Brittany runs PA Fanatic, just graduated, and is starting in dermatology - so obviously we had a lot to talk about.

This one covers the stretch nobody prepares you for: the months between finishing school and actually being a working PA. Studying for the PANCE. Applying for jobs. Realizing that landing the specialty you want as a new grad is competitive in its own right.

She's honest about how hard PA school was and how much her classmates carried her through it. That's a theme I hear from basically everyone. The people sitting next to you in lecture end up being the reason you make it.

What we talk about:

• Going through PA school and what surprised her
• Studying for the PANCE
• Job hunting as a new grad
• Getting into dermatology right out of school
• Leaning on classmates through the hard parts
• Building an audience with PA Fanatic

Resources:

Free resume download: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-resume-download

PA Program Map: https://www.thepaplatform.com/pa-platform-map

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

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

Mentioned in this episode:

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In today's episode of the Pre PA Club podcast, we're talking to Brittany from PA Fanatic about how it feels to be a brand new grad about to start her job in dermatology and what it was really like in PA school.

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.

Welcome to the Pre PA Club podcast.

You guys, I'm Savannah, your host.

I am a derm PA and the creator of the PA platform and this podcast, the Pre PA Club.

So thank you so much for tuning in and I'm really excited about today's interview.

So Brittany is a.

Well, I guess we connected when she was a PA student.

She's been kind of around on social media for a while now and I just, I love how social media brings everyone together.

I don't always love that it's a huge time suck and can make me frustrated at times, but I do love the community, especially in the PA community.

So Brittany came on the podcast to talk about her experience in PA school, which we talk about a lot, and that's something I've been getting a lot of questions about, is can we talk more about what PA school is like?

So, so we talk about some of that and balancing things.

And then Brittany reached out recently because she was interviewing for a derm job, which is of course near and dear to my heart as I'm in dermatology as well.

And so I'm really excited that she is joining my field because it's an even smaller community and usually I get to run into a lot of the people in the derm community a good bit.

So I think you're really, really going to enjoy this interview.

So.

So we'll just jump right in and then you can find Brittany HEPA Fanatic on Instagram.

Before we do that, I do want to mention my PA resource, which is a sponsor of the podcast and the best resource out there for anything having to do with personal statements.

I'm still getting some emails about help with personal statements because I know there's still a lot of deadlines coming up this cycle.

So if you need help, reach out to myparesource.com you can use the code futurepa there for a discount on your essay revision and you can know that it's going to be edited by a PA who knows what PA schools are actually looking for.

You can also use that future PA code on anything@the PA platform.com including the PA School Interview Guidebook or the PA School Interview Course, which is at prepacourses.com all of this is linked in the description, so don't be so scrambling to write it down if you're in a car or something.

And then once you're in, if you need more help with, you know, anatomy, med terms, physiology, check out paschoolprep.com which is an online course that helps you make sure that you have the essentials that you need for a grad school level course in anatomy and physiology, because that tends to be one of the most difficult parts of getting started with PA school.

And again, you can use the code future PA for, for all of those resources.

All right, let's talk to Brittany.

So I'm Brittany.

I'm a new grad.

I just found out that I was certified last week.

I graduated from PCOM the Philadelphia campus end of July, and I'm going to be starting my dermatology job in two weeks in Manhattan.

So I'm looking forward to that.

Yeah, I know a couple derm pas in New York.

So you all have to connect.

Yes.

So going back, so what was your undergrad in?

So my undergrad was at Drexel University in Philadelphia and it was a Bachelor of Health Science.

Okay.

Did you know that you wanted to be a PA going into undergrad?

How did you kind of get to that decision?

I did not.

And it's very funny, but I was like very gung ho on being a pt.

I was actually like president of the pre PT club and everything.

And I just, I hadn't really done a very good job of like shadowing other health professions in high school.

There's not a whole as many PAs in New Jersey as there are in Pennsylvania or other states.

So I just hadn't encountered a whole ton of PAs.

And I thought PT would be the best route for me and I just kind of stuck to that.

Didn't really shadow any other professions besides.

I shadowed my pediatrician for like a day or two.

But then I went to Drexel and they have a good PA program.

