Interview with a PA fro Interventional Radiology

Here's an interview with a PA working in IR.

1) Why did you choose to be a PA? 

After college I worked as a health education researcher and teacher for several years and I really loved what I did. But it became frustrating when my students would come to me for health concerns and I didn’t have any means to provide immediate medical help. Many didn’t have access to regular check-ups and/or they did not trust their health care provider. I felt that being a PA would allow me to provide comprehensive medical care AND the education to help make good healthcare choices in the future. 

2) How did you pick UTSW? What was your interview process like? 

I honestly applied to all the Texas schools because I knew how competitive the process was. What I really liked about UTSW was naturally how highly ranked it is, that it had a 100% PANCE rate, the option to do a study abroad rotation (though I unfortunately wasn’t able to do so while in school) and because it seemed like a school that was genuinely invested in helping me to succeed. 

3) What was your biggest surprise once you started working as a PA-C? 

I think one big reality check for me was realizing working in the American Healthcare system isn’t necessarily just diagnosing and treating diseases. A large amount of time is spent navigating insurance systems, making sure that the patient has support outside of the hospital to help with follow-up care, and assessing transportation status is huge! Plus every single field of medicine deals with mental health issues so you have to be able to evaluate your patient holistically. 

4) What area of practice are you in now? What does a week look like for you? 

I currently work in an interventional radiology private practice that is contracted out to several major hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. I work Monday-Friday 8-5pm. We have the option to do weekend call but for the first two years, I chose not to. We are split between working interventional radiology (performing surgical procedures with imaging such as ultrasound, CT or x-ray), diagnostic radiology (putting contrast in any hole and barium studies), and outpatient clinic. We get a lot of variety within a day because you can switch between doing OB-GYN, orthopedic, oncology, GI, and endocrine procedures with each appointment. I rarely feel bored and most procedures last 20-30 minutes. I feel like IR is a lot like general surgery; you learn a lot about every specialty. 

5) Can you tell us about your involvement with TAPA as a student and now a practicing PA? 

I actually didn’t know about TAPA prior to PA school but after a presentation during one of my classes, I saw the importance of joining. TAPA is the only organization that fights and works solely for Texas PAs and honestly, any ability for us to practice is medicine is only because of them! I then became the student rep for UTSW and served in that role for two years. As a student I attended all the conferences, which was a great opportunity to network. Even if you’re not an officer, you can meet other students, professors and even practicing PAs who could be your link to a job when you graduate. I also liked the workshops and lectures which helped with upcoming exams. As a practicing PA, I served as the TAPA membership chair for two years. I really wanted to make sure that we got as many PAs as possible to become TAPA members. I have also been very involved in legislative issues that had the potential to greatly limit our scope of practice. It’s hard to believe, but there is always “someone” out there that wants a piece of your “pie” or scope so we have to constantly be vigilant. Recently there were two TMB rules that could have had broad implications to how we practice medicine so I personally went out to the meetings in Austin and testified. It was intimidating but I think by showing that we are competent providers who work in collaboration with our physician and that should be able to do what our prescriptive authority deems as possible really made a difference. Making arbitrary restrictions actually harms patients in the long run. As a result, the troublesome rule was dismissed and we got reinstated protection to continue to work in radiology. I’m really proud of that!

6) Any advice for aspiring PAs?

If you’re a pre-PA I would say to take as many opportunities as you can to see different PA roles. Being a PA is an awesome job but it is very difficult at times to both your mental and physical health. You have to have an inner drive to motivate you otherwise you can get burned out. For PA students, I’d say to hang in there! The semesters will soon end and the light at the end of the tunnel is much closer than you think. You were selected because you are the best! So keep that in the front of your mind when you have challenges. Doing poorly in a test does not translate to being a poor provider. There are many people counting on you to finish! And finally keep an open mind. I really thought I would be an OB-GYN PA when I was in PA school and never once imagined I’d do IR. Now, I can’t imagine doing anything else! Try to shadow during your holidays while you’re a student. Those opportunities are easier to come by than when you are out of school and in that weird limbo. I look forward to working with you in the future!

