Interview with a PA-S from UTPA

Here is Miguel, a TAPA Student Director and PA Student from UT Pan American

1) What made you decide to be a PA? (include a bit about your background if you can)

Well, I've been working in healthcare since I was 18 when I started to work at an out-patient surgery center as a Nurse Aid for almost 3 years. During my last year in college I worked as a Caregiver then once I graduated I immediately began working as a Sales Representative for a compounding pharmacy part-time, while I worked full-time in the business office at a physician owned hospital for about 4 years. So naturally, I new the healthcare avenue would be my best choice to seek a professional career in. I was very interested in the fact that a PA has the ability to move from one specialty/branch of medicine to another, as compared to an MD's career. I was also enthused by the obvious career perks, which included yearly salary, program length, responsibilities and the privilege to treat patients. But what sealed the deal for me was when I shadowed different PAs, I knew right away that this career was for me.


2)  How did you choose UTPA? What was interviewing like?

Since I was already carrying some weight from my undergraduate loans, my first priority was to attend a program that was more affordable. My second priority was to find a program that had a curriculum that would best fit my learning style and experience. My third priority was basically getting accepted into any program. After I looked into several programs, I did realize that UTPA was best suited for me. I liked that the program was focused on team-based learning, involved in rural medicine and wasn't located in a big city that had a distracting night life.​ The interview process has changed every year since I have been attending but I will say that it wasn't as intimidating as other program interviews. As long as you know your strengths and weaknesses and show compassion for the profession, I feel like you will leave the interview feeling good.


3)  What surprised you about PA school?

What surprised me the most was that I initially thought I was going to be fed all of this medical knowledge by my professors directly into my grey matter but this was not the case. This being my first Masters program, I realized that a lot of the information we learn is self taught, the professors are there to help guide you to your degree and of course teach you a few things.


4)  What study strategies worked?

I feel like this is a very open ended question since every student is going to have an almost completely different strategy to studying. However, I did find myself experimenting with a few different strategies and even study groups throughout the first semester until I felt comfortable with the amount of work I would put into studying and the outcome of each exam. Towards the end I thought it was best to study with a small group that way we could talk and share important points about each topic. Watching videos, whether free or paid for, also helped tremendously when I was pinched for time. My best advice would be to get familiar with your study habits and find out how you learn best, while also looking at other strategies that could possibly work for you, before you enter any program.


5) Tell me about your involvement and experience with TAPA.

So I've known about TAPA for about 4 years and have been personally involved as the UTPA Student Director for almost 2 years now. As Student Director I have had the privilege of being involved in TAPA board meetings, which gave me a behind the scenes look at how our board members run the show. It is hard to explain the awesome feelings I get when sitting at a board meeting and being able to interact with other board members on important issues that affect all PAs in Texas. Aside from being a Student Director I am also part of the Legislative  and Multicultural Affairs and Mentorship Committees. I try to attend both the spring and fall conferences every year and any other TAPA event that my schedule allows me to attend. PA Day at the Capitol in Austin, TX has definitely been my most memorable TAPA experience and I hope to see more PAs involved in the future.


6) Any plans for after graduation?

Right after I graduate and take the PANCE I am going to treat myself with a trip to Thailand for a few weeks. As of now, I plan on staying in the Edinburg/McAllen area for a few years, hopefully working in an ER or family clinic until I pay off all my school debt. I still plan on being part of a few TAPA committees in hopes of attaining a leadership position. I will probably still live like a poor college student until I'm debt free but once I pay off all my loans I will most likely buy something really expensive that I will regret and then try to return it. Hopefully I don't really do that but I do hope to buy a home, start a family and have lots of dogs.


7) What advice would you give an aspiring PA?

I highly recommend that you go shadow many PAs in different areas of medicine to see if this is the profession you are passionate about. I know it has become more difficult to find hospitals and clinics that allow shadowing but if you really want to be a PA, you will do whatever it takes to get there. Don't give up and try, try again. Make sure that you can be a flexible person, in all aspects, especially while you're in school. And most importantly make sure you are okay with studying for countless of hours, to the point that you forget what a bed is used for. If you still have doubts or questions, go to a TAPA Conference!

PA in healthcare consultanting

Here's an interview with Rachel Miller, a PA who is now a consultant with Deloitte. 


1.       Why did you choose to become a PA?

I wanted to make a difference!  From surgery to preventative medicine, I like working with people to help them become their best selves.  One of the best parts about being a PA is that you really can do it all—work in primary care, transition into surgery, leave your mark as an administrator, professor, or business leader.

2.       What was your experience like at UNTHSC? Any strategies for didactic phase and clinical phase?

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes!  From didactics to clinical phase to extracurriculars, you are there to learn!  Volunteer to try new things, get out of your comfort zone, start a club, make new friends, and ask for help.  All too soon, you will look back and realize what a powerful time these 3 years were in your life—take full advantage of all there is to learn!

