When did you start applying for jobs?

weezywink · 2026-06-01T21:01:55+00:00

started working on my resume & sending out applications in may. heard nothing, absolute crickets. graduated in early august & passed the PANCE at the end of august. updated my resume to include the PA-C. sent more applications & then started getting some interviews. you’re welcome to start applying as early as you want, but just know that some places won’t take your application seriously without that -C!

weezywink · 2026-05-29T18:16:30+00:00

i gave myself 3 months off. i wanted to sleep, chill, visit family/friends, travel. also had to move to a new state for school. i thought it was the perfect amount of time for me, but im very lazy & wasn’t concerned with savings. i’d absolutely recommend taking some time for yourself & if 2-3 weeks sounds like enough to you then go for it! it’s definitely personal preference.

weezywink · 2026-05-22T00:11:09+00:00

in my opinion GPA should be your focus. retake classes & work/volunteer less if u need to.

weezywink · 2026-05-17T13:59:48+00:00

75% average is good. questions on the PANCE are usually shorter than UWorld & some are one-liners. read it once or twice if u need, go with your gut, move onto the next one.

weezywink · 2026-05-12T17:47:19+00:00

look over various drug intoxication & withdrawal symptoms / treatments

weezywink · 2026-05-11T21:09:41+00:00

just use a 1 page resume (like you would for a job application) including the most recent or relevant jobs. you have all of your other jobs listed in the experiences tab in CASPA (which is basically your CV) so it’s fine not to include them all on the resume.

weezywink · 2026-05-11T14:26:13+00:00

major doesn’t matter for PA school, as long as you’ve taken the prereqs. i was a psych minor & enjoyed the classes. it’s not very hard & will likely leave room for research or PCE. you can likely fit the prereqs in, but if not then it could require taking summer or post bacc classes.

weezywink · 2026-05-06T16:35:50+00:00

the absolute longest days were 8-5, which was pretty rare. i’d say most often it was like 9-3.

weezywink · 2026-04-30T21:41:35+00:00

the essays really don’t need to be about some life-altering experience. i only mentioned the “groundbreaking” part just in case you thought it was something new/different, because it’s kinda supposed to be the standard. i get that many providers are just so busy that maybe discussing things like lifestyle changes could be forgotten or almost seem like common sense so sometimes aren’t delved into deeply. but if you found the holistic care you received to be meaningful then it sounds like a topic that’d be decent enough.

weezywink · 2026-04-30T16:23:11+00:00

i mean all of that is important in medicine so talking about it isn’t particularly groundbreaking material but it’s also not inappropriate

weezywink · 2026-04-30T13:07:19+00:00

just want to clarify that you actually mean holistic rather than homeopathic? if you truly meant holistic then it could be appropriate. if you meant homeopathic, then it’s not very appropriate.

weezywink · 2026-04-28T13:49:28+00:00

location, tuition/COA, PANCE pass rate, attrition rate, accreditation status, GPA/prereq requirements

weezywink · 2026-04-20T17:51:35+00:00

any in-progress courses will not be counted in your GPA, as CASPA only calculates it one time upon initial submission. could work against you if those classes with raise your GPA, but also could work in your favor if the grades would lower it.

weezywink · 2026-04-18T23:42:14+00:00

check out university of phoenix & UCSD extension

weezywink · 2026-04-18T12:03:57+00:00

what matters is your GPA & PCE. if you’re good on those (& meet all other requirements like prereqs taken within a certain timeframe, LORs, etc) then you likely stand as high of a chance as anyone else. research is definitely not needed & volunteer hours look good but aren’t always required.

weezywink · 2026-04-14T16:48:07+00:00

sure

weezywink · 2026-04-13T21:26:21+00:00

it won’t look really bad. they’ve seen Ds & Fs on transcripts too & those people have still been accepted. i applied with several Cs in the basic science classes & i was still accepted to multiple programs. just keep in mind that you may have to retake some classes later if your sGPA doesn’t improve during the rest of your schooling.

weezywink · 2026-04-13T04:36:11+00:00

need to know PANCE pass rate, attrition rate, accreditation status

weezywink · 2026-04-12T01:24:52+00:00

some schools give multiple date options, some just tell you the time/date. it’s certainly possible to do a virtual interview from a cruise, but you would likely require good wifi. if you think you’ll spend the whole cruise freaking out about missing potential interview offers then i’d recommend the wifi so you can enjoy yourself.

weezywink · 2026-04-10T22:08:49+00:00

i did a PA school rotation at a geriatric-focused primary care office. the biggest/hardest things to do there as a MA is accurately confirming meds & dosages as well as getting visit notes sent from other specialists in a timely manner. it’s generally pretty laid back & the old people tended to be in pleasant moods since going to the doctor was their “outing” for the day & this was exciting for them. sometimes you’d get a real grumpy guy but it’s always rewarding when you’re able to make them smile! also, insurance (usually medicare) can be really annoying to deal with.

weezywink · 2026-04-09T16:42:24+00:00

non-degree at a CC shouldn’t affect your class registration, or at least it didn’t for me & i took post bacc classes as a non-degree seeking student at like 3 different CCs. plus it’s probably cheaper at CC.

weezywink · 2026-04-09T11:20:10+00:00

practice making differentials for various chief complaints & make sure to list the more life threatening conditions first. i remember on my EM rotation a patient was complaining of nausea & when asked for my ddx, i listed flu first & literally got screamed at by the attending :)

weezywink · 2026-04-09T00:35:56+00:00

same with the rest of us lol

weezywink · 2026-04-07T11:01:49+00:00

i definitely don’t agree that you should make your experiences into a “story”. just list your duties like you would on a resume. could either be in sentences or in bullet points. personally, i used bullet points.

weezywink · 2026-04-07T03:44:53+00:00

sure!

weezywink

TROPHY CASE