History
Why was the Physician Assistant program started?
There was a shortage of primary care physicians.
What are the two exams aside from the PA-CAT required for applying to PA school?
The GRE and CASPER
What is CASPA
The application service used to apply to PA programs
Can you only shadow PAs to gain shadowing hours?
No you can shadowing NPs MDs or other healthcare professionals. Explore!
What is a physician assistant and how is it different from being a doctor?
They are an advanced provider who can do most of what a doctor does but works in collaboration with a supervising physician.
Who were first trained to be PAs
Navy Corpsmen and Army medics
How many PCE hours should you aim for?
2000 hours
What are the three major essays listed for the CASPA application?
The Personal statement, Life experiences Essay and AI-focused essay
List 3 places where you can recieve volunteer hours from
Hope Lodge,MedWish,UH volunteering ,CC volunteering,Transplant House,Transplant Lodge,Ronald McDonald House,Special Olympics,Providence House
How long is a PA program usually?
from 2-3 years
When did the Physician Assistant profession begin?
It started in the mid-1960s. 1967
List atleast 2 out of the 3 rec letters you must obtain
one from a PA, science professor and work manager
Are you able to work on supplemental essays before the application cycle starts?
No they are unlocked on the last thursday of April
Is research necessary to apply to PA school?
No it is not but still great to do
What is the difference between a PA-S and a PA-C
The former is a student and not licensed while the latter is licensed through PANCE
Which University did the first PA class graduate from?
Duke University
Do the following count for clinical or healthcare hours: Sports med Aide, EMT
Sports med aide counts toward healthcare hours, while being an EMT counts towards clinical hours.
When does the application cycle open for CASPA?
The last thursday of April
What is the name of the paid membership we reccomend and what does it stand for?
AAPA, American Academy of Physician Assistants
What score on the GRE is reccomended?
Higher than a 300
Who created the curriculum for the first class of PAs and what was it based on?
Eugene A. Stead Jr.,based the curriculum of the PA program on his knowledge of the fast-track training of doctors during World War II
If you participate in a medical brigade outside of the united states do the hours count? If they dont what do they count towards to instead?
They cannot count if they were obtained outside the US and instead count towards volunteer hours.
What is the character limit of the personal statement?
5000 characters
If a school requires Biochem but not orgo 2 will you still need to take the latter at CWRU?
Yes as Orgo 2 is a prerequisite for biochemistry.
What is a perk of the AAPA membership regarding shadowing?
Allows you to post to shadowing discussion boards that can connect you to PAs across the US.