Adonna didn't get in the first time. Then she did.

She's a first-year PA student now, and she came on to talk honestly about what the rejection actually felt like, what she changed, and what she'd tell you if you're sitting in that spot right now.

If you're reapplying this cycle, listen to this one.

What we talk about:

• What her first application looked like and where it came up short
• How she handled the rejection emotionally
• The specific changes she made before reapplying
• What her interviews were like the second time around
• What surprised her most about starting PA school
• Her advice for anyone in the middle of a reapplication

Resources:

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

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

Build a reapplication plan with me: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-counseling

Mock interview practice: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/mock-interview

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.

Hi, guys.

Welcome to episode eight.

And I have another interview for you this week that I'm very excited about.

Before we jump into that, I. I just wanted to say really quickly, thank you so much to everyone who has been listening so far and leaving comments and leaving reviews and giving me feedback.

When I started this podcast, I guess about a month ago or a few weeks ago, I wasn't exactly sure how it was going to go or if I was even going to stick to it, honestly.

But you guys have been so encouraging and I've really enjoyed it.

So this is definitely something I'm going to keep doing.

So keep letting me know what you want to hear about.

And in the next couple episodes, I'm actually planning on reading a few of your reviews and also answering some questions that have been sent in on the voicemail.

So if you want to have your question answered, definitely send it in.

But to get to our interview for today, so I connected with a girl named Adonna and you may have seen her.

She.

She is a PA student who has recently started PA school and she got into kind of the YouTube scene.

So on YouTube she is adonaThepa.

She's also on Instagram.

But Adonna is sharing her journey through PA school through videos and she does them every week and they are funny and interesting and honest, and I think you'll see that today in our interview as well.

So we dive into how she became a pa where or PA student, how struggled, what was challenging to her, what's been surprising about PA school, and just give you an inside look at someone who's doing it and you can get a little bit of their advice.

So I really hope you enjoy this interview from Adonna and definitely go check out her YouTube videos as well.

Here we go.

Hey, Adonna, thanks for joining me today and for coming on the podcast.

And if you can just go ahead and introduce yourself to the listeners and give us a little background on you and where you're at.

Hey guys, my name is Adanna.

I am a first year PA student.

I'm currently in my second semester of PA school.

I don't know how I've made it this far, but I am a second time, I guess you could say applicant to PA school because I didn't get accepted the first time I applied to PA school because I made a lot of really silly mistakes.

And that's why I have my YouTube channel talking about all the stupid mistakes I made while applying to PA school the first time and what I learned from that so that other people can just learn from that and hopefully get into PA school like I did the second time.

Awesome.

So now that you're in PA school, what has been the most challenging part so far?

Definitely managing my time has been the most challenging part of PA school.

It's not like anything that I've ever done before.

So just trying to figure out how to study.

Because when you're in undergrad, like most people I feel who go to PA school, studying may come easy to you or like, the concepts that you're learning may come a lot easier to you, so you don't have to put as much work in.

And that's what I. I didn't necessarily have to put a lot of work to get concepts down in undergrad, but now that I'm in PA school, I understand that I have, like.

So it's just so much material.

It's really, really dense and I have to keep all of it.

I can't just cram it and then dump it because I have to save people's lives or take care of people.

And I'll need to be able to recall the information that I learned, you know, three semesters ago or a year ago, four years to come.

So definitely managing my time with that, learning how to study well and just time with family has been really the hardest part of PA school thus far.

Yeah.

Because you're a wife and a mom.

How have you found balancing that?

That's something I get asked about a lot and I still don't have kids, and I definitely didn't have kids in PA school.

So how is that something that you manage and how are your kids handling that?

Well, I mean, I think I feel I'm pretty lucky because they're so young.

I feel that they don't even really, like, know what's going on.

And I don't really think that they'll remember that, oh, I was studying because the majority of the time that I'm studying, they're asleep.

So I try to make sure that when they're awake and I'm home that I'm spending time with them.

And then, you know, they go to bed.

They have a really early bedtime, but that's because they wake up really early, but they're in the bed by 6:30.

So that gives me, you know, from 7 till 11, 10 o' clock sometimes, if I have a really good night to study, and then I'll wake up early in the morning and study as well.

And then they wake up around 7:30.

So just learning that balance and making sure that I'm still getting enough time to sleep, but also spend with not only the kids, but my husband as well, who's just like a bigger kid,.

Can relate to that.

Being able to.

Yes.

Being able to spend time with everybody, managing the time, which again, does that.

Yeah.

Okay, well, let's take it back a little bit.

How did you decide that becoming a PA was going to be the best fit for you and the career that you wanted to pursue?

I always knew I wanted to be a physician.

I wanted to be an obgyn.

