Your hours stopped. Your shadowing got cancelled. Now what?

My inbox has been full of the same questions since March, so I'm answering them here. How are programs handling all of this, and what does it mean for your application?

First thing: give the programs some grace. They're figuring out online classes and reshuffling clinical rotations for their current students while also trying to run an admissions cycle. Answers are going to be slow.

Second thing: don't expect prereq requirements to disappear. Some flexibility on hours is likely, but the core academic requirements aren't going away, so keep working on what you can control. CASPA also added a COVID essay, which is your chance to explain what happened and how it affected your path. Use it well, and don't waste it complaining.

What I cover:

• How programs are adapting to online classes and rotation changes
• Whether prerequisite requirements are likely to change
• What to do about lost shadowing and volunteer hours
• The new COVID essay in CASPA and how to approach it
• Setting expectations for program response times
• What you can still control in your application

Resources:

Free Application Timeline: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-application-timeline

Free Personal Statement Worksheet: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-personal-statement-worksheet-download

CASPA GPA Calculator: https://www.thepaplatform.com/pa-school-caspa-gpa-calculator

Pre-PA Counseling: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-counseling

Mentioned in this episode:

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Time for a solo episode.

And I haven't done one of these in a while, but I felt it was timely so that we can talk about all things Coronavirus COVID 19 and how it affects PA school applications.

Welcome to the pre PA Club podcast.

If you want to learn how to become a physician assistant, you're in the right place.

I'm your host, Savannah Perry.

Let's get to it.

All right, before we get to our interview, we are welcoming a new sponsor on the podcast this month and I want to introduce you to Stride Funding.

Everyone always asks about how to pay for PA school and this is a very interesting, innovative alternative to traditional student loans.

Instead of being faced with ridiculous interest rates and paying for 10, 20, 30 years, Stride funding offers income share agreements, which means you would pay a small percent of income after you graduate over a shorter time frame than a traditional student loan.

So usually you're looking at about a five year plan at around 4 to 10% of your income.

No interest, no principal amount, and a grace period that will start before, well after graduation, but before payments begin.

And then there's also flexibility around some unexpected life events.

So this is interesting and something I never knew about, but I think definitely worth looking into if you are trying to figure out how you're going to pay for PA school.

If you're looking into graduating.

Not sure what you want to do, but you can go to stridefunding.com to learn more and we will have a link in the description as well that'll get you straight there so that you can check it out, see if it's something that's going to work for you and maybe save you some money in the long run.

Welcome to today's episode.

I'm Savannah, I am a dermatology PA and also the creator of the PA platform and this podcast.

So thank you so much for being here.

If you are new, welcome if you have been listening for a while, thank you and I would love for you to subscribe, write a review, let us know that you're here and listening and what you want to hear about wherever it is that you are listening.

And of course we're on social media, on Instagram, TikTok now, all kinds of places.

So wherever you found us, glad to have you.

Today we're going to be answering some questions about how this whole COVID 19 pandemic is going to affect PA school applications.

Before we jump into that, thank you to everyone who attended the Pre PA conference last week.

It was awesome.

It was so much fun and if you missed out and want watch the replays.

They are available [email protected] so definitely check that out.

Lots of great sessions, lots of great info and definitely worth looking into.

And hopefully maybe we'll do more of these in the future if you guys liked them.

And we're thinking of doing maybe even more very, very specific ones.

So yeah, if there's something you think would be helpful in that same format, please please let me know.

Alright, before we get to anything, I do want to mention the sponsors of our podcast.

The first one being mypa Resource, which is a personal statement editing service that only uses physician assistants to edit essays.

So you know that the people looking at your essay are the ones who know what is important.

And most of us, I am one of the editors, have worked with admissions.

You can use the code futurepa for a discount on those [email protected] and our other sponsor is PA School Prep, which is a review course in anatomy, physiology and med terms.

I get a lot of questions about what to do before starting PA school and if you feel like you need a little refresher or want to make sure that you are going in on the right foot, check out PA School Prep.

It's an online course and it will make you more prepared for that first semester of PA school.

And you can use the code Future PA for a discount on any services there as well as on the PA platform.

If you have an interview coming up and want a mock interview or any questions, please just send them my way.

All right, let's talk about COVID stuff.

Okay, so to say that I've gotten some questions about how Covid will affect PA school applications might be a little bit of an understatement because there have been so many questions about this, which I totally understand.

I do not envy you guys being in this position right now.

And I know that applications are already stressful enough.

