caspa pa personal statement

CASPA Personal Statement Examples for Your PA School Application

• September 9, 2024
• Physician Assistant , Pre-PA/PA-CAT

The Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) personal statement is your opportunity to explain the “why” behind your decision to become a PA. Talking about yourself can be challenging and uncomfortable, but this is your chance to be your own best advocate!

To help you get started, I recommend first checking out our other post, The Do’s and Don’ts of Writing an Impactful PA School Personal Statement which walks you through everything you need to know about how to write your CASPA personal statement.

Now, if you’re still wondering what a CASPA personal statement looks like, you’ve come to the right place! In this post, you’ll find two CASPA personal statement examples. As you read through them, put yourself in the mindset of the review committee. Do you know why this applicant wants to become a PA? Do you get a sense of who they are from what they’ve written? Would you invite them for an interview to learn more about them?

So with your review committee member hat on, take a close look at the following CASPA personal statement examples. We’ll review each, so you can see what they got right and wrong. 

Let’s get started!

CASPA Personal Statement Example #1

(Spoiler alert: Here’s what not to do!)

I would like to become a Physician’s Assistant because I believe it will provide an exciting opportunity to challenge myself further as a clinician. PAs are important members of the healthcare team that are able to expand access to healthcare. PAs work in many specialties and care for patients of different populations. PAs are able to work in both medical and surgical specialties and provide high quality care to patients.

I decided to pursue a Master’s degree in athletic training to combine my love of sports with my interest in medicine upon graduating from college. After completing my degree, I accepted a position at the Nemours Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children where I have held positions in both the Department of Therapeutic Services as well as most recently as a physician extender in the Department of Orthopaedics. Over the past too years I have worked alongside of Physician’s Assistants across many specialties. I decided I would like to purse a degree in physician assistant studies to expand my knowledge base, enhance my clinical skills, and take on a more advanced role in the care of patients as a PA in Orthopedic Surgery.

As an athletic trainer, I have developed my skills in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of sports related injuries and general orthopedic conditions. I plan to become a PA in Orthopedic Surgery after graduation. Orthopedic surgery is an exciting field that utilizes PAs in many ways. I look forward to completing elective rotations in orthopedic surgery. The diverse opportunities within ortho, including the OR, the outpatient clinic, and the inpatient setting, particularly excites me about this speciality. I believe my education and experience has well-prepared me for a career as a Physician’s Assistant.

How did this student do?

The sample above is weak and highlights some of the “don’ts” to avoid when writing your CASPA personal statement. For example, “physician’s assistant” is not the appropriate title and should not be used. The proper title is physician assistant (or physician associate), and it usually isn’t capitalized. Be sure to use physician assistant or PA to demonstrate to the committee that you’re familiar with the proper title of the profession. 

Additionally, there are a couple of missed opportunities with the first paragraph. It’s dedicated to discussing what a PA does, rather than why the applicant wants to become one. Your CASPA personal statement is an opportunity to highlight why you would be a great PA, not to educate the review committee on what a PA does. Focus on you and your attributes rather than the role of PAs.

Additionally, there’s no hook. Your opening paragraph is the chance to get the reader’s attention and encourage them to continue reading. The first paragraph in this example fails to do that, and instead begins with a sentence about why the applicant wants to become a PA, then launches into a generic discussion about what PAs do.

This personal statement also focuses too much on one specialty . A PA education is broad and comprehensive. You want to demonstrate to the committee that you’re excited to learn about various aspects of medicine and that you appreciate the flexibility that comes with being a PA. While you might love orthopedic surgery, you need to show you’ll be interested and engaged throughout the program, not just on your elective rotation! 

Finally, there are grammatical and spelling errors throughout the essay. The personal statement is a chance to demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively and clearly. Always proofread for any errors, and it never hurts to have another set of eyes look over it as well! 

In summary, this wasn’t a very good CASPA personal statement, as it fell short in several important respects. Let’s try again!

CASPA Personal Statement Example #2

As you read this sample, think about what’s improved from example #1!

We often wait for that one, big, impactful moment—that occasion of divine inspiration where the future is clear and everything suddenly makes sense. I never had an “aha” moment when I decided I wanted to become a physician assistant. Instead, while working alongside PAs in my current role, I have had the opportunity to witness the millions of little impacts they have on patients, families, coworkers, and colleagues. Moments in time that often seem like routine parts of their day—moments of knowledge and problem-solving, moments of comfort and compassion, and moments of strength and understanding—that can impact someone’s life forever. It was these moments, added up over time, that inspired me to become a PA. 

And I believe it’s as a PA that I’ll reach my full potential, as it will provide an exciting opportunity to challenge myself further as a clinician. As an athletic trainer in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the Nemours Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children for the past two years, I have been able to witness firsthand how PAs are integrated into the healthcare system, and the important role they play in a healthcare team. It was through this work that I realized I would like to pursue a degree in physician assistant studies to expand my knowledge base, enhance my clinical skills, and take on a more advanced role in the care of patients. 