3.       You have an interesting first job story. Tell us how you taught the practice what a PA can do. 

All healthcare providers should practice to the maximum of their credentials and training!  That sounds obvious, but in practice, it’s not always the case.  My first job was as a surgical PA, and I had the opportunity to educate the practice on the full capabilities of a PA.  I worked with my supervising physician to design a position (as well as draft standing delegation orders) that allowed me to practice to the full extent of my education and training.  It greatly improved practice operations and even opened up an opportunity for me to operate a small aesthetic dermatology practice underneath the practice umbrella. 

4.       What do you do as a consultant? What would a week look like for you?

Now healthcare companies are my patients!  It seems like a strange metaphor, but I work with a team of business and healthcare professionals (physicians, nurses, pharmacists – I am the only PA…for now!) to assess, diagnose, and fix big problems for healthcare companies.  For example, the CEO of a large hospital or health system might call my company and ask for help in reducing costs or generating new revenue over the next few years.  My team assesses the problem and develops and implements solutions.  As a PA, I keep clinical quality at the forefront, and I get to take the lead in solving clinically-related problems.

Every week is very different—that’s one of the best parts of the job, but here’s a typical example:

Project:  Improve operating margin (by either reducing cost or improving revenue) in large west coast hospital’s spine surgery group, while maintaining or improving clinical quality outcomes.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
6am flight to California Internal team meetings	Observe OR cases, prep and turnover procedure Late night work session to compile findings	Review findings with team, analyze data, develop presentations Team dinner Late night work session	Work Session with surgeons & administrators—discuss observation findings and potential solutions Flight home 6pm	Internal team conference calls Evidence-based research Prepare for next week’s meetings

5.       Any advice for future PAs?

Congratulations on choosing one of the best career paths on the planet!  There is so much that you can do as a PA—from practicing in any area of medicine…to advising start-ups… to becoming an administrator or leader of a hospital or health system.  Your knowledge, experience, and passion is powerful, and there is no limit to what you can do!  

Interview from TAPA Rep. from UTSW

Here's an interview with Monica from UTSW.

1) Why did you choose to be a PA?

I wanted to become a PA after I did an extensive amount of research my senior year of college.  I've wanted to go into medicine my entire life. I specifically chose becoming a PA because the career allows for so much flexibility. I think part of the challenge with health care is that people can become burnt out. I found a field that will let me provide care to people when they are the most vulnerable but in a way that doesn't restrict me and will give me the most opportunity for life learning. 

2) What did you do to prepare to apply?

I wrote about 10,000 copies of my personal statement and made my friends and family read them. 

I looked up each school I was applying to and read their mission statements and tried to find people I knew who went to the schools to ask about pros and cons. 

I read a lot on the PA boards online.  I read PA blogs (like this one!)

I looked up interview techniques and practiced. 

And I spent time really trying to understand myself and why this is the best fit for me. In order to show other people you are meant to do something you have to know it inside and out.

3) How many schools did you apply to and interview with? What were the interviews like? How did you choose UTSW?

I believe around 10 applications. I was granted 4 interviews but only attended 2. 

They were nerve-racking and exhilarating at the same time. Both were very different. 

UTSW interview consisted of MMI (multiple mini interviews not mult. mini infarctions). I think it's a great way to get to know the candidates. The interview was engaging and helped loosen my nerves quite a bit.

4) What has surprised you about UTSW's PA program so far?

What surprised me about PA school in general is how different everyone's experience is. Some people have time to travel almost every weekend; while others never stop studying because they enjoy it and soak up the most information that way. 

Personally it seemed like nothing stuck during the academic year and that all the hard work was going to be for naught. I was constantly comparing myself to everyone else.  However, it just took rotations to make me feel much more confident as a provider. 

5) Have you found any successful strategies for surviving the didactic portion of your program?

Support each other. The people in your class are the only people who will completely understand you because they are the ones who went through the exact same things as you, even if their view point is different. Your family and friends will understand and be supportive but your classmates will really know what you're talking about when you need to vent or when you need help understanding something in your academics and program. 

6) What's the coolest things you've done so far?

In life? I met a president in the oval office once that was pretty cool. I also spent a week helping crew the coast guard barque eagle, that was also really cool.  (brag brag brag)

In PA school? Helping to deliver a child at Parkland. - I don't have any desire to go into obstetrics but it was an incredible and life changing experience that I will most likely never have again.  

7) Any advice for future applicants other than good grades and shadowing?

Stay focused but also live your life. When we have that much drive and passion to reach our goals it's easy to become blinded to missing out on life or to put it off. I'm cheesy but it's true. Without balance we tend to lose ourselves; and the part that we lose could be the exact thing that makes you an incredible care provider. 