So that's kind of more so how I started to learn about the PA profession.

And then after that I just kind of.

It's the same kind of undergraduate courses pretty much.

You just don't have to take physics if you're not going to PT and you have to add physical, know the medical terminology and organic chemistry.

So I made the switch.

It was, I guess, end of my sophomore year that I was going to try and get the next courses within my junior year to apply to PA school.

But no, I definitely did not know.

I always wanted to be a pt, but.

Or pa, I should say.

I really thought I was going to be a pt, but that's just like one of those things that goes to show you that unless you really like, shadow and like research all the healthcare professions out there, you might never know that there's one that's better suited for you.

That's a pretty common switch.

I don't know if as many people switch from PA to pt, but one of my best friends in PA school was pt, really up until graduation and then kind of last minute found out about the PA profession, did some shadowing and really decided it was a better fit and applied on a whim and got in.

But I think I'd be interested to know if anyone goes the other way, like PA to pt, because all I hear is PT to pa.

Both are great careers though.

Yeah, definitely.

Just different focus.

All right, so thinking back to your application process, did you apply right out of school or did you take a gap year?

What did that look like for you?

I did apply right out of school.

I actually applied end of my junior year.

I submitted the application on my 21st birthday, so I didn't have to worry about it after that.

So I was hoping to not take a gap year going into school.

I applied to, I think 12 schools in general, but even that I had a bigger list than that that I had to narrow down.

But yeah, I was hoping I wouldn't have to take a gap year and I didn't.

But that was just my personal preference.

So did you get in?

I did, yeah.

So I applied to.

I applied to 12.

I was offered interviews at eight.

I went on six of them and then I was accepted to four and waitlisted at two.

I felt like I really honestly just got pretty lucky just because there's so many good PA programs like in the Philly area.

So they're all kind of familiar, I think, with Drexel as an undergrad.

And I felt like that honestly just really helped me a lot.

But yeah, I applied super early and I definitely recommend that to anyone, like, looking to apply just because a lot of them are rolling admissions.

And like everyone at these days, like PA school is so competitive that everyone's really a good applicant.

So if it's rolling admissions, it's like the earlier you apply, the better chance you have, in my opinion.

And Just like continually updating your application and things like that.

But it was not, it was not a great process or it's not.

Like I, like, I feel bad for all the people having to do it again because like, I understand it was so stressful and like the waiting is honestly like the worst part.

And it was, you know, getting all your transcripts together, like it really does take forever.

But there were like things that I tried to do beforehand, trying to like getting everything together.

So I had my personal statement ready to go.

Before it had opened.

I had reached out to everyone that I was going to ask for a letter of recommendation and told them this is when, you know, the Casper link was going to open.

This is when you're probably going to get the email or link from caspa.

And this is what I'm hoping to submit by.

And here's my resume.

So hopefully like those things weren't going to really slow me down and then like requesting my transcript just because I know that can take a while.

I did that like right when CASPA opened, like paid all the fees, just tried to do everything, you know, try to get everything together as soon as possible because you can, like if you do your personal statement before, you know, it opens up, you're really saving yourself a lot of time.

Oh yeah.

And I definitely agree with applying early when possible.

For sure.

Oh yeah.

So what went into your decision making process with the schools you applied to and the one you ended up going to with kind of having options essentially?

Yeah.

So for my school what I really liked was it was a lot of schools that I had applied to had some of those three plus two programs which I think are, you know, great ideas for those that really know that that's what they want to do.

But actually one school that I got into, it was like there was like 50 students total and 40 of them were three plus two and only 10 people were not.

Yeah, and this might sound like something that's silly, but I was like, I don't know if, if all the other schools are just say equal and there's, you know, this is the only difference.

I don't know if I'd want to go here just because like you're, you're having to really be in their, like a whole new environment where everyone else pretty much knows each other and like you're only with a few other people that don't know each other.

So for my school, I really liked that it was going to be like completely no one knew each other.

People came from like such different backgrounds.

You know, people that had been working full time, people that were moms.

We had somebody that was a refugee from our class.

Like, everyone had such different backgrounds.

And I feel like being able to hear everyone else's stories really helped me in PA school.

It was just really nice to be with, like, a whole, like, a fresh group of people.