As an athletic trainer, I have been given a great deal of independence in terms of patient care, clinical decision-making, and interactions with other healthcare professionals. I pride myself on my ability to effectively communicate with patients, parents, and other members of the healthcare team. In my work, no two days are ever the same, and I am easily able to adapt to different situations. I believe the clinical skills I’ve acquired as an athletic trainer are critical to the successful care and treatment of patients and are not easily taught in a classroom setting. I developed them through the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of sports injuries and general orthopedic conditions. These conditions often require the attention of an entire medical team, and through coordination of care with other specialties I have been exposed to many other aspects of medicine. I have truly enjoyed being part of a team and gaining exposure to other branches of medicine, and becoming a PA will allow me to further explore other opportunities beyond the areas of sports medicine and orthopedics.

Finally, I also have a passion for clinical research and am interested in continuing to pursue this as a PA. I have collaborated with our physicians on multiple projects, asking clinical questions and developing studies to find answers to them. I believe research provides an avenue to further one’s clinical practice and actively learn more about how to optimize patient care. 

In summary, my education and experience has well-prepared me for a career as a physician assistant. I am excited by the prospect of making my own impacts on the lives of patients, families, coworkers, and colleagues. I believe that becoming a PA will lead me to many “aha” moments, and give me the chance to inspire these moments in others.

Of the two CASPA personal statement examples, this one is much stronger and highlights more of the “do’s” to include when writing yours. It focuses more on the applicant’s strengths, including both experiences and “soft skills,”such as communication and adaptability, rather than what a PA does.

It also includes an interesting opening that honestly explains why this applicant has decided to become a PA. The theme in the opening is then tied back into the closing paragraph, providing a sense of coherence and completion to the narrative. Finally, it uses the proper title of the profession and is free of grammar and spelling errors. This demonstrates attention to detail and professionalism, two qualities that are crucial to success in a PA program!

Main Takeaways: Communicate Your “Why!”

While writing the CASPA personal statement can seem like a daunting task, it provides an opportunity for you to reflect on why you’re applying to PA school. Why are you taking this next step in your education, career, and life? Why are you going to invest the time, energy, and financial resources to pursue this degree? Why will you be great at this? Embrace the chance to communicate your “why” to the committee, and you’re more likely to be accepted! 

I hope you found these CASPA personal statement examples helpful. Good luck with your applications, and reach out to Blueprint if you need any assistance. 💙

🩺 Want to make sure you’re prepped for PA school? Try out our  Pre-PA practice questions  from anatomy and physiology to medical terminology, professional practice, and more!

Or maybe you’re looking for more tips for PA school applications? We’ve got you covered! Check out these other posts on the Blueprint PA blog:

• Understanding PA School Acceptance Rates & Admissions
• Questions to Ask PA Programs During PA School Interviews
• How to Write Standout PA School Supplemental Essays

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Write The Perfect PA School Personal Statement [With Examples]

Filling out your PA school application is exciting and overwhelming. You’re beginning the first steps to your career goal, but it includes so much!

You’ll need to complete your application through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants ( CASPA application). The application includes letters of recommendation, service hours, and a personal statement.

Your personal statement is one of the most important pieces inside the CASPA application. A PA personal statement is really a personal essay that offers you a time to shine.

The goal is to pique the admissions committee’s interest in you, in hopes they will contact you for a school interview.

Your PA school wants to learn more about you and your past experiences. If you’ve kept a journal of your healthcare experiences, it will make the process a little easier. If not, take a week to think through your past medical experiences, patient interactions, and shadowing experiences.

Your goal is to be accepted into a PA Program, become a PA student, and join the PA profession . To get there, you have to complete your application essay. So, let’s get started!

What Is the Purpose of a Physician Assistant Personal Statement?

Your PA personal statement might be the toughest part of the application process. Ultimately, your application essay is a sales piece about you, and that can be difficult to write. Inside the application, your PA school sees an academic background that talks about what kind of student you are.

Your work history tells them about what you’ve done professionally. Your letters from your PA evaluators show what others have to say about you. This is the only time in your PA school application that you hold the pen.

The American Academy of PAs recommends you pay attention to a few dos and don’ts as you consider what to put in your personal statement. Remember there is a 5,000 character limit. This means you have 5,000 characters, not words, in which to complete your essay. Often, this will come out to be about 800 words.

In your essay, clearly state why you’re pursuing the PA profession while demonstrating your knowledge of it. Communication skills are a necessity in the PA profession, and this is a chance for your communication skills to shine. Use your personal essay to communicate why you’re up to the challenge.

Don’t be vague, don’t use abbreviations, and don’t use informal language like contractions. Instead, write formally and identify the theme that brings the whole essay together.

Be sure to make every word count. Most importantly, do not make your personal statement a reiteration of your application. The admissions committee has already read your application. This is time to make yourself unforgettable.

As you are brainstorming, outlining, and writing your application essay, keep your audience in mind. Admission committee members are physician assistants, and they’re looking for good future PAs.

They’re interested in your desire to be part of a growing profession and your passion for patient care. Communicate this through your application essay.

Your PA School Wants To See You Shine in Your Personal Statement

Your personal statement is your unique story of why you want to become a physician assistant. To tell your story well, it’s important to do your homework on your audience. Start by investigating the physician assistant school and take note of their mission, ideas, and values. You can find most of this information on their website.

Look for the emphasis the school places on primary care or specialties. Do they encourage out-of-state applicants? What’s their vision for the future of education? As you find these answers of the PA program you hope to attend, ask yourself—How am I a match? Answers to these questions will help you as you write your personal statement.

