r/prephysicianassistant

My undergrad gpa was a 3.65. I applied to a SMP to try and get into medical school but my gpa however is a 2.91. I need to retake two courses for this smp and I have to drag out for another year. I am thinking of retaking the courses, obviously passing them with A’s and maybe taking extra courses to resuscitate my GPA. Should I just switch to PA? Will PA programs penalize me harshly for this? For example I took three human anatomy courses in undergrad and got A’s. I got A- in biochem in undergrad but struggled in my smp. What do you all think?

I'm a traditional senior in college graduating this May. For whatever reason I had the horrible idea of taking anatomy this semester, and I'm not doing good in it at all. I can't retake it at my current university post-grad because of my job schedule, so I've applied to a community college to potentially take it there. I just can't help but feel embarrassed because my sGPA is already low at a 3.3 and I feel like as a senior, I should have better study habits. I can't seem to stay afloat in anatomy. I feel like I'm drowning. Feeling overall defeated..

just wondering if someone has made a spreadsheet or checklist of sort for all the things needed to apply? I have mostly everything ready but i feel like im missing something and im very type A and just want to be as prepared as i can but i cant seem to find a checklist without someone promoting it to be paid for…

if anyone has any help!! :)

Hi all,

I originally wanted to submit my application ASAP once this cycle opens (self imposed deadline May 1) but i just found out that CASPA doesn’t update your GPAs once you update your course grades. I’ll be graduating May 16 (final grades posted sometime in the week after that) and wanted to know opinions on if i should just wait until my final grades are posted

Assuming i get the grades i think i will, it will potentially raise my cGPA from a 3.29 -> 3.35 and my sGPA from a 3.26 -> 3.36

I am currently planning to start my DIY post-bacc this summer to which I plan to retake courses and take new science (mainly bio courses, honestly) to help my GPA. With that being said, I received a C+ in precalculus, which is a prerequisite for some of the schools I plan to apply to. Is it worth retaking precalculus or should I focus on retaking my other courses (like bio and gen chem) and newer science courses.

I'd also like to mention that I have already taken statistics to which I've taken twice. The first time C, and the second time I got a B-. This is for the folks who say stat is more relevant than precalculus for prereq reasons or etc...

Thanks in advance!

Ok so I'll prob make another post once I secure my seat as some inspiration to applicants who were stressed/afraid for this new CASPA cycle as I was literally read to drop like 2.5k on fees with nearly double the amount of schools on my list this year.

I applied to PACE - Pleasantville's program last year and quite literally JUST got accepted to their program a few hours ago, which I only found out from a random email that said my application was updated, right after saying I was still interested in their program last week! I didn't get a call or anything, but I have an official (looking) letter that says I got accepted and to make a deposit in my PACE portal!! I literally didn't even scream or react all hyped up - my immediate reaction was "wait, what?" and I didn't even believe it for the first 20 minutes haha

Anyways, basically had four primary questions:

1. For anyone who got off a waitlist, did the school call you or is this normal to get a no call, email only update?

2. I've seen a thread or two about how PACE's Class of 25' had a 33% attrition rate and Class of 24' had a 31% rate (18% for 23'). The class is only 36 for both 24'/25' and I know lots of people saw that as a huge red flag. Some comments said it was because outside/student-specific problems and not PACE. Others said administration. This isn't program specific, but moreso a general question: Since this is my only acceptance and actually my top school, I'm accepting, but what do you guys think?

3. Anyone know where you'd find more about housing and how most people go about it? I never had to live off campus in college so I don't know much about leases and when I should be looking for roommates/what's considered a "good" commute.

4. It wouldn't make sense to apply to CASPA again right..? I put in work this past year to take some classes, earn a ton more PCE, really work on my essays, etc. but both my parents and I are super happy since this is last cycle's app and I'd be starting this fall vs NEXT fall IF I got in. So even with the high attrition rate, getting one acceptance at an Accreditation-Continued school is all you really need right? Just trying to hear other POVs since all I'm thinking about is how insane this is rn

Any input is appreciated and if I can get in literally 10 days before CASPA reopens, so can you! Best of luck!!!!!!!