Other things that I really looked at were just like, in general, were the faculty, did they seem really supportive or were they very, like, strict on the interview day?

Because being school so hard, I just wanted to make sure that it was going to be a faculty that was going to be super supportive of me.

And, like, even when you interview, like, the other students that you're interviewing with, like, I feel like if you get along really well with them, it's a really good sign because you know what type of student that the school is looking for and, like, what your classmates would be like and how you would all mesh together.

So actually, the school I wound up going to, me and my first.

My first friend from pcom, we both interviewed the same day.

She was like, I think I crushed my interview.

I was like, I definitely don't think I'm getting in.

But we, like, became friends anyway and we, like, split an Uber together going to the airport and, like, texted each other when we got in and stuff.

And, like, it was really, like, reassuring, like, when I was deciding to go there, like, oh, like, I really know.

Like, there are two girls that I really, really, really liked and, like, I could see myself getting along with them very well.

I also looked for, in terms of if schools had electives, just because I was thinking about derm and like, plastic surgery as something I was going to be probably highly considering.

So I wanted to go to a school that definitely gave an elective.

And I also really liked the schools that had the standardized patient lab where they basically bring in a patient that's kind of like an actor and they, you know, give a complaint and you do your, like, exam on them and your differential and give your plan and everything like that.

My school did our fall term.

We did 10 in our first term.

And then we did.

I think we wound up having a total of like, 25 practice patient encounters before we even went on rotation.

So I felt like that was super helpful, just because when I.

The first time I saw a patient, I kind of had, like, streamlined a little bit of, like, what my questions were going to be, like, what order I would go in, like, how I would introduce myself.

I felt like that was really awesome as well.

Trying to think what Else.

What was your class?

There's so many things that factor into it.

Sorry, what did you say?

What was your class size at PCOM?

My class size was 55.

And now I think it's 60 now, but my class is 55.

Yeah.

So it's kind of.

I feel like, middle of the road.

Yeah.

Okay.

So what.

What was your favorite part of PA school?

What did you enjoy learning or doing the most?

Honestly, my favorite part was probably, again, my classmates, just.

Because I just feel like we got along so well.

Like, whenever we were, like.

I just remember we had a pulmonology test, and we were all so sad, like, going into it.

So we just, like, through a cookie, like.

Like, not like a cookie sale, one of those, like, cookie exchanges, and everyone brought a different cookie.

And, like, you know what I mean?

We just.

I felt like we made, like, the best out of, like, some of the harder times in PA school.

I definitely.

Something I really liked is we did, like, labs where you got to practice.

They would bring in, you know, people that were nurses or certified to teach you how to do, like, NG tubes and, you know, how to put place IVs and all things like that.

And that was.

I remember being really excited to do that just because it was, like, in the middle didactic here, and you're, like, just itching to, like, do something and get your hands on something instead of just kind of learning.

But, yeah, I would probably say, I guess clinicals were then my.

I liked those a lot more than didactic gear.

Oh, yeah.

Let's talk about the relationships a little bit, because I've.

A couple people I've interviewed recently kind of said, you know, during PA school, I had trouble making friends and finding my group or I've even gotten some messages about people who have recently started PA school and felt like it just started off really, really clicky.

Whereas I'm kind of like you.

I met someone right from the beginning.

We kind of just became friends, and we stayed friends the whole time, and we're still friends.

And I had about three.

I had three girls that I was really, really close to that I'm still close to.

And it was kind of.

I don't want to say we were in two separate groups, but kind of like they each had their own friends.

So.

And I don't know if you felt this way, but, like, in my class, we did have a few people who would kind of just do their own thing and go home.

And I don't feel like I got to know them very well.

And I think Maybe that was the experience maybe they wanted, or they were really just there for school.

But I guess my advice would just be to get out there and, like, talk to people and plan events and try to make things happen.

If you feel like you aren't meeting people.

But what are your thoughts on that since you had a good experience with making friends and your classmates?

Yeah.

For our orientation, like, right off the bat, like, somebody had planned something like that day and just, like, told everyone, so everyone was invited.

It was like an outdoor event.

I think the majority of our class went, and we kind of.

