Why I chose to be a physician assistant and PA school interview tips

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(𝙵𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚢: 𝙸 𝚍𝚘 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚊 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚜𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚔𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚜 𝚞𝚙... 𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚞𝚢 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝚍𝚊𝚢. 𝙸𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚍 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 𝚖𝚢 𝚌𝚘𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚎 𝚊𝚍𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚊 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚍 𝙿𝚛𝚎 𝙿𝙰 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚝, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸 𝚜𝚊𝚢 𝚠𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚖𝚞𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚋𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 :)
Hi future Physician Assistants! ⚕️
PA school interview season is approaching, and with that comes the question “Why do you want to be a physician assistant?”
This question was presented to me half a dozen different ways during my PA school interviews, but my physiological reaction was always the same as I looked my evaluator in the eye and prepared my response. A racing heartbeat, mild diaphoresis, a dry mouth. . . all while being acutely aware that whatever words I said next would likely be the determining factor into whether or not I got accepted into the program. The pressure is REAL. And your response should be just as real, just as true to who you are.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
In this week’s video I’m talking about why I chose to be a physician assistant specifically and how this career path aligns with my future goals as a clinician. Additionally, I’m going to toss in some tips for how to approach this question. Because although it may seem obvious, especially when the answer to this question has been the driving force to late nights studying, long days working after taking classes during the day, filling weekends with volunteering and conferences, etc. . . distilling years of effort into a two minute response is NOT an easy thing to do. Hopefully my video will help all of you out there who are struggling with how to answer this question, so on interview day you will be able to give your reason “why” confidently and in a way that is self-assured, despite how nervous you may be when answering.
I also want to let you guys know that I currently have a personal statement editing service available to everyone applying this cycle. Feel free to e-mail me at [e-mail] for more details. :)
Good luck to everyone applying this CASPA cycle, keep working hard out there!
Enjoy!
Samantha
📸Instagram - / samantha_ca. .
💌 E-mail - [e-mail]
Who am I:
I'm Samantha, a soon to be PA student in Southern California. I make videos about all things Pre-PA, productivity, and lifestyle design to help prospective PA students become the most competitive applicants possible. I will also be documenting my life as a PA student once school starts in August 2020.
If you'd like to talk, I'd love to hear from you. Direct messaging me on instagram @samantha_carolyn will be the quickest way to get a response. If your question is very long, feel free to e-mail me at [e-mail], and I will be sure to get back to you.

[@iDangerousPanda]

watching in 2024. this was very helpful - thank you :)

[@brookeiarussi9872]

I just came across this video and WOW. I have listened to many people respond to this question, but your response was so sincere and unique and just so well worded. Thank you for this!

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

That's really incredibly kind. Thank you so much.

[@ClearlyPixelated]

You are very well-spoken and articulate your thoughts beautifully! I can see why you were admitted to PA school. Thank you for posting this video. It provided some great scaffolding for myself to answer the same question for my own interviews.

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Awe, thank you so much! I appreciate you taking the time to watch and I'm glad you found it helpful. Best of luck on your future interviews! :)

[@asylumrain]

Notice how a cut happens every breath

[@maliksiebacheu4524]

Thank you Samantha for your advices, This video is so important to me as I am preparing to apply this 2023 at CASPA, thank you.

[@VitaHydra]

Your channel is destined to blow up, it has a very professional quality and you offer invaluable insight. Thank you 🤘

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Thank you for taking the time to write this.. that is an incredible compliment and keeps me determined to push out whatever insights I have for those of you who may find it helpful. Thanks for making my day! :)

[@katyn5237]

I have an interview for PA school on Monday and this helped so much thank you❤️

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

I'm glad you found it helpful! I hope your interview went well!

[@michaelreyes2301]

How did your interview go? Did you get into a program?

[@amansilla28]

Hope you got it and you're almost done with the program!!

[@ByronBradfordRealty]

Thank you for sharing your experience.