Each week, skim through the articles that pop up in your news feed to get to know your intended school. The key word here is “skim;” it’s not necessary to read each word. You only need to read enough to find information to include that will help set yourself apart from other candidates.

Unless you’re perfect, you likely have had to overcome some challenges in your education or your personal life. Recount these challenges in your application essay and identify how you’ve overcome them. Above all, be human in your essay so the admissions committee connects with you and is excited about meeting you.

Prepare, Then Write Your PA Personal Statement

Let’s begin at the beginning. Don’t procrastinate! Some prospective PA students put off writing until they feel inspired or they feel the deadline is disturbingly close.

Sadly, this only feeds the anxiety that often accompanies writing a physician assistant personal statement. If you avoid procrastinating and instead use the process below, it becomes easier. The process includes brainstorming, outlining, and finally writing. But first, let’s start with the structure of the personal statement.

Anatomy of a Physician Assistant Personal Statement

The first thing you need to understand is the structure of the document. Once you know that, it’s easier to brainstorm the type of information you’ll need to write it. A PA personal statement includes an opening statement, a body, and a strong conclusion.

Opening Statement

Your opening statement sets the tone for the rest of your essay. It must grab your reader’s attention and make them want to stay along for the ride. This is where your research into the school comes in handy. Some schools prefer a straightforward statement while others are looking for a compelling story that sets the stage for your desire to become a PA student.

Opening statement stories can recount:

• When you were cared for by a physician assistant.
• What you learned from your personal medical experiences.
• What you discovered from a friend or family member in the healthcare field that touched you.
• Your volunteer experiences.
• What it was like to live in a medically underserved area.

Providing a personal experience helps the admissions committee decide if they want to invite you to a school interview. Be sure to brainstorm multiple personal experiences to use in your opening statement. That way, as you move forward and start writing your first draft, you can change the opening statement to fit the flow of the rest of the essay.

Body of the Essay

This part of your essay tells the admissions committee why you decided to apply to their physician assistant school. Include in the body of your essay how you built an understanding of medicine and what drove you to want to become a physician assistant.

For instance, shadowing other healthcare professionals, reading, healthcare experience, and personal experience are ways of showing your knowledge and passion for the medical field.

It may also help to touch on why you chose to be a physician assistant and not a nurse practitioner or an MD . Remember, you’re speaking to PAs who already know what a PA does . Instead, address what it is about being a physician assistant that speaks to you personally.

Mention specific skills that make you a great PA, such as teamwork, communication, compassion, and your desire to work as a healthcare provider.

If you were faced with challenges and obstacles during your high school or college career, address them and discuss how you’ve grown from the experience. Don’t make excuses; just take ownership of the situation and address it honestly.

Strong Conclusion

You’ve finally finished the body of your PA school essay. This last paragraph of your personal statement should reemphasize your desire to attend physician assistant school, and, specifically, that school’s PA program. In your last paragraph, let your empathy, passion, skills, and dedication shine through.

Make a Personal Statement List, Then Check It Twice

If the process makes you feel overwhelmed, be assured you’re not the only one. However, taking these next two steps can make writing the essay much easier and less intimidating. Let’s start with a personal statement list from which you will later write an outline.

Schedule a date for when you’ll start writing your first draft. Mark this date in your calendar so you won’t forget or procrastinate. Then, on your calendar, mark one week before your “start writing” date. This is your brainstorming date.

On your brainstorming date, make a list of points you want to cover in your application essay. Because this is a brainstorming session, you don’t consider the character limit, it does not need to be in logical order, nor does it all have to follow the same theme.

Your list should include from 3 to 5 experiences that demonstrate the path you’ve taken to become a physician assistant. Patient interaction, academic experience, shadowing, clinical experience, and volunteering all fit the bill. If you have a particular story that you would like to weave throughout the essay, then include that on the list as well.

If you’re considering beginning your application essay, with a story, it’s helpful to brainstorm multiple ideas. A good opening story will build the structure of the document, so add all potential ideas to the list. Again, this is brainstorming, so there’s no need to nail down your opening story right now.

Now, put the list off to the side for at least 4 days. This will give you a chance to mull over your ideas without pressure, so when the time comes, the essay flows naturally.

Create an Outline of Personal Experiences

After 4 days, pull out the list of your personal experiences and begin to structure your essay in the form of an outline. An outline can help you organize your thoughts, so your content flows together.

Remember, there is a 5,000 character limit, so the outline will help you stay on track as you write on the proverbial paper (because you’re writing it on the computer, right?). .

Most pre-PA students write their essays in chronological order. And, truth be told, this is also the best way for the admissions committee to absorb the information. If you do choose to flashback, make it clear so your reader isn’t confused.

Do not try to be perfect—neither in your writing style nor in how you portray yourself.

Your ability to be vulnerable about your challenges makes you more of a real, relatable person. Set aside 2 or 3 days to nail down the outline for your personal statement. Not 2 or 3 full days, but 2 or 3 days to write, mull, and contemplate over the structure, stories, and theme you’ll use.

Start Writing Your Personal Statement: It’s Time to Put Pen to Paper

It’s time to start writing. Set aside quiet time when you won’t be interrupted, and find a space where you can relax. Turn off your phone notifications and shut the door. Take time during the process to do what helps you to calm the butterflies. Simple exercises, music, prayer, and meditation are all popular methods of quieting your mind.

