Lateral Mobility as a PA
December 14, 2024
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The average PA student continues to be female, Caucasian, 25 years old, and with a GPA around 3.6. What do you do if you do not fit this stereotypical mold?
Firstly, do not give these parameters too much weight. If you want to go to PA school, being a non-traditional PA student can be a wonderful thing.
What is a non-traditional PA student? There is no singular definition, but may include anyone who does not fit the above mold. This could be due to age, GPA, pre-PA experiences, background, demographics, and more. These qualities can either be viewed as a weakness or strength on your application. The key is to do your homework and apply to schools that most align with and value your life experiences in order to turn your non-traditional qualities into areas of strength. Remember that while PA schools look at individual applicants, they look at more than numbers on your CASPA application. They also look to create well-rounded classes made of students who exemplify teamwork and add to the cohort in various ways.
Let’s dive into some of these scenarios deeper….
A Low GPA:
While an overall cumulative GPA is important as it demonstrates an applicant’s ability to learn and perform in a rigorous academic environment, a low GPA does not mean it is doomsday for your PA career. There are many ways in which you can make yourself a stronger applicant in this setting. If you performed poorly in a class, it may be to your advantage to retake the class. While this may not create a huge impact on your overall GPA, it demonstrates a willingness to continue learning, awareness of areas of weakness with a desire to improve, and that you are a different and improved student as compared to when you first took the class.
Pre-PA Patient Care Hours:
The stereotypical PA patient care hours have usually been in the form of Emergency Medical Services (EMS). It is a great job to pursue, but not everyone does this. More and more we are seeing Medical Assistants as the most common source of pre-PA school work. However in our cohort at Emory University, we had registered dietitians, ultrasound technologists, nutritionists, nurses, respiratory therapists, Army medics, dental hygienists, athletic trainers, and more! The variety of backgrounds added tremendously to our schooling as everyone shared different strengths. This resulted in students volunteering to tutor others and give demonstrations based on their backgrounds. There are many ways to fulfill these hours and you may want to try a couple. The most important is that you find something you enjoy and that allows you to really gain an understanding of what working with patients is like. Just like everyone says, PA school is like drinking through a firehose. The goal is to teach you all the knowledge needed to care for patients. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of time placed on teaching you how to interact with patients or grow as an individual. That is why your pre-PA career is so important. It is where your PA career actually starts and a hugely valuable place of learning.
Age:
Why are so many PA students 25 years old and what if I am younger or older? This age generally provides individuals with enough patient care hours through a prior career and is just enough time that all of the college credits and classes have not yet expired. Commonly those applying directly from college simply do not have the hours required to apply to PA school. This is not a bad thing. Again, remember PA school is supposed to be an extension to healthcare learning. The original class out of Duke University consisted of Navy Hospital Corpsmen who already received medical training, but were not doctors. With that being said, there are many students accepted directly from undergraduate studies who have put the work and hours in while in college to demonstrate their maturity and dedication to becoming a PA. Additionally, there are students in their late 30’s, 40’s and into their 50’s who are accepted to PA school. Being a little older can be a huge advantage due to life experiences and breadth of work. Do not let age on either end of the spectrum deter you from applying to PA school if you have the credentials to do so.
Differing Background:
This can include ethnicity, being born outside of the US, socioeconomics, self-identity, English as a second language, and more. PAs do not all look alike. Your background may be a great strength in bringing a new perspective to your classmates or even teaching about differing cultures from your peers. Your personal experiences and background may be the main motivator for becoming a PA. For instance, we have worked with students who were doctors in their country of origin who then immigrated to the US and become PAs. Others have attended medical school, decided that was not the career path for them, and pivoted to the PA profession. As we all know, there continues to be a great need for healthcare providers and PAs are trying to close that gap. Here are two stories of PAs who do not fit the stereotypical mold and how their lives inspired their future work. These stories may help you understand your motivation for going to PA school and encourage you on your journey.
As a non-traditional student you possess the ability to bring unique characteristics to your PA education, future classmates, and work as a PA. We would encourage you to find a way to express this as a strength and asset in your PA school application. You may be able to bring leadership and mentoring skills, unique life experiences, new perspectives, and more.
We both did not fit the mold when applying to PA school. However, we both successfully overcame this challenge. Through our own experiences and in working with others, we excel at helping those in a similar situation reach their goal of becoming a PA.
If you are interested in learning more about the average PA student statistics, you can read more from the PA Education Association at https://paeaonline.org/resources/public-resources/research-reports/program-survey-and-reports.
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