Interview with a PA Student from UNTHSC

Here's an interview with a current student at University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth.

1. What made you decide to be a PA? 

I went to SMU and majored in Applied Physiology & Health Management (APHM) and Biology. As part of my APHM major, I had two opportunities that together inspired me to pursue a career as a PA. The first was being a research assistant in a physiology lab that evaluated sympathetic nerve activity in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. I had a passion for research and data analysis, but I learned that what I enjoyed most was getting to know the patients and how their condition affected their daily lives. The second was a summer internship at the MS clinic at UTSW where I had the opportunity to shadow and conduct research with the physician, PA, NP, PT, and social worker. Here I saw the PA take care of patients in the clinic, conduct research, and teach lectures at UTSW. I was able to see just how broad the scope of a PA can be as well as how fulfilling this job is. I could see myself in a PAs shoes and ultimately decided to apply to PA school that same summer. 


2. How did you choose UNTHSC? What was interviewing like? 

UNTHSC was the school that was closest to home for me, but one of the biggest reasons I chose it was because of its vision for being “one university,” which meant interprofessional collaboration and teamwork between all the programs on campus. This was reiterated by the VP of Student Affairs and the faculty during the interview process and is something I have seen implemented into the core of our program. Programs like Interprofessional Education and Practice (IPE) and Seniors Assisting in Geriatric Education (SAGE) as well as all the interprofessional organizations on campus that bring students from different programs together are a unique and valued aspect of this program. The interview process was not a traditional one but rather consisted of multiple activities. I enjoyed this process because each activity targeted different abilities and strengths and allowed each student to be evaluated as a whole. 


3. What has surprised you about PA school? 

I was surprised about how hands-on the didactic year was throughout. Classes like Physical Exam Skills during the first semester got us right into practicing our clinical skills from the beginning. Classes like Clinical Integrative Medicine during which we practiced suturing, injections, pap smears, IV placement, and many other skills prepared us for rotations. It was a great mix of in-class and hands-on lab instruction and it was a pleasant surprise. 


4. What study strategies worked? Did that change on rotations? 

Three study strategies that worked for me were 1) reading notes out loud, 2) explaining what I’ve learned to a classmate, and 3) practice questions. Specifically, working through practice questions even before having learned all the material needed for an exam is something that is recommended to all students by the Center for Academic Performance on campus. One thing that changed on rotations was that I was no longer surrounded by all my classmates, and this made it difficult to go through material with a partner. However, the great thing about rotations is that I’m actively learning throughout the day while seeing patients, and this in itself helps solidify the knowledge that I’m studying at home. 


5. Tell me about your involvement and experience with TAPA

I was introduced to TAPA by our incredible Student Director for TAPA and have been a member since starting PA school. I have attended each of the TAPA conferences since then, joining workshops and lectures as well as getting to know students from other schools and competing in the Challenge Bowl. It has been an opportunity to network with so many great people. I have also received pertinent information and updates about current legislature and the issues facing PAs in Texas today. This has allowed me to gain knowledge on how TAPA advocates for PAs and PA students and the changes that they are making on our behalf, which has been extremely valuable.


6. Any plans for after graduation? 

Before I started PA school my plans for after graduation included leaving TX since I grew up here and I was ready for a change. However, Fort Worth has grown on me. I have gotten to know the beautiful community here and it is a city with great opportunities for PAs. I haven’t decided which specialty I’d like to go into yet, but I’m keeping an open mind and will be grateful to have an opportunity in the DFW area. Of course, all this after a relaxing vacation to celebrate graduating from PA school! 


7. What advice would you give an aspiring PA?

My biggest piece of advice would be to get involved in activities (leadership, volunteering, internships, community work, etc.) that you’re truly passionate about rather than what you believe will look impressive on a resume. The majority of activities I was involved in during college didn’t actually have anything to do with being a PA at all. For example, I volunteered at a jail for one semester where I helped offenders go through a rehabilitation program during which I saw them change and heal from their past. Being a part of that helped me to see just how much people can change if they are determined to do so and helped me develop a newfound compassion for these individuals. It is something I was able to talk about during my PA school interview process and an experience that has helped me as a PA student working with patients on rotations. Get involved with things that you are passionate about and it will take you a long way!

