PA or MD? Here's how I'd think about it.

This is one of the most common questions I get, and the honest answer is that it comes down to what you want your life to look like. Not which path is harder. Not which one sounds more impressive.

I brought on Dr. Ryan Gray to help me compare the two, so you're hearing it from both sides instead of just from me.

What we cover:

• Length and cost of training for each path
• Scope of practice and how much autonomy PAs really have
• Switching specialties without starting over
• Salary and lifestyle tradeoffs
• How the prerequisites and applications differ
• The questions to ask yourself before you commit either way

Resources:

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

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

Talk it through with me one-on-one: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-counseling

Your personal statement is 5,000 characters to answer one question: why PA?

Not why medicine. Not why healthcare. Why this specific profession, and what led you here.

In this episode I walk through what actually belongs in the essay. Where your interest in medicine started. What you understand about the PA role, specifically - because plenty of applicants clearly don't. And the experiences that prepared you, told as moments rather than a list.

The other thing I hammer on is staying on topic. Admissions committees read hundreds of these in a season. If your first paragraph is a scenic detour, you've already lost some of their attention. Get to the point and stay there.

I also put together a personal statement worksheet to help you get your thoughts organized before you try to write anything pretty. Start there. Blank pages are miserable.

What I cover:

• What the personal statement is actually asking
• Where to start when you have no idea how to begin
• Showing you understand the PA role
• Choosing which experiences make the essay
• Staying concise and on topic
• Using the free worksheet to organize your thoughts

Resources:

Free Personal Statement Worksheet: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-personal-statement-worksheet-download

Free Personal Statement Email Course: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-personal-statement-email-course

PA School Personal Statement Guide: https://www.thepaplatform.com/pa-school-personal-statement-guide

Pre-PA Essay Review: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-essay-review

Getting in is only half of it. You also have to make sure the program is actually right for you.

I know it feels backwards to be picky when all you want is an acceptance anywhere. But you're about to spend two to three years and a lot of money somewhere, so it's worth being intentional about where you apply.

Here's what I'd look at if I were building my program list today.

What I cover:

• Accreditation status and why provisional isn't automatically a red flag
• PANCE pass rates and how to read them honestly
• Total cost of attendance versus the tuition number on the website
• Class size, curriculum format, and how rotations are set up
• Location, cost of living, and the support system you'll have nearby
• How a program's mission shapes who they actually accept

Resources:

PA Program Map to compare programs and requirements: https://www.thepaplatform.com/pa-platform-map

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

Build your program list with me one-on-one: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-counseling

Five things I wish someone had told me before I started PA school.

I made it through, but there were a lot of moments that first semester where I thought, why did nobody warn me about this? So I'm fixing that for you.

None of this is meant to scare you off. PA school is hard. It's also completely doable. Going in with realistic expectations makes those first few months so much easier.

What I cover:

• Why you need to start studying earlier than you think you do
• What the volume of material actually feels like week to week
• Building a study system before you're drowning in one
• The financial side nobody prepares you for
• Protecting your relationships and your sanity once classes start

If you're not in PA school yet and you're still working to get there, start here.

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

You found a PA to shadow. Now what do you actually do when you show up?

This one is all about shadowing etiquette, because how you behave in that office matters more than the number of hours you log. Shadowing is observation. You're there to watch how a PA thinks, how they talk to patients, and how they fit into the team. You are not there to do anything hands-on.

I go through what to wear, what to bring, when to ask questions and when to stay quiet, and how to leave a good enough impression that they'd be willing to write you a letter later.

What I cover:

What shadowing actually is and what it isn't

What to wear and what to bring with you

How to introduce yourself to patients and staff

When to ask questions without interrupting patient care

Patient privacy and the lines you can't cross

How to track your hours as you go

Turning a shadowing contact into a letter of recommendation

Resources:

Free application timeline so you can plan your hours around deadlines: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-application-timeline

See shadowing requirements program by program with the PA Program Map: https://www.thepaplatform.com/pa-platform-map

Want a second set of eyes on your whole application plan? Book a pre-PA counseling session: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-counseling

Shadowing is one of those boxes almost every PA program wants checked, and it's also one of the hardest to figure out when you don't know a single PA.

In this episode I'm walking through exactly how to find shadowing hours from scratch. I start with the people you already know, because you'd be surprised how often someone's cousin or neighbor turns out to be a PA. Then I get into reaching out on social media, and I tell you about the cold calling I did to medical offices back when I was in your shoes.

It's awkward. Do it anyway. Most people say yes.

What I cover:

Why programs care about shadowing and how many hours you actually need

Starting with your existing network before anything else

How to message a PA on social media without being weird about it

Cold calling offices and what to say when someone picks up

What to do when you keep getting turned down

How to get the most out of the hours once you're there

Resources:

Free application timeline so you know when shadowing needs to be done: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-application-timeline

Check shadowing requirements program by program with the PA Program Map: https://www.thepaplatform.com/pa-platform-map

Want help building your plan? Book a pre-PA counseling session: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-counseling

Welcome to The Pre-PA Club. I'm Savanna Perry, PA-C, and this is where it all starts.

In this first episode I'm introducing myself and telling you why this show exists. I talk about how I landed on PA instead of medical school, what my path through school actually looked like, and how all of that turned into The PA Platform.

There's a lot of confusing, contradictory advice floating around about getting into PA school. My goal here is to give you straight answers in one place.

What I cover:

Why I chose PA over medical school

My background and how I got through PA school

How The PA Platform started and who it's for

Why shadowing and healthcare experience carry so much weight on your application

What you can expect from this podcast going forward

Resources mentioned:

Just getting started? Grab my free application timeline so you know what to do and when: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-application-timeline

Not sure which programs fit your stats? The PA Program Map lays out requirements side by side: https://www.thepaplatform.com/pa-platform-map

Want to talk through your plan one-on-one? Book a pre-PA counseling session: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-counseling

Have a question you want answered on the show? Send it my way. And if this helped you, leave a review. I actually read them.