Please help!

As I approach my second application cycle, I have learned a lot about CASPA and the process, one being LORs. I had (and will have again) 5 LORs, utilizing all my recs that I can (because you never know who will read it or if it’s a deciding factor).

I have learned that schools usually read 2-3 letters, starting with the first letter of submission. With that being said, I want to make sure I submit the best references first based on credentials and how well I’ve known them. Please help and thanks in advance!

-Cardio PA: shadowed her for 24 hours, known her since beginning of 2025 and still keep in close contact (texting basis)

-Urgent care NP: worked in urgent care with her for 1 year, knowing her since April 2024 and still keep in contact (texting basis)

-Professor (post-bac work): in his Human Anatomy and Phys I and II courses, along with Biochemistry (11 credits total). Have known him since end of 2024, utilizing his LOR since my GPA is on the lower end.

-Manager (an RN, also the president, and clinical director of the company I work for): known her since Oct 2025 when I started, working closely with her in the field and still do to this present day. Collaborate closely through each pt, assessing Tx plans and options which all display PA skills

-CEO (same company as above): known him since Oct 2025, traveling to AZ to meet him and build a personable relationship with. Believed in me to complete work even across the country, showing a sense of adaptability and team-based skills. Also knows my background, giving a fresh perspective on who I am.

This is the order I believe is “correct.” Or should professor go second since my GPA is on the lower side? Please give me insight/advice or any pointers you may have. Also, if you have any additional LOR points the writers or I should make, lmk so I can emphasize that! Thank you

Just wanted to share my anxiety and frustration about the fact that we don’t know what the prompt for the life experiences essay or the covid essay (which will supposedly be switched to an AI essay) will be. I want to have everything ready to go when CASPA opens on April 30th, but it’s hard when they won’t release the questions until it opens. My response to the life experiences essay heavily revolves around the “providers who can EMPATHIZE with the patient communities they serve” part so if they rephrase that and do away with the empathy component I’m going to have to rewrite it.

I was recently dismissed from PA school from failing my 2nd EOR. I want to become a PA and I don’t want all of my work that was done in didactic year to go to waste. I feel like I know so much and I just can’t let this go down the drain. I want to apply this upcoming cycle but what are my chances if I apply to 10+ schools. Will schools really take me? Any success stories or anyone has gone through a similar situation. I am stuck currently and do not know what to pursue with my health science degree. Please someone guide me so that my efforts do not go to waste.

Hello everyone,

This cycle I was extremely fortunate enough to have been accepted into a PA program. Today I just received a phone call that I got out of the waitlist for another program. However, I am very conflicted choosing between the two programs. Hopefully you guys can guide me.

Program A originally accepted me all the way back in September. Program B is the one that called me today. Both are in California. Both start this August.

	Program A	Program B
Accreditation	Accredited	Provisional
Cost	$156,915	$143,582
PANCE pass rate	2021 96% 2022 91% 2023 89% 2024 82% 2025 85%	2023 93% 2024 97%
Attrition rate	2022-2025 0%	2023 3.5% 2024 0% 2025 3%
Location	Bay Area; 9 hours from where I currently live in SoCal	SoCal; where I currently live and 2hr drive from my family
Clinical locations	IIRC; they are literally scattered throughout the state. Not ideal.	Within two counties, all within a 2-hour drive (at max)
Program length	28 months	28 months

Objectively, program B is the better option. What concerns me about program A is the drop in the PANCE pass rate however last year they seemed to have reversed the decline.