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!

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. 

PAEA Student Health Policy Fellowship

Hello! I just got back from our nation's capital where I was able to participate in the PAEA Student Health Policy Fellowship. If you don't know, the PAEA is the national association that focuses on PA education.

Here's a video interview with Marc Geller, PA-S from UT Pan American and myself discussing our time in D.C.

TAPA Fall Conference Video Interview #4

Just in time for the Spring TAPA conference this weekend, here is my interview with Nupur from UT Pan Am at the Fall 2013 conference.

Health Care Experience

Health Care Experience is a big part of your application. Many programs even require a minimum amount of hours you need before applying. I had a few friends from my class tell me about their previous health care experience so you can see some of the variety represented in our program and have an idea of the variety of experiences out there. 




Before school, I worked in a clinic with doctors of all specialties getting CTs and MRIs approved with insurance companies. I learned about the MANY different types of insurances and what criteria they look for before they will approve your imaging study. I learned how important it is for a practitioner to be detailed in their clinical notes in order to make it easier for the people getting the approvals. I also gained experience navigating EMR software, because I had to look at patient labs, previous imaging studies, current meds, and clinical notes.




I worked as an EMT/Paramedic in between graduating from undergrad and getting into PA school.  I also completed a 2-year community college certificate program while I worked to upgrade my abilities/title/pay early on.  I also worked my last year as an ER technician.  For me, it helped cement that I wanted to be involved in hands-on medicine (not research) as I had no previous experience in which to defend any post-grad education.  It’s helping me immensely with PA school in the functional aspects of it, such as feeling comfortable with patients and skills I’ve already encountered (eg: VS, interviewing), and some knowledge background, particularly on emergency-related health care which covers a huge variety of trauma and disease.




I worked as an MA at a sports medicine and orthopedic office in Bryan. As an MA, I took histories and vitals, ordered xrays, took out staples and stitches and cleaned incisions/wounds, helped put on casts (and got to use the awesome cast saw to cut them off!!), ordered, scheduled, and authorized MRIs, CTs, arthrograms, and surgeries, wrote orders for PT, sent/called in prescriptions... The doctors that I worked for are the team physicians for A&M athletics, and one of them is a renowned orthopedic surgeon, so I got to meet a large variety of patients, from Olympians and college athletes to 90 year olds with DJD. Working there helped me gain a bigger idea of what working in a medical office involved and how to be the best you can for your patients, and I was able to be taught by some of the most passionate and caring physicians! 




I didn’t know I was interested in medicine until I had the opportunity to work in the medical world as a pharmaceutical sales rep.  I think it helped me prepare for school  in a number of ways.  First, having 8 years of real-world experience after college has definitely prepared me for this program.  I feel I have a mature outlook to a post-grad program like this from being out in the professional work force for years.  Second, I have learned a lot about the healthcare system in general.  There are many facets of healthcare other than just the provider-patient interactions.  The hospital/system dynamics and politics, the payer influences, and the overall business side of healthcare is often overlooked by those going into medicine.  My experiences have helped me gain a deeper understanding of these aspects.  As far as the pharmaceutical understanding and disease state knowledge, I definitely am more prepared for certain disease state blocks and pharmacology drug class sections of the program.  That being said, this program continues to open my eyes to the amount of knowledge that I have yet to learn.

Once I decided to pursue a career in healthcare, my first step was to seek out shadowing opportunities.  Through family friends that were doctors and pre-healthcare organizations in undergrad I was able to find opportunities to shadow orthopedic surgery, spinal surgery (office visits only, no OR), family medicine, and emergency department.  While in the ED, the physician was complaining about the transition to EMR and the pressure he was feeling from administration to utilize a tablet to document patient visits.  I convinced him to let me give it a try just on a whim, and it eventually morphed into a scribe position for the remainder of that semester.  