Like, everyone kind of mingled then.

So I felt like, honestly, our class was just really good at, like, planning things and just being like, hey, we're all gonna go to, you know, this place in Center City.

Everyone should just come.

And so that way, no one was really left out.

Yeah, everyone could show up, and then everyone could mingle and do whatever.

Then.

There definitely were clicks in my class.

But at the same time, like, everyone, I feel like, was still able to, like, mingle with each other.

Like, even though we were all very different, it's like you still have, like, the same values, which I think that's really nice.

Like, other people are definitely, you know, they were more like, I just want to go, you know, kind of, like, relax at home and, you know, they would maybe hang out at home.

Some people would go to concerts all the time.

Some people would just, like, even, like, socialize, just that, you know, Starbucks or anything like that.

But in general, I felt like people really got along well.

I feel like.

I guess my advice would just be, like, from the beginning to just, you know, you could be the person that is just like, oh, like, if anyone wants to watch this show together or if anyone wants to go out to dinner together or go to this bar together or something, and you just, like, are open about inviting everyone so no one feels left out.

And then, you know, just mingling and talking to everyone.

Then.

Then I. I feel like that would be the best way to hopefully get to know everyone or even planning something, like, at your school.

And just, like, you know, like I said, the cookie exchange.

Something where, like, you can do it, like, right at class.

Like, it for the people that, like, commute.

It wouldn't be as big of a deal as opposed to being like, oh, I can't go out later tonight, or something like that.

But I do understand, like, it is really hard.

Like, there are certain people that just really are.

They're like gunners, and they're so competitive.

And, yeah, some people are not very nice about it, but at the end of the day, like, that's not.

If that's how they're going to act and you've invited them to things and they're just going to be like that, you know, you just kind of got to realize not.

It's okay not to be everyone's friend, you know?

Yeah, I agree.

That's.

I was.

I would give my study guides or whatever to everybody, but I remember some people, like, wouldn't share their study guides, and it made me so mad.

Yeah, it was crazy.

We.

We did make a Google Drive, like, in the very beginning, and people could just put what they wanted on it.

So I feel like that also helped with the camaraderie.

Like, somebody would make a quizlet and share, and then somebody else would share something else or like a PDF or something.

And yeah, there were certain people that just never shared, but for the majority, you know, it's helpful and, you know,.

It's nice when you're all adults, so everyone should get along.

Okay.

So moving on to what did you find most difficult in PA school?

And that can, I don't know, be a class or a period of time.

What just kind of was the hardest.

Part,.

Honestly, my winter term, which is when we first did Clin Med, or it was our first Clin Med block, that was very difficult for me just because of the pace had changed a lot and had gotten a lot quicker.

And even though the information was more interesting, I honestly found myself being like, oh, my gosh, do I have that?

And I would seriously research for hours things that I thought I had, and it was not good.

It was, like, very maladaptive because I was, like, not studying, but.

And also, like, it was just dark.

Like, it snowed, like, every, like, a lot.

And it was just not a great time.

I feel like people just had trouble adjusting.

And then when the spring came around and the weather was better, and even though the classes and the blocks were probably harder, I feel like in general, people were happier.

Yeah, but I feel like in general, honestly, the hardest part of school is just, like, not really feeling like you're good enough.

Like, whether that's, like, feeling like you should be studying more.

And, like, you feel like you're studying and not grasping it.

And then you're like, everyone knows so much more than me.

And then you're like, I feel like I'm a bad girlfriend or a bad friend or daughter because I'm not able to go to all these things and, like, not be supportive of, like, other people.

In my life.

And I felt like that was really hard.

Like, you just.

I just kind of always felt at a certain level of, like, just not 100%, just feeling like a little like I could be doing.

I wish I could be a more there for more people in my life right now or be studying harder.

But you can't do everything.

And that's like, the truth.

Like, you're never going to be able to, like, get eight hours of sleep and exercise every day and, like, see your friends every day and volunteer and study and get good grades.

Like, I'm sure there's some people out there that can do it, but it's okay not to, you know, be a master at everything.

And I think I really.

A lot of us really learned that in PA school, especially because everyone's type A, you know, you just kind of hope that you're gonna be really good at everything, but you're not.