I had a mentor who actually lost her daughter and she said that she regretted the time that she lost with her child when she was younger because now she can't get it back because now she's gone.

And I was like, no, I don't want to ever.

You know, I never.

Of course you don't go through life thinking like, oh, I'm gonna lose my child.

But I never even wanted to have that be a possibility.

So I was just looking at other options because I'm super family oriented.

So I was like, what else is there?

And I knew that nursing wasn't for me because I have a lot of nurses in my family, and so that kind of knocked out certified nurse, midwife and things that kind of went along with being an OB GYN but was on a different path.

So I was like, I don't think I want to do that.

I definitely don't want to have to go back to school for another four years just to get a bachelor's to then still have to go get a master's, which would have been what I had to do or do an accelerated BSN program.

So I was like, nah, not for me.

What are other options?

And PA was there and the landscape kind of just changed over the years because it was more dependent than it is currently.

So it just kind of.

I think I'm like coming in at the right time because it allows me to just have a little bit more autonomy than I would have a few years back, but still just opens the door up for me to do everything that I wanted to do.

So that's why PA was the best fit for me.

Just the flexibility of it all.

Because being a mom wife, you have to be able to be flexible and I need that.

You mentioned that you are a RE applicant.

So at any point in your Journey to becoming a pa. Did you have any doubts or what?

What challenged you?

Was there anything that you felt like you struggled with getting there?

Definitely.

Like, I'm pretty spiritual.

I'm a pretty spiritual person.

And so, like, throughout this whole thing, it was always like, okay, God, like, this is the path that I feel you're calling me to.

But then like, you go through those moments where, like, you have a plan for your life.

I felt a lot of the times I felt God was humbling me because I would see students that was like, in my class and they were like physicians or PAs or NPs, and I'm like, but God, like, I was like, I know them as a student and like, I was smarter than them.

Like, literally that's what I was thinking.

And I was like, you know, you can't even think like that.

That's not okay.

This is definitely why you're probably not in faith school right now, because you just need to be humbled a little.

So I went through that moment and then after a while, I went through the moment of like, well, is this your will for my life or am I trying to do my own thing?

Because I feel like if it was your will for my life, I would be doing it right now.

So I definitely went through moments of self doubt and trying to figure out, like, really, is this my calling or am I just trying to, you know, just figure it out, like throwing a stick in the dark or type of thing.

But you like being a faithful person.

I'm like, no, this is definitely, like, I could not see myself doing anything else.

So stay strong.

You got this.

And I pushed through.

And luckily, you know, like, my husband helped me with that too.

Like the moments when I'm down or I was like a little depressed about not being in school at the time or not getting an application acceptance.

I was able to have be lifted up by him and push through.

And I made it because had I given up, like, I wouldn't be in PA school right now.

So, yeah, that's definitely.

Don't give up.

If you're listening, if you feel that this is your calling, do not give up.

We all go through those moments.

I've got those same moments.

And even the other day I was looking back through a journal and I was so down on myself just saying things like, you can't do this.

You're never going to be a pa.

There's nothing for you in your future.

Which are such lies that it's just.

It can be tough when you're going through the Classes and getting those rejections and seeing, like you said, other people succeeding, that you want to beat yourself up.

And we do beat ourselves up.

But I think there's room for grace there with just being gentle with ourselves and being willing to ask for help when we need it and being patient, which I think in the world of becoming a PA is very difficult for a lot of people to have that patience and perseverance to reach those goals.

So I can definitely relate to your journey.

And, gosh, yeah, it takes a lot out of you.

I think most people can, honestly.

I've met some people in PA school who every time they applied to PA school, they got accepted, and then they either postponed their acceptance, and I'm like, what?

That sounds cute.

Have you gone into BA school more than once and you postponed your escape acceptance or you declined it?

Like, who does that?

Yeah, because I'm like this.

I'm like, PA school is like heaven.

You're just trying to get in, you know, like, once you get in, you're okay.

Don't give it up.

But.

But yeah, I've met people who did that, and I'm like, oh, my gosh, that's crazy to me.

But.

And then there are people like me who I'm like, you know, like, this.

I'm.

This was a drug.

Like, I'm literally sitting up here looking at other options.

I'm looking at, okay, well, Adanna, if you don't get into PA school, what else could you see yourself doing?

And there was nothing else I could see myself doing.

So once I.

Once I understood that and I answered that question, I was like, okay, what do you need to do to make yourself a better candidate and get into PA school?

And I did it.

So what do you feel like made you stand out on your application and ultimately get you that excitement?

Acceptance.

I honestly think it was my personal statement.

Like, I had my husband help me with that personal statement.

I made a video on my YouTube channel about my really awful personal statement.

The first one.

Oh, my gosh.

Like, thinking about it now, I still laugh because it was so bad.

