Interview with a PA-S from UTSW

Here's an interview with a PA-S from UTSW who is also a mom.


1) Why did you choose to be a PA?

One of the major attractions to becoming a PA was the flexibility within the profession. I love that if sometime in the future I want to change my area of practice, I can.



2) Before pursuing this path, you were an IT consultant for a number of years. How has your experience in that field influenced and prepared you to learn and practice medicine?


As a consultant, I worked within a team to solve problems for our clients. It required strong communication skills, critical thinking and patience. When I decided I wanted to return to the workforce after several years as a stay-at-home-mom, I knew that I wanted to work closely with people again and leverage the skills I had developed before, but in a more personally rewarding setting. The PA profession offers a beautiful blend of being mentally stimulating, allowing me to work closely people and making a difference in the lives of patients.



3) What was your application process like (how many schools, how many interviews, how did you choose)?

Since I was not in a position to move out of the DFW area, I only applied to UT Southwestern and UNT. I was very lucky to have the opportunity to interview at both schools. Both schools are incredible, but since I lived in Dallas, I immediately accepted the offer from UTSW once I heard from them.



4) What has surprised you about PA School so far?

With respect to the didactic phase, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the full cadaver lab in Anatomy. It really is an amazing experience and an incredible gift from the people who choose to donate. As for the clinical phase, I am honestly surprised at how much I am enjoying pediatrics. Yes, I am a mother of two, but I didn't think I would have this much fun with other people's kiddos, especially sick ones. The lesson there is to approach each new experience with an open mind.



5) What has been your strategy for balancing study, family, and sanity?

Well, it hasn't been so much a strategy as much as it has been a keystone, my husband. He has been incredibly supportive and continues to adjust his schedule on a weekly basis to take care of our children, whether it be to drop them off or pick them up from school or keeping them entertained on the weekend so I can study. I am not a straight A student like I was in years past, but I have adjusted my expectations of myself and have come to accept a modest drop in grades so that I have time to be with my family.



6) What do you wish you had done in preparation for the start of your program?

I wish I had done more to learn Spanish. I knew that part of the curriculm at UTSW included Medical Spanish, but I really should have done more to learn the basics of the language before starting the program.



7) Besides shadowing and good grades, what advice would you give future applicants?

Take your personal essay and letters of recommendation seriously. Have several different people read your essay and provide feedback. As for the letters of recommendation, choose people that you are confident will write a strong and meaningful letter. If you are planning to ask one or more of your professors to write one for you, make certain you stand out in class as a contributor to class discussions. Do not expect to get a stellar personalized letter based on top grades alone.

Also, if you get rejected, contact the program as soon as possible and ask to meet with someone, ideally a faculty member, regarding your application. When you do meet, go in with an idea of what you think were your weaknesses and a plan to address each of them. Review that plan and confirm that it would make you a stronger candidate for next year. Who know's? Maybe they'll reconsider you for this year.