You don't need this on top of it to make it even more stressful.

Yet here we are and this is a thing that is outside of any of our control, so it is something worth addressing.

Okay, so let's start with, well, a disclaimer first of all.

So all of these thoughts and opinions are strictly my own.

They are not thoughts and opinions of any specific program.

If you listen back a couple episodes to when we talk to the different admissions committee members and program admissions directors with Jed Grant and Megan, they both kind of touched on Covid stuff a little bit.

So, I mean, you can take their opinion if you want, but these are strictly my opinions.

And so I could be completely wrong, completely off base.

But I think I've, I've talked to enough admissions people and looked at enough websites to kind of have an idea of the way a lot of them think.

So how will this affect programs and applications cycles?

So number one, please be graceful with these programs right now.

I know that you have a lot of questions and to be perfectly honest, they probably do too.

They are trying to figure this out just as quickly as you are.

And they are right now having to juggle trying to get students who were kicked off rotations back into a rotation or figuring out what that's going to look like or when the students are going to graduate, figuring out how to move their didactic portions to online.

A lot of programs now that start in the summer are going to online and that is very, very new for a lot of these programs.

They've never done that before.

So they have a lot going on and then they're trying to figure out what to do with the whole application process and what changes they're going to need to make there.

I, I would not love to be a faculty person right now because their jobs are already difficult and I think it just got a lot harder with having to juggle all of this.

So if they take a little time to respond to you or don't give you something that is very, a very distinct answer, just know that they are trying their best and they will figure it out one way or another.

Okay, so I'm going to give my personal opinions on how I affect how I think this is going to affect the application cycle for this year.

First, a lot of the questions I've been getting are do you think that schools are going to change their requirements or bend their prerequisite requirements to allow students to apply if they don't meet the requirements?

Especially from people who maybe haven't been able to secure some additional shadowing, volunteering, working hours.

And personally I don't see this, those requirements changing very much because if you really look at it, I mean, all this Covid stuff happened mid March, mid to end of March, and that's really only a month before CASPA opens.

And so I think to the PA schools, they're seeing it as, you know, someone who's ready to apply to PA school should have all of those boxes checked ahead of time.

Like they should have already had all that done.

And I think when it comes to the applications coming in, the schools are still going to have plenty of qualified applicants to choose from.

There's not going to be a shortage of applicants.

I mean, there are something like 30,000 people who apply to PA school every year and not nearly that many spots.

And so it may actually make their lives a little bit easier because maybe they'll get less applications this year.

But, but I still think there will be enough to fill their classes with what they're looking for.

So I don't think that they're going to see any need to change those requirements.

When it comes to classwork and coursework.

Some schools have been giving the option for students to choose pass fail when it comes to their classes and getting a grade or not.

Especially these classes that have moved to online, which we'll talk about in a second when it comes to pass fail classes.

And what I've seen mostly now across the board is that schools are not wanting to accept a pass fail class for a prerequisite if it is a prerequisite course.

They still want to see a grade if it is a course that is not a prereq.

Just some random, I don't know, say physics.

Well, sometimes physics is a period, let's say it's a random English class that you just took for fun or dance or something.

Those don't really matter.

And so the schools don't care if you take pass fail or not when it comes to CASPA and calculating your GPAs.

Pass fail does not incorporate at all into your GPA whether you pass or fail.

So that's why those schools want to see still a grade for the prerequisite courses.

I've seen a few schools that will say we'll take it on a case by case basis and look at it, especially if you aren't given a choice.

But if you do choose to make a prerequisite a pass fail course, I would think that you would need to plan on retaking that for a grade at a future date.

Now with programs moving to online classes for what I've seen again across the board so far is that schools are accepting those classes and labs that have moved to an online format.

And if you think about it, I mean that is not something you could have predicted.

It's not something you signed up for and you don't really have a choice.

And so if, I mean, and the semester is pretty much almost over, so the majority of your lab and course was in person.

The PA schools are being a little bit flexible with their online lab or course requirements and are saying that they will accept lab courses.

I've seen some schools put a limit on that to just the spring semester or just the spring and summer semester.

And these are things and reasons why you have to double and triple check the PA program websites, especially as these changes are happening in real time and with lots of discussion around them.

If you're in the pre PA club on Facebook, there have been a lot of discussions about this too and people have been great to update or post updates as soon as they get them from different programs, which is very helpful.

But yeah, so that's something to kind of think about with looking at taking classes, what classes are available and then what you're going to do with your classes you're in now.