[@noorpreetkaur2251]

Really love this! Thank you!

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Glad you found it helpful, best of luck! ☺️

[@Roxy-gn8dj]

Thank you very much for sharing this great video. Great points were mentioned that I am sure will help me writing my personal statement. Thank you

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Roxy.2016 I’m so glad you found it helpful, that’s what it’s all about. Thanks for taking the time to leave such a sweet comment and good luck writing your personal statement! You got this! ♥️

[@dalianaestevez2484]

This is so inspirational!! I’m so glad I found your channel. I am a sophomore in high school and I already know that this is my future profession!!

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Thank you for taking the time to watch, Daliana! I will be sure to make some videos for those in high school/early undergrad, because that is such a great time to start accumulating experiences and working toward your goal of PA. :)

[@elisabeththompson1122]

best answer i've heard!!! thank you :)

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Thank you so much!

[@mzshai1108]

This is the best interview video ever!!!

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Awe! Thank you, Lashai! Glad you found it helpful ♥️☺️

[@thatssochioma]

New subscriber! I love your videos! So so helpful

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Awe, thank you so much! This made my day. I'm glad you've found my videos helpful! :)

[@aishaahmed4855]

This was so good Samantha👍🏼

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Thanks for taking the time to watch :).

[@user-os1qt9jz1o]

OMG this is the video I have been searching for my whole life.

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Love to hear it. haha. Thanks for making my day! :)

[@estherkamara6722]

Great video!

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Esther Kamara thank you so much! ♥️

[@manaligore355]

loved this vid! :)

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Thanks Manali!

[@ashleyc7326]

This is true. A PA diagnosed me with my condition after I saw 5-7 MDs, who told me it was just "anxiety". I got the appropriate testing and was finally able to get the correct treatment.

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Oh, man. That's an incredible story.. I can only imagine how misunderstood you must have felt (not to mention concerned as to why your symptoms persisted), I'm glad you were able to find the right provider for you and get the diagnosis and treatment you deserve :).

[@HannahTran1]

Right, I been to multiple different doctors that do different specialties trying to figure out what’s wrong with me but they just say anxiety cuz they can’t find anything!

[@bpurplemoon]

I am going through something similar. Doctors can’t find anything wrong with me so they say it is anxiety. Do you mind sharing what was you diagnosis?

[@ashleyc7326]

@@bpurplemoon I was diagnosed with POTS due to exaggerated adrenal response. My symptoms were feelings of dizziness, high heart rate, blood pressure instability and feelings of adrenaline surges. Took nearly a year to be diagnosed. If you know something is wrong definitely advocate for yourself. I feel so much better now and I’m glad I didn’t give up when I knew something was wrong.

[@tatejones3164]

You're awesome

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Hi Tate, thank you so much for leaving such a sweet comment. In truth, this video was pretty daunting to put out there, because it's so personal. To hear that it resonated with so many people really means the world to me. Take care!

[@milanlopez2521]

Wow! Thank you for sharing. Very inspiring and informative. Did your personal statement say pretty much the same thing? I’ve heard that the two should match and oftentimes the committee is looking for the similarities in your answers and the personal statement.. what was your experience?

[@milanlopez2521]

Just read a previous comment and found the answer. Thanks.

[@mk-ir2oz]

I’m a biological sciences major considering the pre-PA advising track!! I’m gonna be a freshman undergrad this august - i know that I definitely want a career in the medical field. When I look at people sometimes, my mind tries to see past their skin and flesh and i think about their bone structures- we are all kindof walking skeletons..? I don’t know why but something is burning inside of me to understand the human body and explore careers involving surgical procedures. I was talking to my mom and I was like- “Mom, I wonder if in 100 years we can become immortal through advanced medicinal discoveries” - for me, I’m always asking myself about my purpose as a human being on this Earth, and I feel that the better I understand the body I was given life into , the closer I will get to reaching contentment with the human condition in 2021. When I learn new information about the human physiology, I imagine people , thousands of years before myself, questioning similar things.... I spiritually find peace in those thoughts, I’m just looking for the career that will feed my curiosities and passion