Yeah.

And it's hard, I think, especially when you're in the thick of it, to see the light at the end of the tunnel, because it seems like as soon as you get to get one test behind you, there's one or two or three more.

Like, it just never.

Oh, yeah, Slows down and it never stops for so long.

And I think that was a difficult part.

But like you said, so being.

You think like, oh, in PA school, you know, I'm so busy, all this, and once I work, it'll be so much easier.

But I think it's just a constant.

Where I've learned being out for five years now is like work life.

Balance is not a thing.

That's the balance part of it does not exist.

There's never going to be a perfect balance.

You'll constantly feel like something is pulling you in one direction, whether that's work, family, friends, obligations.

I mean, there's always something that will demand more of your attention.

And so I think for a while, I wanted it to be this perfect balance.

And then I've just kind of more recently figured out that that's just.

I've accepted that that's not going to happen.

And in PA school, though, the thing that has your attention is PA school.

And there's nothing you can do about that if you want to do well, which does mean things get put on the back burner.

And a lot of times those people in your life, family, friends, that you feel like you're neglecting, you feel so bad about because you are neglecting them is they.

They maybe don't understand why.

Why you have to study all the time or why it's so hard or why you're like, if.

Or like, my dad, he couldn't understand why I'm sitting at the dining room table crying.

And I was like, I'm fine, I'm fine.

I just gotta get it out.

Like, I'm just overwhelmed.

He thinks something terrible has happened.

Yeah.

It's just a period of life that.

Will pass, but, yeah, it definitely gets better.

But I totally understand what, like, feel you when you're.

You're saying what your.

Your dad finding you crying.

Because I would just, like, randomly cry and my mom would be like, what is it now?

Like, what are you crying about now?

Yeah.

I lived at home for Didactic, and I remember one time specifically, like, actually sitting at the table crying, and my dad was freaking out.

I was like, I'm fine.

Sometimes girls just have to cry.

You've never seen me do this, but it is okay.

And.

Yeah, you just feel better afterwards.

Yeah.

Just all that frustration and stress just has to come out.

Was it.

Did you feel like it was helpful to live at home?

Yes, because my family was very supportive.

I was engaged at the time, semi trying to plan a wedding.

Luckily, I got engaged before PA School started a couple months before, so I did all the big stuff, but when it came to little details, I would not discuss weddings stuff.

And so my mom would kind of say, hey, what do you think about this?

And I was like, you pick.

I don't care.

You pick.

I can't think about that right now.

And so I kind of punted those decisions to her.

But they were great about making sure I was fed and my laundry was done.

And just understanding of me being mean sometimes because I was stressed out.

Yeah.

So, yeah, acting.

It was great.

I didn't see my fiance very much.

I mean, we maybe saw each other once or twice a week.

And that was to study because he was in med school.

And so then, yeah, once we got married at the end of Didactic and we moved into our house, like, it was.

It was nice to actually get to see him.

And obviously we kind of understood what each other was going through with just going through grad school.

So.

Yeah, I mean, I enjoyed living at home.

I think it was.

It was actually a really sweet time because I'd been away at college for four years, so to come back and get to kind of have that year with my parents was.

Was kind of nice.

So.

Oh, yeah, I bet.

I don't know if they honestly.

I don't say the same, but it.

Honestly, though, like, that's it like being able to, like, have your parents there to just, like, help you out with the little things.

Like, you said laundry or, like, making you a meal.

Like, honestly, it makes all the difference.

And, like, if you're in PA school, like, just ask for help for a day.

Like, it really does make such a big difference, those little things, if somebody helps you for just a little bit.

Oh, yeah.

Totally agree.

Did you have to adjust your study skills at all, or do you feel like you kind of were set going into PA school?

I feel like I still study kind of the same way.

And something I guess that I really had to change is I feel like I'm kind of a kinesthetic learner.

So a lot of times, like, I will write what I'm reading, and that helps me, like, cement into my mind.

But the volume in PA school is so large that you, like, cannot read everything.

So instead what I would do is I would just like either some type of study guide that either I made or someone of my other classmates made or was passed down.

I would print those out and then I would highlight them.

So I still was doing something, like, with my hands because I just couldn't look at the computer all day.