Then start writing using the outline. As you write, remember this is a first draft; you’ll spend time editing, rearranging, and proofing later. Writing your first draft might be one of the fastest steps in writing your personal essay. This is because you’ve already put in the time and effort to develop the ideas. Now is the time to depend on them.

If you feel stuck, many writers find freewriting loosens the creative juices and helps the words flow.

Freewriting is the practice of continuously writing the thoughts that come to you. It was discovered by Peter Elbow in 1973, and it’s been found to help “un-stick” content development. Plus, since you’re using a keyboard, this technique is much easier for you than it was for Mr. Elbow using pen and paper.

After you write your first draft, you’ll need to edit it. One editing technique is to speak your essay out loud as if you were telling it to someone. Use a recorder so you can playback your thoughts—especially those well-worded statements you can’t seem to recreate later.

Seek a Personal Statement Review

Once you’ve polished your personal statement to the best of your ability, it’s time to seek a personal statement review. This is a review process undertaken by an expert, licensed PA who can help improve the flow of your essay and guide you to produce your best possible personal statement for PA school.

Your PA school essay should not be the area of the application process that limits your acceptance.

Potential PA students do well to have a personal statement review, so they don’t get lost in a sea of applicants. The admissions committee is not looking for a cookie-cutter essay, but rather your strongest response to their prompt.

Some PAs that do personal statement reviews also offer services to review CASPA applications. Consider this when choosing a PA to perform your personal statement review. As you weigh your options, costs, and timing, remember the importance of the personal statement to your PA school application and ultimately getting a school interview.

Examples of a PA School Essay

It’s always easier to understand how to write your essay after you’ve read several examples. The PA Life published and analyzed 31 examples for you to read through. At the end of each of these real-world examples are brief comments to help guide the writer to produce a better essay.

The first time you read through a personal essay example, you may miss some points, so be sure to read through examples multiple times.

Here are two short examples using different perspectives to help you determine what the best option is for your personal statement. Neither of these meets the 5,000 character limit since the objective is to offer you different options in the way they could be written and not to develop a full physician assistant program essay.

Personal Statement: Example One

I was seven and my mother was once again giving me cough syrup. I took it standing over the toilet because the cherry flavor made me nauseous, and I was sure I would throw up. This went on for years.

Years of springtime coughing and cherry cough syrup. Years of coughing all night and well into the day. Years and years—until as an adult, I realized I had allergies. In those years, I was cared for by my family physician who was gentle, caring, and took the time to talk with me and my parents.

Over the years I have been treated by nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and physicians. Thankfully my lungs have healed well, and I use my inhaler once every two to three years.

But in those years, I grew to have an understanding of the different roles of mid-level providers and physicians. And, from that understanding, I grew to appreciate the flexibility, professionalism, skills, and abilities that a physician assistant brings to their practice each day.

During my hours of healthcare experience as an EMT, I have also had the privilege of working alongside physician assistants who have demonstrated the unique combination of communication skills, teamwork, and compassion that I believe I also hold.

My desire to practice as a physician assistant is driven by my own healthcare experiences as well as those I have witnessed at work.

Over the past five years, I have volunteered at homeless shelters and nursing homes, while working as an EMT. In that time I have come to realize I am driven to help others, and being a physician assistant is the best way for me to fulfill that life mission. [Character count: 1588, Word count: 281]

Personal Statement: Example Two

In the past three years, I have held the hands of children as they died, comforted their parents, and watched their siblings mourn. For three years I have watched the doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants in our hospital work to save lives, and I have seen the difference they make.

As a nurse, I had always assumed I would go on to become a nurse practitioner, so I could see my own patients. But, in the past three years, I have had the chance to see these professions in action, and I have come to realize my goal is to become a physician assistant.

Growing up I lived in a medically underserved area of our large metropolitan city. I saw first-hand the injustices that led to the loss of life or permanent disability. Today I am a nurse in a large city hospital serving those same people, the people from my neighborhood.

In these years I have developed strong communication skills that have served me well as I teach my patients how to care for themselves at home. My experience has been that positive patient outcomes rely on patient understanding and a belief in their necessary care.

My patients and colleagues have taught me the meaning of teamwork, compassion, and understanding of cultural differences. In watching the practice of different medical professionals, it has become obvious that physician assistants are the embodiment of the kind of care I want to offer my patients.

Each medical professional comes from different backgrounds, with different perspectives. I know that my perspective has been impacted by the neighborhood and community of my childhood.

I believe this impact has been a positive one, as it has driven home the need for people who are sensitive to cultural differences, have the time and desire to work with patients, and who have the skills and knowledge to care for them. These characteristics describe me, and I believe they are a deep and integral part of the physician assistant’s practice.

During my freshman year of undergraduate school, my grades faltered as I was learning how to live away from home and control my own schedule. By my sophomore year, I understood what was needed to get the grades I desired, and I achieved high marks through the rest of my education.

To achieve my goal requires my diligence, focus, and ability to absorb and utilize knowledge. I believe I have demonstrated these characters in my undergraduate degree and during my work experience. I am confident in my ability to successfully complete my education and close the gap in healthcare as a primary care provider. [Character count: 2,562 Word count: 444]

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PA STATEMENTS  RESOURCES

Pa school personal statement examples that got accepted.