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Thank you for taking the time to leave such a thought provoking comment. I would recommend shadowing PAs in surgical specialties (or even interviewing them) to see if it inspires you and aligns with your passions. It’s clear that once you find the niche that impassions you and suits your interests, you will invest your time in it unequivocally. I think that’s a wonderful thing. I’d also recommend some thought provoking books on Neurology (Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Girl on Fire), My interest parallels yours regarding the human condition. Specifically how our perception of things relies almost exclusively on the function and health of our brain (which predetermines consciousness, another thing people have been contemplating for thousands of years). Can’t recommend them enough if your as much of a sucker for those types of reads as much as I am. Best of luck and definitely continue to pursue those interests and explore those thoughts, that’s what it’s all about.☺️

[@mk-ir2oz]

@@SamanthaCarolyn Thanl you so much for your response!!! I’m definitely going to keep exploring these thoughts and educate myself more on the human condition because human consciousness is a subject I need to delve into.

[@mk-ir2oz]

@@SamanthaCarolyn Thank*** you!!!

[@laurabauer3482]

Hey Samantha! Where is the video comparing PA/MD/DO that you mentioned? I think that video would answer a lot of my questions but I don’t see it on your channel?

[@andreacaro6019]

Hi Samantha! I was wondering how similar was your personal statement from what you said in person during your interview about Why you want to be a PA? Will they want to hear something different bc they've already have read your personal statement. Or should they be pretty spot-on similar? (Personal statement & answering why you want to be a PA in an interview)

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Hi Andrea, that is a REALLY great question. I personally didn't explicitly state "Why PA" in my personal statement. I have a video all about personal statements on my channel where my husband and I briefly touch on this.. I think your personal statement should be an introduction to who you are (struggles, tribulations, etc), and should illustrate to the admissions committee that you are someone worth investing in, someone that they want to help evolve into a stellar provider. The interview is where you can expect to go into deeper detail as to "why PA" and what you plan to do as a PA (specifically). Everyone is different as far as how they choose to convey this information, but this was what I found worked for me in my experience. I hope it helps! Feel free to email me if you have any follow up questions, I'm happy to help in anyway I can!

[@jazminelove87]

This might be one of my favorite videos so far!

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Awe, thanks Jazmine! If there are any topics you want covered in the upcoming weeks/months while prepping for interviews, let me know!

[@ahmareenh18]

Other than the longer schooling, what did you not like about med school that made you choose PA?

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

That's a great question Ahmareen! I was asked that exact question in my interviews. It all honesty, the longer schooling is not a deterrent for me. I love school and the process of learning (my love of learning is something that is reflected in my GPA, which is what I asked my interviewer to reference during my interview when they presented this question). There is nothing about medical school that I didn't like, causing me to chose PA school instead. In truth, they are two different professions. They key difference for me is that I have no interest in specializing in one area of medicine throughout my entire career. The medical system is ever changing and deficiencies arise all of the time in various specialties. As a PA, I want to be able to fill these gaps in healthcare so patients have access to quality care. This may result in me working in an addiction or pain management specialty for a few years, and then switching to infectious disease, geriatric, etc. I knew a career as a PA would encompass all of the aspects of medicine that I want in my future career, while (in my opinion) also placing me in the best position to positively impact the healthcare system and the patents within it. That is what drew me to PA over any other medical profession. I hope this answers your question! I know how difficult it can be to choose your career path. If you have any others, feel free to email me at: [e-mail]

[@jessicadh8170]

Do u remember how much time did you spend to prepare for intevriew?

[@jasminaahmetovic9582]

i have a question regarding the expereinces. I have been trying to look for experience in environments similar to yours. what do you suggest. Anybody.? I am in Florida btw.

