Advice for a Future PA Student
I recently had former medical assistant ask me to write a letter of recommendation for PA school. I am more than happy to help him out, as he was an excellent medical assistant and I think he’ll do well in PA school.
I remember how much stress it was applying to PA school and how much time it took to get the application ready. I do not envy those who are going through the process. He had a few questions about the application process and I tried to offer as much help as I could.
He had a few questions about the classes he took and if the schools would accept them. He already contacted the schools and asked them his specific questions. I think that is always the best approach if you have question on if your class will meet requirements.
First, you’ll get an answer straight from the school and if the class you took does not qualify then you know you need to take different class, or eliminate that school from the ones you’re applying. Second, it helps put your name out there. I don’t know for sure how much it really helps, but the more your name comes up the more the school knows your interest level. Sometimes the person you contact is just administration, but I think it doesn’t hurt.
He also had question about which schools to apply to. I think it’s always best to stay close to home. There’s typically more support from family and friends close to home, but also less cost associated with moving across the country. Not only that, but certain public schools offer in-state tuition which can be a huge cost savings.
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Just because a school is highly ranked does not mean you’ll get a better job when you’re done. In all my past interviews the school that I went to rarely comes up in conversation. More importantly is the work experience you have. Even when I was a new graduate, potential employers were more interested in the clinical rotations I had done and what my work experience was. Most employers don’t know PA school rankings anyways, so even if you went to a top school it might not matter.
The other question he had was about paying for school. I had previously talked with him about this, and he is ahead of the game. He already did research on joining the Navy and what they are offering for PA students.
I think joining a military service is a great way to go, and looking back I wish I would have done this. I was unsure about not having control of where I could be sent, but looking back it’s only a three year commitment and is an opportunity to get good experience early in a PA career.
If joining a military service does not interest you, there are other ways to have your school paid for. The most important thing financially is to have a plan on how you’re going to pay for PA school before you start. If you plan to rely on student loans, know how much you need to take out and what the standard payment is going to be when you’re finished.
If you’re going to have $100,000 in student loans you can expect to have a monthly payment of about $1000 on the standard repayment. On the standard payment plan you’ll make payments over a 10 year period. You can use a repayment calculator to better estimate your situation, but knowing what your payments are going to be is an important step in planning.
For all those who are applying to PA school, good Luck! I hope you all do well. The best thing you can do to increase your chances of getting in is to plan accordingly and make sure you meet all the requirement of the schools that you’re applying to. If you’re a current PA, don’t forget when you were in this situation and be willing to help those future PA students.
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