When you submit your PA school application, you’ll need to include a great personal statement inside your CASPA (The Central Application Service for Physician Assistants) application. Writing the perfect PA personal statement to get an interview for your dream PA program is not an easy task and it might be the toughest part of the application process for many students. We’ll go over a specific PA school personal statement example both before and after we offered our expert insights to demonstrate what makes a good personal statement for PA schools. A key component in writing your personal statement is going over certain experiences you had that qualifies you to get into a great school. Reading other PA school personal statement examples written by other physician assistants helps you better understand what you should be writing and become a physician assistant.

Provided is an example PA personal statement submitted to us by one of our clients who wanted to work in the medical field as a primary care provider.  This client is applying to physician assistant school for the first time and ordered our Advanced Revision package. The first PA personal statement essay is what he initially submitted to us. The final draft of the PA personal statement essay is what he has submitted to CASPA.  Identifying information has been removed from the PA school essay (with permission from the applicant) to respect their anonymity.

His experience with us was fantastic. He ended up getting into his dream program by writing a stellar essay explaining his college career and experiences in his own words, even though his high school grades and college grades weren’t the greatest. In this article, we go over an excellent example of a PA personal statement that got our client into PA school.

What’s the Purpose of a PA Personal Statement?

In order to write the best PA personal statement, you should understand the purpose of writing a personal statement in the first place. The purpose of writing a physician assistant personal statement is show to admissions committees why you chose to pursue medicine, why you want to become a physician assistant and why you’re qualified to work in a doctor’s office.

These admissions committee members want to understand why you became interested in becoming a physician assistant, and what work/healthcare experience and personal experiences you’ve had that have prepared you to become a PA. This allows the admission committee members to see what kind of student you are and your academic background. By answering these important questions, you make your application much more likely to get accepted to your dream PA program.

Before you begin writing your PA personal statement, remember, you have a 5,000 character limit, which works out to be around 800 words. Keep your audience in mind as you research, outline, and write the rough drafts and final draft of your application essay. Read as many PA school application essays written by other applicants as you can to get a better understanding of the structure and make sure to review it for potential grammatical errors or spelling errors before submission.

Want to get into PA school?

Pa personal statement outline.

You want impress the committee members with your strong personal statement? When writing your PA personal statement, you must understand how you should structure the content of your entire essay. Any good PA school personal essay includes an opening statement, a body, and a compelling summary or strong conclusion of your personal essay. You should also make sure your essay has no grammatical mistakes as well as no awkward phrasing and everything is correct. As a future PA student determined to offer quality care to your own patients, you must prove that you are concise, detail oriented and well organized.

Opening Statement

Something to think about when writing your PA personal statement is how you’re going to grab your reader’s attention and make them want to continue reading. It essentially sets the tone for the remainder of your essay. Some PA colleges would rather have you write a more straightforward essay, while others in the academic community would rather have you write a personal anecdote or work experience in the healthcare field, that sets you apart from the rest of the personal statements admissions boards are reviewing.

You should include a personal experience for the admissions committee, making the case that you possess desired personality traits and are a good match for the school. These can include your volunteer experiences i.e. in a nursing home or shelter, anything you learned during your medical experiences, or if you were ever taken care of by a physician assistant, nurse practitioners or other medical professionals.

Body Of The PA School application Essay

When writing this section of your PA application essay, you go over why you make the decision to apply to their PA school, as well as why you want to be a professional physician assistant.

You should also include in the PA personal statement how you accumulated knowledge on medicine, whether by going over your experience with shadowing healthcare professionals and patient interactions, educating yourself by reading, a related class that you took at the graduate school, or personal experience and learnings from a friend or family member.  (for instance, for a few weeks you’ve had the opportunity to shadow a nurse practitioner in a medically underserved area, and even though you’ve been directly involved in stressful situations, you’ve had positive patient outcomes).

Be sure to articulate what skills you have that would prove that you’d be a great PA, such as your passion for working as a healthcare provider, compassion, or teamwork.

It would also be wise to bring up any obstacles during your prior schooling. Conveying these experiences and your story makes your PA personal statement more relatable.

Strong, Compelling Conclusion

This last paragraph may be the most memorable aspect of your PA personal statement. In your final thoughts, drive the point home on why you want to become a physician assistant, and why you want to be an alumni of that specific PA program.

PA PERSONAL STATEMENT FIRST DRAFT:

Pa personal statement essay.

Imagine a person can live healthy from the day he/she born until they die. How great it would be if they can go after the passion they have and help the world with their unique abilities. For instance, Late Mr. Steve Jobs, who doesn’t know him, a cofounder and CEO of Apple,Inc, who gave the technology a new direction that we all use it now in the form of smartphone and many more. He diagnosed of pancreas neuroendocrine tumor in 2003 and died in 2011. Now, it is a fact that we all will die when time comes but until that experience, we have a choice to be healthy so that we can help the world by our unique abilities and follow our passion. My passion is that I want to increase all of my patient’s healthy years in their lives and that is why I would like to get into a physician Assistant school.

I was born and raised in _______, located in west coast of India. I came to the United States with my family in 2001. My uncle was a respected physician in Indian which influenced me and I decided to fulfill my career in the field of medicine. I spend my four years at _______ University in biology major. As I was about to start my last semester, I got admission into ________ Medical University, ________ where I earned my medical degree.