And I knew flashcards never worked for me, but they worked for a lot of my other classmates.

And I started to realize I was a way better morning studier than I was a later studier.

So, like, honestly, there are a lot of times where I was just like, I'm gonna go to bed earlier, but I'm gonna get up at like, 3:30 or 4 and I'm gonna study just because that's.

I know what I'm gonna get.

Like, my most productive hours.

And even though it seems like such an ungodly time to get up, like, I just knew that I was gonna be better to study in the morning and not as much, like, after school.

Yeah.

I mean, sitting in a classroom all day is, like, brain exhausting.

Oh, yeah.

So that's why I had trouble studying at night.

I'm definitely a morning morning study or too.

Yeah.

Okay, so what advice would you give to people who are about to start PA school?

Like, my best advice for them would just be to just know that, like, there's so many other people that go through it and they make it and just like, I feel like the confidence you have when you first start MPA school kind of wanes as you go on.

And just like, keep that confidence.

Like, you got accepted to this program for a reason.

Like, you know that you can work hard and get through it.

And I feel like you just need to, like, think back to, like, how you feel on your first day when you're so, like, full of energy and you're so, like, ready to, like, learn and make a difference in people's lives and just, like, think back to that day and all, like, why it's all going to be worth it.

And if you feel like there's like a day when you're just feeling really down, like, go like, shadow PA or like, you know, volunteer doing something, like, medically related to, like, help you, like, make that connection back to, like, this is going to be worth it.

When I'm, like, able, you know, when I'm finally working and able to make a difference in people's lives.

I feel like you just, like, get so sucked into that void of studying and you just gotta, like, reel it back.

Yeah.

You gotta have free time.

Okay, so you just graduated.

Yeah.

What was your experience like with both, you know, pants, finishing up, finding a job?

What has that process of kind of transitioning looked like?

Okay, so I guess I'll start with my job first because I actually started doing that pretty far in advance.

So I don't know if I'm honestly the typical job PA school, like, post grad job applicant.

Just because I think I started, honestly probably too early.

But I had been on my psych rotation with a student that was graduating.

I guess it was like end of March, beginning of April, and she was graduating end of May, and she was like, yeah, I got my job in, like, January.

Like, most of my classmates started looking then.

Like, if you're graduating in four months, you should probably start looking now.

So that kind of, like, sent me on like, oh, my gosh, I need to, like, really start applying to, like, a ton of jobs right now.

So I did.

And I applied to.

I applied to a lot.

And I applied to, like, so many different specialties just because I wasn't completely set on one thing.

Like, I applied to, like, an OB job.

I applied to, like, a bone marrow transplant team.

I applied for, like, breast surgery, er and then obviously derm.

And I feel like I just got very lucky.

Like, they were.

As soon as I respond, like, sent my application for that job, they responded, and I talked to someone on the phone.

And then I knew I was going to have a day off from work because my preceptor was out.

So I shadowed.

I went back up to New York and shadowed with the office, and I shadowed one more time.

And then I was kind of hired.

So I honestly Feel like I just got very lucky.

Like, I just looked early and I used like ZipRecruiter and indeed.

And like LinkedIn and I didn't.

I was.

I guess my next steps would have been like, if I would have cold called offices for Derm just because it's very hard to get into.

But I feel like.

I almost feel like I somehow cheated my way into it just because, like, people are like, you know, Derm is so competitive to get into.

And I just feel like I just kind of like, found me instead.

Yeah, definitely.

New grads can get into Derm.

I mean, it can happen.

Yeah, it definitely.

Yeah, it can happen.

But it was also like, at the same time there was a.

Like I applied to a lot of jobs.

I applied to probably mostly, er, jobs and I never heard back from a single one of them.

And I've talked to like several people and they were kind of having a similar experience where they weren't getting as many, I guess, job interviews as they had thought.

And we were all kind of thinking, I guess, I guess, like, when I started PA school, I felt like my program made it a big deal to be like, oh, you're, you know, you're going to have no problem finding a job and you know, you're going to make a decent amount of money right when you come off.

And I just feel like everything's kind of like there's, like, it's.