All right, let's move on to talking about testing.

So what if you know you're unable now to take the GRE or the PA cap because your test got cancelled?

And this is something I was seeing more about a few weeks ago, but the GRE has I'm hoping these testing centers will be opening up more now, but they have started an at home test option and then some people said, well they say you can only take on Windows and I only have a Mac and there are options to kind of run a Windows type operating system on a Mac.

And so there I again, some schools are waiving their GRE requirement and saying that they're not requiring it this cycle and then others are not and are still requiring it because you technically still should be able to take it.

Yes, it's more difficult.

Yes, scheduling is a huge issue, but that is something that schools are wanting to be complete.

Some of them definitely look at that, make sure that you are double checking to see whether the school is still requiring the GRE or not.

And same thing with the PA cap, which not many schools are requiring that right now anyway.

And I could see them making that more optional too.

All right, next let's talk about so let's talk about being unable to get hours when it comes to shadowing, volunteering, working and who knows when this will be back to normal.

When it comes to working, depending on what your job is and your qualifications, you can certainly be looking for new jobs.

I know a lot of people, even a lot of PAs have been furloughed or fired and it's very actually difficult to find PA jobs now because patient census numbers are just low across the board.

So if you are looking for a position, see if there's anywhere where you can help or where they do need you.

And then as soon as things get back to normal ish there there are going to be needs for jobs and for people in every single position because some people maybe who lost their job are going to find out that they don't want to go back to work and that they don't need that position.

So.

So be on the lookout, go ahead and start researching positions.

And that's something you can do now and then with volunteering.

As soon as you can get back to it, do it.

I've had a few people ask about.

I'm making masks.

Can I put that on my application as volunteer hours?

You could.

I personally probably wouldn't.

And we'll talk about where I would put that in a minute.

But unless it's a formal volunteer organization or something where you have a supervisor, you can list, that's typically what you want to put in that volunteer section.

And then with shadowing, I think, I mean, even med students and PA students were unable to complete their rotations because of, you know, the concerns about the lack of PPE and then the safety of students.

And so it has made it more difficult to get those shadowing hours.

Opportunities have been canceled, but they're going to come back.

And so unless your programs you're applying to have changed their requirements when it comes to hours and all that, I would probably plan on only applying to the schools that you meet the minimum requirements for now, if they have a recommended requirement or they don't really have a minimum of something, you maybe have a better chance.

So like, let's say they recommend shadowing, but they don't require it, and you have some shadowing, but not as much as you'd like, go ahead and go for it.

I mean, there is going to be some leaks leniency there.

We would hope with the programs and you'd hope that you'd want to go to one that really is looking at all of that right now.

And so I would.

You really got to go with what you got and make.

Make the best of it for sure.

So just keep looking for opportunities and also just take this time to, since we're all kind of quarantined and I'm doing this a couple weeks before it airs, so hope I'm is my prayer that everything is much more normal by then, but who even knows?

But use this time that this downtime essentially to really work on things.

I mean, you can be working on your personal statement, your experience details, organizing all of your information, ordering your transcripts, getting everything together for your application cycle if you are applying this year.

And then that will make your stress less when it comes time to actually get out there and start working again.

And you'll have everything a little bit more organized.

So letters of recommendation.

This is something else we've been getting questions about how to ask in this kind of weird time.

Just ask.

You don't know what that PA is going to say.

A lot of jobs have a lot of downtime right now, so maybe they will be able to write you that letter unless they're in one of these really busy areas or specialties.

But you never know until you ask and they may say no, that they can't do it right now.

There's too much going on.

And then the sooner you ask, that gives you time, more time to find a backup and find another option.

And so how you ask.

I've been getting questions about this.

It's really up to you and your relationship with that person whether you think it's best to ask in person, to call, to text, to email.

I most of the time get texts to do letters or emails.

But yeah, if you can just kind of think about how well you know that person and what you think they would be most receptive to.

And then if they say that they're unable, you're gonna have to go with a backup plan and ask someone else.

Go ahead and be thinking about other people to ask.

You should always have some backup letter writers in mind just in case something falls through.

I mean, I've even heard, unfortunately, of someone planning on a certain letter writer and then that person passing away.

So always have some backups in mind for your letters.

And you want to try to go with the people who know you best and are most personal, but that also fulfill those requirements for the schools you're applying to.

And if you have a question about any of the school's requirements, reach out to them.

