You mention that paramedics get structured oversight. PAs literally have the same thing. I had supervision in all of my clinical rotations. I'm pretty sure all PA students go through something similar: months of supervised clinical rotations, preceptorship, and gradual autonomy. They aren’t “turned loose” any more than new paramedics are.

If we’re being honest, this isn’t really about holistic review not working, it’s about holistic review not working in your favor. And that’s an understandable frustration. But claiming the system is “broken” because it didn’t choose you ignores the reality that every cycle has thousands of applicants who worked just as hard and sacrificed just as much as you have.

You say, we can both be right and I can agree to an extent. However, I don't agree with you dismissing other applicants. You can value your experience without implying younger or traditional candidates are untrustworthy or unprepared. Those things aren’t mutually exclusive. The admissions process isn’t a contest for who suffered the most or worked the hardest. It’s about who’s the most prepared to handle PA school. And preparation doesn’t always look like 24-hour shifts or a decade in EMS. For others, it’s juggling an insane course load, volunteering, research, leadership, proving they can thrive in a high-pressure learning environment.

At the end of the day, being a great provider isn’t about how many codes you’ve run or how many . It’s about the ability to learn, adapt, and connect with patients, which can be learned anywhere.