medical backgrounds:
Emergency Medicine Medical Assistant, Nursing Assistant,
Athletic Trainer and
Medical Technology
The last class had an average of 3681 hours Read More→
How to become a Top Applicant for Physician Assistant Programs
Posted by: | CommentsPhysician Assistant School is very competitive. Only 5% of applicants get into top 10 schools and around 9% for all programs. You have to separate yourself from the pack. Over on my Squidoo lens I wrote an article of the same title. Here is a audio version of that article.
The PA Path on Squidoo
Posted by: | CommentsSquidoo is a free site for creating one page web sites on a single topic. There are a few lenses (lens for focus on a topic instead of web pages) that focus on Physician Assistants. Two of them are mine. All this info is free and is in two pages – The Path to Physician Assistant and Physician Assistant Interview Tips. I update them weekly with references and videos. They are another place for you Read More→
CASPA accepting Applications to PA Programs in April
Posted by: | CommentsApril is just a few weeks away and during that month CASPA will open its portal for accepting applications. If you use CASPA in 2011, it is for admission to a PA program in 2012. Most programs quit accepting applications thru CASPA in October or November.
Important facts you need to know about CASPA
- It is an exercise in following instructions!
- You need to create an account on the first day it opens if you Read More→
Answers to Pre-PA Questions #5
Posted by: | CommentsMaria writes to me via Squidoo:
I am planning on applying to PA school this spring. I have a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine, a GPA of 3.25, all my prequisites except for the GRE…which I am taking in March and I just started working in as an Emergency Department Assistant to obtain experience. I’ve shadowed various PAs and have documented 130 shadow hours. I am very nervous about getting into PA school because my Read More→
Pros and Cons of being a Physician Assistant
Posted by: | CommentsI received an email from someone considering the PA profession. The person was wondering about PAs and NPs and the pros and cons of being a PA. I sent him a reply and I am adding it here.
While you are here take this short survey. It will open in a pop up and close when you are finished. Just click on the “Take Our Survey” below.
I have enjoyed being a PA and find Read More→
The Pros of becoming a PA
Posted by: | CommentsHere is a list of what we see as some of the Pros of become a Physician Assistant
- It is a top 10 occupation and expected to stay that way until 2014
- Through 2014 the occupation is expected to grow 27%
- Income is excellent (see article on income potential)
- Good working conditions
- 140+ different PA programs to choose from – every state except Delaware, Alaska, Hawaii, and Vermont have at least one program