Financial situation plays a major role in one’s life so does mine. Everyone knows about lowest economy in 2008 and it hit so many people including me. I stopped getting loan during my fifth semester of my medical school. At same time my parents lost their jobs and situation came down for our survival. Because of financial stress, I just could not work hard which is the reason for my low performance in United States Medical Licensing Examination and I could not get into medical residency. I have cleared USMLE step 1, step 2 and even step 3 which is usually be taken after medical residency but I have cleared it which proves not only that I will excel the physician assistant school but also physician assistant as a career wise.

While at ________ Medical Center in New York, I saw a patient who was suffering from kidney failure due to complications from diabetes. His treatment was successful, but I realized he harbored a deeper and far more dangerous condition: ignorance. Whether he hadn’t listened, hadn’t comprehended, or wasn’t fully informed during his initial diagnosis, he had no clue of the effects of his disease. After informing him his kidneys had just failed, and that next time he could suffer from neurological problems, ulcers, infections, and even the loss of a leg or his life, he agreed to start taking his medication on a regular basis, without fail. The majority of these complications are preventable. Most patients are simply uneducated. They neglect their regular checkups, forget to take their meds, and end up with severe cases of otherwise treatable diseases. I want to offer them proper education; I want to work with them on their overall health; I want to work from the start with my patients. Having a disease is one thing. Understanding and treating its expression is another.

I am working hard to achieve my goals and dreams, but somehow I sense it is not enough. I seek a physician assistant school that will direct me to be the best I can be, push me beyond my perceived limits, expand my knowledge, and help me to become a competent Physician Assistant worthy of his esteemed profession.

As a contributor on a multidisciplinary team of health care providers, I pledge to strengthen my clinical skill set, broaden my knowledge base, and help my patients achieve an optimum state of health. I want to use my abilities to build a better healthy world by increasing healthy years in my patients’ lives and offer my passion, my strong work ethic, my dedication and perseverance, my current skills and knowledge, and my unbending commitment to becoming a PA.

FINAL DRAFT :

I was born in ______, ______, India. My uncle was a respected physician in India and, following his lead, I decided to fulfill my career in the field of medicine. When I was 17, my family moved to the United States, and I faced the difficulty of learning a new language and immersing myself in a foreign culture. I spent my four years of undergraduate study at _______ University as a biology major. As I was about to start my last semester, I got accepted into ________ Medical University where I later earned my medical degree. During the first semester of medical school, I found that many of my colleagues quit due to the heavy workload but I am not a quitter. I am dedicated, goal oriented, and do not give up until I achieve what I set out to do.

Despite my determination, as a student I realized how big of a role finances play in one’s life. I stopped receiving student loans during my fifth semester of medical school. Next, both of my parents lost their jobs. I saw many of my peers withdraw under the same financial burden. “A task accomplished without challenges was never a task to begin with,” my father would say to me; his constant reminder to never give up. Fueled with these words, my faith, my own determination, and an overwhelming desire to practice medicine, I carried on. Due to the financial stress, I had to take multiple leaves of absence. Despite the circumstances I have completed USMLE step 1, step 2 and even step 3, which is usually taken after medical residency, which I believe shows I have the medical knowledge needed to excel at physician assistant school.

Because of the multiple leaves of absence, I have been unable to get into medical residency and unable to pursue my career as a physician. But my determination and passion won’t allow me to quit. My sister is a Physician Assistant and after she introduced me to the role, I immersed myself in research. During my clinical rotations, I worked with many Physician Assistants and admired their significant level of patient interaction and their ability to work along with physicians and other staff members. One thing I really like is that Physician Assistants can work in a variety of specialties to help facilitate patient care in underserved areas

I know that the PA profession is a growing and demanding career but also know that the future of the profession very secure. PA’s will help bridge the physician shortage gap, particularly in underserved areas, something that appeals to me as someone who wants to practice primary care. As a PA, I will be able to achieve my goal to increase the healthy years in all patients. I have no doubt that I want to pursue my career as a Physician Assistant and am eager to fulfill my dreams and earn respect from my patients as well as my colleagues.

While working as a medical student at ___________ Medical Center in New York, I saw a patient who was suffering from kidney failure due to complications from diabetes. His treatment was successful, but I realized he harbored a deeper and far more dangerous condition: ignorance. I have had a great experience about establishing and maintaining relationship with patients and using that, I was able to educate this patient about his conditions, complications, and how to improve. Having a skill for communication and building a good rapport with not only patients, but also with my colleagues is just one tool I hope to utilize in my practice as a future PA.

My passion toward medicine has been growing since my clinical rotations in medical school. I was fascinated learning about patient interaction, diagnosing patients and how to come up with treatment plans. Whenever a colleague was sick, I always was ready to cover for them, because I knew the more time I spent in training, the better practitioner I would become. Therefore, I worked very hard for my patients, my residents, and my attending physicians to make the whole team look good.

During my gastroenterology elective, I was chief student and team leader, making sure that every task had been done properly. I excel in leadership roles and can multitask successfully. I also have great experience in research publications. I worked as a research assistant at University of ________ in the Neurology Department and have published four articles in the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting 2014.

