Erica is in the middle of her first CASPA cycle, and she's letting us watch it happen in real time.

If you've opened CASPA and immediately felt buried, this one's for you. Erica walks through how she's staying organized, what tripped her up, and how she's handling the waiting.

What we talk about:

• The spreadsheet Erica uses to track hours, supervisors, and contact info
• Why collecting that info early saves you so much pain later
• How long CASPA actually takes to fill out
• Coursework decisions she'd approach differently
• Dealing with how competitive this feels and believing you belong
• Her advice for anyone starting their first cycle

Resources:

Free application timeline: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-application-timeline

CASPA GPA calculator: https://www.thepaplatform.com/pa-school-caspa-gpa-calculator

Free resume download: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-resume-download

One-on-one pre-PA counseling: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-counseling

Jamie is deep into clinical rotations in Michigan, and she came on to talk about what actually got her here.

We start with how she found out the PA profession existed, what applying looked like for her, and then get into the part nobody can really prepare you for. Didactic year. Rotations. Trying to keep a life while doing both.

What we talk about:

• How Jamie first learned about the PA profession
• What her application and acceptance looked like
• The real workload of didactic year
• What clinical rotations are actually like
• Balancing PA school with a personal life
• What she'd tell her pre-PA self if she could

Resources:

Free application timeline: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-application-timeline

PA Program Map: https://www.thepaplatform.com/pa-platform-map

One-on-one pre-PA counseling: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-counseling

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Taylor works as a medical assistant in a dermatology clinic, and she's using that job to get herself to PA school.

She started at the front desk. Now she's full time in the back, checking patients in, triaging, and assisting during exams. If you're trying to figure out how to get patient care hours that actually count for something, this is a real look at one way to do it.

What we talk about:

• How Taylor moved from the front desk into a full-time MA role
• What a medical assistant actually does day to day
• Why these hours count as patient care experience
• The hard parts, including managing patient expectations and office policies
• What working in the clinic taught her about being a PA
• Why she wants more responsibility than the MA role gives her

Resources:

Free resume download: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-resume-download

Free application timeline: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-application-timeline

CASPA GPA calculator: https://www.thepaplatform.com/pa-school-caspa-gpa-calculator

One-on-one pre-PA counseling: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-counseling

Courtney spent a year in medical school before she switched to PA.

That's a hard call to make once you're already in, and she's honest about how she got there. We talk about why she started down the medical school path, what made her stop, and how she ended up in PA school instead.

She also went on to do a PA residency in critical care, so we get into whether that's something you should consider.

What we talk about:

• Why Courtney chose medical school first
• What that first year actually looked like
• The moment she realized PA fit her better
• Making the switch and applying to PA school
• What a PA residency in critical care involves
• Whether a residency is worth it as a new grad

Resources:

Free application timeline: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-application-timeline

PA Program Map: https://www.thepaplatform.com/pa-platform-map

One-on-one pre-PA counseling: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-counseling

Dermatology is one of the most requested specialties I hear about, so I brought in two people who actually do it.

Brooke and Lauren are dermatology PAs who work in the same practice. You might know them as the Skin Sisters. They walked me through how they each landed in derm, what the job really looks like day to day, and what they'd tell a pre-PA student who already has their heart set on it.

What we talk about:

• How Brooke and Lauren each found their way into dermatology
• Why exposure and derm rotations matter so much
• Shadowing a derm provider before you commit to the specialty
• What it's like working in the same practice and sharing patients
• The training and background that got them here
• Their advice for pre-PA students eyeing dermatology

Resources:

Free application timeline: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-application-timeline

PA Program Map: https://www.thepaplatform.com/pa-platform-map

One-on-one pre-PA counseling: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-counseling

Three questions I get asked constantly, answered in one sitting.

First: how many programs should you apply to? I want you at ten to twelve where you actually meet the minimum requirements. For reference, the average accepted applicant applied to about six. A wider net helps.

Second: do shadowing hours matter if you already have healthcare experience? Yes. They aren't the same thing, and I explain why.

Third: why did I pick PA over medical school? I wrote an article for Doximity about it, and I get into that here.

What I cover:

• How many programs to apply to and why the number matters
• Only applying where you meet the minimums
• Why shadowing can't be swapped out for patient care hours
• What shadowing shows you that nothing else can
• My Doximity article on choosing PA over physician
• What still makes this job worth it for me

Resources:

PA Program Map: https://www.thepaplatform.com/pa-platform-map

Free application timeline: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-application-timeline

CASPA GPA calculator: https://www.thepaplatform.com/pa-school-caspa-gpa-calculator

One-on-one pre-PA counseling: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-counseling

Adonna didn't get in the first time. Then she did.

She's a first-year PA student now, and she came on to talk honestly about what the rejection actually felt like, what she changed, and what she'd tell you if you're sitting in that spot right now.

If you're reapplying this cycle, listen to this one.

What we talk about:

• What her first application looked like and where it came up short
• How she handled the rejection emotionally
• The specific changes she made before reapplying
• What her interviews were like the second time around
• What surprised her most about starting PA school
• Her advice for anyone in the middle of a reapplication

Resources:

Free application timeline: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-application-timeline

CASPA GPA calculator: https://www.thepaplatform.com/pa-school-caspa-gpa-calculator

Build a reapplication plan with me: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-counseling

Mock interview practice: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/mock-interview