I also worked at a company that did zip-line canopy tours.  This was not a healthcare job, but I did all I could to turn it into one.  For example, I initiated first-aid training sessions, outfitted the rescue bags with better first-aid equipment, and updated all emergency action plan protocols.  I believe you can show your passion for health and patient care regardless of the job you work, so don't be discouraged if it's hard to find HCE.

My most recent job before PA school was working as a scribe/MA for an orthopedic and spinal surgery office.  I found this job by relentlessly applying to every place I could find, until I got a hit from a Craigslist post.  I would not have landed this (paid) position had I not had the previous experience scribing in the ED (unpaid). Take any job, even if it's unpaid, that gets your foot in the door and prove to them that you can contribute to their practice. I sent countless letters of interest to any doctor's office I could find to ask about open positions...never hurts to ask.





I worked as a clinical dietitian prior to coming to PA school which gave me the opportunity to work with interdisciplinary teams including doctors, PA's, NP's, social workers, speech therapist, occupational therapist and physical therapists. It made me realize the unique position PA's are in and the respected relationships they build with not only patients but the interdisciplinary team. My job also gave me great experience in interviewing, educating patient's, communicating with nurses/physicians, charting, writing orders and conducting research.





My healthcare experience was really varied prior to entering school.  In high school I worked as a hospital volunteer, mainly in the ER, so I got to see a lot early (this was 20 years ago before things got really tight regarding PHI).  During college years, I worked in a small town as ER triage and registration and as a 911 dispatcher which was tied with a local "lifealert" system for seniors.  After getting my master's degree in exercise physiology, I worked as a research assistant at a very unique human physiology lab (http://www.ieemphd.org/) that not only conducts experimental research studies, but provides clinical care.  At this job I worked with healthy individuals of all ages and various patients (ex: seniors with HTN, young women with POTS, pregnant women).  Also, I was able to work as a inside chamber attendant for the hyperbaric medicine unit at the IEEM.  Here I assisted in the care of patients that have wounds that are not healing well (diabetic or post surgical), post radiology patients, scuba divers with the bends, and those suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. I got direct PA shadowing experience with an ortho I personally saw who has an ortho PA working for him, and two PA acquaintances I have that work in the ER and with a cardiologist's office respectively.  All worked at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. 

Video Interview #3 TAPA Fall 2013 Conference

Here's an interview with the Student Director from UTHSC San Antonio.

TAPA Fall 2013 Conference Interview 2

Here's an interview with the student director Brook from the Texas Tech program.

TAPA Fall Conference 2013 Video Interview #1

Here is the first video interview from the conference. John and Alesha are UNTHSC alumni speaking about their experience.

New Bill passed in Texas

This spring/summer there have been several states passing new PA laws. This week, Texas passed a bill that will free up PAs working in hospitals and hospice, among other things. Below are the highlights of the bill and a quick word from a few of the TAPA legislative affairs committee explaining its significance.



1) What does this bill mean for Texas PAs?

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1. The LAC formed a task force to lead the negotiations for TAPA with the TMA and the Nurses Coalition. This task force included: Lauren Dobbs, Karrie Crosby, Todd Pickard, Melinda Moore, Jaime Capelo and Lisa Jackson. This group worked tirelessly over several months to ensure that the bill contains victories for the PA profession and moves our practice forward. The following summarizes the changes to current law that are included in this bill that represent MAJOR VICTORIES for PAs in Texas:

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• Reduces site-based language from 5 settings to 2 (community and facility-based).
• Delegation of schedule II medications to PAs working in Hospitals or for patients in Hospice.
• Increases the number of PAs that a physician can delegate prescriptive practice from 4 to 7.
• Allows for unlimited delegated prescriptive practice in underserved and rural areas.
• Clarifies language that allows for unlimited delegated prescriptive practice at Hospitals.
• Removes the limitation for physicians to delegate prescriptive practice only at one Hospital.
• Removes distance limitations for physician supervision.
• Removes the percentage of charts that a physician must review and co-sign.
• Improves PA Board collaboration with the Medical Board and Nursing Board.
• Removes requirements for a percentage of hours of operation that a physician must be present at a practice.