I mean, you can send them an email, but just know that it may take them a little while to get you back with an answer or a definitive answer, depending on their circumstances.

Okay, let's talk about something that is new to CASPA this year with all of this, and that is the COVID essay.

And my personal opinion, whether this is correct or not, is that they created this essay so that everyone's personal statement wouldn't strictly be about COVID but who even knows?

So.

But yeah, so there is an optional Covid essay, which is 2,500 characters, and I'm going to read you what this says on Caspa.

Please describe how COVID 19 has impacted your pathway to becoming a physician assistant.

The questions below will help you get started, but do not limit your responses to only these considerations.

Academic did your school move to an online only curriculum?

Were you able to interact with your professors?

To did you have to learn an academic program stateside or abroad?

Did your school require you to move to the pass fail grading system?

Did your original GRE exam get cancelled or delayed?

Were there other academic barriers?

Did you hold a job?

Did you have to go out and seek new job opportunities?

Did you lose a job?

Were there other financial or professional barriers that you faced?

Personal did you have to move out of a house or dorm?

Did you have to cancel travel plans?

Did you have did you modify your planned experiences related to healthcare or volunteer opportunities?

Did you seek out volunteer opportunities that arose from the crisis?

So those are just some of caspa's recommendations of things you can talk about.

One of the questions I got a lot on Instagram was will this be thought of poorly if I don't write this essay?

I am a firm proponent of using every space given on your application and so I think it's worth using that space to at least address something.

Because I think if at the very minimum this has shown us a lot about healthcare and either hopefully reassured your passion for wanting to be in medicine because this is real medicine happening right now, or maybe the opposite.

Maybe it's made you a little bit scared to be in medicine and that's something you're going to have to look at and kind of evaluate yourself.

But I would at least put a paragraph in there about how this has affected you, because I do think it has affected all of us in some way or another.

I would not personally use this essay as a place to make excuses.

I would focus on it being a very positive essay, more about how you made the most of this time, what you got out of it.

If there is something that happened as far as limiting your job hours, academics, whatever, I would just state that very clearly with how it affected maybe your I had to leave my job as a CNA because there was not a need for me anymore.

But I've learned XYZ about this whole process.

It's made me more grateful, blah blah.

And so really, I mean self reflect on that and figure out what this has meant to you and changed for you personally.

So the personal statement is 5,000 characters without spaces.

And so the COVID essay, that's going to be probably no more than like three paragraphs.

It's going to be fairly short, less than a page for sure.

Single spaced.

Okay, now interview effects.

What is going to happen with Interviews.

So some schools have already moved to an online interview format, especially the ones that we're still interviewing in March and April.

And I can see that happening more and more, which as an applicant would be great because that's going to cut down on costs for you with traveling and maybe schools will see that that's a viable option.

It does unfortunately mean that you don't get to actually see the program and that isn't the best, but it's it.

I think schools will have to adjust their interview cycles and maybe push them out a little bit more, maybe think about where they're interviewing people from and try to stick to people who can drive versus fly.

But yeah, it's.

I'm not sure honestly exactly how it'll affect interviews.

I do think you should be prepared to get asked about this the same way those questions are on the COVID essay, like how it has affected you.

I could see some ethical questions coming up about ventilator use as that's been a hot topic.

And yeah, it's something that you need to be aware of, somewhat well versed in and definitely need to think about a little bit.

So I would love to say I hope this reassured you about applying with COVID but I don't know that it actually did, especially since a lot of it is still so up in the air.

But my biggest piece of advice is just make sure you're double and triple checking websites for each program.

I know there are some resources out there that put together, you know, list of requirements, but I would not refer to those right now.

I don't think that they are going to be accurate for you and just stay on top of it as much as you can.

Ask questions.

No issues with asking questions.

I'm happy to try to find you answers or point you in the right direction too.

So.

Whew, that was a lot.

I haven't done an episode like that in a while, but I hope that that was at least somewhat helpful to you.

And if there's something you want to hear about in an upcoming episode, please please let me know.

I have some really great interviews.

I've been the one plus side for me with all this Covid, since I am part time already, I've gone to kind of part part time because my patients were doing telemedicine and a lot of them just wanted to reschedule.

But I've been able to do so many podcast interviews because there are a lot more students available and a lot of PAs available.

So we have some really, really great interviews for you.

Coming up this summer.

So I hope that you enjoy all of that.

And as always, feel free to reach out with any questions, concerns, comments, ideas, all the above.

So.

All right, I'll see you guys next week.

Bye.