Experience as much as you can so that you really know yourself before choosing your future career. 

Interview with a PA-S from MCPHS

Here is an interview with a PA student from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science and a PAEA SHP Fellow. 

1) Why did you choose to be a PA?

From working in biotech and healthcare operations, I knew I loved the medical industry, but I kept feeling a draw towards one-on-one patient care.  Originally I was going to become a doctor, however every doctor that I interacted with that was over the age of 40 told me the same thing.  "If I could do it all over again, I would have been a PA."  The PA life-work balance allowed providers to not burn out as easily.  That combined with the fluid transitions between specialties made me decide to instead become a PA.  It was the best decision I have ever made.

2) What did you do to prepare to apply?

Research, research, research.  I first pulled all my transcripts and updated my resume.  I used these things to create a "this is what I'm working with" folder.  Then I made a list of the top things I wanted in a PA program.  For me that was an active larger city, diverse clinical specialities, and a strong involvement with AAPA and professional organizations.  Then I purchased a "How to get into PA School" book and went through the list of schools one-by-one.  It took forever to figure out which programs I liked and match those with programs where I met their requirements. 

3) How many schools did you apply to and interview with? What were the interviews like? How did you choose MCPHS?

I applied to 10 schools.  One had a secondary application that did not appeal to me, so I withdrew my application for them.  Of the other nine schools, I was offered five interviews, and made it into three programs.  MCPHS had three things that greatly appealed to me; 

1) A student-life balance.  They have a three year program with longer winter and summer breaks.  I liked that because I wanted to keep some sense of my normal life while being in grad school.

2) They had a 99% PANCE pass rate and would not undergo reaccreditation until 2019.  To me, that said their curriculum was solid and trustworthy.

3) They were in Boston, located in the Longwood Medical area.  PA students at MCPHS-Boston took anatomy at Harvard Medical School and had some rotation spots at Brigham and Women's hospital.  Those are well recognized institutions that I trusted with my education.

As for interviews, I had everything from five faculty members in front of me firing questions to group scenarios.  The weirdest question I was asked was, "Give me three uses for a pencil other than writing."  The best question I was asked was, "If you couldn't be in the medical profession at all, what would you do with the rest of your life?"  The best way to prepare was using the PA Student Forums and running through the top 100 interview questions.  You don't need to know the exact questions they will ask you, but you do need to be prepared to think on your feet and sell what you are working with.

4) What has surprised you about MCPHS's PA program so far?

MCPHS-Boston raised their class size from 75 to 100 for my year.  They are capping it at 100 from now on, but it was a big adjustment to arrive thinking there would be 75 people and instead see 100.

That said, I am very surprised at how much I like the larger class size.  When you're sick or fatigued, you can hide in the back of lectures and just take in the information.  When you are jazzed about a special lecture, you can sit up front and interact with the professor.  Plus, with 100 students, you are guaranteed to find personalities that match yours.  I am very fortunate to have my study group.  There are six of us and they are my family.  No one in class knows how we were ranked in acceptance, so every day I am thankful that all six of us arrived here on campus to find each other. 

5) Have you found any successful strategies for surviving the didactic portion of your program?

Use the cloud to your advantage.  My study group shares a google drive folder where we split up the task of creating lecture notes.  My class has a shared Dropbox account to share notes between study groups.  We also have a Quizlet account to share our electronic flashcards.  I study flashcards on my phone on the bus or at the gym.

My study group is my real savior though.  I have arrived at my peer's house on a Friday night and left on Monday morning at 8am to take the exam.  We literally just kept reading through our notes and teaching each other for 72 hours straight.  Our breaks were workout videos and doing a push up for every flashcard you got wrong.

6) What's the coolest things you've done so far?

Being the student editor for First Rounds, the student written article section of PA Profession, has had some awesome perks.  Especially when I went to the AAPA Conference in May 2014.  Not only was I able to meet the entire AAPA editorial and marketing staff, but they wound up using some of the AAPA Boston student members as models in their conference banners.  So imagine my excitement when the man whose books have spawned my interest in professional writing, Atul Gewande, got up to speak, and my face was on the banner behind him!  It was at that moment that I realized, even as a first year PA student, I was a big part of this profession already.

7) Any advice for future applicants other than good grades and shadowing?

Talk to every 45+ year old person you meet and ask them if they are happy in their career and personal life.  Everyone is going to make mistakes and have regrets in their life, but learning from everyone else's mistakes will skyrocket your life.  For me, that was talking to everyone I knew in the medical profession in all areas; nursing, operations, security, etc.  It not only has helped me develop my career path, but it has helped me develop my personal life.  Plus, the more people you meet in life, the more experiences you hear about, so the more interesting you will be when you sit down at your PA interviews.