I would accept program B in a heartbeat. But now I present to you my dilemma. Last week I just submitted my application for the NHSC scholarship. With my very high GPA, letter of rec's and background I believe I have a good chance at earning the scholarship. Which, if you don't know, pays for everything. Which is especially important given the new loan changes. Now, for that scholarship I told them I was attending program A. If I commit to program B, i essentially forfeit that scholarship. But, given the new loan changes, I suspect there was a major uptick in applicants which may make it way more competitive. Which makes me think what if I commit to program A for the scholarship, but I don't end up getting it while I just forfeited my seat to a slightly cheaper program.

Program B just makes sense to me. I have lived in the area where the program is at for the past 5 years, have gotten to know the healthcare system and institutions very well, familiar with the population, and is 2 hour drive from my family. I may even land a job where i currently work at as an ED tech. The only con i can think of for program B is that its a religious based institution and Im not that personally religious.

Please leave your thoughts down below. They have only given me 3 days to make a decision lol.

Hi! I’m preparing to apply for my 3rd cycle while waiting on 2 waitlists, and I have gotten LORs from 2 doctors that I have worked closely with for the past 2 years. The past two cycles, I used an LOR from a PA I kinda know from my home town who I also shadowed for 30 hours. I’m hesitant to ask this PA to write me a letter for the 3rd cycle in a row because I mainly know them from a short shadowing experience and I don’t even know if it was a strong letter to begin with since I never saw it. But if I don’t ask, I won’t have a letter from a PA. My other two letters are from a clinical coordinator/RN I work with often, and my advisor/professor from undergrad. Is it a red flag to remove this PA? Or should I just ask again?

I’m getting a little vulnerable talking about this, but I was wondering if there is someone out there I can converse with about working through our apps together? My college doesn’t offer pre-pa advising (graduated 2022), I feel discouraged because my GPA is low (cGPA 3.1), and I just want to know if I can talk to someone about literally everything and work together to improve our apps/apply this cycle, like an app buddy.

Hi all!

I am applying for PA school this cycle (2026-27). I am a senior and will be graduating in mid may. My ANP II course will be completed at that time (~May 15th) and I plan to take MicroBiology with Lab in the summer.

Most of my schools are rolling and all of my schools accept applications with in progress courses.

I want to get my application into the rolling schools as soon as possible. My question is, is there a benefit to waiting till I get my FULL official transcript? And if I do plan to apply with my official transcript missing ANPII and microbio with lab (in progress), how would I let the schools know about my grade in the two in progress courses.

I plan to submit non-supplemental schools by the second week of CASPA opening

Thank you in advance and good luck to those applying too!

I am starting my gap year (or two) to gain direct patient contact hours to apply to PA school. For context: I am 21 years old and just graduated with my bachelor in Biology. I got offered 2 jobs, one at The Orthopedic Center and one is a Dermatologist office. I am very torn between the two.

The Orthopedic Center is paying $16/hr (I am asking if they can match my other offer). Said I would gain experience taking out sutures, assisting with injections, castings, wound care, charting, etc. it sounds very hands on and that I would gain so much experience and really help me figure out what I want to do as a PA. They have about 100 providers so I would be rotating between most of them. It’s M-F 8am-5pm and they emphasized how important being at work every single day is. And they said basically no time off during my first 90 days. Also, everyone I met in the clinic was SUPER eager to have me apart of the team and talked about how busy it is and how much they need it. This kinda stressed me out, because even the employer mentioned that this job can be very difficult. I’m just not sure I want to spend my gap year being stressed out. At the end of the 90 days, I have to get certified (they pay for everything) so would that look good on applications for PA school?

The dermatologist office is $18/hr. I would be doing skin evaluations, setting up rooms, taking patients in and getting vitals, charting, and assisting minor skin procedures. This is a much smaller office compared to TOC, but they do have a PA there that’s been working for 16 years and apparently LOVES to teach and has helped 3 other girls get into PA school. This sounds like a great opportunity. It’s M-T 7am-4pm and F is 7am-noon. I really enjoy the half day aspect on Friday. They seemed so much more understanding that I will have a life outside the job and they said time off is no issue. They also provide free monthly facials and botox/filler (I’d only care about the facials). They said they have monthly dinners I could attend where reps take us out to nice restaurants to sell and give information on a drug and that it’s a good learning opportunity.