There's just, I don't know, everyone talking about how it's just going to be, like, very easy to get a job and you're going to make a lot of money and you're going to be very happy and you're going to have your dream job and X, Y and Z.

And I just feel like everyone I talked to that was a PI even told me that, you know, and then I feel like we all kind of got out of school and that wasn't the case.

Like, we were getting lower salaries than I think we expected.

We were not getting interviews to a lot of places.

And so honestly, it was like, more difficult than I thought.

But it's still like, obviously possible, like, if you just apply to a ton of jobs, like, I would have different, like, CVs and resumes for every place.

I will say one tip I heard that I did use and I thought it was a nice touch, is that somebody told me to put your.

It's like a little professional photo of yourself on a cover letter just because it kind of makes you stand out.

And then they have a face to kind of yeah.

Match everything to.

I'd never heard of anyone doing that before, but I thought that was a really nice idea.

No, that.

That is a good idea.

So I don't think you.

You started too early.

I started even earlier than that.

I. Oh, really?

Yeah.

So I graduated in August.

I started looking in January, applying and interviewing in February, and I had my job offer by April.

Oh, wow.

Yeah.

That's awesome, though.

Yeah, it was great.

So the.

My reasoning behind that and the way it worked out, which was really nice, was that I was able to set up my last two rotations, which were both electives, my last eight weeks with my job to go ahead and start doing training, which they appreciated because that's free training, and.

Yeah, exactly.

And.

Yeah, so I.

And some of my classmates did the same thing.

I had a lot who waited till after school to even start applying, but I knew that I kind of would have to, you know, start working right away because my husband was in med school, and.

And it wasn't like we were going on any extravagant vacations or anything, so.

Yeah, I don't think.

I mean, I have heard it depends on where you are and how the state licensing board works, too, though, because some states want you to have your license or some employers, so you have to have your license before they'll even really look at you.

Whereas in Georgia, you have to have a job to get your license.

Oh, that's really interesting.

I didn't know that.

Yeah.

So they'll kind of, like, give you a temporary one, but to get your official license, you have to have a job that your supervising physician signs off, that you'll be working together.

So it's kind of interesting.

It's like a very backwards process, but.

Yeah, that's very interesting.

Yeah.

Okay, so you haven't started your job yet, but I haven't.

I started two weeks from today.

Okay.

So some time off before.

Before you jump in.

Okay.

So go ahead and talk about your experience with the pants a little bit, too.

Okay.

So I graduated on a Friday, and I originally wanted to give myself two weeks to study for the pants.

So I gave myself two weeks from the following Monday of graduation so I would have enough time.

And that was kind of what I had been told was kind of like a. I guess, a sweet spot of studying time.

And honestly, I thought I was going to study, like, every day, like, 12 hours a day.

And I. I didn't.

And honestly, that was kind of nice.

So what I did is I just printed the, like, topic list and, like, assigned each topic to A different day.

I gave like two days to cardio and I put like, you know, heme and derm on the same day just because they were quicker to run through and things like that.

And had a few days where I just was able to review.

But I just made sure I pretty much went through every, every topic on the list.

And I usually do that with either Pants Pearls, which is just an example, like, it's the best book ever.

I don't think I could have survived PA School without was so easy to read and just so helpful.

And then I also used Smarty Pants because they also have the topic list and they have everything linked.

So that was like a really nice way to also kind of follow along and go through the whole topic list and make sure I wasn't missing anything through that.

And then I also would do questions every day.

I didn't do like an insane amount of questions, but I used rash review where I would just make like 100 random questions.

Or I did some of the 60 question, like kind of mock pants blocks.

And I also got the question or exam book that kind of correlates with Pants Pearls and that was really helpful as well.

The only thing I would.

I feel like I've been telling everyone about the pans is just like you go into it and you.

Honestly, almost everyone I've talked to like, said it felt so hard and like, so different from what they expected.

And.

But everyone I've also talked to has done really well.

So just when you leave the exam and you feel like you failed, like, honestly, like, there's probably 99% chance that you didn't and you're just kind of fixating on like the questions that like, you know, you like changed your answer wrong or you just, you know, fixating on the ones that you thought were wrong.

But.