Do you still have it?

I still have it.

I put it up on YouTube.

I read it, I ran.

Yes, you definitely go look at that video because I read, like, some of the, you know, the initial parts of it, and then I have it actually, like, posted up on, like, a Google Doc so people can see my old personal statement and then my new personal statement.

And, you know, I did a lot of research.

My first personal statement, and I had people look at it and they're like, oh, this is good.

And I don't know why no one told me how bad it was, but it was really bad because it was just so depressing.

And I felt like a lot of it, like I was trying to be real, but, like, tug on heartstrings and like, you know, yeah, she deserves this.

But I felt like they're gonna read thousands of PA school personal statements and then they're gonna come to mind and they're gonna be like, man, like, I just wanna adopt this child.

Like, I don't know if she can make it in PA school, but definitely, like, let's go feed her or something.

You know, like, that's kind of like the feel that I was giving to these people.

But in the new one, I took them on a journey and it was like, yes, incredible experience of why I wanted to become a PA and why I felt deserving of this opportunity to be a Paul.

And I really think that helped out a lot.

And then I boosted my GPA.

I was super determined.

I had like a 3.0, I think science GPA or 3.01 or 3.1 somewhere around there.

And I knew like, yes, 3.0 is the minimum, but people aren't necessarily looking for the minimum.

There's thousands of applicants, you know, like hundreds of applicants for some schools.

So they're not trying to do the minimum.

What are you going to be able to do to stand out?

So I took like four classes in one month.

And I was like, I have to get straight A's in these four classes because that's going to show, even if my past doesn't show, that I'm prepared and I can do a heavy course load because of what I did in undergrad when I wasn't really thinking about PA school like that.

Even if that doesn't show that these four, at least these four core sciences that every school looks at, that I'm going to retake and just kill, is going to show them, hey, she's serious, she's determined, she's ready.

And that's what I did.

I got straight A's in all of my post BACC classes.

And then I did the four classes in one month.

And I wrote that, you know, in some of the.

Some of the supplemental stuff, supplemental applications where they ask you like, well, what makes you feel like you're ready?

Like, I talked about that.

I was like, look, you know, look at my postbac history.

I am a 4.0 postbac candidate, so I'm ready for this.

I'm determined, and I've done my research, and I've made myself better.

So I think just each case is individual because there may be some people that have really great personal statements but have really poor, like, GPA or GRE scores.

So for me, it was more so.

Like, it was a combination that I wanted to adjust, but I think it's very, very, like, individualized what you need to do to make yourself better.

Yeah, but you have to do the research that the personal statement is what gets you the interview, and the interview is what gets you accepted because it is so important.

I mean, once you get those GPAs, yeah, they look at everything else but that personal statement.

And like you said, I edit a lot of personal statements, and I want people to take me on a journey and show me how you've gotten to this point and all the work that you've put into it.

And sometimes those.

More.

I would say dramatic essays can be a little bit overwhelming and not really tell me what I'm looking for as far as why you want to be a pa.

So it sounds like obviously you.

You nailed.

Nailed it on the head when you did yours, because you got in.

Good job.

Yeah, no, honest, like, because my husband's.

He's a.

Like, he's an actor, creative writer, director type of thing.

And I was like, babe, you see me struggling with this personal statement.

Like, can you just read what I have?

And then, like, kind of tweak it a little so that it sounds a lot better.

Because you're a writer.

Like, help me out here.

Help me out.

And he did.

And it was.

It literally, like, I look at it now, I'm like, man, like, I would.

I want to accept me into a PA program all over again, you know, because it was just such an amazing journey.

Like, it still kept the core essentials of what my old personal statement was, in a sense, and even what I revised it to be, but.

But it just took them on a better journey.

I felt a better path to that, so it's cool.

Okay.

What is one thing you wish you had done to prepare for PA school more?

Is there anything that would have prepared you better?

Honestly, I don't know.

I don't think there is anything.

PA school is like nothing I have ever done in my life.

I really.

I don't think if I had spent a whole year studying, I would be prepared for PA school.

It's just totally different.

And I don't know, maybe if I had just went on some more vacations.

That's so funny.

I tell People.

That's the thing.

Because people ask all the time, what courses should I take?

What.

What should I do?

Should I study before I start school?

And I'm like, no, just spend time with your friends.

Spend time with your family.

Because once it starts, it's full speed ahead and there's no slowing down.

And you really can't prepare that well when it comes to trying to study ahead of time.

I mean, even I think the anatomy I had in undergrad did not compare at all.

At all.

It's so different.

So it's really.

And I had a gross anatomy anatomy lab in undergrad, and it was.

It's nothing like what I'm doing right now.

I was like, wow.

So there are some things that I'm like, oh, okay, yeah, I got this.