Basically, I think the ortho could be better experience, but the derm allows me to have a more chill gap year since I am so young. My question to everyone is, do you have any advice and is there one that would completely stand out and make me a better applicant? Both would get me the hours I need, but I’m not sure how much PA schools care about what speciality you’re doing exactly. I think the TOC interests me more and matches a speciality I would do in the future. But the derm has a better PA interaction and work-life balance. I know work-life balance may not matter to some, but it is really important to me, especially because I don’t just want to spend my gap year purely working.

Hi everyone, this is going to be a long one. Brace yourselves.

Yesterday I was accepted after being waitlisted from a very good program. I’m so happy I finally got the “yes” as this was my second application cycle and this is something I’ve been working towards for so long. The problem is, the program starts next month and my husband is active duty military and we are currently abroad (like- very far abroad..). if I would’ve gotten accepted after initially interviewing, we would have had time to plan how the heck to get me back to the states and start school. Not to mention we would have had more time to figure out how we are going to take on the $200,000 price tag.

I don’t know how I would begin to start a rigorous program with nothing but a suitcase full of my clothes and my laptop. I feel I would have a hard time adjusting and getting myself set up for school, along with trying to keep up with the “hit the ground running” type of program PA school inevitably is.

Not to mention, I’m having the time of my life traveling and living abroad and I was content in putting off school until we return next year.

Undergrad me would be screaming to go, but I guess my priorities have changed and I’ve realized there’s more to life than academic achievement.. is it the worst thing in the world to want to get this travel bug out of my system?

So the question is, do I tough it out, figure it out and go? Or do I reapply when we get back to the states? I have until Tuesday to make a decision. Any advice is appreciated.

I’m an international student, and my biggest concern is affordability along with job outcomes after graduation. I’m trying to decide between a few paths:

1. MCPHS: It’s a 3+3 program, and I received an $18k scholarship per year, which lowers the tuition to around $29k/year for the first 3 years, then about $36k/year for the 3 years in the professional phase. I also found a room where I would only have to pay $600/month in rent, and the commute to school would take around 35 mins by train.

2. Drexel: The program lasts 5.25 years, and after my grant and scholarship, the total cost (including tuition, dining, housing, and insurance) would be around $53k/year. Housing and dining are required at Drexel for the first 2 years. After that, I plan to move out starting in year 3. What I’m unsure about is whether there are additional tuition costs, because it looks like I would need to take summer classes to complete the required credits each year, but I can’t find clear information online about summer tuition or whether my scholarship applies to those classes. In year 3, I'd also have a 6-month paid co-op, so I could use that money to cover part of my living expenses**.**

3. My third option is going to a community college for 2 years, transferring to a university, and then applying to PA school. But what really worries me is that there seems to be very limited scholarship and financial aid available for international transfer students

I’d really appreciate your honest opinion and advice

So guys I’ve been working as a PCT for almost 2 years now and I genuinely feel like I’ve developed a hatred for ppl (really just old ppl if I’m being honest)

I’m just venting pls don’t jump on me

Ok reason 1: My job is genuinely looked down on by everyone in the hospital. Pts, Nurses, Providers, etc. The nurses don’t show any empathy towards you for the amount of work that you do. They don’t care anything ab your job and your heavy load just if you do vitals on time or glucose checks. You could be elbows deep in a bed bath or literally picking up the pts shit off the floor and they’ll walk in acting like they don’t see you at all and start talking to the pt as if you’re not even in there, but expect you to stop what you’re doing so they could tell the pt that they’re putting in “dc orders” for them😭. Pts and especially their family think that you don’t know SHIT, like for example a pt wanted a pull-up their wife was like “she wouldn’t know, she’s just an aid” likeee wtf??!! Why wouldn’t I know if the floor I work on has pull-ups or not??