It means that there will be some simplification on the rules that govern how we practice with physicians. As of now there are complicated and confusing site-based rules that have 5 different sites. Moving to two simplified sites (hospital and community settings) will make it easier to understand the rules. It also eliminates distance limitations, physician chart review, daily logs and many other cumbersome administrative tasks. It also allows for a physician to delegate up to 7 PA. This is an increase from the current limit of 4. Also for the first time PAs will be officially recognized as Primary Care Providers and be able to Order DME for our patients. It is a big step forward. TAPA will continue to seek improvements in our practice act and this is part of that ongoing effort. 


2) How did you engage the legislature?

We negotiated with the TMA and Nurses Coalition for several months, met with the Senate Health Committee Chair, met with the House Public Health Committee Chair, held a PA day at the Capitol where more than 40 PAs and Students did 60 visits, canvassed the capitol and held additional visits with the legislators, and reached out to our membership to call their representatives in support of our legislative agenda. It was a lot of hard work and took many months. We also worked with the TAPA PAC to make key donations for the primaries and general elections held this past fall.

TAPA’s Legislative Affairs Committee (LAC) works with our lobbyist, Jaime Capelo, who assists us in staying, engaged legislatively.  As a result, we have developed relationships with key stakeholders and legislative committees in regards issues relevant to PA practice.   We have also partnered with physician groups who have interests in seeing the physician-PA team practice model work.


3) What can someone do to help out next time there is an important bill?

The best way to get involved and be a part of the bill making process and affect the next legislative session is to get involved with the Legislative Affairs Committee (LAC).  Students and practicing PAs are encouraged to sign up every June via the TAPA website to participate in committees. The state legislative sessions are every 2 years but planning and work for the legislative session begins the year prior.  TAPA also hosts a Legislative Day for PAs to discuss bills with legislators every legislative session and is an additional way to get involved.  TAPA also hosts a Legislative PA Day every session where PAs can learn about the legislative process and lobbying.  Then teams conduct visits to Legislative offices.

Donate to the TAPA PAC and come to the PA Day at the Capitol. Calling your representative’s and senator’s office to voice support for the TAPA legislative agenda and bills is also crucial. It takes time and money to get the message out and get support for the PA Profession.

TAPA 2013 Video Interview #4

Here's an interview I did with a PA-C working in Hormone Replacement Therapy. 

TAPA 2013 Video Interview #3

Here's an interview with Jack Runyan PA-C, PhD. He is faculty at UT Pan America, a Physician Assistant since 1977, and founder of Mercy Trips non profit healthcare outreach organization.

TAPA 2013 Video Interview #2

Here's an interview with a PA-S from UTMB

TAPA 2013 Video Interview #1

Here's the first of several video interviews I did at this year's TAPA conference. Eric Martinez is working with TAPA and recently completed his EM residency at BCM.

PA Week!

It's PA week so be sure to check out all the things that are happening to raise awareness of the profession and increase preventative care in our communities! Check out TAPA, AAPA, and other PA organizations to find out what's happening in your area!

Interview with a PA-S from UNTHSC

1) Why did you choose to be a PA?

I chose to become a PA because I really wanted to have a career in the medical field, but I also wanted other things in life like raising a family. The shorter duration of PA school and the fact that we don't have to do residency allows for both of those things. Furthermore, I really wanted to have a position that would allow me to spend a lot of time with patients. I feel that becoming a PA will satisfy all of my goals and I've been very happy with my decision.


2) What did you do to prepare to apply?

I focused on making myself into a well-faceted applicant. I was involved in multiple organizations at my school, participated in community service projects, held a job, and shadowed at the ED. PA programs want to see that you can balance more than just academics because once you are in school, they will encourage you to join professional organizations and do community service projects.


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

I applied to 4 schools and interviewed at 3. My interviews were nerve wracking of course, but my suggestion is to make sure you're prepared. You'll be nervous no matter what, but as long as that's not your very first time in an interview, you'll do just fine. I realized at my interview day that I really wanted to go to UNTHSC because unlike the students at other some of the other schools, the UNTHSC students looked happy and invigorated. It scared me that at some of the schools that I visited, the students looked like zombies but at UNTHSC, it was a completely different feel.