As a contributor on a multidisciplinary team of health care providers, I pledge to strengthen my clinical skill set, broaden my knowledge base, and help my patients achieve an optimum state of health. Having clinical knowledge, communication skills, the ability and experience to multitask and lead the team, as well as dedication toward my profession, I do believe that I would be an excellent Physician Assistant candidate. I offer my passion for the Physician Assistant profession, my strong work ethic, my dedication and perseverance, my current skills and knowledge, and my unbending commitment to never give up.

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January 26, 2024

Writing Your PA School Personal Statement with Impact [Including a PA Personal Statement Example]

There are approximately 300 accredited PA (physician assistant) schools in the United States. In the most recent application cycle, these schools received more than 27,000 applications. The matriculation rate for PA schools hovers near 30%, which is lower than the approximate 40% matriculation rate for medical schools. Is becoming a PA a competitive process? Yes! Is it impossible? No!

For you to stand out in this crowded applicant pool, your  personal statement for your PA application  has got to shine from the first sentence to the last. It needs to tell a compelling story that focuses on your sustained interest in the field, while at the same time building a case for your qualifications. It should not rehash your CV, be loaded with clichés, or focus solely on a story that portrays you as a victim.   

The character limit for the CASPA (Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants) personal statement is 5,000 – which includes spaces ! Some people at first believe the limit is 5,000  words  and end up having to severely cut back their overwritten drafts. Don’t let this happen to you! 

The following successful essay responds to the question, “Why PA?” After reading this essay, you’ll understand why the candidate was accepted into a PA program.  The individual has given permission for their essay to be shared publicly. All personal identifiers and details have been removed to protect their privacy.

PA School Personal Statement Example

I was nine years old and in the middle of Mrs. Russell’s third grade class when my stomach began to itch uncontrollably. I remember thinking to myself, “Did I get bitten by a bug?” Completely distracted by the incessant itching, I asked Mrs. Russell if I could go to the nurse’s office. When the nurse lifted my shirt, I saw the biggest “bug bites” I had ever seen covering the majority of my stomach. She quickly called my mom, who took me to several different doctors as the “bug bites” continued to spread all over my body. None of the doctors could figure out what was wrong with me until I saw a Dermatology PA. He immediately diagnosed me with a delayed allergic reaction. He gave me a medication that almost immediately made the hives disappear. I no longer struggled to open my eyes! It was like magic! To this day, I still have no idea what caused that allergic reaction, but I am grateful for this experience, because it introduced me to a PA who continued to touch my life and cultivate my interest in medicine and healthcare.

Year after year, my love of learning continued to flourish. I began taking gifted classes in math and science in the fifth grade and continued to take honors and advanced placement classes when I reached high school. In addition to my studies, I also began to play volleyball and softball. Through these sports, I learned the skills that a textbook could not teach me, such as accountability, integrity,  teamwork , and leadership. Through my academic achievements, active participation in numerous school clubs, and leadership role as the captain of my volleyball team, my high school nominated me to participate in a National Youth Leadership Forum in the summer of ——. I attended lectures by a PA, a nurse, a chiropractor, a veterinarian, and several physician specialists. In addition to the lectures and countless group activities, I visited several medical facilities. In one of the labs, I saw a table displaying human organs infected with different diseases and cancers. To my surprise, I was eager to touch them and learn why the people they once belonged to could not have been saved. From that experience on, I became determined to pursue medicine.

My  interest in the PA profession  quickly became a driving force in my life after my mom was diagnosed with Stage IV Melanoma in February —— and quickly passed away in October of that year. I was devastated upon hearing her diagnosis. How could this happen when she went to the Dermatologist every three to six months? The same Dermatology PA who had healed me with his “magic pills” spent a significant amount of time with my mom after her diagnosis. He met with her and my dad following a long day of seeing patients, to determine if he had missed something in her regular exams. He also made himself available to my entire family and recommended specialists and experimental treatments. He explained everything we did not understand along the way. It is because of the compassion, sincerity, and care he provided to my mom and my family during this difficult time that I became certain I wanted to pursue my love of medicine as a PA.

Throughout my undergraduate career, as well as the time since I graduated, I have continued to explore the medical field to learn as much as I can about becoming a PA. Through countless hours of  shadowing and volunteering  as a medical assistant at —— Dermatology, I have learned how crucial teamwork, effective communication, detailed note-taking, and compassion are for effective patient care. There have been numerous instances where doing a simple and nearly painless biopsy could have turned into a serious and most certainly uncomfortable medical situation. By taking thorough patient histories, accurately noting any allergies, and verbally communicating these notes to the practitioner, I have been able to ensure that patients receive the best care possible while averting any avoidable crises.

Every challenge and opportunity that I have encountered since I was the itchy little girl sitting in Mrs. Russell’s class has brought me to this decision. My mom’s passing has only made me more passionate about this profession and has given me a new appreciation for life that I hope to share with my patients and community. With my love of learning and helping others, as well as the skill set I will gain from a PA program, I am certain that I will have the tools needed to become a valued member of a larger care team. I am eager to see how these opportunities will positively impact not only my life, but also the lives of others.

What makes this PA personal statement outstanding?