Reason 2: the physical toll on my body. I literally have the worst back pain from this job. Having to basically pick up and hold on to these big ass bariatric pts is honestly part of the job. They don’t help you at ALLLL. It’s like they almost want to punish you bc they’re in the hospital. Some nurses like to act oblivious to the fact that a pt requires x2 or 3 assist, and they leave you to do all the turning, pulling, and rolling by yourself.

Reason 3: ELDERLY PTS! Omg working as a PCT just solidified my dislike for ever working with old ppl. They are truly some of the nastiest-rudest ppl ever! Some of them can be soo entitled thinking that you’re supposed to be waiting hand and foot for them. And pls don’t get my started on demented/Alzheimer’s pts, especially when the family acts like their pawpaw is the sweetest man on earth but turns into most racist, nastiest person ever at night. It’s like their strength multiply into the strength of 100 gorillas. I actually dealt with one kicking the shit outta my stomach today, with its scabby ass foot.

Reason 4: Ratios! It seems to me that the only ppl management cares about is the nurses bc on day shift we can have up to 15 pts sometimes and the charge nurses wouldn’t bat an eye or even offer to get a pt a cup of ice. It’s like no one’s cares to help and it’s no need to even say anything bc your Job will be downplayed and they’ll act like they have the hardest job on earth as a nurse. I honestly get that sometimes nursing can be very critical when it comes to thinking and that I’m sure you need to be very smart to do your job, but pls when most of your pts orders are just pain management you don’t get to make me feel like I interrupted you doing the Lords work to help me turn a 400lb pt.

I honestly could go on and on but that’s all I can manage to type today after my shift.

Ik some ppl are just gonna say go to another hospital, this is my 2nd hospital job doing different specialties and I still hate it.

I already have a little over 3000 hrs, in those 2 years from working full time the entire time. I honestly don’t have the time nor the money to do another certification program to find another job to get PCE hours.

I’ve shadowed enough to realize PA is def for me, but it’s getting to the point that idk if I will even make it to PA school if working as a PCT is what’s required.

*pls don’t mind the grammar or any spelling issues, I can’t get my brain to reread all of this rn

Hey, I’m an EMT with about 2 years experience and im considering my options going to PA school. My eventual goal is to become an EM PA. But I would love to go get my associates in paramedicine before and work as a medic for a few years before I finish my bachelors and go to PA school. Ive talked to a few people that said I should go straight to the PA route but I have a passion for EMS and I was a B student in highschool and im not sure if id be good enough to go the route I want going straight into PA school. What are yalls thought?

Hi all, I’d like some advice. As a first gen college and grad student I’m still learning everything and it’s not easy on my own lol but I’m trying. So I’m talking my prerequisites and doing a postbacc since I had studied psych in college. And so far I’ve taken 2 semesters of Bio, 2 of chem, and microbio. In the summer I’ll take accelerated A&P 1 and 2 and in the fall I was thinking of taking orgo 1 or genetics. But honestly I’m so drained from chem that I’d like to skip on orgo. None of the programs I want to apply to require it. Not even genetics but I know the professor and I liked microbiology so it should be fine. But how bad would it be if I were to not take orgo? In order to get a certificate on top of A&P 1-2 I’d need another class and that’s why I was in between orgo and genetics. Please advise. I also work full time and managing 2-3 courses drained me. So that’s why in the summer I want to take the accelerated one so it’s once a week. And then in the fall orgo or genetics while I also work on caspa and the PS and extra essays. Thank you so much for all your support.

I recently got my EMT certification and I was planning to work as an EMT in my gap year before applying to PA school. However, most of the companies that are near me are private companies so I will mostly be doing IFT. That being said, do PA schools count IFT as PCE hours? Does it look bad to do IFT instead of 911?