Guide to Applying to Physician Assistant School

MEET WITH YOUR ADVISOR

Discuss Grades, Prerequisites, GRE (Take Kaplan course if you are not good at standardized tests), Research Opportunities, Volunteer

MEET WITH A PROFESSOR FROM MUSC or ATTEND A MUSC COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS OPEN HOUSE

Bring a copy of your transcript and resume. Express INTENSE interest in the PA program and ask them what steps you need to take in order to get in.

VOLUNTEER

First make sure that you will be able to keep up your grades. If you are currently not working in the healthcare field (EMT, patient care technician, etc.) volunteering is an excellent way to gain experience! Visit the volunteer services website on the MUSC page and set up an appointment to meet with one of the coordinators. Its only 3 hours a week and you will learn so much!

You can volunteer anywhere but having a foot in the door at MUSC will help. If you are currently in Charleston area, some places to volunteer include the Crisis Ministries, Palmetto Behavioral Health, Lowcountry AIDS, Special Olympics, etc…

SHADOW

Ask your advisor or other professors if they know of any PAs you could shadow.  You will need a letter of recommendation from either a physician or PA, so shadowing and getting to know one is very important. Always be super enthusiastic in the clinic… you want a great recommendation! Don’t be afraid to ask questions. There are no dumb questions in medicine.

APPLY EARLY

The application cycle begins in July.  Applications are completed online with secondary forms to be mailed.  Send transcripts from all schools early since these usually take a while to be processed. You will need 3 letters of recommendation- one from a college professor, one from a physician or PA, and one from an employer or other non-related person. You want to ask people who know you the best! It does not matter how important they are (meaning they do not need to be the Dean etc.) but how well they will write about you!!!!

Example:  (1)Professor/research mentor, (2)Physician, and (3)Co-worker

You will also need to write a personal statement, usually about why do you want to be a PA and how have you prepared yourself.

Here is a personal statement example written by one of the current students in the program during their admissions process:

PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE

Seventeen years old, bald and covered in bruises from chemotherapy, a teenage girl was told she had six months to live, but she never stopped smiling and never stopped believing.  Nine months later, I heard a sweet voice thanking the health care team, and turned my head to see this beautiful girl with a full head of hair.  Her stage III ovarian cancer was in remission.  She was one of my first patients as a patient care technician and a major inspiration for my desire to become a valued part of a medical team as a physician assistant.

From playing doctor and patching up dolls as a child, to performing first aid and CPR as a teenage lifeguard, to counseling young adults during college, I have been driven to serve and help others all my life.   Studying biology and psychology in college further defined this drive into a passion for medicine, and experiencing life as part of a medical team, while working at MUSC after college, has inspired me to channel my passion into a career as a physician assistant.  Fortunately, my education and experiences have not only inspired my decision to pursue this career, but have also perfectly prepared me for it.

In addition to succeeding in the typical academic rigors of college, I persevered through the many adversities unique to military colleges.  As one of only 130 females to graduate in the history of The Citadel, where only one-third of the brave few females in my own class made it to graduation, I have demonstrated the commitment and excellence I plan to apply again in your PA program. The endurance and work ethic forged by attending The Citadel will forever remain essential components of my character.  Cadet experiences taught me teamwork and leadership in working with all types of people, and cultivated the discipline and time-management skills to succeed through stressful situations.

I also have over a year of work experience as a patient care technician and have shadowed physician assistants in both clinical and private practice settings.  I have witnessed the hard work and long hours of the medical profession, yet I am still eager to devote my life to it.  And I am ready: my education and experiences have made me the perfect candidate for MUSC’s PA program, equipped with the passion, academic ability, and commitment necessary to excel in both the program and in a career as a PA after graduation.

INTERVIEWS

BE PREPARED! Take advantage of the career center! Print out the sample interview questions from the website, write your answers out, and schedule a mock interview with your career center. This helps tremendously!

Sample Questions:

1.Tell me about yourself

2. What do you like to do for fun?

3. Why do you want to be a PA?

4.Tell me about a life-altering experience?

5. How have you prepared to be a PA?

6. Is healthcare a right or privilege? Be ready to discuss healthcare reform.

7. How do you study? Tell me about your organizational skills.

Dress to impress. Business attire. Ladies- please try to keep the makeup to a natural look and keep your hair out of your face. Minimize the jewelry, too.

Try to stay away from sodas and caffeine overload during your interview day. You want to be yourself, not jittery. Bring breath mints to limit smacking, no gum.

Most importantly- BE YOURSELF! Don’t worry about your grades or test scores. If you were invited for an interview, those things are fine. The faculty wants to know the real you.  If you have a copy of your senior research project or something else, bring multiple copies and be prepared to talk about it. This will help you stand out.

For more information about applying to MUSC’s Physician Assistant program, visit the PA website!