[@isabellateny5084]

Thank God I finally passed my NP test on my 3rd attempt with the help of Mr DAVID, I used his preparation tips. just 3 days of working with him and I passed. I was referred to him by a friend before my exams. Please friends I recommend you to mr DAVID. The man has the key to getting your exam.

[@yankasa98]

Did you write this in your Personal statement too? I feel like after reading this I will grant you a spot without interviewing you.

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Great question. The truth is I wrote only some of this in my personal statement due to the limited space available, a lot of what I discussed here were things I expanded on during my interviews instead. I really appreciate your comment, though. I think talking about these difficult things, which was not easy to do on paper to a complete stranger who would have influence on whether I got an interview or not, seemed to work for me (I received 6 out of 7 interviews). So I definitely recommend "bleeding on the paper," so to speak. It's called a "personal" statement for a reason, right? We all know you want to be a PA, but what are you REALLY about? That makes all of the difference. Thank you again for the comment, this was not the easiest video to make, but I feel like it was important for so many reasons, so I'm glad it's been well received. That means a lot.

[@yankasa98]

@@SamanthaCarolyn The first day I came across your page and the first video I watched of you made me soo proud of the schools that accepted you because it showed they had their eyes, ears and heart out. You will definitely be a phenomenal Physician Assistant. I wish you all the best in all your endeavors. May the Almighty Allah continue to bless you and your household. Happy New Year 🎉🥰. P.s. can you make a video where you read your personal statement and react to it? Thank you

[@draiajackson6963]

Hello I have a question I’m going graduate this upcoming semester. And I’m a pre-dental but in the back of my mind I’m like pa would be better fit. How do you think the best way to figure out what you want to do? Do you feel experiences help like getting certifications?

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Hi Draia, First, congrats on your graduation this upcoming semester! Thanks for reaching out, you present a really great question. I was thinking dental hygiene before I found out about the PA profession, and so I understand the stress involved with potentially switching the trajectory of your future career. My best advice would be to shadow some PAs to see if it is something you could genuinely see yourself doing. Also, reflect on which career would grant you the most fulfillment, and provide the platform for you to make the impact you want to make in the world. My experiences prior to PA school did reaffirm my decision to pursue a career in medicine, however I think the decision to pursue PA specially came the research and shadowing I experienced prior to seeking the health care experiences. Hopefully that answers your question! Best of luck and don't hesitate to reach out if you ever need clarification in the future.

[@draiajackson6963]

@@SamanthaCarolyn that helps but it’s kind of hard to shadow. But I guess I can find virtual ones . And I’m more nervous about being squeamish . But I found inspiration due to my mom always being sick I just had a thought I want my stability now . Sorry to ramble but I’m really ready to find my purpose. Thanks

[@themillennialpa]

Hi Samantha, I hope you can help me understand something. You said that you could increase the time spent with patients as a PA. How could you do that?

[@YurAwsumNess]

I know this response is late. But Lots of docs are overbooked with patients and because of that, they can’t spend appropriate amounts of times with their patients. Some patients only need to be seen in 5 minutes, but some need 30-45 mins. But when 2-3 patients fill the same time slot, it’s impossible sometimes. Having a pa can prevent docs from being over booked and allow the patients that need it to be seen longer.

[@SamanthaCarolyn]

Sorry for the delayed response. But Tiffany explained this very well. Imagine 2 providers being in clinic, seeing a total of 40-50 patients split between them. Now imagine adding two PAs to the clinic, with the same patient load. What is the outcome? Patients being seen for a longer period of time by each individual provider. This is more likely to lead to better patient outcomes and just a more sophisticated treatment plan overall, as it's likely going to be better adapted to each patient, which could increase compliancy and lead to a better patient-provider relationship overall. hope that helps!

[@ankitapandey4691]

Hi can bhms student can pursue this degree ?

[@jessicadh8170]

Hello first of all thank you so much. Sorry about your parents I have a very similar story. how can I message you besides IG?