I got the osteology.

That's cool.

But then I'm sitting up here looking at, like, the MRI and the radiology, and I'm like, what am I looking at?

Like, I don't need.

How.

How is that?

The deltoid?

I don't know.

Yeah, but it just looks red to me.

Or, you know, like, it just looks like gray matter.

So it was.

I don't know.

I don't think it's a big learning curve.

Yes.

I don't think there's anything, you know, specifically that I could have done, but definitely had I spent a little bit more time, like, traveling and having some fun, going on vacations.

Because, like, my personally, my school, I don't have.

Have a lot of vacation time.

I know there are some schools that do, but we're like.

I literally.

I got accepted in, like, April, the beginning of April, and then I started at the end of May.

Wow.

So, you know, it was, like, super fast, everything that happened.

And.

And we've been going since the end of May.

You know, we've had little vacations here and there, like a week or so.

But summer is over.

Yeah.

No summer.

At all.

So what is.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking pre PA or thinking they want to go to PA school?

So I tell, like, everybody that asks me those questions or any questions similar to that.

I'm like, do your research.

You know, I didn't realize how much of a job it is to get into BA School.

It's like.

It's like something like what my mom says when she's like, you know, if you're unemployed and you're looking for a job, that's your job.

Like, looking for a job while you're unemployed is your job.

You should Treat that as your job.

And I feel like it's the same thing with you need to do your research, like spend time out of your day looking at different programs, seeing what they offer, what your GPA is in comparison to their average GPAs.

If this is a really great school that you want to go to, what do you need to do to bring your GPA up so that they can even look at your application to see your personal statement to then be like, oh, yes, I want this person and offer you an interview?

I, I feel like a lot of what I made a mistake in when I was initially applying was not doing my research.

You know, there were different things where I just waste, I pretty much wasted my money applying to schools that I didn't meet the requirements for because I just really didn't read through all of their different pages on their website for their PA school.

So definitely do your research and figure out what are your deal breakers, what can you live with, what you can't live with, what works best for you in terms of learning styles?

Because There are some PA schools with over 100 classmates you know that you'll be with, and there are some with less.

So if you're a person that needs more one on one, maybe you might not want to get into a school that has over 100 people in it.

So.

So just looking at all of that, I feel will just be beneficial in allowing you to make the best decision for your life when it comes to going to PA school.

Yeah.

Research, research, research.

I agree.

So what is next for Adonna the pa?

Where do you see yourself after PA school?

Oh, Adonna the pa.

The brand.

I did not realize how this was going.

Like, you know, like, literally I started Adonna the PA just to be like, guys, this is something that I've learned.

This is my journey.

I never in a thousand years imagined that it would be doing how well it's doing right now.

But definitely after PA school, it's just going to continue because it's my life.

Now.

You're going to be able to see me in my different career paths because that's one thing I love about, you know, the career of being a PA is the opportunity to kind of just go through different, different specialties in a sense.

So I definitely want to possibly start in like, you know, maybe ER or like internal medicine or something.

Like kind of get that foundation and then probably go to like surgery or cardiology or something like that.

Maybe ortho.

I don't know.

I did pretty good on my test but studying for it was a beast.

So I don't know for sure, but, you know, go into one of those specialties.

And so just bringing people along on that journey, I feel, is really what Adonis PA is about.

I'll give as much advice as I possibly can from what I've learned, but I just want to help people get a better understanding of the PA career and especially how much it's changing.

So just being that kind of advocate or that voice sounding in the wind is what I see moving forward for Adonis pa. Well, you're doing a great.

Job so far, and I hope that everyone, and if they haven't already seen your videos on YouTube, we'll go check out Adonathepa.

And I just think they're so funny and you're so personable that they're just fun to watch.

So I'll be.

I subscribe.

Yes.

So, yeah, whenever I'm doing my podcast by myself, I'm like, this is just me talking, so it's nice to have somebody else to talk to as well.

But no, they're great.

And so I wish you all the best of luck in school, and I know that you'll do great and you're going to do great things and I'll be following along with you.

So thank you so much for joining me.

You're welcome.

Thank you so much for having me.

I really appreciate it.

So that's it.

I really hope that you got some great tips from this interview and that you enjoyed it.

And if you did, make sure that you go follow Adonathepa on Instagram.

If you're not following me, follow me at the PA platform and check out Adonna's videos.

So they're really great and I really think that you'll enjoy them and get some great knowledge from those videos and maybe even just feel like you're not alone in this crazy journey to becoming a pa.

But thanks for listening.

I'll be back next week with a new episode of the podcast, and if you haven't already, I would definitely appreciate if you could give me a review on itunes.

That just helps more people to find the podcast and let me know what you want to hear about.

Have a good week.