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

I was surprised at how involved their faculty is in ensuring the success of their students. Each student is assigned a mentor (faculty member) for the duration of the program, and the goal of the mentor is to serve as a support system with any academic or personal issues that the student is willing to talk about. It's a great resource, and a good way to get to know your professors too.


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

Study groups have worked out really well for me. We spend so much time in the classroom listening to lectures so the last thing that I wanted to do was sit and study by myself. It nice to learn interactively, plus explaining concepts between group members really helped solidify everything for me.


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

The coolest thing so far was learning from cadavers in the anatomy lab. It was a great opportunity to be able to see the bodies first hand and learn from a team that included anatomy professors, forensics personnel, anthropologists, and health care providers. Also it's pretty neat how comfortable you get with dead bodies.


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

I highly suggest that pre-PA students become involved with TAPA, the Texas Academy of Physician Assistants. The benefit is great for students because it allows you to stay informed about the profession (which is more important now more than ever because of health care reform) and along with your membership, you get a seriously reduced registration price for the TAPA Conferences. Going to at least one TAPA Conference would be a really good idea because there are student tracks that are focused on enriching lives of students before entering PA school, during school, and in the transition from school to practice. Additionally, there are a ton of faculty members from all the schools there. In fact, I was asked during one of my interviews if I ever attended one of the conferences.

Inerview with Todd Pickard, PA-C

Todd is a PA-C I met at the TAPA conference last February. He is not only very active in TAPA, but has also expanded PA representation in management at a major medical center.

1) Why did you choose to be a PA?

I knew that I wanted to do something in medicine but was not sure what that was. I had a PA that worked with my family physician growing up and I remembered that I really liked her and what she got to do for a living. After college I worked as an EMT for a while and then medical sales. I even did a stint in nursing school before I realized that being a PA was what I really wanted. 


2) What program did you graduate from? How did you choose it?

I went to the Emory University PA Program. Out of all the schools that I interviewed, It had the best fit with my personality. They stressed team-work not competition. That was really appealing to me.


3) What is your area of practice? What does a normal day look like to you?

I work at MD Anderson Cancer Center. I have been a PA for over 15 years and have worked in Urology, Medical Oncology and Cancer Prevention. I now spend the majority of my time in Administration and Management. 


4) You've created a new leadership position for PAs a your hospital. Tell us about that role and how you created it.I am the Director of PA Programs.

As the number of PAs grew at MD Anderson, it was clear that there needed to be some structure and leadership for the PA group. Also there was a great deal of misunderstanding about our scope of practice, role, training, capabilities and the laws that govern our practice. PAs have not traditionally been engaged at high-levels in administrative and management. I thought it was time to change that. I got involved in committees and policy work for my institution. I then wrote a business plan and presented that to the physician leadership. They agreed and now we have a robust PA organization at MD Anderson.


5) Tell us about your work with TAPA. What ways have you been involved?

I have mainly been involved in legislative affairs and political action with TAPA. I am currently the chair of the Legislative Affairs Committee and just recently was elected to Director-at-large. I really enjoy the political process and advocating for PAs. I have a strong commitment to seeing our profession recognized for the contributions and good work that we do. I also have a passion for our voice to be heard at the highest levels in government.


6) What professional evolution do you hope to see for PAs?

I would expect that PAs continue to be vital members of the health care team and to take on greater roles in administration, management, health care policy, and leadership.


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

Volunteer at a hospital. Be an orderly or unit clerk or nursing assistant. Hands-on patient care is much more meaningful than shadowing. Reply Forward

TAPA Video Interview #7

Here's an interview I did with PA-C and current TAPA President, Trisha Harris-Odimgbe. Once again, sorry about the noise.

TAPA Video Interview #5

Here's a video interview with long time PA-C Dick Gillium. Sorry about the noise, I didn't realize it picked up that much of the background.