Wherever you are in your PA journey, take a moment to take a personal inventory of your qualifications. What have you already accomplished? What still needs to be done? Celebrate where you are right now! Make a list of what you need to do and set specific goals for yourself. Write them down, tell a friend, whatever works for you.After taking some time to evaluate where you are, create a checklist of what else you need to do to prepare for PA school applications.
Finish All Prerequisite Courses
If you are looking at a specific program, create a plan to ensure you complete all of the required courses by the appropriate deadline. Some programs may require certain courses to be complete before you apply, and programs may vary in how many prerequisite courses can be incomplete at the time of your application. If there are any grades that need to be improved, retake courses as needed. If you have questions about how your specific courses might fulfill prerequisites, contact the program directly.
Gain HCE/PCE Hours
Find ways to gain valuable patient care experience by earning a certification or finding a job that will train you. Research the minimums for programs you are interested and meet or exceed those requirements. Take an extra year to gain more experience if needed.
Join AAPA/state Chapter
The AAPA and state physician assistant organizations are a perfect opportunity for networking and staying up to date on the profession. There is a cost associated with joining, but members get access to resources that non-members do not.
Find at Least Four PAs to Shadow
Ideally, find PAs in different specialties to see their roles. Shadowing is the best way to learn about what PAs do, so shadow as much as you can. Set a goal for how many hours you want to shadow total. Think of intentional questions to ask each PA you shadow.
Set Yourself Apart
Find ways to set yourself apart! Reviewers see hundreds of applications. Not everything has to be directly related to PAs or even medicine. Unique volunteer opportunities, extracurricular activities, or skills can set you apart from other applicants.
Miscellaneous Requirements
There are extra requirements to complete applications: taking the GRE or PA-CAT, securing letters of recommendation, writing the personal statement, choosing programs to apply to, and completing the CASPA and supplemental applications. I set a timeline for myself for when each step would be complete. I started with each broad step and broke it down into smaller, more manageable steps, which made it less overwhelming.
The very beginning can be the most intimidating part! There are a lot of requirements and things to do before applying to PA school. My best advice is to take it one thing at a time and remember why you are doing all of it. Each piece of the process has a purpose, and it is worth it in the end.
The following document is a good starting point to take a personal inventory on your journey to become a PA.