This essay shows that the writer invested the question “Why PA?” with a great deal of thought. It is exceptional for the following reasons:

1. The writer specifically explains “why PA” from the first paragraph to the last.

She writes with honesty and skill, directly responding to the essay prompt. Each paragraph illustrates an additional reason that becoming a PA is the only profession for her. She builds her case by discussing her academic achievements (advanced placement and honors classes in math and science), shadowing and volunteering as a medical assistant, and learning to appreciate the essential “soft skills” of compassion, sincerity, and care in a PA, which convinces the reader that she is grateful for, dedicated to, and thirsts for knowledge in the field of medicine. For these reasons, the candidate was  invited to interview  and received an acceptance.

2. The writer demonstrates a longitudinal pattern of behavior and involvement that supports her educational goal.

In my experience,  past behavior predicts future behavior . This candidate’s pattern of behavior aligns with the work and responsibilities of a PA. With a love of learning and teamwork, as demonstrated by the experiences she chose in the medical arena, the writer proves through her long-term involvement with medicine that she will seamlessly fit into the role of PA. It is clear how much effort she has invested into preparing for this career.

3. An appealing balance of personal motivations and professional goals are represented in the essay.

From her childhood experience of being successfully treated by a PA to appreciating the clinical skill and sensitivity of PAs she encountered over the years, this writer’s motivations are a perfect blend of the personal and the professional. She writes convincingly about why this career path will be so meaningful on multiple levels. By drawing on both her personal contact with the profession and her preparation for it, she convinces readers of the variety and depth of her commitment. Each paragraph builds from personal to professional motivations, culminating in a conclusion where she ties the two threads together.

The profession of PA continues to grow in stature and popularity. When submitting your CASPA, remember you will be evaluated on the competitiveness of your holistic portfolio, with the personal statement being a critical component. Take time to craft your narrative, leave yourself additional time for reviewing and editing your drafts, and ensure that the statement you submit will captivate the admissions committee!

As the former assistant dean of student affairs and career development at the William Beaumont School of Medicine, Dr. Valerie Wherely worked directly with the dean of the School of Medicine, the associate dean of student affairs, the associate dean of clinical curriculum, and the assistant dean of admissions, as well as with Year 4 students on both residency application reviews/critiques and mock interview preparation. Work with Valerie! Schedule a free consultation today!

Related Resources:

• How to Get into Physician Assistant Programs , podcast Episode 515
• Reapplying to PA School: Tips on Polishing and Refining Your NEW Application
• Why Should I Consider Allied Health Careers?

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Crafting Your PA School Personal Statement – A Comprehensive Guide

• September 20, 2022
• Sharjeel Shaw PA-C

A personal statement allows you to share the integral details of your pre-PA journey with admission committees. It’s a chance to showcase attributes that are not already included within your CASPA application. It should be genuine, memorable, and honest.

It should demonstrate your strengths and convince the reader that you have what it takes to become an outstanding Physician Assistant. A rock-solid personal statement can be the one thing that sets you apart from other applicants with similar stats.

It’s your opportunity to catch the attention of admission committees and make them want to meet you in person. A well-crafted personal statement can be your ticket to an interview.

BRAINSTORMING

Write down anything and everything that comes to mind. Think bullet points, not novels. And remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither are personal statements.

• Think back to the moment you decided you wanted to become a physician assistant. Where were you? What were you doing? Did the decision come easy? Or did it require a lot of time and reflection?
• When was your first encounter with a physician assistant? How did you first hear about the profession?
• What experiences have you had along the way that have solidified your career choice? Was it a patient encounter, an experience with a family member, or a day you spent shadowing a PA? Think about experiences that spark emotion.
• Why did you choose to pursue a career in healthcare?
• Why did you choose to become a PA over all other healthcare careers? What aspects of the profession are most appealing?
• What personal attributes do you possess that make you a qualified applicant? What experiences have you had that prove that you exemplify those traits?
• What qualities do you possess that will make you a successful PA student and successful practitioner? What experiences have you had that prove that you exemplify those traits?
• Why you vs. the thousands of other applicants? What makes you unique?
• What obstacles have you overcome?
• What are your goals? Describe the type of practitioner that you aspire to be.
• What morals and values do you uphold?

WRITING A FIRST DRAFT

Try free writing first before you start to worry about formatting or flow. Getting your ideas down on paper is the first step. There’s no need to write your entire first draft in one sitting. If you’re experiencing a writer’s block, take a break and come back to it.

     Logistics

• 5000 characters
• Tabs, italics, and bold will not convert when uploaded to CASPA
• Hit return twice between paragraphs

     FORMATTING

• Introduction with a hook or catchy story
• Multiple body paragraphs – each with a separate story or theme
• Strong conclusion that ties in information from intro/body paragraphs

     CONTENT

• Don’t rewrite your resume – demonstrate your attributes with stories
• Demonstrate your knowledge of the profession – specific to PA school, not healthcare in general
• Be authentic – let your personality shine through
• Consider including an overarching theme to tie everything together
• If you chose to address applicant red flags, don’t make excuses – demonstrate growth and improvement

     PROOFREADING

• Use thesaurus.com if you find that you’re repeating a word or phrase frequently
• Read it out loud in order to assess flow and pick up on grammar/spelling mistakes
• Have 2-3 trusted peers/mentors look it over – input from too many sources decreases authenticity

Use code  “PATIPS20”  to save 20% on your subscription to  myPAbox

Want more personal statement tips? Check out “How To Make Your PA School Personal Statement Shine”

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