And the other thing I thought was really helpful is I did the practice test the NCCPA puts out and it's just like 120 questions.

It's $50.

I originally wasn't going to do it because I had heard that a lot of people said they felt like that was harder than the pants.

But I felt like it made me feel better to do it just because they kind of give you like a little.

They give you not like your exact score or anything like that, but it's rated, like if you're in the red, yellow is kind of borderline and green and they give you like a margin of error.

So like, like a, like a standard deviation like below what you were.

So I felt like Being in the green, like, where you were likely to pass felt like a lot more reassuring to me.

And the question format was very, very similar to the pan.

So, honestly, if there's one thing I would recommend, I feel like it would actually be to take that practice test.

I thought that was super helpful for it.

Yeah, I'm all about a practice test.

I think I remember taking that one.

And then.

Did y' all do pack rats in your class?

We did, yeah.

We did two, and those were similar as well.

I felt like those were also really helpful to have done and also, like, reassuring because you can go back and look at your weaknesses and I'll never be good at ent, but that's fine.

Yeah, no, it definitely helps to kind of gauge where you're at.

But, yeah, the pants is its own beast.

But most.

It really is.

Most people do just fine.

Yeah.

I'm just so excited.

I don't have to think about it for another eight or nine years.

Oh, my gosh.

Yeah.

I have four more years before I need to retake it.

How do you, like, feel like being in dermatology?

Like, having to research?

Like, what are you.

I'm screwed.

What are you thinking about doing?

I will be.

I will be going to so many review courses and studying my butt off.

And.

Yeah, it's gonna probably be really tough,.

But you'll do great.

That 4%.

And then you can tell me you're.

In a derm, though.

I'm.

I'm good to go, so.

No, I mean, yeah, it'll be a good review for me.

And I think that is one disadvantage of starting in a specialty is that you lose a lot of that general knowledge so much quicker than you think you would like it just.

Yeah.

Really quickly.

So anyway.

But.

Oh, yeah, I could, like, study something and literally the next day I would not remember it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And so a lot of mine's gone, unfortunately.

But one day I'll get it.

Yeah.

But what advice would you give to someone who is on the fence about becoming a pa?

I would tell them just to, like, make sure they shadow, like, not just PAs, but like, other professions, like medical professions as well.

Like, I wish if I could go back in time instead of just shadowing a pt, I would have shadowed a pa, a doctor, a ot, a speech language pathologist, and just shadowed everyone.

And not just like, once or twice, because, like, you could shadow somebody.

Like, I shadowed an orthopedic pa, and I hate ortho.

And, like, I feel like that could totally, like, if you just shadow for One day for three hours, like that could totally, I think, swing your experience.

So I feel like you have to, honestly, you have to get a decent amount of hours just to, you know, apply to PA school in general for your application.

But I would just make sure you get a lot of hours shadowing, like in many different specialties and other professions.

So when you do apply to PA school and you do get asked the question, like, why PA and not X, Y and Z, you have all these answers because you've really researched every other option and you know, the PA school was the perfect route for you.

Yeah, no, that's great advice.

And I hate ortho also.

We are the same.

Yeah, pass out.

Okay, so where can people find you and kind of follow along as you start your job?

They can find me on Instagram @PA Fanatic, and also my blog, which I don't really update that much, but it's PA Fanaticlogspot.com alright, sounds good.

And thank you so much for taking your time to talk with us.

And I'm excited to see you at some conferences coming up.

So.

Of course, yes.

I'm so excited for the derm conferences.

All right, y', all, I hope you.

Found that helpful and stay tuned for some.

A lot more interviews coming up that I'm really, really excited about, about getting to share with you guys and some more episodes about kind of what's going on in my world and answering some voicemail questions if you didn't know, you can leave a voicemail message for the podcast.

The link is in the description if you'd like to do that.

And I want to hear from y'.

All.

So if there's something you want to hear about, leave it in a review, shoot me an email, get with me on Instagram at the PA platform and I'll do my best to address it.

So.

Or point you in the right direction if I already have.

Because with 100 episodes, I know it can be hard to find what you want.

Alright, y'.

All.

So if anything, if you have any questions, just send them my way.

And I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, wonderful week, and I will see you guys next time.

Bye.