PA Interviews

Tell me about yourself

• grew up in small town with parents and younger sister

• mom is oncology nurse, why I am interested in healthcare b/c watched her compassion

• Experience as a long term patient is what inspired me to be a PA

• Ehlers Danlos syndrome caused frequent visits to clinics, hospitals, physical therapy

• Frustrating, but found myself fascinated watching the healthcare environment and how they work together

• Became close with ortho PA

• Am graduating from MSU

• Talk about jobs, clubs, and piano

What led you here

• Being a frequent patient of PAs and shadowing

• struck by the connections the PAs made with patients

• drawn to this patient-centered nature of the role.

• aligns with my passions

What is your biggest strength

• showing people that I care about what they are saying and that I always try to understand their situation

• Compassionate/personal

• Everyone can come out of school with great medical knowledge, but not everyone knows how to do the little things when treating a person

• My bedside manner/ability to relate to patients sets me apart

• How you make the person feel is just as important as the medical advice you give them

What is your biggest weakness

• my tendency to avoid asking for help.

• Take pride in being independent

• elt that asking for help showed a lack of preparation or would reflect poorly on my competence. pushed myself to figure everything out

• Working in healthcare settings has shown me just how crucial collaboration really is and how asking for help can actually be beneficial for everyone.

• PT aid requires communication

• Asking for help is not a weakness but a responsibility

• developed the habit of frequently checking in with colleagues and mentors and being transparent when I’m unsure about something

• something that I am continuing to work on, and I know this mindset will be essential as I move into the PA role, where team-based care is the standard.”

Why you want to become a PA

• grew up watching mom pour her heart into caring for patients facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Her stories made it clear that medicine was not just about science and health, but about the people.

• wasn’t until I became a patient myself that I learned what a PA was, and that was the career that most aligned with my goals of caring

• Young age muscular and joint problems, frequent dislocations and pain, became frequent patient of PAs.

• struck by the connections the PAs made with patients and drawn to this patient-centered nature of the role.

• PAs can spend more time with their patients, and therefore, build strong relationships and address patient concerns holistically and empathetically.

• Now that I work in healthcare, I have a new appreciation for the team based work of PAs

• I saw firsthand how effective patient care isn’t the result of a single provider, but a coordinated effort between health care workers

• was inspired by the way PAs served as both leaders and collaborators, and this is the work model that has always really resonated with me. I appreciated having the autonomy to make your own diagnosis decisions and make your own treatment plan appropriately while also having someone you can consult, like an attending physician when you need extra input.

Why do you think you would be a good applicant for PA school?

• Academic work drive: I’ve consistently made an effort to challenge myself and maintain strong performance, which I believe shows my ability to handle the rigor of PA school

• I’ve consistently made an effort to challenge myself and maintain strong performance, which I believe shows my ability to handle the rigor of PA school

• PT aid - anatomy Imaging Support - different imaging procedures and physiological processes

• Work experiences unrelated to healthcare have taught me valuable interpersonal skills… service industries = good communication skills

• Able to talk to patients and families as human beings…developed a bedside manner that leaves a lot of patients feeling like they're seen and valued

• I think that's not something you can necessarily teach in a classroom, but rather you learn through a variety of experiences, and I'd love to encourage my classmates and better develop myself in that aspect.

How is a PA different from an NP or MD?

• main difference is that PAs and MDs are trained in the medical model while NPs are trained in the nursing model

• PAs complete their education in a shorter time frame and with a generalist foundation… allows them to work across specialties and shift fields more easily

• NPs path usually requires becoming a registered nurse first and then pursuing graduate-level training in a specialized area… more individualized work

The role of a PA in the healthcare team

• PAs are licensed medical providers who practice medicine under the supervision of a physician.. but can work autonomously

• conduct patient assessments, order tests, prescribe medications, diagnose illnesses, develop treatment plans, and perform some medical procedures under physician supervision.

• Bridge potential gaps between physician and patients

Why is team based healthcare important

• No matter which healthcare setting you work in, you never work alone

• No single healthcare professional can meet all the complex needs of patients, especially in today’s system where many patients have chronic conditions, mental health needs, or require coordination across multiple services

• important to know the different roles each healthcare worker serves, as you will be better suited to realize when they can or cannot help you…. helps make sure tasks are assigned properly

• . Teams that collaborate well can better identify problems, create comprehensive care plans, and avoid medical errors.

Why university of toledo?

• The PA program is embedded in UToledo’s Health Science Campus, which offers a unique experience through IPE curriciulum. This integrated campus gives me the opportunity to work with other health professionals before I begin my career, which I think will be vital to my teamwork skills

• I’m excited by the state-of-the-art educational environment, including the Interprofessional Immersive Simulation Center, Clinical Skills Center, and anatomy cadaver lab that integrate VR, 3D tech, and hands-on practice. From what I can tell, it seems like UToledo really cares about their students education and learning experience, which is exactly what I am looking for in a school.

• Struggle with this priority at my current university, I had a hard time finding accessible academic help on my own. I felt alone in my education at times and wish I had tools like the ones your program offers that could have helped me personalize my education more and find study methods and other things that work for me

How do your goals align with UToledo

• aspire to become a collaborative, culturally sensitive provider serving diverse and underserved populations. UToledo’s mission to educate compassionate, patient‑centered PAs aligns closely with my goal to provide evidence-based care with empathy in community-based settings.

Questions to ask

• Can you tell me about the relationships you have with clinical rotation sites

• I am very interested in your work with underserved populations, could you tell me more about the hope free healthcare clinic?

• based on what you have seen and your personal experience, what advice would you give a first-year student?

How do you handle stress?

• Communication is my go-to in stressful moments

• Whether it’s during a busy shift or a high-pressure situation, I try to stay grounded by talking through the issue—either with a colleague, supervisor, or even just to myself to process what’s happening.

• PT aid example - when clinic got overwhelming, I made it a point to check in with my team and ask how we could divide tasks more effectively. Talking through what needed to be done—rather than trying to silently push through everything myself—always made a big difference.

• I think this was a stress management strategy that helped both me and my coworkers

• Communication reduced confusion, and helped us allocate tasks efficiently so we werent running around like chickens with our heads cut off

What do you bring to our program?

• Strong academic foundation: I’ve challenged myself with a rigorous course load and maintained strong performance, which shows my discipline and readiness for the demands of PA school. I think what sets me apart from others in this aspect is that I am not only challenging myself to be better prepared for PA school, but because I genuinely love learning. I thoroughly enjoy all of the knowledge I get out of these challenging classes and am always eager to keep learning more.